Journeying With Jesus, and Jon (the Methodist)
Back in the dim, misty recesses of time, I found myself in quite a predicament. At the age of 17, after literally being born into and nurtured by the Church, I found myself participating in something called a “Lay Witness Mission.” I was asked to serve on the leadership team for a “mission” that was being celebrated in Pulaski, Virginia.
If you know where Virginia Tech University is located, then you’re close to Pulaski. So there I was, assisting in activities with youth all weekend and singing a song or two when everyone gathered for worship.
On a Saturday evening in the fall of 1974, I found myself standing in front of a packed sanctuary singing the favorite Bill and Gloria Gaither tune of the day – “He Touched Me.” While I was singing that night, a Voice (not audible) entered my consciousness, saying: “I can’t touch you. You won’t let me!” I had never had this kind of experience before, and when I finished singing, I returned to my pew for the rest of the service. I stayed there until a warm and loving bear-of-a-man named Red Lutterloh shared with us some of his experiences as a follower of Jesus. He described a Jesus who welcomed him and loved him “warts and all.” Then he issued an invitation to the gathered: “Are you willing to give as much of yourself to as much of God as you understand? If so, then I want to invite you to come forward tonight and give yourself to Jesus Christ.”
In all my seventeen years of living, I had never heard an invitation to follow Jesus like that. I was still trying (occasionally) to see if I could do the kinds of things that would make God love me. I had never considered that God might have a real interest in me.
Almost to my own surprise, I rose from my pew in the back of the sanctuary, moved to the front, and knelt in prayer at the church altar rail, praying something like: “Lord Jesus, here I am. If you can use me – I’m yours.” I stayed a bit longer to own up to my self-serving and selfishness and asked God to forgive me and help me to live life in a new way. Tears streamed down my face as I prayed, and when I walked back to my pew, I knew those tears were much more than expressions of heartfelt sorrow. They were also mixed with gratitude and with love.
For the first time in my life, I seemed to know and believe that my worth could no longer be measured by what others thought of me, by what I thought of myself, or by what I could accomplish. I had received an injection of grace-esteem. Now, every time I say the words: “Hear the good news! Christ died for us while we were yet sinners. This proves God’s love for us. In the name of Jesus Christ – YOU ARE FORGIVEN!” I am reminded that it’s only through the power/authority/the self-giving sacrifice of Jesus that I can discover my true value as a human being.
Looking back, I know now that all of my seventeen years had been preparing me for that moment. My home congregation had shaped me, and my pastors had surely proclaimed good news in my presence. I just couldn’t remember any of them inviting me to give myself to Jesus Christ. I realize now that many probably had done so, but I wasn’t able or ready to listen.
Over 100 years ago, the people called “Methodists” still included in our Books of Discipline a directive that pastors, or “Preachers In Charge” (see image above), should “seek out (those) who feel called to the ministry, and assign them such work as will develop their ability and test their fitness for this service.” These words can be found in the 1918 Book of Discipline of The Methodist Episcopal Church South. Fifty-six years later, a much younger, blonde-headed young man would begin to take important steps across a threshold, which opened up a doorway for God to continue a work of transformation in me. This is a grace that began at my baptism, took root in my youth, and eight years later would enable me to truly answer a “call to ministry.”
What if every pastor shared their call story from the pulpit – at least once yearly, “preached the claims of ministry” and regularly issued some form(s) of a genuine invitation to join them in following Jesus?
Are you willing to give as much of yourself to as much of God as you understand? If so, then I want to invite you to come and give yourself to Jesus Christ.”
What if each of us – pastor and baptized members in the pew – would begin to pray for God to use us in issuing Christ’s call to come and follow? What if we truly accepted our role in helping to “develop the abilities” of those who would say “Yes” to Jesus (including ourselves) and actually began (disciplining, apprenticing, and encouraging) each other and joined the grand adventure of becoming servants of God? I’m fairly certain God would pick up all of our slack, infuse what we cannot bring to fruit ourselves, and we would be transformed… along with the rest of God’s world.”
In Christ,
Jon (the Methodist)