Are we there yet?

When our children were young, they often asked during car trips, "Are we there yet?" That question represented not just impatience with the trip, but an eagerness to arrive at our destination. Recently, when our adult son and his wife rode with us to Louisville to visit our adult daughter, and once again I heard those words - this time in jest - "Are we there yet?"

"Are we there yet?" is a good question for our Christian journey, too. Being a Christian means being a follower of Jesus, being someone on a journey of faith, someone who is a follower of The Way, an early term for Christians. Being a Christian is a dynamic experience of growing in faith, in trust, in service and in the likeness of Christ.

John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement, called one of the most neglected aspects of our Christian life "Christian Perfection" or what was commonly known as "growth in grace" or "holiness" or "sanctification." For the early Methodist Revival in England, there was an emphasis upon "justification" or being saved or being born again, but the primary emphasis of the Methodist movement was upon Christian Perfection.

One scholar even has said that Wesley was really only interested in "justification" in order to start people on the journey toward "sanctification." Certainly, the emphasis of the movement on small groups (Methodist classes), education, medical care and social holiness is evidence that the early Methodists saw themselves on a journey toward being more Christ-like and changing the society into a more Christ-like community than it was.

This New Year 2007 is a time when many are making resolutions. Researchers say nearly 80 percent of Americans make such New Year's resolutions, but few of those resolutions last very long. Perhaps this New Year also is a time for an evaluation of our Christian journey. It is time to ask ourselves, "Are we there yet?"

Here are some additional questions for evaluating our journey:

Am I praying regularly?
Am I engaging in Bible Study in a systematic way?
Am I a part of a sharing group where I can be held accountable for my faith?
Am I involved in service and justice ministry to others?
Do I attend public worship regularly and receive the sacrament of Holy Communion?
Am I willing to witness to my faith when opportunities arise?
Does my lifestyle reflect my priorities?
Is my level of stewardship growing toward a tithe and more?
Am I growing in love?
Is my life becoming more Christ-like?

For pastors these additional questions help to evaluate our journey:

Am I being faithful to my call?
Is my ministry fruitful?
Am I feeling fulfilled in my ministry?

The Christian journey is not just about arriving at our destination; it is about faithfully following Christ into the New Creation. It is always appropriate to ask prayerfully, "Are we there yet?"

Bishop Michael J. Coyner
Indiana Area of The United Methodist Church
Making a Difference in Indiana and around the world.

Last updated on 25 Apr 2008

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