To be changed
Thursday, July 10, 2008
thoughts on Aldersgate Renewal Conference
Last weekend, Renee and I (and the kids) all packed in the van and went to Columbus, Ohio for the Aldersgate Renewal Ministries Conference. My good friend and colleagues in ministry Greig and Debbie Crowder invited us. Additionally, several members of Grace UMC attend this conference every year In fact, PJ has been to ARM since the beginning. There were 13 total from Grace UMC, although we had very little communication with one another while 
we were at the event. Renee and I spent most of our time with Greig and Debbie and our pastor from Cincinnati and his wife, Tim and Beth Burden. We only had dinner with PJ and a friend of hers while we were there. Three of our kids threw up our first night there and the hotel was not very accommodating to help us clean up our messiness. So there were ups and downs.
Overall, this was a very interesting experience. The Children’s Ministry was great. Our children got a sneak-peak of the new Rock Solid Sunday School material that Grace UMC will use this Fall in our classes. The kids had a blast even though they were obviously worn-out by all the fun and Christ-centered learning.
This Conference is another venue that shows the diversity of our great United Methodist Church. This Conference is a renewal conference, affiliated with the General Board of Discipleship, that emphasizes the movement of the Holy Spirit. The worship is “contemporary,” including a praise band and mostly newer praise songs. The worship of the people is diverse, including banners, dancing, speaking in tongues, prophecy, and interpretation. While I have attended more contemporary worship services this has been my first experience of prophesying, tongue-speaking United Methodists. Again it was good to see that diversity. Of course, Renee comes from a Holiness Pentecostal background and I attended her family church for several years and I affirm these particular gifts of the Holy Spirit. In the last service, Bethany attended with us and she loved the dancing and banners. She even has one to bring with her on Sundays at Grace now.
The preaching was great. Dr. Jeff Greenway was moving. Bishop James Swanson was powerful. What I heard of Joy Moore was inspiring. The final preacher, J. Lee Grady, an ordained minister in the Holiness Pentecostal Church and journalist for Charisma Magazine, spoke. His message was disappointing as he seemed to focus on social and political issues instead of focusing on our Triune God. The closing communion service was beautiful with all of its pomp and pageantry.
The worship was not my preference. The words I kept hearing to describe the worship and the desire for the United Methodist Church and our local churches was for everything to become “Spirit-filled.” However, many of those attending seemed to have a very specific definition of “Spirit-filled.” “Spirit-filled” implied “contemporary,” “charismatic,” “free-style” kind of worship. This is a great misconception. I believe the formal and traditional service at Kokomo Grace is a “spirit-filled” service. While no one is dancing the isles or waving banners or even clapping their hands I believe that the Spirit is alive and moving at Grace UMC. I have felt the presence of the Holy Spirit as much if not more than I have in most other worship services. My preference and comfort-zone for worship is traditional and formal. Yet traditional and formal can include things “contemporary,” “charismatic,” and “free-styled.” Bethany asked permission to dance and wave her new banner at church during worship on Sunday and I have encouraged her to do just that. Our worship is for God, not for those attending. If we clap our hands or bang on tambourines so loud that people cannot hear… so what! The worship is NOT intended for them to hear, it is intended for God to hear. And I have no doubt that God is glorified by our traditional , formal worship when it is quiet and reverent or when it is loud and reverent.
Overall, again this was an interesting and good experience. We even plan on going next year in Greensboro, North Carolina.
we were at the event. Renee and I spent most of our time with Greig and Debbie and our pastor from Cincinnati and his wife, Tim and Beth Burden. We only had dinner with PJ and a friend of hers while we were there. Three of our kids threw up our first night there and the hotel was not very accommodating to help us clean up our messiness. So there were ups and downs.Overall, this was a very interesting experience. The Children’s Ministry was great. Our children got a sneak-peak of the new Rock Solid Sunday School material that Grace UMC will use this Fall in our classes. The kids had a blast even though they were obviously worn-out by all the fun and Christ-centered learning.
This Conference is another venue that shows the diversity of our great United Methodist Church. This Conference is a renewal conference, affiliated with the General Board of Discipleship, that emphasizes the movement of the Holy Spirit. The worship is “contemporary,” including a praise band and mostly newer praise songs. The worship of the people is diverse, including banners, dancing, speaking in tongues, prophecy, and interpretation. While I have attended more contemporary worship services this has been my first experience of prophesying, tongue-speaking United Methodists. Again it was good to see that diversity. Of course, Renee comes from a Holiness Pentecostal background and I attended her family church for several years and I affirm these particular gifts of the Holy Spirit. In the last service, Bethany attended with us and she loved the dancing and banners. She even has one to bring with her on Sundays at Grace now.
The preaching was great. Dr. Jeff Greenway was moving. Bishop James Swanson was powerful. What I heard of Joy Moore was inspiring. The final preacher, J. Lee Grady, an ordained minister in the Holiness Pentecostal Church and journalist for Charisma Magazine, spoke. His message was disappointing as he seemed to focus on social and political issues instead of focusing on our Triune God. The closing communion service was beautiful with all of its pomp and pageantry.
The worship was not my preference. The words I kept hearing to describe the worship and the desire for the United Methodist Church and our local churches was for everything to become “Spirit-filled.” However, many of those attending seemed to have a very specific definition of “Spirit-filled.” “Spirit-filled” implied “contemporary,” “charismatic,” “free-style” kind of worship. This is a great misconception. I believe the formal and traditional service at Kokomo Grace is a “spirit-filled” service. While no one is dancing the isles or waving banners or even clapping their hands I believe that the Spirit is alive and moving at Grace UMC. I have felt the presence of the Holy Spirit as much if not more than I have in most other worship services. My preference and comfort-zone for worship is traditional and formal. Yet traditional and formal can include things “contemporary,” “charismatic,” and “free-styled.” Bethany asked permission to dance and wave her new banner at church during worship on Sunday and I have encouraged her to do just that. Our worship is for God, not for those attending. If we clap our hands or bang on tambourines so loud that people cannot hear… so what! The worship is NOT intended for them to hear, it is intended for God to hear. And I have no doubt that God is glorified by our traditional , formal worship when it is quiet and reverent or when it is loud and reverent.
Overall, again this was an interesting and good experience. We even plan on going next year in Greensboro, North Carolina.
posted by Pastor Chris Roberts at 12:03 PM
3 Comments:
I wouldn't be quick to label the Aldersgate participants as "prophesying and tongue-speaking", as I think that may mislead those who weren't there. This was my first year to attend and I was surprised at how little speaking in tongues took place (none from the platform or pulpit) and prophesying was done in a very formal way (write out your word from God and pass it to those who could discern whether or not it was from God). I loved the worship at Aldersgate, but I would not consider it a typical charismatic service.
Also, regarding J. Lee Grady, I understand your feelings to some degree. I remember sitting there thinking, "He is not really going to say this out loud!". But he did. And after thinking about it, I believe he may very well have heard from God. He stepped on our most sensitive nerve, and it hurt. But it also gave us the opportunity to place Jesus Christ on the throne of our church.
Annon,
First, I wish I knew who you were. It is always nice to sign the bottom of comments if you don't want to sign up at blogger.
Anyhow, I would not describe the total of teh group as prophesying and tongue-speaking. But that was the general zietgiest of the Conference. I would not at all describe the worship as Charismatic. It was typical baby-boomer contemporary entertainment (with the exception of Sunday morning communion which was still baby-boomer worship just minus the entertainment). And again the preaching was good.
As for Grady: I may have agreed with everything he was saying. But it always bugs me when outsiders come into the UMC and get political. I din't mind when my own family picks from the inside but outsiders should critique with caution. I just found his comments out of place.
Chris,
Forgive my anonymity. I'm a young-ish pastor in the West Ohio Conference, but work to stay off the radar when it comes to anything remotely political in the church. I would share my perspectives openly in private conversation or one-to-one e-mails, but not on the web.
It’s hard to label worship style. I would call the Aldersgate services charismatic, but not in keeping with the majority of charismatic churches. I found it to be much deeper than most contemporary services and much less entertainment oriented. The dance, banners, etc. seemed to bring more awe than entertainment. The focus wasn't on personality or technology, but on God. The music was more blended than I expected, and in the pre-conference it was dated. Still good worship, but younger participants would not have recognized most of the songs. When I combine the whole worship experience, it far outshines anything I have experienced in the charismatic or mainline church.
As for Grady, I’ve been watching for responses to his message. Most of the people I talked with had no problem with what he said, but I felt a strong tension as he was speaking. While I lean towards avoiding political topics, the topic in question is actually a spiritual topic which has been made into a political one. I can understand that some may be offended by Grady’s sermon, especially since he was an outsider, but perhaps he was the only prophet who would obey God.
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