Methodism and the Ministry of Compassion (The 19)

In May, I was ordained an elder in the Global Methodist Church. Each clergyperson ordained in a Methodist denomination has to answer 19 historical questions asked by bishops going back to the time of John Wesley (the founder of the Methodist movement). I thought I might share my responses to these questions in hopes of sharing a bit more about myself and about Methodism. This is the thirteenth and fifteenth of the 19 questions. I hope it blesses you!

To read my other responses to the questions, check them out here:

Have you faith in Christ?
Are you going on to perfection?
Do you expect to be made perfect in love in this life?
Are you earnestly striving after perfection in love?
Are you resolved to devote yourself wholly to God and to God’s work?
Do you know the General Rules of our Church?
Will you keep the General Rules of our Church?
Have you studied the doctrines of the Global Methodist Church?
After full consideration do you believe that our doctrines are in harmony with the Holy Scriptures?
Have you studied our form of church discipline and polity?
Do you approve our church government and polity?
Will you support and maintain them?
Will you exercise the ministry of compassion?
Will you diligently instruct the children in every place? (Coming soon)
Will you visit from house to house?
Will you recommend fasting or abstinence, both by precept and example? (Coming soon)
Are you determined to employ all your time in the work of God? (Coming soon)
Are you in debt so as to embarrass you in your work? (Coming soon)
Will you observe the following directions?
(a) Be diligent. Never be unemployed. Never be triflingly employed. Never trifle away time; neither spend any more time at any one place than is strictly necessary.
(b) Be punctual. Do everything exactly at the time. And do not mend our rules, but keep them; not for wrath, but for conscience’ sake. (Coming soon)

13. Will you exercise the ministry of compassion?

My senior pastor often likes to quip “The ground is level at the foot of the cross,” a quote often attributed to the late Billy Graham. This is one of the motivations for me to exercise the ministry of compassion; everyone—rich and poor, young and old, white-collar and blue-collar, every race and nation and tongue—is equally in need of God’s love and grace and yet equally loved and offered grace by God.

I seek to offer compassion to each person at our church equally and yet, individually, based on their own needs and what God is specifically doing in their life. At times, it has been tempting to spend more time and offer more compassion to those who look like me or think like me or seem to like me more than others. But a regular question I have to ask myself is, “Why am I choosing to visit/speak to/meet with this person? Is it because I believe it will lead them further into holiness or because I’m trying to meet a need of my own?” This was a skill I began practicing while serving as a chaplain in Clinical Pastoral Education, and one that I’m still working to hone.

The ways I exercise the ministry of compassion are through home visits, hospital visits, funerals, and daily conversations, especially with those who come from less privileged backgrounds than the average person in our area. One way that I exercise the ministry of compassion to those from less privileged backgrounds is by overseeing and volunteering with our School Ministries program, which reaches 5^th grade students during the school day. I’ve had multiple conversations this semester with students who have experienced trauma in their life. Listening well to those students, and to all those I come in contact with, is the best way I know how to exercise the ministry of compassion.

The basis for my exercise of the ministry of compassion is the Imago Dei, the doctrine that all human beings are image bearers of God. Though that image has been marred by sin, God desperately wants those who bear His image to be made holy so that He can restore that image within them and spend an eternity with them. As Jesus says in Matthew 25, whatever we do for the least of these, we do unto Him.

15. Will you visit from house to house?

A couple months ago, as I closed the small group I was leading in prayer, I overheard a dear parishioner whisper to another parishioner, “He’s so good at prayer.” Frankly, I was surprised. I have never known myself to be “good at prayer,” whatever that may mean. But as I reflected on what made her say that, I realized that she was noting something true of those called to ordained ministry: when we get to know people, we are able to minister to them better. What she was noting was that, in listening to the cares and concerns of those in the group, I was able to bring them to God in a way that made the group members feel seen, known, and loved.

I have found that there is no better way to do this than by visiting people in their homes. When I have been invited into the homes of parishioners, whether on their own volition or because I offered a visit, I have always been amazed with the vulnerability and honesty with which they share. This vulnerability and honesty lead me and the parishioner to deep spiritual conversation before closing with a time of prayer together. I have found my prayers in homes to be some of the most meaningful ministry I do.

Serving at a church the size of Mulder, with several hundred in attendance each Sunday, makes for visiting everyone in their homes a significant challenge. Therefore, I seek to find ways to be involved in the lives of those I have the privilege of serving. Some specific ways I have sought to contextualize this directive of visiting from house to house in my own ministry include showing up to the hospital to pray with a parishioner before surgery, texting parishioners on holidays to let them know I’m praying for them, mailing a note when one of our high school students is mentioned in the newspaper, and spending time chatting with parishioners when I see them in town. I see visiting house to house as being part of a larger pastoral calling to be involved in the lives of those I serve, whether in their home or in the community.

Thanks for reading! As I continue this series, if you’d like to get my newest blogs sent to your email, subscribe below!

To learn more about me, click here. Or, to get in touch, click here. And while you’re in the clicking mood, check out my Facebook page!

Also, to read my book review of GMC Bishop Carolyn Moore’s book The 19: Questions to Kindle a Wesleyan Spirit, check it out here.

And finally, this blog is a hobby for me, but it does cost some money to maintain. If you’d like to support this blog, you can purchase any of the books I’ve mentioned in this post using the links on this blog, or you can “buy me a coffee.” Thanks!