Background Noise
I have this thing about TVs. And truth be told, I’ve had it for as long as I can remember. I became aware of it when we got our first color TV (a Curtis Mathes) the day before the very first Super Bowl more than 50 years ago.
Invite God To Change Our Conversations
It seems to me that we Christians are engaging in more and more conversations about the future that leave us feeling stuck, frustrated and hopeless. The result? All too often we end up cynical at best or polarized at worst. Which is exactly why it’s time to do something we should have been doing all along – invite God to change our conversations.
A Word Audit
When I find free moments to reflect on my life and ministry, I often think about the words I use to describe what I’m experiencing. If the words are positive, uplifting and energetic, I know I feel good about what’s going on. If they are negative, it’s equally obvious. And if they are snarky (and, yes, that’s a theologically appropriate term), I know there’s something going on in me I need to figure out.
The Gift of an Unexpected Pause
There’s “THE QUESTION” that overshadows everything in the Arkansas Conference, “What is the future of the United Methodist Church going to be – and when is it finally going to be decided?” The fact that we cannot answer it – and anyone who tells you otherwise is just wrong – has led to uncertainty, anxiety, frustration, anger and impatience.
They’re Just Words – Or Are They?
It seems that almost every United Methodist meeting I attend these days includes the following words and phrases: liminal, asynchronous, actionable, emotional intelligence, nimble, new normal, transparent, and adaptive. In fact, I even use them myself. And while they can be helpful in describing the world in which the church finds itself, I am increasingly convinced we also need to employ the language of faith. The reason is simple. How we talk about something goes a long way in determining what we actually do about it.
Do We Really Need a Savior?
As I’ve been thinking about the event that exists at the very heart of our identity as Christians, I’ve found my mind drifting to the current state of the Body of Christ. There’s no way to gently put it, so I’ll be blunt. I am deeply troubled, my heart is breaking and my soul is distressed. The reason is simple. I don’t see much evidence that we really think we need a Savior.
Looking Back and Looking Ahead
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https://arumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/pablo-garcia-saldana-lPQIndZz8Mo-unsplash-scaled-1.jpg” alt=”sign” title_text=”pablo-garcia-saldana-lPQIndZz8Mo-unsplash” align=”center” admin_label=”Image” _builder_version=”4.9.0″ width=”70%” module_alignment=”center” animation_style=”fade” animation_duration=”1500ms” animation_delay=”250ms” animation_speed_curve_last_edited=”off|desktop”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_blurb _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”] Photo by Pablo García Saldaña on Unsplash [/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_team_member name=”By Gary E. Mueller” position=”Bishop of the Arkansas Annual Conference” facebook_url=”https://www.facebook.com/bishopgarymueller/” twitter_url=”https://twitter.com/GaryEMueller” _builder_version=”3.27.3″][/et_pb_team_member][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″] The United Methodist Church has been filled […]
Statement from Bishop Mueller on Postponed General Conference
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.0″ _module_preset=”default”] February 26, 2021 Yesterday, United Methodists across the global connection learned that the postponed General Conference 2020 had, once again, been postponed to Aug. 29 – Sept. 6, 2022, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. You can read the Council of Bishops’ press release on their website. […]
Are You Ready To Be Ashed?
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.8.2″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.8.2″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.8.2″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https://arumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/annika-gordon-EUnVJFET3Q0-unsplash-scaled-1.jpg” title_text=”annika-gordon-EUnVJFET3Q0-unsplash” align=”center” admin_label=”Image” _builder_version=”4.8.2″ width=”70%” module_alignment=”center” animation_style=”fade” animation_duration=”1500ms” animation_delay=”250ms” hover_enabled=”0″ animation_speed_curve_last_edited=”off|desktop” alt=”ash wednesday” sticky_enabled=”0″][/et_pb_image][et_pb_blurb _builder_version=”4.8.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ sticky_enabled=”0″] Photo by Annika Gordon on Unsplash [/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_team_member name=”By Gary E. Mueller” position=”Bishop of the Arkansas Annual Conference” facebook_url=”https://www.facebook.com/bishopgarymueller/” twitter_url=”https://twitter.com/GaryEMueller” _builder_version=”3.27.3″][/et_pb_team_member][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.8.2″ _module_preset=”default”] It will be Ash Wednesday […]
SAD and CAD
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https://arumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/todd-rhines-W0jzK552m8E-unsplash-scaled-1.jpg” alt=”sunlight” title_text=”todd-rhines-W0jzK552m8E-unsplash” align=”center” admin_label=”Image” _builder_version=”4.7.7″ width=”70%” module_alignment=”center” animation_style=”fade” animation_duration=”1500ms” animation_delay=”250ms” animation_speed_curve_last_edited=”off|desktop”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_team_member name=”By Gary E. Mueller” position=”Bishop of the Arkansas Annual Conference” facebook_url=”https://www.facebook.com/bishopgarymueller/” twitter_url=”https://twitter.com/GaryEMueller” _builder_version=”3.27.3″][/et_pb_team_member][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.7.7″ _module_preset=”default”] I will always remember Wednesday, March 11, 2020. That was the day it became clear COVID-19 was becoming so […]