I am currently in Charlotte, North Carolina, prayerfully focusing my thoughts and softening my heart for the work of the United Methodist General Conference which begins tomorrow (Tuesday). 

If you are someone who has completely lost interest in denominational Christianity, and if current bureaucratic denominational realities either frustrate you or bore you to tears, believe me, I completely understand. Yet, since United Methodism remains a unique and beautiful portion of the body of Christ, it is important for those who love the ecumenical church to pay attention to what transpires in the ministry of its various denominations.

From April 23 through May 3, the United Methodist General Conference, to which I am an elected clergy delegate, will be in session at the Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. What is the General Conference? It is a gathering of 862 elected delegates, which includes an equal number of clergy and lay delegates (431 of each). There will also be thousands of in-person guests, observers, interpreters, and volunteers. The 862 delegates come from all around the world, wherever United Methodism exists, and are elected by their particular regions. 482 of the delegates are from the United States. 278 are from Africa. 52 are from the Philippines. 40 are from Europe. 10 are from concordat Methodist churches in the Caribbean, Great Britain, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

The General Conference, which normally meets every four years, is the only body that can establish policy and church law for the United Methodist Church.

Having been a part of five General Conferences throughout my ministry, I know from experience that there will be many different types of dialogue at General Conference. Much of that dialogue will be rich with hope and joy concerning new initiatives in the denomination’s ministry with young people, older adults, immigrants, and the poor. We will discuss new developments in United Methodism’s efforts to equip leaders, dismantle poverty, eradicate racism, transform lives, and bring souls into relationship with Jesus. We will also consider the possible regionalization of the denomination’s global ministry and whether such regionalization will help the global church to become more strategic and missional in both its structure and impact.

Sadly, there will also be some heartbreaking dialogue about division and disaffiliation, much of which will revolve around the denomination’s continuing and often-traumatizing debate over what to say, teach, and embody concerning human sexuality in general and homosexuality in particular—a debate that has occupied the emotional energy of every General Conference since 1972.

I know many LGBTQIA+ persons who feel particularly vulnerable in these matters, perhaps because of past trauma or because of too many heartbreaking struggles to feel fully accepted and valued in the church for the entirety of who they are. If I am describing you, please know that I hold you deeply in my prayerful heart as the long and important days of General Conference begin. Your faces in my thoughts are a vital portion of my inspiration to continue in this work. You do not stand alone in your pain, nor do you walk alone in your desire for a church that reflects more vibrantly the gracious and welcoming heart of God.

I invite those of you who care deeply about these matters, particularly those of you who are United Methodist, to engage in three specific disciplines. First, stubbornly resist the temptation to become cynical or resentful about the work of General Conference, especially if people attempt to take you down a toxically negative road. In my experience, a spirit of cynicism and resentment often leads to a heart that is cold, a temperament that is dismissive, and a discernment that is clouded by a distorted sense of absolute certainty. The United Methodist Church deserves better than that.

Second, be intentional about reminding yourself and others that the United Methodist Church’s difficult conversations about everything from human sexuality to regionalization—everything from the Social Principles to the particulars of disaffiliation—are not debates between people who love Jesus and people who don’t, or between people who believe in the Bible and people who don’t. Rather, the disagreements at General Conference are most often between devoted Christ-followers who have come to significantly different conclusions about how parts of the Biblical narrative are to be interpreted, honored, and applied. Remembering this can help us avoid the temptation to demonize those who are on the other side of a debate, even when we are convinced of their wrongness.

Third, pray without ceasing. Dare to believe that prayer is a sacred and mystical conduit through which the redemptive activity of God makes its way into human circumstances, sometimes transforming the circumstances and other times reconfiguring human hearts so that the circumstances can be more creatively managed. I am inviting you to believe in the power of prayer with me and to pray urgently for the United Methodist Church and its General Conference. Pray for the Western Pennsylvania delegation of which I am a part and all the delegations. Pray for the Bishops as they preside. Pray for the safe travels of all who will be making their way to Charlotte. Pray for all who are volunteering their very best time and energy to make the Convention Center as hospitable an environment as possible. Pray that people will treat one another with respect and patience, even when emotions run high. Pray for the protection of tender hearts and the nurturing of right priorities. Most of all, pray that the Holy Spirit will flow through the complicated rhythms of General Conference thereby helping the United Methodist Church to bear steady witness to the always-beautiful heart of God.

I am grateful to be part of a church that refuses to turn away from hard and important conversations. Likewise, I am humbled to be part of a church that believes that Jesus does good and redemptive work, even in the messy, potential-rich, and transformative conferencing of his people.