Methods vs. Message

Posted on 06/06/2011 by Howard

The story goes that Methodists got their name because opponents of John Wesley, trying to deride him for his methodological approach to faith, call him and his followers, “Methodists.” Wesley liked the name and it stuck, and to this day the Methodist church is known to be one that has a method for just about anything. Want to be ordained? There is a very clear (and complex and long) method for that. Want to give to missions? We have a method for that. We even have a thick book of church law called the Book of Discipline which contains all the rules and regulations to being a Methodist and all our Methodist organizations. Yes, even after all these years the name “Methodist” still sticks!

This year, at the Texas Annual Conference, our speaker, Rev. Adam Hamilton of the Church of The Resurrection, a United Methodist church in the Kansas City area, presented some great strategies for churches to use to promote excellence and hopefully grow. For the most part his advice and strategies were sound and churches that follow it likely will see fruit. But what was disturbingly lacking from his presentation was any discussion of theology. His omission of theology seems to imply that with proper techniques (methods) any church can grow. The problem is that if we look at the largest churches in our denomination, this is not the case. The very clear majority of large, growing churches not only excel in methods, but also hold to a biblical, evangelical theology that focuses on sharing Jesus Christ and a call to holiness.

Methods without a proper biblical message are not enough for a church to grow. (And on the other side – having a strong biblical message with outdated or lacking methods will not bring growth.) The example above is just indicative of the larger issues we struggle with as a denomination. We spend tons of time, energy, and money to hone methods with no regard to message. But even with the best methods we will never grow if we continue to water down our message as a denomination. It is time for us to return to Wesley’s understanding of ‘methodist’ which combined strong methods and biblical, evangelical messages.

Methods are not enough to turn our church around – we must also restore our biblical, evangelical roots. Our message needs as much work (or more) as our methods.

Review – What’s the Least I Can Believe and Still Be a Christian? by Martin Thielen

Posted on 05/25/2011 by Howard

It’s an intriguing title, for sure. Martin Thielen, pastor of Lebanon First United Methodist Church, asks the basic questions of what, and what not, a Christian needs to believe and still feel confident in calling him or herself a Christian. The book itself is divided into two sections – what a Christian doesn’t need to believe and what a Christian needs to believe. His basic premise is that good, faithful Christians can have differing opinions on various topics and still be united in faith.

Overall, the book handles a wide swath of topics from women in ministry to evolution to homosexuality. It also provides a basic overview of the foundational tenets of faith. As an introduction into the discussion on these topics, Thielen does well at covering the basics. But if you are looking for a thorough handling of any of these topics, the book comes up lacking. Much of the book is dedicated to personal stories and less so to what scriptures relate to the topics. At times Thielen’s more progressive views of scripture and of controversial topics is very evident. The book provides a good introduction and points of discussion for topics, but leaves the reader without clear answers on some topics. It also fails to encourage and empower Christians to see sharing faith with others as vital to the Christian life. In this way we fall into the same old trap of faith as a set of beliefs one holds and not a commitment to a lifestyle of transformation through Jesus Christ.

Overall, Thielen may toe the line on various topics, but is careful to not cross over. The book may be a great guide for challenging discussion for some groups, but should not be considered as a great resource for deep understanding of beliefs. For mature believers who wish to discuss controversial topics this may be a good starting point, but I would not recommend it for those still seeking faith. It may provide some answers, but more often than not it only leaves you with more questions and a desire to see what scripture itself may say.

Homemade Refried Beans

Posted on 05/21/2011 by Howard

Refried beans are almost an afterthought on most Tex-Mex plates – just something there to fill the plate out and make your $7.99 Fajita plate worth the money. Most people would say they could take it or leave it when it comes to refried beans, especially the ones from a can that we usually open to go along with our ground beef tacos on Wednesday night. But good refried beans don’t need to be too much work and the reward is well worth it. Take the extra time and cook some up – you’ll change your thoughts about refried beans forever!

Homemade Refried Beans

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

3 oz salt pork, bacon, or chorizo

1 small onion, chopped fine

2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced

3 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tbsp cilantro

Cook salt pork over med-low heat until all the fat has rendered from the meat. Remove meat from pan and set aside for later. Increase heat to med-high and add onion and jalapenos. Cook until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beans and broth and mash until almost smooth. Reduce heat to medium and cook until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in cooked salt pork and cilantro and serve!

Disappointed in The Pie Garden

Posted on 04/27/2011 by Howard

I had such great hopes. Pie? Breakfast? How could you go wrong? Well… Let’s just say they figured something out. I’m disappointed in The Pie Garden. It had such great potential, but, so far, it has failed at almost every step. Service? Lacking. Food? Underwhelming. Pie? Not homemade. In fact, I took this picture on opening day of boxes of frozen pies in the dumpster on opening day:

Boxes of pies at Pie Garden dumpster

To add insult to injury, I asked them to bring me their best pie and they brought me a piece of apple pie. (Notice the box above!) Combine this with the bad service, the inconsistent hours (thought they opened at 6 am, yet not open this morning), and the overcooked, straight from restaurant supply food and the Pie Garden falls on all accounts.

It really is sad. I gave them a number of chances, yet they continue to disappoint. Hopefully they’ll be able to turn things around. Until then, I’m still in search of a decent breakfast on a weekday and a good slice of pie.