Contents
May/June 2006
FEATURES
Guardian angel on alert Chuck Ferrara discovers something beyond the badge.
John Wesley and United Methodist renewal James V. Heidinger II appeals to the wisdom of Methodism’s founder
The emergence of confessing Christians Thomas C. Oden encourages mainline renewal.
Anne Rice: The dark wing of night Trish Teves inquires the once gothic author about her conversion.
Holiness Manifesto The Wesleyan Holiness Study Project makes an appeal.
Columns
Editorial Why membership matters
Next Generation The answers are right, but the life is wrong
RENEW Women’s Network The tie that binds
The Great Commission The world in high resolution
From the Heart Tell
DepartmentsLetters to the editor
Straight Talk
News
Re-thinking ‘doing church’ to reverse membership decline
Prayer event brings unity to community
U.S. church opens arms to Iraqi girl with birth defect
Culture in View
Family films with a message
Walking the line into a ring of fire
Over the last three years, representatives from denominations with a holiness heritage have been meeting together as the Wesleyan Holiness Study Project in order to articulate a contemporary statement of holiness for the future mission of the church. Although United Methodism was not one of the ten holiness denominations who sent scholars and leaders to draft the unifying statement, we believe that Good News readers will find interest in the Holiness Manifesto signed in February 2006 in Azusa, California.
The crisis that we face
There has never been a time in greater need of a compelling articulation of the message of holiness. Pastors and church leaders at every level of the church have come to a dead-end in seeking ways to revitalize their congregations and denominations. What we are doing is not working. Membership in churches of all traditions has flat-lined. In many cases, churches are declining. We are not even keeping pace with the biological growth rate in North America. The power and zeal of churches has been drained by the incessant search for a better method, a more effective fad, a newer and bigger program to yield growth. In the process of trying to find the magic method for growing healthy, vibrant churches, our people have become largely ineffective and fallen prey to a generic Christianity that results in congregations that are indistinguishable from the culture around them. Churches need a clear, compelling message that will replace the "holy grail" of methods as the focus of our mission. Our message is our mission!
Further, we are awash with leaders of churches who have become hostages to the success mentality of numeric and programmatic influence. They have become so concerned about "how" they do church that they have neglected the weightier matter of "what" the church declares. We have inundated the "market" with methodological efforts to grow the church. In the process, our leaders have lost the ability to lead. They cannot lead because they have no compelling message to give, no compelling vision of God, no transformational understanding of God's otherness. They know it and long to find the centering power of a message that makes a difference. Now more than ever, they long to soak up a deep understanding of God's call to holiness-transformed living. They are tired of putting their trust in methods. They want a mission. They want a message!
People today are looking for a future without possessing a spiritual memory. They beg for a generous and integrative word from Christians that makes sense and makes a difference. If God is going to be relevant to people, we have a responsibility to make it clear to them. We have to shed our obsession with cumbersome language, awkward expectations, and intransigent patterns. What is the core, the center, the essence of God's call? That is our message, and that is our mission!
People in churches are tired of our petty lines of demarcation that artificially create compartments, denominations, and divisions. They are tired of building institutions. They long for a clear, articulate message that transcends institutionalism and in-fighting among followers of Jesus Christ. They are embarrassed by the corporate mentality of churches that defend parts of the gospel as if it were their own. They want to know the unifying power of God that transforms. They want to see the awesomeness of God's holiness that compels us to oneness in which there is a testimony of power. They accept the fact that not all of us will look alike; there will be diversity. But they want to know that somewhere churches and leaders know that we are one-bound by the holy character of God who gives us all life and love. They want a message that is unifying. The only message that can do that comes from the nature of God, who is unity in diversity.
Therefore, in this critical time, we set forth for the church's well-being a fresh focus on holiness. In our view, this focus is the heart of Scripture concerning Christian existence for all times-and clearly for our time.
The message we have
God is holy and calls us to be a holy people.
God, who is holy, has abundant and steadfast love for us. God's holy love is revealed to us in the life and teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. God continues to work, giving life, hope, and salvation through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, drawing us into God's own holy, loving life. God transforms us, delivering us from sin, idolatry, bondage, and self-centeredness to love and serve God, others, and to be stewards of creation. Thus, we are renewed in the image of God as revealed in Jesus Christ.
Apart from God, no one is holy. Holy people are set apart for God's purpose in the world. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, holy people live and love like Jesus Christ. Holiness is both gift and response, renewing and transforming, personal and communal, ethical and missional. The holy people of God follow Jesus Christ in engaging all the cultures of the world and drawing all peoples to God.
Holy people are not legalistic or judgmental. They do not pursue an exclusive, private state of being better than others. Holiness is not flawlessness, but the fulfillment of God's intention for us. The pursuit of holiness can never cease because love can never be exhausted.
God wants us to be, think, speak, and act in the world in a Christ-like manner. We invite all to embrace God's call to:
. be filled with all the fullness of God in Jesus Christ-Holy Spirit-endowed co-workers for the reign of God;
. live lives that are devout, pure, and reconciled, thereby being Jesus Christ's agents of transformation in the world;
. live as a faithful covenant people, building accountable community, growing up into Jesus Christ, embodying the spirit of God's law in holy love;
. exercise for the common good an effective array of ministries and callings, according to the diversity of the gifts of the Holy Spirit;
. practice compassionate ministries, solidarity with the poor, advocacy for equality, justice, reconciliation, and peace; and
. care for the earth, God's gift in trust to us, working in faith, hope, and confidence for the healing and care of all creation.
By the grace of God, let us covenant together to be a holy people.
The action we take
May this call impel us to rise to this biblical vision of Christian mission:
. preach the transforming message of holiness;
. teach the principles of Christ-like love and forgiveness;
. embody lives that reflect Jesus Christ;
. lead in engaging with the cultures of the world; and
. partner with others to multiply its effect for the reconciliation of all things.
For this we live and labor to the glory of God.
Wesleyan Holiness Study Project (WHSP)
Steering Committee
David Bundy-Pentecostal
Lisa Dorsey-Shield of Faith
Donald Thorsen-Free Methodist
Bill Kostlevy, Secretary-United Methodist
Kevin Mannoia, Chair-Free Methodist
Participants
Henry Alexander-Shield of Faith
Perry Engle-Brethren in Christ
Jesse Middendorf-Nazarene
Thomas Noble-Nazarene
Diane Leclerc-Nazarene
Jonathon Raymond-Salvation Army
George McKinney-Church of God in Christ
Greg Dixon-Church of God (Anderson)
Lyell Rader-Salvation Army
Roger Green-Salvation Army
David Kendall-Free Methodist
Doug Cullum-Free Methodist
Howard Snyder-Free Methodist
James Leggett-International Pentecostal Holiness
Lynn Thrush-Brethren in Christ
Ron Duncan-Church of God (Anderson)
Tim Erdel-Missionary Church
Barry Callen-Church of God (Anderson)
David Winn-Church of God (Anderson)
Doretha O'Quinn-Foursquare
John Hatcher-Foursquare
Steve Schell-Foursquare
David Shrout-Church of God (Anderson)
Jim Adams-Foursquare
Doug O'Brien-Salvation Army
Brian Hartley-Free Methodist
Ric Gilbertson-Christian & Missionary Alliance
Bernie Van De Walle-Christian & Missionary Alliance
Franklin Pyles-Christian & Missionary Alliance
Doug Beacham-International Pentecostal Holiness
John Huntzinger-Foursquare
Donald Dayton-Wesleyan
Craig Keen-Nazarene
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