By Herman B. Lightsey Jr.
About 30 S.C. UMMen attended the 11th National Gathering of United Methodist Men, held July 12-14 at Belmont University, Nashville, Tenn.
The theme was “Inside Out for the Glory of God.” This event is held every four years in the year after The United Methodist Church’s General Conference meets.
Like the church, UMMen are experiencing a decline in men willing to become involved in the local church and other connectional ministries of men, like the national gathering, spiritual retreats and other ministries.
But seeing those who attended the gathering gave me a renewed hope that UMMen in South Carolina can change this trend. If we can disciple men back to the church to be the men God intended us to be, then the church and its mission to make disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world will become a reality.
Bishop Jonathan Holston had challenged S.C. men to have “God-sized visions.” Having 100 men at the national gathering was one of his challenges. He did not say “you go,” but “let’s go” – and he went himself as a registered participant! And participate he did. He shed his suit and tie, sat with the group, clapped and sang to the music and stood and offered an “amen” to the messages of the presenter when he felt moved.
There were only two bishops in attendance – Holston along with Bishop James Swanson, of the Mississippi Annual Conference, who is the president of the General Commission of UMMen. The laity and clergy of South Carolina are thankful for our bishop’s support and participation in discipling men for Christ.
In addition to the bishop, we had several pastors attend: the Rev. James Friday, Greenwood District superintendent and Cabinet representative of the S.C. UMMen; the Rev. Frederick Yebuah, Orangeburg District superintendent; the Rev. David Anderson, conference benefits officer and pastor of Green Street UMC; and the Rev. Stephen Love, pastor of the St. Thomas Charge. This was a real boost to the laity of the S.C. UMMen.
My hope and prayer is that these men, both laity and clergy, will come off of this “mountain top experience” and go back into their local churches and set men’s hearts on fire for Jesus and ministry to men; that they will turn men “Inside Out for the Glory of God.” If we do, then the God-sized vision and challenge of the bishop to have 500 men attend the S.C. UMMen’s Spiritual Retreat in 2014 will be a piece of cake. Fifty men per district is 600, after all.
To receive and enjoy the support and respect as a live, viable organization, UMMen must adapt to the times. We must rid ourselves from the rut we have dug and meet the young men of our communities (not necessarily our church!) where they are.
This will require change: change not in what we do (helping men grow in Christ so others may know Christ), but in our method of doing it. Neither Jesus nor Paul ever changed the message or their values, but both adapted their techniques to their audience. Since 1993, 49 percent of men under age 30 have left the church. At this rate, there will be no more men by 2028.
The number of first-time attendees at the national gathering was impressive.
A first-time attendee, Friday said he came to the gathering with more curiosity than critique, and he was particularly curious about the event’s theme, “Inside Out for the Glory of God,” and how it would be presented through the gathering.
“What I experienced through the worship services and the presentations of the workshops was mostly a focus on the interior or on the heart of men and their relationship with God as they are being formed and developed as followers of Jesus Christ,” Friday said. “I believe the gathering was on point with this focus on the heart of men and our quest to reach more men for Christ.”
Don Love, associate conference lay leader, was also a first-time attendee.
“I had no special expectations, but went with the attitude of seeing and being a part of what God was going to do in this group of men,” Love said. “I met men who are committed to Christ from across the United States. A common concern was the lack of younger men active in our UMM organizations. This was addressed during the event and especially in the Saturday morning session with Don Davis, as he told us that we have to minister to 80 million millennials! The opportunities for service through the potato drop, meal packing and PET projects were a great experience. All in all, it was a good three days well spent. I am grateful for our bishop and the district superintendents from S.C. that attended.”
Alvin B. Glen, UMMen Walterboro District president, was also a first-time attendee, but he hopes it will not be his last.
“There is much ministry to be done, and I am excited and encouraged to know that other dedicated men are striving to meet the call of ministering to men through the word of God,” Glen said. “The goal of every local church’s men’s ministry group should be God-focused and ministry-driven, both for spiritual and physical needs of men. I intend to echo the message of ‘UMMen Inside Out for the Glory of God’ to the churches in the Walterboro District.”
Quoting Isaiah 6:8, “send me,” the Rev. Stephen Love, pastor of the St. Thomas Charge, said, “I believe that the response to which I am called to give is ‘yes, Lord!’ Yes to making room in my life and the life of our local churches for men’s ministry, yes to serving at a different level than we ever have before, yes, yes, yes! Then believing that my yes and the yes of men across our conference will empower us to be the change, the difference we have been seeking. So it was good for us to be here at the 11th National Gathering of United Methodist Men, but we could not stay on the mountain, for we received what we needed. Now we are called to return to the valley to pray, fast and mobilize for ministry. It’s time to say yes in our homes, churches and communities. I ask that you join me with ‘yes’ to the will of God.”
Yebuah cited powerful preaching, soul-inspiring music and workshops that provided useful and helpful tools for Christian growth and maturity as integral to a successful and uplifting gathering.
“In all it was a beautiful, fruitful and meaningful weekend,” Yebuah said. “Above all, we were all honored, humbled and inspired by the presence of Bishop Holston as a registered delegate. But the sad note was that the numbers were disappointing. In my opinion, we underestimate our importance. We mistakenly devalue the power of our presence and our contribution. This mind-set has to change before things can become better, and this change is not optional, because if and when we are not changing, we are not growing, and if we are not growing, we are slowly dying.
“I therefore challenge every man to see his ultimate and supreme value, and to help other men discern the importance of their presence and contributions.”
First-time attendee Steven Lathrop said he had an exciting religious experience at the national gathering.
“The speakers were all outstanding; it seemed that each of the speakers addressed the specific needs of the United Methodist Men in reaching the younger generations,” Lathrop said. “Not only did I get great ideas for our men’s ministry, but also it was exciting to see the commitment to men’s ministry of the two bishops in attendance. I
was most impressed with Bishop Holston’s commitment and his challenge to us in South Carolina. It was all a very moving and exciting experience, one I will never forget, and you can be sure I will be in attendance at the next national gathering.”
Forrest Horn, president of Rehoboth UMMen, said having the chance to attend the national gathering was a true blessing.
“What a fantastic group of men representing South Carolina,” Horn said. “It was especially inspiring to see how important the gathering was to Bishop Holston, as he stayed the whole weekend. I’m sure, as a new bishop, he has many important projects going on; but I deeply appreciated his presence.”
This is the second quadrennial conference to be held in Nashville. Earlier gatherings were held at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. In 2009, the site was shifted to Belmont University, site of the 2008 U.S. presidential debate. While this is the 11th national conference since the conclusion of World War II, earlier meetings of Methodist Men were held in Indianapolis after World War I.
Lightsey is president of the S.C. Conference UMMen.
