Rev Bruce - Our Calling Learning and Serving

Romans 12 – Reflection on Learning & Caring The Church exists to help people to grow and to learn as Christians, through mutual support and care. Our Calling What is a Christian? This was a question that the Circuit Leadership Team were asked to reflect on during the summer. I have to be honest, it’s not a question I particularly like. The difficulty I have with it is the temptation to answer the question by defining a Christian as either; • someone who believes particular things • someone who behaves in particular ways (does this, doesn’t do that) • someone who belongs to a particular community • or even some combination of all three of these! I’m not saying these things aren’t important, but the trouble with them is that they seem rather static and rigid. Barbara Glasson, last year’s President of Conference, has suggested that rather than talking of believing, or behaving, or belonging, it is more helpful to think of who we are becoming. This suggests something much more dynamic. To me this connects far more with the descriptions of those who met Jesus, who listened to his stories, who asked him questions, who shared all this with others on their journeys. Who were called ‘followers’ (which of course implies movement, travelling from one place to another) or ‘disciples’ (which simply means learner). Who are becoming more Christ-like. I’d like to suggest that this is closer to what Paul understands as he writes to the early church in Rome. Notice how Paul, who had perhaps the most dramatic of conversation experiences, whose life was changed in an instance by encountering the risen Christ on the road to Damascus, sees following Christ as an ongoing process; be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern God’s will. He’s writing to those who believe in Jesus as their Saviour, who have started to form communities of belonging that behave in strikingly different ways, yet Paul urges them to continue to be transformed, to be renewed, to discern what God’s will is. It is clear that they are a Christian community, but they are still learning what it means to follow in Jesus in daily life. This sense of journeying with Jesus, of developing in our relationship with God, of being formed as his disciples, is perhaps clear enough in the gospels, as those around Jesus misunderstand him and make mistakes. But it is equally clear as you read through the book of Acts. Though they have encountered the risen Christ, still Peter and Paul and the early church have to grapple with what this means. They have to learn what it is to live in the light of the cross and resurrection, and it doesn’t happen in an instant. We too are called to learn and grow, to mature as Christians, but do we take this seriously as Church? What opportunities do we provide, for both those young and old in faith, to learn more? Do we take it seriously as individuals? Do we recognise that we have more to learn about being a follower of Christ? That God might have new things to teach us, deeper understanding to reveal? Are we still being transformed and renewed, becoming more like Christ, or have we stopped growing, stopped following, stood still? Paul is clear that all of us are in the process of becoming – God hasn’t finished with any of us yet – but he doesn’t see this as something we do on our own. Just like when we’re young and dreaming of what we’ll become when we grow, Paul knows we need the help of others to support, guide, and nurture us in our becoming. As soon as Paul has urged the Romans to be transformed and renewed, he begins to talk about being members of one body (v.3-8). The growing, the transformation, the discerning, all takes place within a community of other learners. Paul then jumps into one of his long lists (v.9-21). A list of how the community is to behave! (in some translations, a later heading has been added to Paul’s list describing this as ‘Marks of the True Christian’!) But to truly understand what Paul is doing here we need to keep this list connected to his plea to be transformed. Paul is not simply telling them what to do. This is a mutual process. The things he encourages them in enable the transformation he has already talked of and allows them to grow in their understanding of God. As they love one another, so they grow in love. As they live in community, so they have opportunities to practice patience (because they need to put up with each other!?!), to bless others, to live in peace. Notice how the things Paul describes are a picture of Christ – weeping with those who weep, rejoicing with those who rejoice, welcoming the stranger, providing for the needs of others – and echo the fruits of the Spirit (love, peace, patience, kindness, selfcontrol). Together, being part of this community helps each of them to become more Christlike. It is not as individuals but together that they grow and transform. Although each might have different gifts or roles to play within that community, all are encouraged to mutually encourage and support one another, to show hospitality, to take the initiative, to contribute to the needs of others. Not just the experienced, but everyone. Is this reflective of our church communities? How good are we at allowing others to help or encourage us? How good are we at noticing the needs of others – those on the fringes as well as those at the centre? Do we offer, as well as receive, help and hospitality? Do we enable opportunities for everyone to practice these, or only some? For most of its history, classes or small groups have played a key role in the life of the Methodist Church. They were a place to learn and grow, a place where mutual care and support were exercised, a place where the virtues Paul encourages could be lived and practised. When Our Calling was first presented to Conference, one of the suggested questions for reflection was How effective are our small groups in linking faith to everyday life? Sadly today, even this question might assume too much. We might need to begin by asking whether we even have small groups. If we are rethinking church, do we need to reconsider the place and priority of meeting together in small groups to pray, to learn, to support and nurture each other? And in all this there is perhaps one final important thing to notice. All this flows from worship (v.1). As Paul urges them to present their bodies (their lives) to God in worship, so they are to be transformed and renewed through their lives together, and their mutual care and encouragement. Or better, their learning and growing together, their mutual care and support of one another, is living out their worship of God. Or to put it another way, when we cease to grow and learn, to care and support one another – to become more Christ-like – we cease to worship God.