Pam and I have a precious two-and-a-half year old great nephew by the name of Karson Cabe. Karson's dad, Kraig, is the regional director for Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Northern Indiana. His mom, Christy, was the children's ministry director at Emmanuel Community Church and has been a tremendous mother. Karson's Miller grandparents are Denny and Karin. Denny is senior pastor of Emmanuel Community Church in Fort Wayne, Ind. His great-grandpa Ray was our Bishop, with Lanie serving by his side for over 43 years of ministry. His Cabe grandparents are Lee and Melody. They are a wonderful Christian couple that have lovingly served the Lord in many ways and raised their children to faithfully serve the Lord.

Karson loves to play with Thomas the Train. And he loves Jesus. His prayer at bedtime a couple weeks ago signed off, "I love you Jesus, in Jesus' Name. Amen.” Not bad for a two-and-a-half year old.

Last week, the world seemed to stop as the doctor told Christy that blood work indicated Karson has leukemia. They went immediately to Riley Children's Hospital, the diagnosis was confirmed, and Karson began his three-year journey of chemotherapy. A terrible disease is loose in his body, and without treatment it will kill him. With proper treatment comes eradication of the problem and life. If you want to follow his journey, you can check their blog.

We appreciate your prayers.

For all of us, nothing else is important right now next to doing everything possible to make sure that little man gets healthy and lives a normal life.

Isn't that a parallel of how we should feel about loved ones we know who don't know Jesus? They have a terrible disease loose in them. There is a treatment plan that will bring healing, but it doesn't look desirable at the start. Life by necessity will change because of fighting this disease. And when we are burdened by the knowledge of their condition, no effort seems too sacrificial in helping or supporting the cause of getting them healthy. Nothing else is important. Nothing.

On the other side of the equation, the promises, grace, strength, and confidence we have in Christ are providing the "peace that passes understanding." Our confidence and hope lie solely in the hands of the One who gave His own Son for us. And by His stripes, we are healed.

Karson learned a new song in the days leading up to his diagnosis. He sang it over an iChat date with our daughter Jalonna. "This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made. ....”

That is the heart of an innocent little boy that loves and trusts Jesus without even being aware of what is going on in him. It is a heart that helps us remember and trust. That is Karson’s Gospel for us. We can confidently trust Jesus no matter what.

Posted by Pat Jones at 7:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

In light of the process every church is going through currently in signing the National Conference Covenant, some questions are being asked for clarification. The National Conference Covenant consists of eight statements which churches must agree to; the senior pastor and board chairperson sign it for the congregation, and the bishop signs it on behalf of the denomination. We thought it would be good to give answers to the most frequently asked questions about the covenant.

1. Do we have to sign it to remain a United Brethren Church?

Yes. In 2005, we chose to move toward being a proactive church that is held together by a common commitment to fulfilling the Great Commission and our common adherence to the Confession of Faith. We also moved from being purely hierarchical to more of an association of churches. The covenant is our way of making a mutual, on-going commitment to each other.

2. What is the 3.5% fee?

A part of the covenant is the agreement to contribute 3.5% of all non-missions, non-building fund monies as a partnership fee. This fee enables us to provide help to each local church through support services, coaching, resourcing, and leadership training. It is a small investment in each other.

3. What does it mean to partner with like-minded churches (point 5)?

The concept of partnering with like-minded churches involves working with other churches that share our passions. They may be UB or non-UB. The idea is that you work in cooperation with others to accomplish the greater good. Some churches may be passionate about the work in Sierra Leone or Honduras. It may be that two churches, though not located geographically close to each other, may partner to build a church or housing unit, or to support starting some new ministry in one of those countries. There could be many variations to the theme of partnering together. A cluster may decide to jointly plant a church and the constituent churches contribute prayer, people, or money to see it happen.

4. What does it mean to support the ministries of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA (point 8)?

This is considered by some to be more of a programmatic issue than a covenant issue. Support may be as little as praying for those ministries, or as much as funding them at a high level. That is up to the goals and desires of the local church and its mission. There is nothing mandatory in this provision.

5. What happens if our church doesn't sign the covenant?

By choosing not to sign the covenant, your church is choosing to withdraw from the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA. If you don't return the covenant at least 90 days prior to the National Conference, a process outlined in the Discipline, paragraph 602.2, kicks in. It starts with the cluster leader (or other elder appointed by the Bishop) arranging a congregational meeting (at least 60 days prior to the National Conference) to determine if it is, indeed, the desire of your church to withdraw. If a majority of the church's members at that meeting determine not to sign the covenant, the church shall be considered to have withdrawn from the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA.

6. What are the ramifications of withdrawing?

Here are some of the key ramifications.

• You will lose your tax-exempt status if you are functioning under the umbrella of the denomination’s 501c(3) charitable exemption, which enables the gifts of congregation members to be tax-exempt and for the minister to qualify for clergy housing allowance. Those advantages will be gone until you either attach yourself to another non-profit group or establish your own 501c(3) status. This may also affect the tax-exempt status of any church property, depending on local or state laws.
• Members who are attending Huntington University may lose grants that go to UB members and UB churches.
• In the future, you will be on your own when it comes to securing a new pastor.
• Some current retirement benefits could be lost or affected.
• Pastor and any staff members of churches that withdraw will lose their credentials or license. Therefore the local church or another group would have to provide licensing or ordination for them. This could affect their performance of certain duties depending on local or state law until the alternative licensing is secured.

Yes, that is possible, but it would likely happen rarely.

If you have any other questions, please give the Bishop a call.

Posted by Pat Jones at 1:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The account in our church history of Otterbein attending a "Great Meeting" at Isaac Long's barn and meeting Martin Boehm has remained a favorite story ever since I first read it while a student in UB Church History. Early this morning I was awakened, and not being able to get back to sleep, for some reason this story came to my mind. I came to the office early, pulled down a copy of Drury's Life of Otterbein, and read again of the encounter of the two founders of our denomination.

For those not familiar with United Brethren history, the event occurred on Pentecost Sunday, 1767. On that day Otterbein attended this "Great Meeting" and for the first time heard Boehm preach. Drury records it this way:

Mr. Otterbein listened as Boehm unfolded the truths of the gospel; as he uttered with exulting freedom and resistless force truths that his own mind and soul, through deep pangs and struggles, had apprehended. As Boehm concluded his sermon, and before he could sit down, Mr. Otterbein, moved by an overpowering conviction of newfound fellowship in the truth, clasped Boehm in his arms and exclaimed, "We are brethren!" (pp 116-117).

Then Drury says this:

"The effect, therefore, of this episode could not fail to be of the most dramatic character. Unable to repress their emotions, some in the congregation praised the Lord aloud; but the greater part were bathed in tears, and all hearts seemed melted into one" (page 117).

"Melted into one" is the part of Drury's record that gets to me. What would it be like, feel like, to be in a meeting where "all hearts seemed melted into one"? What is substantial enough to melt all hearts into one? So, early this morning I began to think about an answer to that question. I eliminated many things that have not been that substantial.

• Systematical theology hasn't. We have a wonderful Confession of Faith, but it hasn't really melted our hearts into one. Are we Reformed or Arminian? In my mind I said yes. Are we for eternal security or do we favor the possibility of backsliding? Again I answered yes. Do we hold to progressive sanctification or a second definite work of grace? Once again I said yes.
• Conferences haven't! We have added, subtracted, merged, and separated our ministry districts in a variety of ways.
• Structure hasn't! We've had part-time superintendents, fulltime superintendents, and even some part-time/fulltime superintendents. Now we have clusters and cluster leaders. We've had two bishops, five bishops, four bishops one bishop, three bishops, and overseas bishops.
• Having a College or University hasn't! There are those who are very loyal and those who are not so much.

The answer seems to me to be the same thing that melted the hearts of Otterbein and Boehm into one. The message! Yes, the message. The message was very clear and straightforward:

• Mankind is spiritually and eternally lost.
• Jesus came to seek and save the lost.
• It is possible to experience Christ in a way that sins are forgiven and there is an assurance of salvation.
• And the result is a life that reflects the image of Christ.

That was the message of Boehm, Otterbein, and the other early leaders of our church. That has been the message of our church over the years. It has been that message and a firm conviction that the message must be told over, and over, and over in churches, barns, stores, factories, farms, offices--literally wherever people are--that have melted our hearts into one.

People have questioned me about the National Conference 2007. Why at Sawmill Resort? Why such little time for business? Why do we need outside speakers? Why a time to call for confession and repentance of corporate sin? Why a gathering like this?

Let me tell you why, in my mind, we need this National Conference. We as a denomination have come through a rough time in our history. The issue of joining with the Missionary Church was a polarizing experience. We actually lost members at my previous pastorate, Mainstreet, because of the debate. Words were said to one another that weren't very kind, let alone loving. Feelings were hurt. Ministry was set on a shelf in many places while the debate raged. People hurled accusations at each other and questioned motives. But all of this was just spotlighted the lack of unity within the UB Church for a long time.

I don't know about you, but I would like to have another "Great Meeting" where eyes are bathed in tears and all hearts seem melted into one. This, I believe, is our greatest need--revival, renewal, or whatever term you want to call it. A revival that impels us back into the harvest with urgency about the Gospel message—that man is lost, Christ came to save, you can have an assurance of your salvation, and it will affect the way you live your life. A revival that allows local churches to have freedom in how they unpack that message to their communities.

I realize that this is not 1767 and I have no desire to go back. But in our history, what our forefathers accomplished in this country and around the world because of a common message that melted hearts into one is breath-taking. Could we see that again in our culture? I may be very naïve, but that is what I pray for this National Conference 2007. I pray that we will become United Brethren in more that just name only.

Posted by Ron Ramsey at 1:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)