From Fallen Stones

This week, on Wednesday at 6:30 pm (meal at 6 pm), we will have our first full Charge Conference as a Global Methodist Church. Liberty Methodist will join us, and we will have a meal, fellowship, conversation, and celebration of life together. Wesley described this as Christian Conferencing. Wesley loved this time, which he kept brief, as a means of God's grace poured out on God's people. Wesley would have treasured this as a blessing.

Is such a thing Biblical? Emphatically, yes. In Acts 15, the Apostles are meeting in Jerusalem. The issue at hand was that some Christians thought new Christians needed to become Jews to join in the new fellowship of the "People of the Way" (the early Church). When I read this chapter, I was compelled by James's words describing the rag-tag people who were called into the early Church. "After this, I will build again from the fallen stones. I will set (God's building) up again. Then all the nations may look for the Lord, even the people who are not Jews, who are called by my name" (Acts 15:16-17), a reference from Amos 9:11.

Two groups of people are spoken of in this passage. The first are those Jews who were part of a broken building, called "fallen stones." This should resonate with us as Global Methodists, coming from a broken house fractured by division and understanding of Biblical authority. But, as "sinners," we also identify as "fallen stones" as we have been lifted up by a master builder who will take our ruins and build something beautiful and useful.

The second group in this discussion are the Gentiles. James makes the point that "we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God." James realizes that God has opened this door, and our rules, regulations, and structure should invite, not restrict, the Gentiles who desire to come to the faith.

Aren't we all "broken?" Aren't we all sinners redeemed by the goodness and grace of God? Haven't we all been raised up as shattered stones and placed into the beautiful Church God is building? Isn't this part of the best news ever? We CAN be restored! We CAN be used by God! We CAN be "born again!" Praise the Lord! AMEN