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February 2007 |
Welcome
The Gospel calls us to risk, not comfort
As followers of Jesus Christ, we need to be first and foremost people of risk . |
During the past year, I have not understood the behavior of some United Methodist clergy and laity who are reluctant to enter public dialogue concerning social issues from support for raising the cigarette tax to opposing the expansion of legalized gambling. I have heard it said more than once, "I don't want to get involved with politics."
I have come to realize they are saying, "I don't want to take risks." My response - As followers of Jesus Christ, we need to be first and foremost people of risk, not for ourselves, but for the furtherance of the Gospel in contemporary society.
As Christians in the Wesleyan tradition, that risk factor becomes even more intensified as we see the risks John Wesley, founder of The United Methodist Church, took in his pursuit to abolish slavery, reform prisons, host clinics and establish Sunday schools for uneducated street children who had no option to a life beyond poverty. To Wesley, this was all part of evangelism and salvation, both spiritually and socially.
While trying to understand why Christians aren't involved with social issues of our state and time, I heard the Rev. Anne Rosebrock, one of my pastors, say in a recent sermon: "We follow a radical Jesus who encourages risk taking. the kind of risk where you venture out on a limb with just your faith and God's grace - the kind of risk that takes you to places you would not choose to go, the kind of risk that connects you to people you might not otherwise know, the kind or risk that challenges long held assumptions with new thinking, the kind of risk that pushes you out of your comfort zone and offers you new experiences and growth."
Her Scripture text was Jesus' parable of the talents according Matthew 25:16-30 dealing with the servant who buried his master's money in fear of risk. Rosebrock's responded, "burying the treasures that God has given us, digging a hole to avoid risking new experiences is not in God's dream for us."
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not about comfort, but about risk.
We have a number of issues as United Methodists in Indiana that involve risk.
Within the life of our church, the Imagine Indiana Planning Team released a statement of "Compelling Reasons for a New Conference in Indiana." In their statement, they have given 12 reasons why they believe a new United Methodist conference in Indiana is a positive move. The seven-member team does not make this statement in a vacuum, but as a result of discussions and discernment with more than 240 other Hoosier United Methodists across the state. They risk making the statement, but at the same time experience the leading of God's Spirit as they release their statement (see page 4). Such a move is not comfortable and contains a high degree of risk for the future of The United Methodist Church in Indiana.
In social issue before us, a group of 16 interfaith leaders from across the state, including Bishop Coyner, have asked the Indiana General Assembly to raise the cigarette tax by one dollar in order to help discourage more than 100,000 children and youth from smoking while supporting health care insurance to lower-income Hoosiers. They have taken a risk and have been called into question by some of the state's newspapers for taking such a stand as religious leaders.
Another group of United Methodists of Fort Wayne, South Bend, Bloomington, Indianapolis and smaller communities are working with State Representatives Neu and Pierce, and State Senator John Broden in supporting legislation to require the State of Indiana from investing state funds in companies and institutions doing business with Sudan to send a clear signal to the current Sudanese government that Hoosiers will not tolerate their practices and policies against the people of Sudan in Darfur. (See commentary.)
Still another group of Hoosier United Methodist pastors are reminding the Governor and the General Assembly that United Methodists and other people of faith will not tolerate any expansion of legalized gambling in Indiana, because it continues to claim both financially and spiritually the families of a rising number of addicted gamblers. They take a risk because other pastors with members in their congregations connected with the so-called "gaming industry" choose to remain silent.
Remaining comfortable continues to call to us, whether we are taking a position on the future of the church or issues of society, however the Gospel reminds us that Jesus did not seek after comfort or the comfortable. Jesus was a risk taker and calls us to the same risk taking until the reign of God becomes a reality in our midst.
Welcome
Daniel R. Gangler
Last updated on 25 Apr 2008