P-SS event stresses focus on apostleship
Paris-Sulphur Springs District Superintendent Rev. Keith Boone leads worship for the annual district training, challenging participants to go out into the world as apostles.
Rev. Fulbright stresses importance of hospitality.
BY JOE DAN BOYD
Special Correspondent
Why do United Methodists have training events? The message of the Jan. 10 Paris-Sulphur Springs District training event was that God isn’t finished with us yet.
Rev. Aleze Fulbright, First UMC, Commerce, Associate and campus ministry director at Texas A&M, Commerce, led the workshop on hospitality, and she began with a famous example from the Bible, Genesis 18:1-8.
It is the account of Abraham responding to an appearance of the Lord and a visit from three men, to whom Abraham appropriately responds with excitement, appreciation, an attitude of invitation and a willingness to recruit others to help him in an urgent display of providing the very best serviceduring this time of unexpected opportunity.
Abraham is presented in this Scripture as being very much in the moment and not at all intimidated by the sudden appearance of important guests, to whom he provides welcome, priority and the very best of everything he has to offer.
Teach that hospitality is at the core of the Gospel, suggested Rev. Fulbright, as she explained how to use this Hebrew Bible lesson in today’s 21st Century United Methodist Church ministry.
Convey a clear invitation and a statement of welcome in all communications directed at your community – advertisements, banners, flyers, church website and the like, she emphasized.
Station greeters at all entrances, in classroom areas and in the parking lot or entry walks, if appropriate, added Rev. Fulbright. Escort newcomers to the nursery, classrooms, coffee hours and such – don’t just point the way or give directions!
Place information about your church’s ministries where a visitor can easily find it, preferably in the pew or a clearly marked location near the entry points used by visitors, she added.
Finally, Rev. Fulbright suggested encouraging visitors to get connected with activities and groups, even if they are not ready to join your church.
She closed with this New Testament Scripture, “Be sure to welcome strangers into your home. By doing this, some people have welcomed angels as guests, without even knowing it.” (Hebrews 13:2)
Dr, Keith Boone, Paris-Sulphur Springs District Superintendent led the event’s worship service, choosing as his primary Scripture, Matthew 9:35-10:16, in which Jesus notes that the harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few!
This is also one of the times Jesus emphasizes the nearness of the Kingdom of Heaven as one reason for calling upon the Disciples to get busy preaching, healing, cleansing, casting out devils, even raising the dead.
Freely you have received, Jesus reminds, adding: Freely give.
Jesus concludes this directive by cautioning them to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
Dr. Boone emphasized his message with a reminder to all that our task is to move from discipleship (learners) to apostleship (ones who are sent out to labor for the Kingdom). Just to follow Jesus is not enough, said Rev. Boone, we must also be ready to go out.
“Why is this important? Since 1990,” said Dr. Boone, “the NTC has had an increase in population of 47.5 percent and our Paris-Sulphur Springs District is projected to increase by 12% during the next 10 years. That would make it the second fastest-growing in the Conference!”
District Superintendent Boone also shared one of the great secrets of life to help us meet the challenge that Jesus presents: Always have a specific purpose in your mind and heart, and make sure that it is one that you can NOT possibly do. He called it the impossible dream attitude toward life.
