Many of us are familiar with Adam Hamilton, the popular author and Senior Pastor of The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Kansas. The church is one of the largest congregations in the United Methodist Church. Member of that church are encouraged to be intentionally growing in their faith and discipleship and this is spelled out in five expectations that are quite similar to the five Pathways of Discipleship we have here at Calvary UM that I shared recently in these “pastor ponderings.” These are (1) prayer and worship, (2) serving God through serving others (3) studying the Bible and learning with others and (4) generosity.
This is what The Church of the Resurrection includes in their orientation for new and existing members.
“We have five expectations for our members. Each of these expectations is intended to help you continue your faith journey towards becoming deeply-committed Christians. We believe fulfilling these commitments will change your life in powerful ways and will bring you meaning and joy.
Worship Each Weekend
Worship with us each weekend – in person when possible
Grow in Faith
Grow in your faith outside of worship through study or a small group.
Use Your Gifts
Serve by using your gifts and talents both inside and outside the walls of the church.
Give Regularly
Give in proportion to your income, with the tithe (10%) as your goal.
Share Your Faith
Share your faith with others through words and actions.
Growing up, I don’t remember ever hearing about expectations or pathways that went along with following Jesus Christ. It was more or less assumed that once I was baptized, confirmed and gave my life to Christ, everything else about the life of faith would fall into place. But now, I recognize the value of having more clarity about how to make room for faith to grow. The aim is not just following rules or instructions, but to faithfully follow Jesus Christ. I find that these expectations and pathways give clear guidance and direction. They are time tested practices that can be used along with others to find a deeper and more rewarding faith. I hope that you find such things to be helpful to you as well.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Steve Larsen