We began teaching our pastor training class yesterday. The people attending the class—about 40 of them—are mostly already serving churches as United Methodist lay pastors.
Before we began the class, as these pastors arrived at the conference center, we asked them about the challenges facing them in their ministries. One recurring theme was a lack of resources. Some pastors have nothing by our standards—no church building, no musical instruments, and, in some cases, no salary(!). They have nothing except their call from God, the gospel they proclaim, and the spiritually hungry people who stand ready and eager to respond to it.
“Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee.” These lay pastors are living out these words every day.
Listening to their challenges, I felt deeply humbled. What do I have to offer them? Theology?
And then I started teaching… I had nothing to worry about! They are hungry for a deeper understanding of their theological, doctrinal, and historical heritage as Methodists.
As you can see from the video above, they are good Methodists who, as Wesley admonished, “sing lustily and with good courage.”