Generat Conference 2012 - Does It Matter?

In a few days the United Methodist Church denomination will hold its 2012 General Conference session in Tampa, Florida.  The General Conference will bring United Methodist delegates from all over the world into one big assembly for several days.  (If interested, you can follow the happenings at www.gc2012.umc.org/ )   Dating back to 1784, and meeting every four years, the General Conference is the official voice of my denomination.

In some ways a General Conference mimics a large, temporary legislative assembly.  Outside of worship occasions, speakers, and presentations, the business will bear similarity to most representative governments.  Certain hot-button issues will be debates by persons representing a variety of theological and political views.  This year there's a great deal of buzz around the structure of our expression of the Christian family.  Some are calling for sweeping changes to enable United Methodism to better navigate an era of rapid change.  Others are calling for caution.

What difference will all this make?  What will be the impact of thousands of United Methodists gathering in Florida?  I've had the opportunity to serve on a General Conference/Jurisdictional Conference delegation from our state four times.  (Admittedly on the "junior varsity" of each delegation.  Frankly, barely made the team each time!)   I learned a great deal each time and I valued each experience.  Every time, though, I had to ask whether or not we actually made any difference.  Have we stopped our denomination's overall membership decline.  And, vastly, more important, have we increased our capability to introduce people to Jesus, to change their lives, to grow them as disciples, and to get them involved in the central mission of leading people in new life with Jesus?  I'm not sure I know the full answer.

I do know this - addressing the main thing (our disciple-making mission) ultimately does not depend on large representative assemblies, any more than it depends on the latest book, the latest seminar, or the latest "how-to-grow-your-church" package.  It depends on leadership...passionate, Christ-centered, willing to risk and sacrifice leadership.  I'm very blessed to be in a part of the country where United Methodist state-wide leadership currently is very strong this way, from our Bishop to our state-wide staff, to many, many of our pastors and church leaders on the front line.  These people aren't perfect, but they see the mainstream of that which God wants, and they lead us in getting into it.  Whatever else the General Conference does, I hope it provides structure, legislation, discussion or whatever is necessary to foster more of that type of leadership.

Whether United Methodist or not, please join my in praying for the delegates to General Conference and for the General Conference itself, praying that, in the words of one of the great United Methodist leaders in our state, "We keep the main thing as the main thing!"

I'll see you around the next bend in the river.