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| The Rev. David Lux Sr. Courtesy photo |
By the Rev. David Lux Sr.*
We in the Nebraska delegation for the General and
Jurisdictional conferences have had a number of conversations about the Call to Action proposal coming to General Conference. We have reviewed the original
proposal for structural change and subsequent alternative proposals. And we
perceive that we have not yet seen the proposal for structural change that will
eventually come to us on the floor of General Conference.
After having read lots of background material and arguments
for the various proposals and discussing it in our delegation, we are not sure
which proposal is the best one. But we know of one general principle that we
want to see come forward in the approved plan: that the administrative
structure of The United Methodist Church reflects and represents the reality
that we are a global church.
This is our statement: We embrace change that would create a
structure for The United Methodist Church that is responsive to the needs of
the global church. In this time of change, we share a concern that in the midst
of our desire to be flexible and efficient, we not lose the diversity of voices
at every level of decision-making. Our concern is not so much about the ability
of individuals to represent the perspective of others but a concern that our
decision-makers themselves reflect the rich diversity of The United Methodist
Church.
The first proposal for structural change embraced the
concern and need for our structure to be nimble and more cost-efficient, which
is good. And it seems to provide a structure that would more efficiently get
things done in terms of doing something about decline in the U.S. church. But
we are — more than ever —a global church, and the structure needs to reflect
the diversity of our church in whatever oversight bodies the delegates adopt.
Having more representation and wider diversity in our
structure is not about meeting quotas or looking good in publicity pictures; it
is about receiving and sharing the gifts God has given us of resources and
people from a variety of cultures and places. We in the United States have so
much to learn from other parts of the world where there is growth rather than
decline and real passion for our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ
for the transformation of the world. Our structure needs to put us together and
hold us together in a global vision of the future.
I think everyone is acknowledging that structure alone will
not solve our problems or make the difference in our becoming the transformed
and transforming church that God wants us to be. We need the whole world of United Methodists
at the table when we seek to do God’s work.
*Lux, pastor of St. Paul United Methodist Church, Lincoln,
Neb., is head of the Nebraska Annual (regional) Conference delegation.