This 48th Session of the TN Annual Conference marked my 14th conference. I started attending the TN Annual Conference when I was licensed to preach in 1999. Over the years I have always enjoyed visiting with fellow clergy, but the business portion of the conference was often litigious and mundane. This year was different!
Over the last 40 days, we’ve been praying the theme “Expecting Greater Things” as requested by our new Bishop, William T. McAlilly. This has been his main speaking point throughout the year whenever he has met with clergy or laity.
God answered our prayer at the TN Annual Conference and the Holy Spirit showed up in a unique way to guide, lead and transform the meeting and to ignite the possibilities of the future. It was truly a wonderful conference.
Some of the things that stood out for me were the wonderful worship services and Bible study, the presentation by Dr. Rendle and the God stories.
The ordination service was excellent marked by a great sermon and an altar call for those who might feel called to ministry. I noticed 3-4 people coming forward in the service. It was a powerful God moment. Likewise, each morning, Reverend Dr. Derrick-Noble Lewis brought to the conference a new Biblical insight. One in particular was his illustration and commentary on Elijah. Noble illustrated that Elijah was doing something significant for God, but was in a spiritual battle. “Spiritual forces will try to prevent you from sharing God’s word,” Noble said. Elijah made a lot of mistakes, one of which was that he focused on his feelings.
“Your emotions are caused by how you think, and if you look at life negatively, you are going to be down.”
Dr. Gil Rendle spoke at last year’s “and was invited back to speak on the Strategic Mapping Team at the Annual Conference session. He said, “Our denomination is currently living off of more and more money given by fewer and fewer people who are getting older and older.” stated Rendle. He further pressed the matter that the Strategic Mapping Team is not necessarily focused on churches being sustainable, but more about Methodist Churches being more fruitful. Rendle said, “There is no answer why our numbers have dropped. The United Methodist Church is being reformed in the wilderness. When an organization or institution has lost its connection with its own environment, there is only one solution – either deep change or [endure] a slow death. We have a gift to give, a God to serve, we need to be God’s people in the world.” It was a powerful reminder that God still has a plan for our church.
Finally, the God Stories were the glue of the conference. With McAlilly’s leadership, a cross-Conference team was established to produce special GODSTORY videos to be shown throughout the proceedings at both sessions. GODSTORY’s featured individuals from both Conferences simply telling their transformational God story on-camera. All participants that were filmed used only their first names and did not mention any church or Conference affiliations – all focus intended to be centered on what Christ did and is doing in their lives. Here are a few examples:
• Justin: Justin’s drug abuse started at an early age, and progressed rapidly. Within a month of his first high, he was doing drugs around the clock. Justin was kicked out of his high school, then asked to leave a boarding school, and finally forced out of a treatment center. “I was totally out of control. I’d tell myself: ‘Once it gets this bad, THEN I’ll stop’” says Justin. He soon accepted the harsh reality that he would die an early life in jail from his alcoholism and drug addiction. One evening during his incarceration, he decided to pray to God: “God I hope you’re up there, – and if you are, I’ll do whatever you want if you can fix this total mess of a life…”
• David: When David’s kidneys failed, he was placed on a donor list with more than 70,000 other Americans. He needed a new kidney within five years so that he could regain health. While waiting, he strived to thank God for everything positive in his life. when things began to turn positively, David was dealt another blow by being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. A surgeon, David was forced to leave his practice because of a tremor in his dominant hand. He asked for God to help him by praying every day. After praying and waiting, a family friend asked if she could donate one of her kidneys because she strongly felt as if God was leading her to do so. Lives were saved and transformed out of the obedience of following God’s leading.
• Morgan: Morgan became involved with a ministry called Project Transformation Tennessee as a college student. What started as a summer to hopefully impact the lives of others, God was actually working on transforming his own life. “I felt like a fish out of water. God was working through my life and I knew that I could not go back to ‘normal.’ I needed to trust Him with those next steps.” Through this transformation, he is realizing that God is with him every step along the way – wherever he goes, God is also there.
You can view the GODSTORY videos on the Conference YouTube Channel, TNUMCtv, www.YouTube.com/TNUMCtv.
I’m looking forward to Greater Things….it is my privilege to serve as your Pastor.
Scott
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