16 Feb A Full Orbed Great Commission

Pat Jones, Director of Healthy Church Ministries
Recently I was challenged to a full orbed view of the Great Commission. Since we are covenanting together to be “Great Commission” churches, we must have a full view of what that entails. The front side of the commission is to make disciples. We know that this is the dominant verb in the sentence. It is also a command. Disciples are not “converts” if by converts we simply imply an evangelistic decision by someone. Disciples are on a life pursuit. Disciples are learners who are growing in grace and knowledge of the truth. Disciples are lovers of God and people. Disciples are passionate about doing what Jesus did, invading the world to “seek and to save that which was lost.” The “going”, “baptizing” and “teaching” are all supportive parts of the making of disciples.
Some churches practice an evangelistic thrust that emphasizes people who make a “decision,” but they are left to fend for themselves about what it all means to follow Jesus. They would be like a seed that springs up quickly but is either taken away or burned away by the sun fairly quickly. Other churches seem focused on teaching, believing that if you teach your people truth, they will evangelize. Without an intentional plan to go “make new disciples,” these folks can become like the leaders of Jesus day who were ever hearing but not understanding. Right teaching which leads to right action will also lead to the giving away of truth.
Is your ministry “full orbed?” What do you do to intentionally speak into the community and culture around you with the Gospel of Jesus? Who have you spoken to personally in the past weeks? And are you continuing to “teach everything He has commanded?” Are your people maturing in their faith to where they can’t help speak of what they have seen and heard? Holding onto the Gospel of Jesus Christ (revelation) and intentionally seeking to save that which was lost (relevance) will help keep our ministries aligned with the Great Commission in all its fullness.

14 Feb Roses are Red. Don’t Forget!

Ron Ramsey, Bishop
Roses are red
Violets are blue
I wish I had some snappy two-line ditty to finish this little poem to wish you all a Happy Valentines Day! But alas I am no poet and “my big feet show it” (and they are big if you need to know it).
Well enough of that stuff. I just wanted to remind you to send an expression of love to the “lover of your soul,” to the one who loved you so much He died so we might live, to the one who promises us an eternal home that He personally is preparing, to the one who blesses with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies, to the one who has promised to never leave us or forsake us, to the one whose love is not fickle, based on how He feels, whose love does not change….
I suppose the perfect Valentine for such a one is to give Him my obedience which he desires even more than my sacrifice. And I almost wish He hadn’t said that, because giving a sacrifice is much easier than obedience. At least, that is the way it is in my life. So the question for this Valentines Day is not what I can do for Him, but rather will I be obedient to Him.
Oh yes, and don’t forget your earthly sweetie either!

13 Feb Roger Reeck Teaching in Africa

Roger and Marilyn Reeck are UB partial support missionaries serving with Wycliffe in La Ceiba, Honduras. On February 7, Roger left for Guinea Bissau, a small West African nation, where he will spend the next five weeks teaching translation principles to national translators. He will teach in Portuguese, a language he has been working hard at mastering. He has been watching Portuguese movies, listening to Portuguese radio, and reading the Portuguese Bible for several hours a day. He taught in Brazi last year using the Portuguese language, but the Portuguese spoken in Guinea Bissau is slightly different from what is spoken in Brazil.

09 Feb Ask These With Tenacious Honesty

Pat Jones, Director of Healthy Church Ministries
Here are some questions for you to ask yourself and your leadership with tenacious honesty. Time is short and we must stop kidding ourselves about the effectiveness of our ministries. The reason some churches function at a high level of effectiveness in reaching the lost and fulfilling their purpose is that they ask tough questions over and over again. So, are you willing to ask these three and deal with the implications of the answers?

1. Who are you? (Your understanding of why God has you and your church here)
2. What do you do? (How do you accomplish that understanding?)
3. What does it matter? (If you didn’t do what you are doing, what would the result be?)

Brad Powell, pastor of Northridge Church in Plymouth, MI, a very effective and exciting ministry, stated that he believes that the church is the hope of the world but he fears that for a majority of our churches in America they could close down today and the level of hope in their town would not change at all. In other words, they have forgotten or failed to be hope providers to those who are lost and headed for a Christless eternity in their communities.
So, be willing to ask the questions. But you must be willing to pay any price to travel to the correct, heart of God responses. Failure in this endeavor is not an option for those who want to be useful in the Lord’s work today.

09 Feb Five Strategic Initiatives

Ron Ramsey, Bishop
I have identified five stragetic initiatives for my term, and I would like your feedback on them, either through the comments or using the Contact link on the right:

1. Implement and encourage an atmosphere where multiplication of leaders and churches will be considered as normal.
2. Encourage Spiritual Formation and Renewal within the churches of the United Brethren in Christ
3. Actively equip churches and pastors for effective ministries.
4. Develop a plan to identify and retain those who are being called into fulltime Christian service.
5. Discover, evaluate, and articulate the perceived brand image of the Church of the United Brethren In Christ.

These five initiatives will comprise the areas that I consider priority issues and in which I will spend the majority of my time.
These were adopted October 4, 2005, by the Executive Leadership Team after some discussion. Now I would like to open the discussion of these five initiatives to a wider audience across the church.
How do you think these ought to be fleshed out? Or maybe you take issue that these are the areas that need priority attention in our denomination.
Talk to me, church!

09 Feb Kingdom View Church Plant

Ron Ramsey, Bishop
I was in Michigan this past weekend attending their Mid-Year Conference. They announced a cooperative effort between Sunfield UB and a neighboring Weslyan Church to plant a new church in Portland, Mich. The church planting pastor, Ed Love, was introduced to the conference. In this plant, both churches will suppy resources and people to begin a successful church in Portland.
Will it be a United Brethren or a Weslyan Church after it is planted? Who knows! Most likely it will be Weslyan. But this is the type of Kingdom-view thinking that we must begin to develop. The Kingdom is bigger and greater than the UB and cooperative efforts with other like-minded churches is essential for seeing the Kingdom advanced. Partnering with other groups/churches/denominations that also are interested in advancing the KIngdom is essential.
Kudos to Sunfield, Pastor Mark Ralph, and the Michigan Conference for leading the way in this for our denomination. Let us all pray for this new work, that God would use it to bring many to a saving knowledge of His Son! “…thy Kingdom come…” Amen!

08 Feb Bishop Hirschy’s new position

Ron Ramsey, Bishop
Several people have asked me how Paul Hirschy is doing. I am happy to report that Paul is doing fine and in fact has a new position with Huntington University. Effective February 1, 2006, Paul was appointed as a development officer at Huntington University. Paul will travel in the tri-state area meeting with alumni and friends to share the Huntington University story.
I met with Paul just this noon for lunch and we discussed his new position as well as his health. He is excited about this new opportunity to use his many skills with the University. Health-wise, he is doing well. As many of you know, Paul has battled cancer for a number of years, including throughout his 2001-2005 term as bishop.
For further details, see the article on the UB news page. Congratulations Paul!

08 Feb Ashamed of the Gospel?

Ron Ramsey, Bishop
When was the last time you personally saw an old honest to goodness scalawag sinner come to faith in Christ as a result of your church’s ministry? I ask that question in nearly every church I visit. I get some strange looks! Like, “What is he talking about?”
In Romans 1:16, Paul says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel.” If you do not see the gospel message pull pagan sinners to Christ, you can lose your confidence in the power of the gospel to do that. You become timid about sharing the gospel, because you fear, “What if God doesn’t or can’t do it this time?”
Could it be that we United Brethren have become closet universalists? That somewhere in the depths of our being, we think it doesn’t really matter if someone accepts Christ, because we’ve lost touch with the idea that there is an eternity of separation from God?
I know what it is like to see someone under conviction so badly that they simply fall to their knees like a sack of potatoes. Brothers and sisters, it is something to behold when God changes a person by the power of the gospel. At Main Street I saw this happen to drug adicts, alcoholics, Hindus, new agers…when Jesus just got hold of individuals and changed their lives. Trinity UB in Fostoria, Ohio, told me recently of a man who was addicted to cocaine and who was instantly and dramatically transformed by God’s Power…and he is now standing firm in Christ!
Do you not only believe that God can do that, but have the confidence that He can do that? When was the last time you saw a scalawag sinner changed into a dynamic follower of Jesus? Are you seeing this happen as a result of your ministry? (If you’ve seen this happen recently, I’d love to hear the story.)
Have you lost your confidence in the power of the gospel? Just thought I’d ask!

01 Feb Prayer & Fasting

Ron Ramsey, Bishop
We talk a lot about it, but do we do it? Really, do we really even believe it? Yeah, I’m talking about prayer and fasting. I wonder what could happen if a number of our churches would seriously consider seeking God for a Spiritual Renewal and Harvest by setting aside time for prayer & fasting between now and, say, Easter.
Would you join me in this discipline just one day a week? I’m not a legalist! You can fast one meal or three, you can fast something other than a meal, like TV or ??? You can choose the day and time. But would you join me in this discipline just until Easter? Let’s agree together for a great Spiritual Harvest by Easter.
It has already begun for Trinity UB in Fostoria, Ohio. During 2005, they have seen 46 seekers at their altar and in homes. Not bad for a church of under 100. They won’t be under 100 for long!
By the way, at the office the staff are reading Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost For His Highest daily devotional each day and then we pray for you. That book has been around for a long time, but it is powerful! If you need a good devotional for 2006, you can’t go wrong with this one. Could be a good resource to prayer and fasting…What do you think?

31 Jan Fall Election

Ron Ramsey, Bishop
I know none of us are anxious to have another church-wide election, but one will be necessary this fall. The purpose of this election will be to vote to change the constitution, thus completing the transition of our denomination that was started at the 2005 National Conference. You will be receiving lots of information about this election later in the year, but I just wanted to apprise you that it is coming.