Asbury, Revival, and Genesis

As I write this, the Asbury College chapel service that began six days ago as a "normal" one hour service, still continues. People are flocking to the chapel at Asbury where round-the-clock prayer, praise, Scripture and story (testimony) continue. Those who have been there describe a deep sense of the presence of God (no hype, no hysteria, just a deep transforming presence). Is this the beginning of the revival (or third great awakening) that we are longing for? Time will tell (Will this revival transform many... even transforming society? May it be...).

In Genesis, we've been talking a lot about revival over the past six years. Revival is in our soil. We're in the location of the hub of the second great awakening and where our denomination launched. We've begun to see a fresh work of God among us in the past two years. We've seen healings, answered prayer, hope.

On Saturday I posted to our pastor's facebook group the encouragement to pay attention to how God's Spirit may be at work in the midst of all we were hearing from Asbury. I also posted this on our conference page: "What if… we all entered our churches tomorrow morning with the same expectation as those who are rushing to the Asbury revival? What if we expected the love and power of Christ to meet us in our local church? What if we worshipped and prayed for one another with expectation that He will meet us and answer us? What if we confessed our sins to one another, asking for forgiveness of one another?  What if an hour long service was not enough?  What if… the Lord’s Spirit met us in such a way that the football game in the afternoon became irrelevant?"

Over the past few days I've been hearing from different pastors about how the Lord seemed to be up to something new in their churches this weekend. A baby was healed. People came for prayer. A person came in before the service to "get right with God." Prayer for the community was deep. People were on their faces asking God to do a new thing. Churches were working together, walls were coming down. 

When I think about images that the Bible uses for the work of the Holy Spirit, I think about how often those images are fragile in the beginning. An oak (Isaiah 61), streams in the desert (Isaiah 43), fire (Acts 2). 

When a sprout first pops out of the ground (whether it's an oak or a marigold) it is so fragile in the beginning. Being stepped on, frozen, or being in the wrong soil can quickly kill it. When a stream is starting, it's just a bit of water coming from the ground. It can be buried or redirected easily so that it never reaches a larger channel. And a fire? Anyone who has tried to start a campfire knows that those first few minutes of getting it going are crucial. One bit of wind, a log placed wrong, wetness in the wood... anything can cause that fire to never get blazing. 

Do I have any clarity on what God is up to at this moment? No. But I believe that when we see those sacred and fragile spouts and streams and embers, we need to care for them gently. Not screaming about them. Not demanding of them. But instead... protecting, surrounding them with expectation.

Pastors? Pay attention to the movement of God's Spirit. Don't get so stuck in "the program" or the schedule that you stomp on what the Spirit is doing. (Don't "quench the Spirit" - 1 Thes 5:19). Leave room for the unexpected. Don't demand... this isn't about creating something on our own. This is about listening and looking and responding. 

One reason that I believe there is something unusual happening at Asbury College is that they were prepared for it. The revival that happened there in the 1970s is in their DNA. When they saw the signs they were prepared to surround and protect what was happening, allowing it to flourish. They didn't stomp on it, or rush students back to class.

One reason that Asbury encourages me for Genesis is that revival is in our soil. We might need to dig a bit deeper (after all, revival was 50 years in Asbury's past, but we've got to go back further...)... but it's here, as long as we remember it. Remember it. Pray for it. Look for it. Steward it. Protect it when it is fragile... and let it flourish when it grows.

For Genesis Ministerial Candidates

Dear CMCs (along with their mentors):

In our continuing desire to make our ordination process clear and helpful, I’m writing in response to questions or complaints that we’ve heard. 

In many denominations, a masters degree is a pre-requisite to being ordained (usually an MDiv, which can take 3 years full time, 24 classes). In some, an additional full-time internship is also required. In addition, some denominations will not ordain until a candidate has a full-time ministry appointment. 

In our denomination, we recognize that the Lord does, indeed, call people who may not have the time, funds, or the educational background to get a masters. And we don’t want to just be about checking a list… we want to see you functionally prepared for ministry in your head (theology), heart (character), and hands (skills). 

At the same time, ministry is not “a job.” It’s a sacred calling. Our elders need to be people who walk closely with the Lord, and know, deeply love, and correctly use Scripture. We need to be people who are emotionally, spiritually, and personally mature and maturing. We need to have theological depth, and we need to have practical skill. We need to see fruit in whatever ministry God leads us to. We need to know what we believe… and why we believe it. 

This past year the FMC’s Center for Pastoral Formation came out with 15 required courses for ordinands. In Genesis, we have chosen to take 7 of these courses, and instead of classroom teaching we are choosing to cover the material through labs, application, CCGs and coaches. For example, the work you will do with your heart coach and your CCG will cover the requirement for a course on Spiritual Formation.  We believe that this practical approach is easier to fit into lives that are filled with family, jobs, and ministry. We also believe it has the potential to more practically prepare you and be better remembered. The 8 remaining courses that we require are the more theological and academic ones. 

While we continue to tweak and streamline our process, we are doing so in order to better prepare you for ministry (not give you more things to do). Should you ever have questions about what we are asking of you, feel free to reach out, particularly if you feel something has changed since you began the process.  In addition, if you think what we are asking you to do in your annual letter is not helpful, feel free to reach out. We can adjust if our assignments are missing the mark in helping you grow. 

When we switched from “Year 1, 2, 3” to “Block 1, 2, 3,” some people thought this meant that once classes were taken, a CMC could speed through the process. This was not the intent of the switch, but rather the opposite: “blocks” allow people to take longer than 3 years without feeling they were “falling behind.” The normal length of time for CMCs is 3 or 4 years (with a maximum of 10). If you feel too much is being asked of you, then feel free to slow down the process and take longer to complete each block. A few people have completed being a CMC in two years, but only when they are coming into our system already having their academic work done and with significant prior ministry experience. 

For our records, under normal circumstances, “blocks” advance at annual conference. However, final decisions and notifications of which block you are in, is determined during our fall interviews. For example, if at Annual Conference you still have 3 remaining courses and other items to complete, you will most likely be in Block 3 for that conference year. People who enter as CMCs at Annual Conference are Block 2 for the conference year. 

As of this winter, we will be holding classes so that if a LMC who has interviewed in January begins with Wesleyan Theology that spring, and takes one course each fall and spring, then academic coursework can be completed before your ordination interview in three years. If a candidate also keeps up with the practical experiences and training needed (CCGs, Rule of Life, evangelism, growing leadership, practical administration, etc), and is growing in appropriate ways in head, heart, and hands, it’s possible to complete it all in three years. But we’re not in a rush! Ordination interviews take place in block 4. 

I have said this before, and will keep saying it: as you take your classes, what you learn about Scripture, God, and theological truths isn’t something you learn in order to “pass” the class. We want these truths to go deep into your soul. We want you to be able to discuss them, teach them, wrestle with them in your own life. We don’t want you to settle for “simple” answers. We don’t want you to be surprised by a question or conversation with people in your community, congregation, or other pastors. During your CMC and ordination interviews, we expect you to be able to discuss Scripture and theological principles appropriate for your block level. By the time you are ordained, we expect you to have the theological depth we would expect of an ordained elder.  We expect you to go beyond learning “the minimum,” and develop a pattern of lifelong learning. Read books that expand your understanding of Scripture, God, people, and this world. Keep going deeper. Don’t settle. 

We also recognize the need for you to grow personally. Conflict resolution, learning boundaries, developing an ability to not take things personally, becoming flexible, taking responsibility, and not being a people pleasers are just a few of the areas where we want to see growth and health. Growing in your character and your emotional, spiritual and mental health are crucial for healthy ministry. 

As we continue to better our ordination process, this year we are trying something new. Sometime in the next couple of months, you will get a one page checklist of crucial items that need to be covered in your ordination journey. We will highlight those items that, according to our records, you still need to complete. We hope this new chart will help you give a quick “at a glance” summary of what you still have left.

A few more “clean up” items:

*In the past year we placed more training in the LMC block (block 1). I don’t want the switch to mean you miss some crucial training! We want you to be able to articulately share you faith. If you have not yet had evangelism training (or if you have not introduced anyone to Christ in this past year and followed up with them), then please make sure you get this training and take opportunities to share your faith with others. If your local church is not offering training, reach out to the conference. There is some brief training on the Genesis YouTube Channel, under “CMC resources” that can help you start. We do expect you to see fruit in this area before ordination. 

*We also ask, during your LMC year, that you form a prayer team who will pray for you during this journey. We assume that continues and that this team of people will pray for you into the future. Make sure you keep them updated on your journey and needs.

*Before ordination, you are required to go through a psychological evaluation. We now have a counselor who is doing our evaluations for $400 (which is discounted). The conference will contact you with information in block 3 or 4. If the $400 is a financial hardship, please reach out to the conference office for help. 

*The “ordination essays” that you will need to complete before your ordination interview are online. We encourage you to be filling them out throughout your journey, as you take classes that pertain to the essay questions. This is much easier than trying to get them done in the weeks prior to the deadline. 

*Each year you are to do a ”Leadership Lab” (which means you are leading and learning as you go) and each year your leadership should be expanding. For example, while leading a small group may be a good start in block one, by block three or four your leadership needs to be greater than what we’d expect from any good lay leader in the church. On the Genesis website ordination page, in the bottom green box, you will see two “Leadership Lab” links: One that leads you to a video playlist, and the other to a worksheet that helps you think strategically about what you are leading. In Block 2, you should watch all of those videos (about 2 1/2 hours of content) and begin to put what you learn into practice. In all blocks / each year you should use the “Leadership Lab” worksheet to guide. Go through the sheet with your local mentor at the beginning, middle, and end of each church year. If you went to Elevate Leadership in 2019, then you do not need to watch the videos. If you did not attend Elevate, even if you are beyond block 2, then please take the time to watch the videos. 

*There is a list of ministry experiences and competencies in the CMC Formation Process Document (on the Genesis website). This is the list you go through with your skills coach. We do expect growth in all of these areas. Review that list carefully on a regular basis. Is you need a place to learn or grow in one of these areas, reach out. 

In all of this: Ask questions. We will have interviewed over 50 people this year, and our process is not perfect. If something doesn’t line up with your expectations, give us a call. We can’t help if we don’t know what you are experiencing.

Also know this: we are rooting for you. We want to do all we can so that you can be effective in life-long ministry. You are in our prayers and our hearts.

With Hope!

Pam Braman

Superintendent, Genesis Conference

Thoughts on Sabbatical

Ten weeks. When I began my sabbatical ten weeks ago, I really wasn’t sure what to expect but now, as I bring these ten weeks to a close, I want to write out some of my thoughts regarding taking a sabbatical. This is not a blog about what I’ve learned for my own context… that may be a later blog or workshop. These are my thoughts for sabbatical takers, or those wondering if a sabbatical is “worth it.”

A bit of background may be helpful. Throughout my life I’ve been someone who has recognized the need and advantages of “pulling away” from the daily grind and taking a day or two for creative strategic thought. These days allow time to recognize what has crept in to the schedule that shouldn’t have, and what has dropped off that that should still be there. One day away, perhaps two. But ten weeks?

In his last address to the Genesis Conference, my predecessor, Mitch Pierce, mentioned that one of his few regrets was that he had not gotten into place a sabbatical policy for pastors. Due to his encouragement, my first year we put together a task force and after about a year of study and discussion, we had a policy in place. Within my second year in Genesis it became part of our official policy manual. This was 2017-2018.

Little could I have imagined, when we put that policy in place, the coming pandemic and the tsunami of exhaustion that it would cause among pastors.

While very few people availed themselves of the policy in 2018 & 2019, by this past winter, after two years of pandemic, I was encouraging any pastor who was eligible (at least “in their 7th year”) to take a sabbatical. In the midst of this encouragement, both of my boards (MEG & BOA) encouraged me to do the same. (“You need to lead the way on this” said one of the people on the MEG). And so, by the spring, I had a plan to take ten weeks. 

Here are some items that helped me have a restful, restorative, and successful sabbatical which I believe brings me back with much greater energy and focus for the years ahead:

1. I planned ahead. I used our conference sabbatical planning sheet which I would recommend to others. But I did not over-plan. Things I would do again for the planning:

*I chose a one-word focus. My sabbatical word was “RE-Create.” I knew that my creative energy had been depleted. I also know that my creative out-of-the-box thinking is a gift from the Lord that needs to be stewarded. And so, Re-Create became my theme. 

*I had plans and good people in place for a variety of situation that might come up while I was away. They were empowered to act in my stead. 

*My first segment of time was away from home. I got away with Marsh (a month on a lake in Canada).

*I made sure that this sabbatical time blessed my husband as much as me (See above. Plus there were many days when I invited him to choose what we’d do for the day).

*I had a pile of books to read that related to my theme… but as the time went on and my focus became clearer, I only read those books that seemed to fit. I had no guilt about the pile of books left unread.

2. I had other people guiding me: 

*I asked someone to be a guide and mentor through my sabbatical. A very creative friend agreed, who I trusted to keep asking the right questions as I met with her every 2-3 weeks.

*I had a book that functioned as a workbook that I gave me creative exercises to do. It lasted 12 weeks… I finish it up this week as I go back to the office.

3. I kept pushing into trying new things throughout the ten weeks. I tried many, many things. In the trying, I discovered a few that I want to incorporate into my rhythms this coming year. I also tried many things that were quickly discarded. 

4. I journaled more than usual. It started as doing the exercises from the books I was reading. But as time went on I saw the value of it, as I unpacked ideas, thoughts, and even exhaustion from the past few years.

5. I slept as late as I wanted. The first few weeks I was amazed at how long I slept!

6. I slowed down so that I could observe, enjoy, breathe. 

7. I disconnected from social media almost completely. 

8. I disconnected from work almost completely (I put an auto-response on email that tells people if they have an emergency to contact the conference, and if they have something for me specifically to resend during the last week of my sabbatical. Conference had instructions on what kinds of things I needed to know about). I have to say… the people of Genesis have been incredibly gracious and protective. They have truly given me space to “Re-Create.”

9. I didn’t try to start to “pull things together” for what I’ve learned until my last couple of weeks. It was as if I had lots of ideas scattered over a table that had accumulated over 10 weeks time, but in week 9 it was time to clean the table and see what was of value… and what wasn’t. 

10. I’m putting things into this fall’s schedule, to keep up the practices that have been life-giving. I’m inviting others into some of these practices.

Out of this time I’ve not only had a sense of renewal, but I’ve had some important thoughts regarding where I need to spend my time in the future. I’ll be giving a more specific report to my boards and team of Field Superintendents in the coming weeks, and I’ll be brining them into the conversation so that they can continue to shape and mold these thoughts and ideas.

Perhaps the most important item of this sabbatical is that in my soul I’ve gone from feeling like I’m leading in the exhausting wilderness of post-pandemic, to having a clearer sense of how and where I need to lead to move us into new Kingdom territory.  

For those in Genesis: Thank you for this gift of time and space. Pray with me for these coming days!