by Steve | Nov 20, 2024 | Front Page News, Home Page Hero Slider, Nov-Dec 2024, Uncategorized
New Day in San Jose –
By David F. Watson –
November/December 2024 –
The convening General Conference of the Global Methodist Church opened with the recitation of the Apostles’ Creed by a ten-year-old girl. It was a fitting beginning to our gathering in Costa Rica. We were there to plant seeds that will grow well beyond our lifetimes.
As we began to sing I felt myself overcome with emotion. So much work and sacrifice had led up to that very moment. At times I’d wondered whether we’d really get there. I looked around and wanted to remember everything. I thought of my friend Billy Abraham and how much of the groundwork he had laid for that moment he did not live to see. He was watching, however, from among the great cloud of witnesses, and I believe he was overjoyed.
We accomplished a great deal during the week-long event in September. We established the frame of a house that future generations will continue to build. We did have our challenges. Electronic voting was at times an exercise in frustration, but when has it been otherwise? (The grass withers and the flower fades, but online-voting malfunctions endure forever.) Despite the valiant efforts of the conference planning team, some of our international delegates couldn’t attend in person due to visa issues, so we made accommodations for them to participate via Zoom. It wasn’t ideal, but it allowed contributions and votes we would have missed otherwise. All in all, however, our time together was productive and uplifting. In what follows I’ll discuss a few of the more significant moments of our time together.
Some Key Legislative Decisions
The Constitution. One of our main accomplishments was the establishment of a constitution for the church. The Constitution Legislative Committee, chaired by the Rev. Ryan Barnett, had its hands full but completed its work in good order. When the body adopted the constitution in the plenary session, Bishop Mark J. Webb asked us to consider the gravity of that moment. Indeed, it was significant. We had established those standards, principles, and rules most central to the ordering of our ecclesiastical life.
Our doctrinal standards include our Wesleyan/Pietist standards of the Articles of Religion, Confession of Faith, Wesley’s Standard Sermons, and his Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament. We also added the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Definition of Chalcedon as doctrinal standards. In so doing, we anchored our church in the Great Tradition of Christian faith, the faith that has been confessed “everywhere, always, and by all,” in the words of Vincent of Lerins.
We are catholic Christians of a Methodist extraction. This may be Abraham’s most significant contribution to the denomination he did not live to see birthed.
Under normal circumstances, changes to the constitution would require a two-thirds majority vote, except for those parts protected by restrictive rules, which would require a three-fourths majority. The wisdom of the group, however, was not to lock down the constitution with these protections until we have the opportunity to refine it during the 2026 General Conference. Through that conference, changes will require a simple majority. We authorized a commission to combine the Articles of Religion and Confession of Faith and propose a new doctrinal standard in 2026. We also authorized a commission to bring back a revised version of the General Rules. The work of both committees must be adopted by the General Conference before going into effect.
Theological Education. The Committee on Ministry and the Local Church, chaired by the Rev. Leslie Tomlinson, established educational requirements for clergy. We affirmed that “those wishing to serve God’s people through ordination within the Global Methodist Church should pursue the highest level of learning and preparation possible.” For elders in the U.S., that is the Master of Divinity degree, though other master’s degrees may also suffice. Elsewhere in the world the expectation may be either a master’s degree or bachelor’s degree. We also added this qualification: “In addition, individuals whose setting, age, or life circumstances make such formal academic degree programs difficult or impractical may, with a secondary diploma, complete a non-degree certificate of pastoral studies from an educational program or programs approved by the Commission on Ministry, requiring the completion of at least the core classes outlined below.” The GMC is not currently using the standard Methodist language of “Course of Study” for non-degree education for ministry, though the reason escapes me. Rather, we refer to these as “alternative educational pathways.”
We also established a Commission on Approval responsible for assembling a list of approved educational institutions for ministerial theological education. Because there was some concern about this motion, it came off the consent calendar. I spoke in favor of it because I am concerned that we avoid outsourcing our education to non-Methodist programs. Many institutions approved in my former denomination had only a nominally Methodist presence. If our clergy are not educated in contexts where they can be formed deeply in the Methodist tradition, we can’t expect them to be Methodist in belief or practice when they come out. Seminaries in the Wesleyan-Methodist tradition like United, Asbury, and Wesley Biblical are examples of specifically Methodist institutions. Truett’s Wesley House, where they have invested significantly to develop the resources for formative training in the Wesleyan tradition, provides another model that educational institutions may wish to adopt.
Bishops. I served on the legislative committee in which there was probably the most disagreement going into the conference: the Episcopacy and Superintendency Legislative Committee, chaired by the Rev. Jordan McFall. Many Global Methodists are understandably skittish about bishops. The committee work was intense. We sliced, diced, and smithed words. Though we had two well-developed plans in hand, we began work at 8:30 a.m. and did not adjourn until almost 9:30 p.m. What follows might be a bit “insider baseball,” but I want to describe the care with which we went about this work.
The committee considered two models: the General Episcopacy Plan, developed by the Transitional Leadership Council, and the Hybrid Plan, developed by members of the Florida Conference delegation. We met in two subcommittees, each charged with refining one of the plans. Then we came back together as a whole. After lengthy discussion and debate, the committee chose by a large majority to move forward with the General Episcopacy plan. The Rev. Jay Therrell, who had been the primary spokesperson for the Hybrid Plan, stated graciously that, in the interest of unity, the drafters of that plan would not bring it forward as a minority report.
The General Episcopacy plan then went through a rigorous process of further refinement. One element of this proposal was the selection of two-year bishops to guide us until we could elect bishops to six-year terms in 2026. The Transitional Leadership Council had put forward a slate of candidates, which the committee voted to eliminate in favor of taking one nominee from each delegation. This created problems, however, because we have Global Methodists in Nigeria who came on board too late to send a delegation. They would therefore be unrepresented. It also meant that the process under which annual conferences had operated in good faith to nominate candidates was no longer valid. A motion came forward in the plenary, then, to restore the slate put forward by the Transitional Leadership Council with the possibility of further nominations from the floor. We limited the number of two-year bishops who could be re-elected in 2026 to 50 percent, and we established a 75 percent threshold for their re-election. The reason is that we did not want the two-year episcopacy to be an inside track to a six-year term. This motion passed after some debate.
The Mission Statement. The final legislative item of conference business was a proposal to adopt a new mission statement. Up to this point, our mission had been, “to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.” Earlier in the year I wrote a piece expressing my desire that we change the mission statement. My primary reason was to link the mission of the Global Methodist Church to historic Methodism. I later submitted legislation to this effect, incorporating suggestions from the Rev. Paul Lawler and Dr. Jason Vickers. The proposed language read, “Led by the Holy Spirit, the Global Methodist Church exists to make disciples of Jesus Christ and spread scriptural holiness across the globe.”
Earlier in the week I was deflated after learning that the proposal had failed by one vote in its legislative committee after considerable debate. Later, however, that committee reconsidered the motion and it passed in an amended form. This amended version included the language of the old mission statement of worshiping passionately, loving extravagantly, and witnessing boldly. Many felt this version was too wordy but didn’t want to let go of the old mission statement entirely. It was unclear how we would move forward. As we worked our way through various business items on the last day of the conference, I became a bit nervous. We were running out of time. As the clock ticked down, I began to sweat bullets. Our mission is a crucial matter. I believed that without a mission linking the church to Wesley’s Methodism, within a generation we would be no more Methodist than the average Bible church (that is, not Methodist at all). The way forward was unclear. It could require considerable debate. Would we be able to reach agreement on the mission statement before our time expired?
It was the Rev. Paul Lawler who saved the day by proposing an inspired solution. We would make the mission statement: “The Global Methodist Church exists to make disciples of Jesus Christ and spread scriptural holiness across the globe.” Then we would use the following as a vision statement: “Through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, the Global Methodist Church envisions multiplying disciples of Jesus Christ throughout the earth who flourish in scriptural holiness as we worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.” The motion passed overwhelmingly.
Other Highlights. At the close of the conference, we consecrated six new bishops: the Rev. Kimba Evariste of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Rev. John Pena Auta of Nigeria, the Rev. Leah Hidde-Gregory of Mid Texas, the Rev. Kenneth Levingston of Trinity, the Rev. Carolyn Moore of North Georgia, and the Rev. Jeff Greenway of Allegheny West. The consecration service, written by my colleague Dr. Tesia Mallory, was a testimony to the faithfulness of those who had persevered in service to the faith once and for all entrusted to the saints. God was doing something new and beautiful in our midst.
There were many high points during the conference. Worship was joyful and Spirit-filled. The first Sunday we worshiped together, people came forward to kneel before the cross. Some offered prayers of thanksgiving, others of repentance, still others of supplication for the work before us. We also sang from a new hymnal, O For a Heart to Praise My God, edited by the Rev. Sterling Allen. Throughout the week the singing and preaching were powerful. Many expressed a palpable sense of God’s presence.
We honored the Rev. Keith Boyette for his faithful service in launching this new denomination. No one has put his or her shoulder to the wheel with more determination than Boyette. He has led with the heart of a pastor and the expertise of an attorney. He has shown calm amid numerous storms. Navigating the requirements to establish churches in multiple countries with various legal provisions has been no cakewalk. It was fitting for us to express our gratitude to Keith on the occasion of his retirement and the launch of this new denomination.
Bishop Luis Palomo of the Evangelical Methodist Church of Costa Rica extended gracious hospitality to us during our time in Costa Rica. Twice we worshiped with friends from this sister denomination, once at a nearby convention center and once at the Colegio Metodista de Costa Rica, a primary and secondary school established in 1921. During the second of these services, the Global Methodist Church and the Evangelical Methodist Church of Costa Rica established a covenant agreement.
As legislative committee work continued, other conference guests participated in mission and evangelism opportunities in the San José region. In partnership with the Methodist Church of Costa Rica, dozens worked with local churches and a children’s home. On several occasions, GMC guests and local Costa Rican leaders participated in an evangelism workshop led by Spirit & Truth and then headed out to pray for people and share the Good News of Jesus on the streets of local neighborhoods. Many noted they had not experienced evangelism and mission incorporated into a general conference before. These tangible commitments during a busy convening conference reveal the sort of mission-focused DNA God is birthing in the GMC.
For the Generations to Come. One of the most meaningful parts of the conference for me was getting to know some of the faithful and gifted young leaders coming up in the Global Methodist Church. We will be in good hands with these up-and-coming men and women of faith. I was impressed with their maturity, calm under pressure, and commitment to orthodox Wesleyan faith and practice. God has blessed us with anointed young leaders who will carry the Good News forward with integrity and reach the lost for Christ.
As we closed our time together, I thought about the young lady who kicked off our proceedings by reciting the Apostles’ Creed. She represents generations who are to come, generations who will confess the church’s historic faith, who will encounter the Holy Spirit, who will be changed by God’s grace and know their redeemer lives. My prayer is that a century from now, Global Methodist Churches across the globe, in places unreached by the message of the Gospel today, will continue the work of raising up new generations for Christ.
The Methodist tradition is a tradition of hope, even optimism. We have hope in a God who saves, who makes grace available to all people, who forms us by his Holy Spirit into the image of Christ. We hope with great anticipation for the salvation of the lost today and in future generations. We hope in the return of Christ and the full establishment of his kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. We are audacious even to hope that God can and will work through imperfect people such as us to form a new body dedicated to making disciples and spreading scriptural holiness across the globe.
David F. Watson is Lead Editor of Firebrand. He serves as Academic Dean and Professor of New Testament at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. This essay was first published by Firebrand. Reprinted by permission. Photo by Steve Beard.
by Steve | Nov 20, 2024 | Nov-Dec 2024
Remembering Dick McClain –
Richard William “Dick” McClain, former Good News board member and past president of TMS Global, went home to be with Jesus on September 4, 2024.
Born into a missionary family in Canton, China, Dick’s life was shaped by faith and service. His grandparents and parents served in Korea, China, and India, while Dick was educated in Hong Kong and Taiwan. After returning to the U.S., he attended Asbury College, where he met his wife, Pam. Dick’s ministry began as a youth pastor in the Panama Canal Zone from 1971 to 1973.
After earning a Master of Divinity, he pastored several United Methodist churches in Michigan. A pivotal moment came when Rev. Virgil Maybray invited Dick to consider missions. That conversation led Dick to join TMS Global shortly after its founding, serving as its first director of personnel. Dick excelled in helping others discern their calling and connect with mission opportunities.
Over time, Dick developed TMS Global’s Church Culture division, shaping how congregations engage in missions worldwide. He became president and CEO of TMS Global, serving until his retirement in 2014 after 28 years. His passion for Christ and the Great Commission remained unwavering throughout his life.
Years ago, Dr. Steve Seamands, emeritus professor at Asbury Theological Seminary, who had known Dick since 1966, wrote, “Ever since I have known Dick, he has always had a burning passion for two things: the Lord Jesus Christ and His Great Commission.”
That passion proved true until the end of Dick’s time on this side of eternity. In a barely audible voice, a few days before he passed, Dick shared with his wife, Pam, what he wanted engraved on his headstone: “Inspiring the Church to reach the nations for Christ.”
“Dick’s passion and his witness are part of our DNA as a community,” writes TMS Global President and CEO, Dr. Jim Ramsay. “He has been a key figure on which the groundwork for TMS Global was laid. In that sense, we all at TMS Global are part of his legacy.”
“Dick’s love for God and for those around the world who do not know Him has energized his whole life and ministry,” tells long-time Good News board member, Helen Rhea Stumbo. “Only eternity will reveal the influence of Dick’s life here on earth.”
Please keep his wife Pam, children Heather, Josh, Joey, and their families in your prayers. In lieu of flowers, per the family’s wishes, gifts in memory of Dick can be sent to TMS Global at tms-global.org.
To stay connected to TMS Global, contact Kenda Hembrough at khembrough@tms-global.org, call 678-542-9045, or visit www.tms-global.org and subscribe to our mailing list.
by Steve | Nov 20, 2024 | Nov-Dec 2024
Let’s Discover What’s Next Together –
By Jim Ramsay –
In 1985, Good News magazine posed a critical question on its cover: “Which Way to the Future?” Photographed against the backdrop of Atlanta’s iconic “spaghetti junction,” two men, Revs. H.T. Maclin and Virgil Maybray, stood ready to lead a new chapter in United Methodist missions.
Maclin, the president, and Maybray, the vice president, had founded The Mission Society for United Methodists – now TMS Global – in 1984. Why? To ignite passion within United Methodist congregations for cross-cultural witnessing.
By design, TMS Global would receive no denominational funding, “rising or falling according to the wishes of the United Methodist people,” as H.T. Maclin stated.
Forty years later, as the current president of TMS Global, I praise God that TMS Global continues to “rise,” thanks in part to support from many of you, our Good News readers. Today, we train, mobilize, and serve cross-cultural witnesses (CCWs), presently living and serving in 29 countries. We also partner with U.S. and international pastors, lay leaders and congregations, helping them discover and fulfill their unique missional calling.
A Changing World, A Renewed Call. With the world constantly evolving, we must continue to ask together, “which way to the future?” While the good news of Jesus Christ remains constant, engaging in missions requires us to adapt to realities like globalization, urbanization, access to travel, digital communication, and the globalized church.
I see three key areas, in this new era of local and global witnessing, where focused prayer and partnership can bring about redemption and reconciliation through Christ.
Offering Christ in our neighborhoods. My doctoral research explored migration and mission. Across our country there are millions of first-generation Americans who are connected with people groups from every corner of the world. How do we equip local churches to connect to these migration streams? One solution is our Who is My Neighbor? small-group study, used by over 400 small groups on RightNow Media. This video-based curriculum teaches the same cross-cultural principles we use globally, equipping Christ-followers to engage effectively with culturally diverse neighbors in their own communities.
Offering Christ in our communities. Churches today face aging memberships, decreased attendance, societal polarization, and shifting demographics. Through our Immerse Project, www.immerseproject.org, the congregation in your church can become equipped to recognize social changes, clarify your church’s unique missional calling, and engage your community with the transformative power of the gospel.
Offering Christ to the nations. Together, we can create innovative ways to share the gospel cross-culturally. Some of our CCWs use outdoor adventure to disciple young people. Others teach sustainable farming methods in drought-prone areas, building relationships and opening doors to
kingdom conversations.
We have CCWs offering trauma training and care for refugees, creating after-school tutoring programs, and helping impoverished women launch micro-businesses. Everything we do is designed to demonstrate Christ’s love, so that individuals, families, and communities can find life in him.
Looking forward with faith. While I acknowledge the challenges ahead, I am confident in God’s faithfulness and see a community of equipped and gifted people committed to his mission.
I recently attended the Convening Conference of the Global Methodist Church (GMC) and was encouraged by its potential to impact the kingdom. The spirit of worship, prayer, and joy resonated deeply, and the Costa Rica location underlined their commitment to being a truly global church.
TMS Global stands ready, as an approved mission partner of the GMC, to collaborate with these and other mission-focused churches and networks “so that the world may know.”
Join Us as We Join Jesus in His Mission. In many ways, this last issue of Good News magazine marks the beginning of a new era. Yet, one constant remains: the world still needs Jesus. I invite you to prayerfully consider how you can partner with TMS Global in this next chapter. Together, we can join Jesus in His mission to bring redemption and reconciliation to the world.
President and CEO Dr. Jim Ramsay has served with TMS Global for 30 years, the first 10 with his family as cross-cultural witnesses in Kazakhstan.
by Steve | Nov 20, 2024 | Nov-Dec 2024
GMC Launches in Costa Rica –
By Steve Beard –
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2024 –
Worldwide Methodism has been dramatically overhauled during the last few years. Thousands of local congregations disaffiliated from The United Methodist Church prior to the 2024 UMC General Conference in Charlotte, NC, held in April/May, when delegates formally approved a major shift with LGBTQ ordination and marriage.
Three and a half months later, delegates to the initial General Conference of the more-traditionalist Global Methodist Church met 1,700 miles south – in Central America – to catapult forward the newest branch of the international Wesleyan movement that has steadily been in formation for several years.
With freshly-stamped passports from virtually every corner of the earth, Methodists converged upon San José, capital and largest city of Costa Rica, in late September for a seven-day convening General Conference to launch the Global Methodist Church. With a jam-packed schedule of worship services, work projects, and organizational meetings, more than 300 delegates – with twice that number of alternates and observers in attendance – the assembly finalized a constitution, elected new interim bishops, formalized clergy requirements, adopted a mission statement, and established doctrinal standards – complete with the Articles of Religion, Apostles’ Creed, and the Nicene Creed.
While public comparisons of the two General Conferences were minimal in San José, there were notable differences in the two conclaves. For example, one veteran observer pointed out that the UM gathering in Charlotte celebrated with a conga-line to the O’Jay’s 1960s song “Love Train,” while those gathered in Costa Rica enthusiastically opened with Charles Wesley’s hymn “Captain of Israel’s Host.”
But the differences went deeper than songs. “Jeff Greenway and I strongly asserted that the foundational difference between the UMC and the GMC was – at its core – a doctrinal dispute,” Bishop Mike Lowry (retired) told me in Costa Rica. “The exclusion of the Nicene Creed as a part of the doctrinal heart of the UMC proves our assertion.” (The UMC General Conference in both 2016 and 2024 refused to add the Nicene Creed to the UMC’s doctrinal standards.)
In San José, the international GMC assembly debated and discussed Episcopacy plans – settling on an introductory two-year plan until a longer-term plan would be implemented in 2026. The assembly elected and consecrated a diverse and international slate of new interim bishops.
While there are no Global Methodist Church local congregations in the Central American country, the Evangelical Methodist Church of Costa Rica warmly welcomed GMC delegates and observers to their nation. The Evangelical Methodist Church has approximately 100 local churches spread across Costa Rica, with a membership of 10,000.
There were two joint worship services with the Costa Rican church and the GMC. During one evening service, leaders of the two denominations established a covenant agreement.
Bishop Luis F. Palomo, long-time leader of the Costa Rican Methodists expressed his “absolute joy” that San José was the “site for the first and historic convening General Conference” of the Global Methodist Church. “As the GM Church advances the proclamation of Jesus our Savior around the world, the members of the Evangelical Methodist Church [are] honored participants in such an event and ready to assist in any way.”
Costa Rica has a population of 5.2 million. Large rainforests, dramatic volcanoes, and beautiful coastlines along both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean draw tourists from around the world to the country. For the delegates to the convening General Conference, however, the formation of the fledgling denomination was at the top of their to-do list.
By Steve Beard, editor of Good News.
by Steve | Nov 20, 2024 | Nov-Dec 2024
Continuing the Journey to Maturity
By Tom Albin
In the last issue of Good News, I wrote an article entitled “Life’s Spiritual Journey to Maturity.” In part 1 of this article, I encouraged you to lay aside the mistaken understanding that the Christian life is an educational journey, like the journey from kindergarten through high school. Instead, I urged you to think of it as natural spiritual process of growth and development. Just as a person is “born” into a physical family and grows through the physical nurture of first milk, and then later “baby food” followed by the solid food need to sustain ongoing life and growth toward maturity—the same is true for us spiritually. When we are “born again” we need our spiritual family to give us the pure milk of the Word and then the “baby food” of initial prayer, meditation, and Bible study. Then, when the time is right, we need solid food, meat instead of milk.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9, the Jewish Shema, prayed every morning and every evening by every orthodox Jewish family from before the time of Jesus until this very day, provides the foundation for all that follows:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (NRSVUE)
Here, spiritual growth and development (i.e. discipleship) is natural and relational. Newborns learn from their parents and family—the language (of prayer) and the attitude (of hope) and the character (of love) and the content (of obedience) through daily living of the spiritual life—not in an academic classroom with an instructor who employs the “lecture/discussion” method. The important insight is that God’s plan for faith formation takes place in the normal course of “family life” and our role as spiritual parents and grandparents is to focus on the heart of our children and grandchildren (v.5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.) We are to do this intentionally (vv. 5-6. “Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise.”)
Like the Puritan spirituality that John and Charles Wesley inherited from their parents, Methodists believe that every command of God is a promise. Because God commands it – it is possible! We can keep God’s word in our hearts! We can teach our children and grandchildren to love God with all their heart and soul and might! We can because God commands it – we believe it – and therefore we act on it in joyful obedience!
How do we do this? By allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us – and letting them see us love God with all our heart and soul and might! It is as simple and as difficult as “show and tell” – “live it and share it”.
We know that children learn at their own pace – in relation to their natural curiosity, ability and desire. As parents, we help them learn to walk and talk and feed themselves when they are ready to learn. The same is true in spiritual growth and development. We teach them by our presence and example and practice. The more we grow in our love of God and neighbor, the more they will learn from us! This is good news! This is great news! That is why we need to talk about our spiritual lives and our relationship with God daily, naturally, and joyfully!
As we prepared for this experiment to share our lives with our children and grandchildren in 2024, my wife, Maryle, and I identified seven areas of focus that we believed were essential. We asked our adult children and their spouses to review our plan for a 7-month experiment of intentional life-sharing with our grandchildren and give us feedback to improve it. Then we asked for their permission to invite our grandchildren into this experiment. When we asked if they wanted to engage in this experiment of “doing spiritual life together” – they all agreed to join. Below, you will find these seven areas, each beginning with a simple word that started with the letter “F” to make it easier to remember.
1. Faith. I want to grow my faith, and help others grow their faith as well – through scripture, meditation, and prayer.
2. Family. I want healthy, growing relationships with my family.
3. Friends. I will nurture healthy relationships with others outside my family circle.
4. Fun. I believe the joy of the Lord is my strength, and I will live life joyfully.
5. Finances. I want to be a good steward of all that God entrusts to me.
6. Fitness. My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and I will take good care of it.
7. Flourishing. I want to discover my unique talents and gifts—then use them to bless others and make this world God loves a better place. I will also learn one new life skill each month.
Now that we had the “what” (an intentional plan), we needed the “how”, and the “why”. The “how” question is answered in the family agreement we developed to help each of our grandchildren (ages 10 to 17 at the time we began this experiment) understand what was expected.
Family Agreement
Together we agreed to learn and grow spiritually in the seven areas above.
1. We will complete each mutually agreed action project before the next scheduled session. If all the agreed action projects are not completed before the scheduled session, I understand that I will not receive the agreed compensation.
2. We will meet for a 30–45-minute “report back” session, once each month.
3. We can stop at any time without prejudice or penalty, and we understand that this agreement ends if the action projects are not completed two months in a row.
Tom Albin is the recently retired Dean of The Upper Room Chapel in Nashville. In 1999 he joined the staff of The Upper Room. In that capacity, he led the Prayer Ministry for the UMC General Conferences in 2012, 2016, and the “Day of Prayer” before the 2019 Special Session. He was also part of the prayer effort at the 2024 General Conference in Charlotte.
