By Gershon Vivas and Ishmael Colis
Rev. Adam Hamilton is an American minister. He is the senior pastor of the 20,000 member United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. It is the largest United Methodist congregation in the United States, measured by both weekend attendance and membership. [source: Wikipedia]
Adam Hamilton delivers one of the most inspiring lectures I have ever heard during the clergy session in the Wallace Chappell lectures. In his talk, Rev. Hamilton went back to where we the Methodist people are rooted from. We are rooted in spirituality.
Rev. Hamilton pointed out some of his experiences with other denominations like the catholic and Pentecostal churches. It is quite amazing how he communicated with them and how he showed respect to those people. On the other hand, his members on the Methodist church were more concerned about losing their members because their pastor is sharing his thoughts about these denominations. This is quite a problem in our churches nowadays. Some of our churches have closed their doors for other people. We seem to lost our desire to be one and have fellowship with other people or with other denominations. Religion have become a barrier that sets us apart from one another. Where is the spirit of ecumenism and compassion for the people outside our churches’ doors?
Rev. Hamilton then addressed the spirituality of the pastors. He asked them, “How is your spiritual life?”, “What is the level of your spirituality?” It seems like Rev. Hamilton wanted to point out how the spiritual level of the pastor and of the church would show the manifestation of how hungry are they for the people outside the church. He then asked, “What is the spiritual temperature of your life and of your church?” The pastors set the spiritual temperature of the church and Rev. Hamilton is afraid that the pastors are dying spiritually and needs a jump start, a revival. We are indeed in need of regular spiritual revival. Prayer life and scripture reading should be a regular basis and not just been done when needed.
It’s very hard to direct the church into a spiritual atmosphere when a pastor haven’t been there him/herself. Yes one can pretend to be spiritual but the manifestation of the truth cannot be hidden. If a pastor doesn’t have a high level of spirituality, he/she cannot ask the congregation to have a high level of spirituality as well. You can’t give what you do not have, and you cannot ask someone to do something you do not do yourself. Pastors sometimes tend to be very busy about the kingdom of God and have forgotten about the King. They became too busy spending most of their time with the church people, programs, activities, etc. and spending a quality time with God has been compromised. Even Jesus knows how important it is to have a quality time with God, he said, "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" (Lk. 2:49)
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