WHO SHOULD WE BAIL OUT?

I write in the midst of the worst economic crisis in anyone’s recent memory.  Greed, carelessness, incompetence and other things have forced the government to consider, and us to accept, a mind-blowing IOU from the U.S. tax-payers to bail out various and sundry financial enterprises, and in time the US economic enterprise as a whole.  Though a "bail-out" proposal has now stalled for a second time, triggering a massive drop–or is it a free-fall?–on Wall Street, I remian reasonably confident a plan will be approved.

But it’s got me thinking about the whole notion of a bail-out, and what kind of bail-out most coheres with a Kingdom-of-God perspective.  From that perspective, while the current bail-out plans seem necessary given the economic turmoil we’ve created, another bail-out seems equally necessary given the realities of God’s Kingdom.

Kingdom realities suggest that we should, by all means, consider a bail-out of hugely massive proportions for the poor, vulnerable, weak, and defenseless among us, and around the world.  No one familiar with the story of God’s way with humanity, climaxing in Jesus, could argue how dear the poor and company are to the heart of God, nor how critical their care is to any people claiming to share the passion of God’s heart.

Before the chorus of objections to taking such a bail-out with any seriousness becomes deafening, please consider this.  In recent years, we have demonstrated beyond doubt that if we feel threatened enough by enemies who might harm us or if we become fearful enough of the possible implosion of our economy, there are virtually no limits to the cost we will assume.  Thus, it’s not really about the money.  It is about our values.  it is about what or who captures our heart.  And it is about what we have the will to do.

Brothers and sisters, here is the question that distrubs me–as I feel angst about the economy, as I anguish over who will receive my vote, as I seek to be a truly Kingdom-person:  How can we abide the current calls for massive expenditures of our money for the cause of our country, and yet not feel compelled to consider massive bail-out measures for those whose voice will never find a forum, but whose cries daily register in the Throne Room of the One we claim to serve?

Imagine the Extraordinary as Normative

What a pleasure to spend time with the pastoral team in East Michigan this week.  I had the privilege of speaking on wholeness, wellness, and holiness (not to mention happiness)—which always go together.  I put the question to the colleagues: Do you want to be well, whole, holy and happy?  Do you believe God wants this for you, Jesus died to make it possible, and the Holy Spirit is present to make God’s desires for you actual—here and now?

My conviction is: we know the right answer but seldom experience and do not routinely live it.  Either we don’t believe it’s possible, to be the fully human being, vitally connected to the God of the universe, abundantly alive and powerfully engaged in God-stuff—in the way Jesus himself is, or we have no desire for this way of life, or we do not know how to receive what God offers us.  Clearly, however, to live in such a full and radically different way as God plans would seem exceptional to most of us.

Yet, to read the story of Jesus’ way with people, leading to the formation of church in missional partnership with Jesus—actually to read it and believe it as a reflection of what God wants to do—draws us into the extraordinary as normative.

Think of the many features of the story that seem extraordinary to most people: honestly facing the demons and darkness that once haunted us and finding freedom from them in Jesus’ name; such freedom that we no longer need to pretend that we are more “together” than we are, or that we have all the answers, or … whatever else we like to pretend; receiving from God specific direction for a given day’s activities; participating in ministry and service that make a difference in the nitty-gritty of our community’s and neighbor’s lives; freely giving our money and other stuff to help others in need; naturally and confidently drawing attention to Jesus as the one we love and follow in daily life; seeing people in the way Jesus did—with gut wrenching sadness over the mess some are in and then utterly abandoning self to help them; sharing with other Christ-followers in such a way (lovingly, authentically, joyfully, generously, deeply) that some outsiders wonder how they could be part of our sharing; sensing that God wants to do something—like heal a sick person or expose a besetting sin or rescue someone stuck or comfort the distraught or challenge the powers that be or something else—and declaring God’s desire and seeing it happen to the amazement of on-lookers; joining hands with others to pursue a common good in the community simply because the common good is good; perceiving that our obedience to Jesus in the small things has a ripple effect encircling the world; offering hope in the darkest hours to people who would otherwise give up.  The list could go on a long while.  But imagine such extraordinary things happening to us, among us, through us.  Imagine the extraordinary becoming normative for us. 

Think about a group of people centering their lives in Jesus, focused on His passions and desires, eager to receive all He promises them, so serious about receiving that nothing else really matters in comparison.  Imagine them waiting, seeking, yearning.  Imagine that when nothing happens right away, they refuse to give up.  Imagine a stubborn refusal to settle for anything less than a powerful manifestation of what Jesus has said Jesus will do. 

Imagine it.  Imagine the extraordinary becoming normative!

Strategic Events

This week I was privileged to share with two strategic groups within our branch of Christ-followers.  Persons new (relatively so) to ministry among us convened in Indy to become acquainted with our sense of mission as a church, a church trusting to be in a position to catch the winds of the Spirit of God and be drawn into grand transformative movements in our nation.

I suppose that last sentence sounds a bit grandiose, yet it seems appropriate for this group.  They are filled with passion and are convinced that nothing can stop what God wants to do through them.  How refreshing!  And, upon reflection I believe they may be more in touch with the real world than many who have been "at it" in ministry for a long time.  I mean, we serve the God who created everything out of nothing and who raises the dead.  The God who demonstrates he is unstoppable in carrying through his plans, except perhaps through the unwillingness and unfaithfulness of his own people.  These new leaders among us are both willing and faithful.  What a delight to hear their stories, celebrate their gifts, confirm their determination to give their all, and anticipate what only God can through their efforts.  May their kind be on the forefront of what distinguishes our church in coming months.

Later in the week my colleagues in oversight–the team of national overseers in the FMC–joined me in southeastern Ohio for a consultation.  We are in the work of overseeing–being good stewards of the church, facilitating all that God wants to do through our people all around the country.  We convened with the conviction that powerful and transformative ministry that expresses the heart of Christ for the world requires us to understand and practice the skills of cross-cultural ministry.  Just as Jesus didn’t "drive-by" and engage in mission from a distance, but became one of us and camped with our kind, so Christ-followers today will actually have to follow.  They will follow him to the places he goes–to wherever the people are, especially those who need good news in a "bad way", they will follow, stop where he stops, put down roots where he settles and take authority to do Jesus-like exploits for the good of the people.  Well, we met, taught one another, learned together, agreed that such work is our mission.  And, we are determined that in time it will be "mission accomplished!"

I’ve been thinking that these two strategic events go together well.  The first recalls the first love-passion for Christ that has world conquering power and the second has both the responsibility and pleasure of removing any and all hindrances to the flow of that passion toward making all things new.

Bless those who have just joined us and believe nothing can stop them, and bless us, O Lord, as you use us to make it so! 

A Visit to Prison

During the week of August 24 I was privileged to join three others (Bishop Keith Elford of Canada, Bishop Elie Buconyori of Burundi, and Supt. Allan Ellershaw of the United Kingdom) in visiting our Church in Rwanda.  Our visit was on behalf of imprisoned Bishop Munyagisaka Philemon. 

Since May of 2006 Bishop Philemon has been in Kigali’s Central Prison charged with genocidal crimes.  We are certain that these charges are false, the result of conflicts in the church and the continuing struggle in Rwanda to deal with the atrocities of genocide that has so scarred the national psyche.  Bishop Philemon has opponents in the church who do not want him to lead because he belongs to the wrong tribe.  And, the judicial system created to prosecute crimes associated with the genocide functions in an atmosphere of continuing suspicion and fear.

Our delegation went to Rwanda to clarify Bishop Philemon’s situation actually, to see if there are ways to help his cause, and to plead for justice—both before the judicial system there and before our fellow Free Methodists who are in leadership within the church.  We believe that the Lord used our visit and that He is at work on behalf of this part of our family. 

The absolute highlight of our week came when our delegation visited Bishop Philemon in the central prison.  We found a modern day Apostle Paul.  Though he is under arrest, incarcerated, still the Word of God is not bound.  He is a Bishop charged with oversight of the church.  That is precisely what he does—even from the prison.  He writes letters, offers guidance to the church, and makes disciples.  He is known as the Bishop of the prison.  He studies and teaches on the mission of the church, with impact both inside and beyond his confinement.  Here are a few memorable lines:

• The best thing you can do for someone in prison is to visit.  Thank you!
• The two weaknesses of the church: we don’t pray enough and we don’t teach our members to be true disciples.
• Walk with God, then walk with people.  In that order!
• God has a plan, even for someone imprisoned unjustly.  And, it is always a blessing to be part of God’s plan!
• Tell the church (around the world praying for him) not to be afraid.  God is at work.

Before our closing time of prayer together, Bishop Philemon urged us to tell you: “I am strong spiritually, physically, and intellectually.  I have already forgiven those who have falsely accused me.  I am doing Ok, fulfilling God’s plan for this part of my life.  I have time to pray, think, study, write, and share with people.  And, he said with a twinkle and smile, I am now a sports-man!

THE “HIS-STORY” MAKING CHURCH

A people who together are authentically church understand that history is "his-story," that is God’s story brought to fullness in Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, what Jesus began to do and teach they continue (Acts 1:1). It’s not so much that they have a story to tell, but that they are the story that tells. Who they are (identity), what they do (vocation), and how they live (life-style) embody the Jesus-story in and to their world. They are people whose defining story is his-story-making.

Obviously, Jesus’ story makes these people " a people." Without Jesus there could be no church, just as without Yahweh there could have been no Israel. First with Israel and then with the church, God calls people into being, a certain kind of being, that could be by no other means. Those who were not a people God has made a people (Hos. 1:10; 1 Pet. 2:10). Authentic church-being is a kind of being that could not be apart from God. As we look at groups today–including FMC groups–it is important to ask, how is it that such a group exists? Does its existence require God? Are creation and resurrection its foundational realities?

Perhaps not so obviously, the Jesus-story creates a people who participate in the Jesus-story. Read the Acts account of how the earliest followers of Jesus interacted with and related to one another (e.g., 2:41-47) and then compare these relations with Paul’s list of fruits of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). Clearly the list becomes living among people of authentic church-being. They become a people whose association with Jesus explains their character and conduct, as we read of the apostles (Acts 4:13), a people who in the most extreme experiences of life replicate the responses of Jesus, as Stephen did in his martyrdom (Acts 7:59-60). It is important to set our intra-church dynamics alongside the Jesus-story and note how well they match. When we are together, as we do business, in the course of our worship, witness, and service does the list (Gal. 5:22-23) become living? In and through all we are and do, can others hear the voice of Jesus and feel his touch? Does our church-life, over the course of time, carry on the adventure of God interacting with, invading, and investing human history with holy presence?

Authentic church-being is radically counter-cultural. We refuse to accept the stories the world tells us. It’s not about the Pax Romana embracing the world through the Roman Empire. Nor is it about the American dream or Democratic ideals washing over every continent’s shores. No, it’s about Jesus who goes to Jerusalem, so that his people may go from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth and then to a new Jerusalem–carrying sufficient light to see the script of God’s story, in which every person has a role. It’s not about making your mark here and now during your brief span of life. It’s about bringing the eternal depth and dimension of God’s plans for all things into every moment of time while there is time, so that no one supposes that time is all there is. It’s inviting people to come out of the cramped smallness of merely here and now living into the vast, huge frontiers of the God-given and eternal. It’s not about scratching and clawing one’s way to the top in order to be something or someone. It’s about discovering the someone God made us to be and then becoming that someone, which is something indeed. It’s not about currying favor or attracting love, it’s about waking up to a world full of the steadfast love of the Lord that is from everlasting to everlasting, that can never fade or fail, and that can make us more than conquerors, no matter what.

In fact, authentic church-being exposes the lie of every story other than God’s story. Not so much by offering us better lines as by offering us better lives as individuals and congregations. It’s not the debate, but the demonstration that counts most.

The Reverend David W. Kendall, an ordained elder in the Great Plains Conference, was elected to the office of bishop of the Free Methodist Church in May 2005. He serves as overseer of East Michigan, Gateway, Great Plains, Mid-America, North Central, North Michigan, Ohio, Southern Michigan, Wabash, African Area Annual Conferences; and Coordinator of oversight for the World Ministries Center.

Bishop Kendall received a Bachelor of Arts degree (Philosophy and Religion) from Spring Arbor College (Spring Arbor, MI) in 1976 and Master of Divinity degree (Biblical Studies) from Asbury Theological Seminary (Wilmore, KY) in 1979. In 1984 he graduated from Union Theological Seminary (Richmond, Virginia) with a Ph.D. in Biblical Studies, New Testament.

Dr. Kendall was ordained as deacon in 1975 and elder in 1977. He served as superintendent of the Great Plains Conference from 1999 – 2005, a position he served until elected bishop. Prior to 1999 he pastored churches in the Great Plains Conference and Southern Michigan Conference for sixteen years. In addition to serving as pastor to churches and other pastors, Bishop Kendall has been an adjunct faculty member of Central Christian College (McPherson, KS) and Greenville College (Greenville, IL).

Bishop Kendall’s passion for ministry centers on two primary calls: first, to communicate the Scriptures as God’s Word in faithful and relevant ways to our world today and second, to assist God’s people to be truly the church in the 21st century.

Dr. Kendall also enjoys writing and seeks to build up the church through the printed word as well. He is a contributing editor to The Light & Life magazine, a regular contributor to Illustrated Bible Life, and the author of God’s Call to be Like Jesus: Living a Holy Life in an Unholy World, a 1999 publication of Light and Life Communications.

Bishop Kendall and his wife, Lavone, have three married daughters who with their spouses are: Charis and Jeremy Pastor, Rachel and Kenny Flowers, and Katrina and Juan Cordova.

The Kendalls reside in Greenville, Illinois.