Today we will be honoring our Confirmation Class and receiving into membership our confirmands. 

Confirmation is an important journey, where youth begin to make decisions about being a Christian “on purpose.”  Not simply because their parents bring them to church and Sunday School, not just because their family is Christian, but to “make firm” their own commitment to living as a disciple of Jesus Christ.  That’s what confirmation is.  To make firm one’s relationship with Christ.  That journey involves gaining a spiritual wisdom that moves one from being a child, to being one who understands God’s ways and knows God’s path.   It’s expressed well in the second chapter of Proverbs:

Proverbs 2 

1  My child, if you accept my words and treasure up my commandments within you,

2  making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;

3  if you indeed cry out for insight, and raise your voice for understanding;

4  if you seek it like silver, and search for it as for hidden treasures--

5  then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.

6  For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

7  he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,

8  guarding the paths of justice and preserving the way of his faithful ones.

9  Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path;

10  for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;

11  prudence will watch over you; and understanding will guard you.

        The writer of Proverbs knows and writes about the role of wisdom and insight and the ability to think—that these are important aspects of faith.  This has everything to do with the journey of confirmation, especially in the United Methodist Church.  For as the youth learn what it means to be a Christian, and learn about God as revealed in Scripture, they also learn something about what it means to be a Christian of the Methodist flavor.   To know something about the people called United Methodist in comparison and contrast with other Christian bodies.

        For about 8 years now, the United Methodist Church has used a catchy slogan on much of the national advertising that has appeared on behalf of the church—“open hearts, open minds and open doors.”

        It tells us that the people of our church opens their doors to welcome all, opens their hearts to those who have needs, and opens their minds to reason and think.

As we celebrate our confirmation class and receive them into membership today, I want to say a bit more about what being a church of “open-minds” means to me.   I think it implies that we are a people who think long, think hard about what our faith means to us in the real world.  The process of confirmation consists of a process involving several months of study and class work where the youth are encouraged to think and develop their God-given gift of reason.  To use their minds.

        I think I’ve mentioned before that I was not born a United Methodist.  I chose this church.  I grew up in a Pilgrim Holiness church that later became a part of the Wesleyan church.  I attended a variety of different churches in high school and college, for the reason most boys do so-the girls I was interested in at the time attended those churches. 

        When Kristi and I married out of college, we moved to Hugoton, and it was our intention to “shop” for a church.  Kristi had grown up in the Methodist church, and it made sense to begin our sampling there.  We never went to another church.

        Why?

        Because, in the United Methodist Church, I found a church that for the first time in my faith journey, told me it was not only okay to think, but that God actually intended that I use my God-given ability to think and reason.

        Kristi and I, barely in our 20’s, landed in the young adult Sunday School class, called the pairs and spares.  Truth is, they had been the young adult Sunday School class for some 20 or 30 years, and were mostly in their 40’s and 50’s when we joined them.  But the teacher was a local post master named Ed Starkey, who was a master at leading discussion, and at the same time, letting the discussion lead the class at times.  Every other week or more, he would remind us that this was not a class with all the answers, but a class where it was good to ask questions.  To struggle.  To wrestle with issues of the world and issues of our faith.  I was hooked.   

        The United Methodist Church is an open-minded church.  Now, I don’t mean open-minded in some liberal or conservative continuum, but open-minded in the best sense of the word.  Open to ideas...open to conversation and even debate.  The UMC was the first church to tell me that I might disagree with someone deeply about a specific expression of faith, but continue to sit in the pew with the in worship of God. 

        The UMC, as I have told our confirmation class, embraces reason and a search for understanding.  It is not a church that will spoon feed you, but expects you to do some work--to study Scripture, know the Christian traditions, relate your own particular experience and then.....then REASON out your own positions and decisions.  It is the way the people called Methodists have talked and thought about God since the days of Wesley.

        John Wesley felt that so long as we embrace the basic tenants of faith (that is, the Christian understanding of the God of Israel, the saving work of Jesus Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit and the sinfulness of humans) so long as we embrace these basic tenants of faith, then concerning all other issues, we will “think and let think.”   That was Wesley’s way of saying we will agree to disagree.  To seek understanding in our differences, and grow as faithful people, disciples of Jesus Christ.

        You’ve heard me say before, and it warrants being said again, that the United Methodist Church is the church where we do not expect our members will all be of one mind—but we do expect we will be of open minds.   That is, we will sit side by side in worship, and unify in our ability to work together for the kingdom, even though we may disagree in some situations on how we each express our faith, and where our faith leads us in our decisions and opinions on affairs of this world. 

        There are times when a person will come to me and ask, “what does the church believe about such and such?”   We have a book called the "Book of Resolutions."   General Conference every four years debate these resolutions, and those that receive a majority vote among the 1000 delegates, are placed in this book—the “official” positions of the church.   But here’s the thing…unlike many churches, the United Methodist Church does not make doctrine out of these official positions.   They don’t require their members to assent to these positions!   Our church recognizes that within our 8 million members there is great diversity of opinion and expression among people of faith.   So when someone asks me what the church believes…I first tell them or find for them the answer.  Then I ask, “but what do YOU believe?”   And why?   In light of Scripture, Church Tradition, your personal experience and your ability to reason it all out, what do you think?    Give me an open-minded church!

        The UMC is also open-minded in another beautiful way.  At its best, it is a church of tolerance, with a belief that all persons, regardless of race, color, national origin, or any other differentiating conditions, are a welcome part of the body of Christ.  It is not only accepted, but expected that United Methodists will be a diverse and colorful body.  That is why you hear me often pushing and exhorting our congregation to lead this community in finding a way to embrace diversity.  Give me an open-minded church! 

For those of you who are a part of this congregation, I hope you find value in belonging to a church with an open mind.  For those of you who may be considering the United Methodist Church, THIS United Methodist Church, I pray that our open-mindedness is something you would celebrate.  We are a peculiar people in this respect.  Our open-hearts make us a compassionate people.  Our open-minds make us a thoughtful people engaged in the world around us.

        As members of an “open-minded” church, I strongly encourage each of you to continue your study of Scripture.  We have some absolutely excellent adult classes here at First church.  One that sings every week, two that feature weekly Bible study, one that receives their lesson by Email each week on a hot topic from the headlines, applying Scripture to the world’s issues, and when those fill up, we’re ready to start more!

        Bible Studies are offered to continue your journey of Christian Education.  Rev. Adelia teaches Disciple Class on Tuesday evenings which walks participants through the whole of the bible in 9 months, short term Bible Study on Wednesday evenings, and we also have the Monday noon Brown Bag study for women. 

And by all means, enter into “holy conversation,” that is, talk about issues of the world in light of your faith. Talk with your family.  Talk with your friends.  Talk with other “Methodist-Minded” folks here at the church. Most of all, talk with people with whom you disagree.  Not in an effort to debate and win them over, but to listen and grow in your own understanding. Talk even with people who have closed their minds and have sealed their opinions.  Study and learn all you can--as a spiritual discipline and worship of Most Almighty God.

        The wisdom of God is a good thing, to be desired more than silver, the Scriptures tell us.  Indeed, I pray our confirmands will continue to desire wisdom, all of their days.   That today marks not the end of their journey, but an important mile marker in an ever continuing journey of Christian growth.   Paul said it best in Romans 12:2.  “Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.”  

        Renew your minds.   For as you do, your spirit will be renewed as well.