Settling January 25, 2012
Posted by Dan R. Dick in Christian witness, Church Leadership, Identity & Purpose, The United Methodist Church.Tags: Church Leadership, The United Methodist Church, Vision
22 comments
I was speaking with one of our retired bishops recently, who framed the current recommendations this way, “Well, it’s better than no plan at all.” There are so many things wrong with this statement, and each one is more depressing than the last. If the plans are poor plans, then, no, it is not better to follow them than to not. If they are inadequate plans, then it is not better to have them. If they are racist, it is definitely not better. But, see, part of the problem is that we are being sold a bill of goods, and there isn’t really any place for open discussion. Criticisms are merely deflected, and opposing views aren’t even allowed in many places. Counter-proposals are no better than those they seek to improve, and we have whole delegations doing the “drink-the-kool-aid” mindless fall-in-line. The deeper questions of identity and purpose are ignored for questions of structure — but all based in miscommunication and rhetoric.
