Dec. 4, 2009 The Journey Continues ...

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I have always been a fan of the space program. I have, in a way, grown up with NASA. I remember John Kennedy saying:

We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too... This nation has tossed its cap over the wall of space, and we have no choice but to follow it.

The year was 1963. I was 5 years old.

When you think about it, to reach the moon in six years was pretty amazing. To move from Mercury, to Gemini, to Apollo, to the moon in 1969 was an inspiring witness to hard work and creativity. Despite rockets that couldn’t get off the ground and plans that were repeatedly delayed, the program pressed on toward the ultimate goal! They would not settle for anything less than success. As Kennedy said, “... we have no choice but to follow it.”
The same was true for the Space Shuttle program. How thrilling it was to watch a craft return from space and land like an airplane. I remember being in a crowd of people who couldn’t help but cheer and “high five” one another when the shuttle landed safely. Once again, it was a testimony to engineering, innovation, and progress. Even though there were setbacks and tragedies, the program found a way to make positive steps forward.

Last week I finished the latest round of “Bishop’s Nights” at each WPAUMC district. The crowds have been inspiring in each setting and I thoroughly enjoy traveling across the Conference to make connections with many of you. After the last presentation, I received an e-mail from a pastor who heard someone say that they thought I was getting discouraged in my work.

There is no doubt that this series of presentations has been blunt and honest. There is no doubt that the statistical trends in our Conference are less than inspiring. There is no doubt that we have some tremendous challenges facing us if we offer nothing but “lip service” to our mission. There is no doubt that in these presentations I have “tossed a cap over the wall” and issued a pretty substantial challenge for us here in Western Pennsylvania.

But to suggest that I am discouraged is to miss the point of the presentations. I have never been more passionate and excited about being here in Western Pennsylvania. I truly believe that we are reaching a point where we will have no choice but to become more dependent on the presence of God than we ever have. Frankly, I don’t like where we are, but I get real “jazzed up” when I dream about the goal God has called us to achieve.

I think our goal of “making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world” is much like the goal of reaching the moon. Some laugh at it, while others think it’s a waste of time. Some downplay it, while others take it so seriously they effectively remove the potential joy that could be found in the journey. Some think we should solve more “earthy” goals, while others want to forsake this orbit and fly off haphazardly into worlds unknown.

For the past five years we have been building a new platform upon which to launch our program. We have had to learn how to trust one another once more and to “Believe Again” in the power of God’s presence to help us reach our lofty goals. We have had to test programs that failed and re-design booster rockets that will give us the needed energy to reach beyond our human limitations. We have had no choice but to demand faithfulness, effectiveness and fruitfulness as preconditions to launch.

Discouraged? No way. Humbled? No doubt. The challenges we have before us seem, at times, to be insurmountable. The figures that I have flashed on screens across the conference seem to be unconvertible. The answers we have leaned on over the years seem to be all so human.

But here’s the rest of the story. The biblical record shows that God has continued to hang around in the midst of human shortcomings. The witness of Jesus revealed that even the most unlikely characters could be converted. And the presence of the Holy Spirit demonstrated that even the most insurmountable obstacles were overcome.

All of that says to me that God isn’t through with us yet. I believe that we have set the stage for a movement to happen among us once more. Will it happen with all of us? I doubt it. Frankly, some will never get on board. Will we look the same as we do today? Not if we’re going to rise above this current existence and fly in new orbits. Will it be without setback and loss? There is a price to pay to be sure. Count the cost if we do, but count the cost if we don’t.

American author, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker Les Brown once said, “Shoot for the moon and if you miss, you will still be among the stars.”

As a church we have not left the gravitational pull of convenience for some time now. It’s time to become daring and risky once more.

Shoot for the moon? Sounds good to me! What have we got to lose?

The Journey Continues ...