Friday's thoughts on Sunday's sermon

There is something that has been on my mind I would like to address in some sermon before I leave Fort Collins. Maybe it's just a matter of getting this out of my system.

It has to do with the decline in the membership numbers in the United Methodist Church. There is a sense that our church is in a "free fall" decline toward extinction. Some have speculated the reason for this decline is we have moved away from the Gospel and have become too concerned about social issues and controversial subjects.

I think it's just the opposite. I don't think we are in decline because we are too controversial or too intellectual or have strayed too far from the Gospel. I think we are in decline because our church has become irrelevant to the issues of the day.

I think churches like First United Methodist Church are strong and growing because we ask a great deal of ourselves and because we are not afraid to tackle difficult and controversial issues.

The time we spend in church means something because the things we are involved in are important and we know it.

I think our church is growing and doing well because we have come to believe that theology is not a reductionistic exercise in how we meet Jesus on a personal level whose words we can manipulate to fix our bias and how God is a figment of our need and how prayer is reduced to a superstitious petition for privilege and good fortune.

This church has taken theology and mission seriously and we are not in decline.

This church has believed in the priesthood of the laity and there is activity and energy here.

This church has opened its doors to the homeless and how reached out into the world.

This church provides leadership for the Rocky Mountain Conference in many ways.

This church recognizes the importance of multiple experiences of worship and has traditional and alternative worship formats.

In a denomination that is in a decline how do we explain the fact that this church is not in decline?

What do you think? If you have some thoughts on this subject write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with the readers of the blog click on the 'comments' box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles Schuster