Why Am I United Methodist?

by

Special to United Methodist Insight

People ask me: “So you grew up Southern Baptist; all your close relatives are Southern Baptists; you went to a Southern Baptist college and a Southern Baptist seminary; you and your wife (Denise) were both ordained to ministry as Southern Baptists; So what in the world happened? Why did you change?

It’s all true. I was a Southern Baptist, but you have to understand there are many types of Southern Baptists.

I remember when I was about nine years old our family moved to a new town and we went “church shopping.” We visited the closest Baptist church. It seemed the pastor preached about the flames of hell every Sunday. My dad, who described himself as a “free-thinking Baptist,” said he didn’t think that was the church for us. We kept looking and found another Baptist church, one we fell in love with.

A couple of years ago I returned to that congregation for its 75th anniversary. My childhood pastor, Rev. Truett Gannon, now in his 80s, also returned and gave a greeting and word of encouragement. In it he said, “Someone asked me what I would say if my child came and told me they were “Trans”. I said to them, “I wouldn’t say anything. I’d just give them a long hug.” That’s my pastor! Such a dear man.

My first real pastorate at a Southern Baptist congregation did not go well. It was in West Columbia, South Carolina. We did see growth in attendance, we added over 40 new members, but the whole experiment didn’t last long. After only a year and a half and a less than inspiring vote of confidence by the Board of Deacons I decided to resign.

I felt so defeated. After surrendering to a call to ministry at age 14, being active in church youth program, going through college as a religion major, on to seminary, serving on staff at a church in Richmond, and then in my first real pastorate, I had failed! I only lasted less than a year and a half!

This was the hardest time of my entire life. I was really shaken. I struggled. I was filled witth doubt. It was a dark night.

And then we found our way to The United Methodist Church.

The South Carolina United Methodist Conference literally redeemed my ministry. The Conference gave me chance; a new place of ministry, and a new faith family where we could be ourselves.

What attracted me to the United Methodist Church? Several things that stand out.

People: So many UM friends encouraged us: Deborah Griffis-Woodberry, Richard Allen, Bob Howell, Tom Summers, Eben Taylor, Robert and Carol Cannon, Sheila Rogers and so many more. Most people join a church because friends invite and encourage them. That was certainly true for us.

Faith in Action: I had a United Methodist friend at the hospital where I was working, a nurse supervisor in the ICU. She had pictures in her office from her summer work with Salkehatchie Summer Service. Turns out she gave up a week of her vacation every year to serve on a Salkehatchie team. That impressed me.

Women in ministry: Denise, as an ordained clergywoman, was always a rare bird in Southern Baptist circles. We became United Methodist because we wanted our daughters raised believing that if God called either one of them to ministry, we could be sure their Church would support them. In the Southern Baptist Church there was no assurance.

Racial Justice. There were some African Americans in the South Carolina Baptist Convention, but the United Methodists had Bishop Joseph Bethea presiding over the entire conference. This was a powerful witness even in the late 1980s. It made me say I would like to be part of a church like that. There is, indeed, still much work to do, but I am proud of our conference, for the work it has done and the stands it has taken for racial justice. As I traveled throughout the world with the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, I was always proud to let people know I am a member of the South Carolina United Methodist conference.

Knowledge and vital piety: John Wesley believed Christians can have both. We can be thinking Christians – and the lessons of science are not to be feared but embraced. Science and faith can complement one another.

Living Spirit: I love that Methodists believe the Holy Spirit is a living presence and power. The Spirit of God dwells within us – all of us. It is indescribable but it “bears witness with our spirit that we are indeed children of God.” The Bible is a holy gift from God, but the witness of the Spirit is there even for those who can’t read a word, even for those who have never heard the gospel, even for those struggling with doubt. Even in the depths of it all, God is with us.

“Open hearts, open minds, and open doors.” I am afraid many have not experienced the church this way – many have given up and moved on. Still, I love this church motto. It needs to be our aspiration. Our hope and goal.

Finally, I have to say that I am a hopeful person. An optimist. I have great hope for the world and believe that God intends for the “Kin(g)dom” to come “on earth just as it is in heaven.” (just like the prayer says). The earth is not our enemy. Creation is a beautiful gift entrusted to us by God. Our role is to love it, just as God so loves it, and to care for it, just as God cares for us.  I am a United Methodist and United Methodists believe God not only transforms individual lives, God can transform the entire world.

And as disciples of Jesus Christ, with the help of God, we can do that, too.

The Rev. Clayton Childers is a retired clergy member of the South Carolina Annual Conference. A version of this article appeared previously in the South Carolina Advocate.