General Assembly & Conventions 2009

When General Assembly started, I had three things that had risen to the top in the list of things I was looking forward to; 1) The inaugural NMF gathering, 2) Meeting some people I had met via social networking, 3) Communion with my community of faith, the Church of the Nazarene.  Being my first General Assembly, I didn't know exactly what to expect.  I accomplished all three of my expectations, yet, somehow I didn't foresee what I would come to think of as my key take away from GA 2009.

I have been somewhat associated with the Nazarene denomination for about 29 years of my 45 years on this ball.   I have experienced the denomination in Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia, Florida, and even with people from many more states than that.  Over the past few years my faith has taken a far deeper turn and I begin to study what being a Christlike disciple means each and every day.  I have also begun to learn what it means to identify myself with the Church of the Nazarene and decided to dig deeper into precisely what that means.  It could almost be ironic that the Nazarene denomination adopted their current mission statement, “To make Christlike disciples in the nations”. 

One of the reasons that I have decided to delve deeper into what it means to call myself a Nazarene is that I typically eschew all labels.  I don't really like to align myself with too many groups; in doing that it always seems that someone else is offended for things that may be unfair or untrue about a particular group.  I have also not found many groups that maybe would appreciate my identifying with them, which seems to be another issue.  As Groucho Marx said, "I don't want to be a member of any club that would have me"  Yet, I have chosen to wear the label "Nazarene" and decided that maybe I should learn what that meant.

The intentional process of learning what it means to be a Nazarene has taken several turns and twists.  I have learned that the tent of the church covers quite a bit of ground.  The comments of John Wesley really seem to find a home within the denomination when he said, “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.".  The larger Nazarene Church truly seems to seek inclusive instead of exclusive.  It seems to promote a sense of a family that maybe has parts that we celebrate and parts that we pray for.  Yet, we all join together at the Lord's Table and bow our heads and unite in the brotherhood of worship to our creator God.

So, as I walked the halls and sat in the worship services one thought slowly begin to dawn on me.  Like the person who sits quietly on the beach before daylight and enjoys the sound of the waves and the breeze in their face; I slowly begin to realize that the rising of the sun was showing me a church so much greater than the small darkened dune upon which I sat.  Instead it was a part of a broad expanse of dunes that signified the edge of the sea, that served as a point of change from the land to the sea.  I was amazed at how my church is sometimes the same.  My church stands as that transition point between the world and a comprehension of the love of God.  Not because God loves only through the church, but because within the church I discover what it means to be a Christian, a Christlike disciple.  And as C.S. Lewis once said, "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen; not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.

So, I sometimes sat in awe of what was rising up before my eyes.  Like our beach sitter whose eyes are made uncomfortable by the rising sun that contracts his expanded pupils, I feel that my eyes were opened and sometimes burned as I watched the church I thought I knew take on an entirely different face.  As I met and was introduced to layman, pastors, friends, brothers, and family from across this nation and around the world a feeling in the back of my mind began to take form, as I continued to sit among and worship with brothers and sisters from around the world, and as I stood in a small group on Monday morning as a part of a concert of prayer being raised in the opening of the business sessions -- that feeling, that nagging began to take on more than a thought -- it began to transcend that which I had thought possible.

My church is not a building on a hill, that fact I realized long ago.  I realized that my church is a community.  It is a gathering of people that share a central focus in our lives.  What I wasn't ready for was that feeling that my church had gone from a smallish gathering of brothers and sisters to a worldwide chorus of hearts and hands.  As we stood in that concert of prayer, with four other people I stood and realized that there is truly an amazing God that united us.  As we stood and shared our hearts and voices in prayer, I felt the hand of God move upon our group and across that convention center and knew my little church had only been what I was ready to see.  Much like Moses who sought the face of God and was allowed to see only a portion of His back -- because Moses could not have born more -- I realized that I had glimpsed only a portion, but not because God didn't want me to see more, but because I wasn't ready to see more.  Slowly like the rising of the sun with its rays sweeping across the beach toward me, I truly felt the presence of God and my heart wanted to cry out.  My little church had grown up right before my eyes.  The imagery of John the Revelator became clearer to me.  I now think I understand why John wrote as he did -- the Church he (and now I) saw is far more than simply a collection of bricks or boards or even a gathering of persons.  It is a living, vibrant body that can be as gentle as the lamb or as mighty as the lion. 

I left General Assembly on Tuesday morning, only the second day of business.  I had shared in worship, and got to observe one day of business and felt I was ready to return home, work was calling.  My flight from Orlando was delayed.  During one of the delays, I checked my cell phone and saw that finally, a General Superintendent had been elected.  Dr. Eugenio Duarte, a humble servant of God born in Cape Verde had been elected as the Church’s first non-US, non-Caucasian General Superintendent!  I called my pastor who shared with me the rejoicing of the assembly.  It was moving.  Upon arriving home, I sat and watched the video of his election and acceptance, my church was reaping the harvest of being missional.  We had set out to create a Christlike disciple and that disciple was now coming back to us!  There is no greater testament to accomplishing the mission of the church than to have what was once viewed as a mission area raise up a brother who ascends to the highest elected office within the denomination! 

So, I returned to home with such a new appreciation of my church.  Not just a small building on a hill, not even a collection of congregations across this state and nation.  Even bigger than all the congregations that gather across this world.  Instead, my church is a living, missional body of believers that daily engage in the work that Christ began and exampled so well to us.  From meeting the needs of food, shelter, education, and love my church strives to reflect the compassionate love of God in ways too numerous to record.  My view of my church has surely changed, next when I gather with the congregation that I worship and love with, I will not see them as just simply from Huntsville, AL worshipping together, but instead an extension of that world wide body that was revealed to me in Orlando.

Postscript:  I returned from Orlando very encouraged.  My church had taken great strides in leadership over the past several years.  In 2005, Dr. Nina Gunter was elected as the first woman to serve in the highest office of leadership in our denomination.  As I said in my main article, Eugenio Duarte was elected in 2009, surely the leadership of the church was making tremendous strides. I was excited. 

I participate in an online community that is primarily comprised of Nazarenes.  I  checked in on what that the members of that community had to say about the election and was extremely disappointed to read how some people had viewed the work of the assembly.  There were cries of lack of courage in the body not moving further forward in electing another woman or another non-US superintendent.  There were charges that groups had spread false information to impugn the character of the nominees that were receiving significant votes.  All of this deeply saddened me, for I felt at its core it impugned the integrity of the church.

Perhaps I am naïve about church politics.  It would not be the first think I was naïve about.  However, as I sat and reeled at the accusations that had been levied against the assembly, I was reminded that those seeking leadership for their own sakes is nothing new in the church.  In fact, one of the problems Jesus was confronted with among his own disciples was their struggle for leadership and recognition.  Surely, it is a human frailty that is revealed over and over again.  Sadly, we have not really progressed very far in 2,000 years on that front. 

So, I am encouraged that my denomination is taking great strides to elect into leadership a more diverse membership.  Instead of being disappointed that we are not going far enough, fast enough, I will celebrate the steps we have taken, yet realize that we still have far to go.  Just as I watch my grandson who is approaching one year in age, I will celebrate his stumbling first steps instead of being disappointed he is not a world class sprinter.  I will strive to understand that our denomination has come far, but, thankfully has far to go and a willingness to explore getting there.   I will attempt to understand that those who fear change are not really that different than those who are afraid of not changing.  It is not those individual voices that define the church, but rather the focus on the call of Christ.  I am also reminded that Christ didn’t choose his disciples based on diversity.  I join with Gary Barker in calling for each of us to seek ways to work toward making advances in all areas of diversity and calling so that we can celebrate anew in 2013!

The results are in and it seems some have expressed (sadness, disappointment, etc) especially as we watched the third GS being elected. I would like to share some of my perspective on some of the comments I have read.

In regards to those elected, including Stan, they all have different skill sets and different experiences that have brought them to this place. The Bible states God works all things for good to them that are called according to His purpose. God will build His church. God will use Stan and the others to further His kingdom. Stan does has both strengths and weaknesses, we all do. Let's pray that as Stan has opportunity to flourish in the areas of his strengths that God will take his God given talents, abilities and experiences and work it for good. We still believe that right? Sure we do. Stan has alot of experience and associations in area of church growth, management and leadership. I think God can use Stan to help us in some of these areas. 

We are all aware (I hope) that polity exists in the church. It exists in EVERY mature organization, both secular and spiritual. Often it is this polity, this structure, that gives us a way to accomplish greater tasks beyond the reach of individual efforts or loose knit community groups. Can we improve, sure we can. Do we sometimes see injustice or human error or bias? Yes we do. One of the ways we improve our process is to be active and involved in shaping and changing it. That is part of what GA is all about. It is not perfect but it gives us the framework to do things like reach into Creative Access Areas where we otherwise would not have near the impact. Let us not grow weary in doing good. Let's stay involved in making our systems biblical, functional and fruitful.

With regards to women being elected, didn't we cross that bridge when we elected Dr. Nina Gunter? I have much respect for her. Will this be the last woman to serve our church as a GS? I think not. Let's be purposeful to continue to provide places of ministry for all, men and woman. Let's be purposeful to look at candidates regardless of race, age, gender, etc. as these unique qualities certainly distinguish one from another but certainly have no bearing on their gifts, talents, abilities, insights or ability to lead our church. Dr. Nina Gunter  did a fabulous job for us as a church because she was used mightily by God, not because she was a woman. 

With regards to representation (age, gender, race, etc.) I think we all welcome diversity and even long for it. I think we made good steps toward integration of different languages, traditions, etc. and yet I am sure we have room to improve on this. I have read many different comments expressing support of this continued diversification and representation. Perhaps we could develop strategies to assist in this endeavor. For example, the church had an event called Be Our Guest. A pastor friend of mine took pastors from India out to lunch. They were challenged by the Holy Spirit when the pastors shared their gratefulness for the meal. They would not have ate that day at lunch if it were not for this effort by our church. They simply had no money for it. When asked if they were going to take in Disney (out of a sincere desire to have fellowship) they explained that would be half a month's salary. What does this have to do with diverse representation in our assembly and leaders elected? Maybe we should (on a local and district level) commit over the next four years to reach into areas past our borders and commit to ministering to them through prayer, mission trips and MONEY! Let's invest in the kingdom and this diversity we so long for and make a financial commitment to help bring our brothers and sisters from around the world back in four years. My heart LEAPED when the flags were paraded (smaller countires, some I had no idea about) and a small group of Nazarenes stood to applaud their country, WOW! What sacrifice they made. Perhaps if we invested even more in their lives, we would be compelled even more to bring these gaps. Not just because we want non white, non US based representatives in body, in song, in spoken word but rather because they are a part of our life, our family, our church.

 I challenge you (and me) to find a way to make the next assembly even better. Maybe you could join me in sponsoring a meal for our brothers and sisters from other parts of the world. There are many ideas and plans God wants to complete in us. Let's join TOGETHER in building our family of believers, committed to strengthening the weak areas not merely exposing them. I know I can count on my brothers and sisters to make our church holy and acceptable in His sight.

 Grace and Peace!

Gary  

On the 36th ballot, receiving 602 out of 900 valid ballots cast, the 2009 General Assembly Church of the Nazarene has elected Dr. David W. Graves to the highest elected office of the Church of the Nazarene. Dr. Graves joins Drs. Duarte and Bowling as the newest members of the Board of General Superintendents.

"David W. Graves serves as senior pastor at College Church of the Nazarene in Olathe, Kansas. Previous to his current position, he served as director of Sunday School Ministries for the Church of the Nazarene and has also pastored in Ohio, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and North Carolina. He and his wife, Sharon, currently live in Overland Park, Kansas." (NPH.com)

Rev. Graves will be one of 6 General Superintendents who provide pastoral leadership and missional guidance to the Church of the Nazarene, as well as ordaining and interpretting the doctrines and Manual statements of the church.

Edited: Dr. Graves was initially elected as the 39th GS, but following Dr. Bowling's rescinscion and subsequent action of the General Assembly, he has been named the 38th General Superintendent.