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Kids Text Each Other in Church Because We Fail to Prepare a Way for God, Church Leader Says

The Rev. Valerie Bridgeman Davis

(January 8, 2008, GBOD) — -- "When we are in the wilderness, we need somebody to make a way for God. That's what preaching and worship are all about," said the Rev. Valerie Bridgeman Davis, professor of preaching and worship and Hebrew Bible at Memphis Theological Seminary.

Bridgeman Davis spoke to more than 200 black United Methodists attending the "Thunder in the Desert: Symposium on Partnerships in the Black Church" (www.gbod.org/THUNDER) meeting in Nashville, Jan. 3-5, 2008.

An editor of the Africana Worship Book: Year B, published by Discipleship Resources, Bridgeman Davis was the plenary speaker for an empowerment session on "Lift Up Your Hearts."

"Kids are texting each other in church because we are not preparing a way for God. They have no reason to come to your oasis because to them it looks like a mirage," she said.

"It really doesn't matter if you are in a dry place. A way has to be made for God. Many times, we are in the way of God. We are the mountains that need to be made low. We are the valleys that need to be leveled," Bridgeman Davis told the gathering.

Designed to help churches strengthen the capacity to create effective ministry partnerships between clergy and lay, the symposium was sponsored by Leadership Ministries, a ministry of the United Methodist General Board of Discipleship.

"The church will be in a better place because I am stronger for having been here," said the Rev. Jeannette Thomas Shegog, pastor of Hilltop United Methodist Church in Cincinnati.

Control your own future

Joshua I. Smith

"Believe in managing money, creating assets and controlling your own future. You need resources to support your ministry and mission," said Joshua I. Smith, chairperson and managing partner of Joshua Smith Coaching, LLC.

Smith, a member of the Baltimore-Washington Conference and husband of a clergywoman, told the gathering of clergy and lay leaders "you can't equip [poor] people to live in this capitalistic society if you don't have the tools."

"You are a capitalist because you function in a capitalistic system. You've got to know the rules. The church is the most capitalistic institution in the world. If you don't know the rules of the game, you will suffer the fate.

"There is a bottom line in the church. I believe that God has a bottom line … God expects a return on his investment," Smith said.

John Rivas, Joshua I. Smith, Vance P. Ross

Smith presented Vance P. Ross with a check for $7500 to support Leadership Ministries within the African American Church. This is the first of several gifts and the symposium was a part of that commitment.

Developing a ministry action plan

"This symposium is about building effective relationships and mutual trust that lead to effective ministry in all areas," says the Rev. Vance P. Ross, top executive for GBOD's Leadership Ministries.

Participants worked on ministry action plans that identified one goal they wanted to achieve in 2008.

Congregational teams from across the country attended plenary sessions, ministry labs, reflection sessions, and identified resources they would need from United Methodist general agencies to realize their ministry action plan goals.

Among the plenary speakers were:

• The Rev. Valerie Bridgeman Davis, Memphis Theological Seminary
• The Rev. Olu Brown, pastor, Impact United Methodist Church, Atlanta, Ga.
• The Rev. Frederick Outlaw, district superintendent, Baypines District, Alabama-West Florida Conference
• Tyrone Gordon, pastor, St. Luke Community United Methodist Church, Dallas, Texas
• Mr. Joshua I. Smith, chairperson and managing partner, Joshua Smith Coaching Group, LLC
• Bishop Jonathan Keaton, Michigan Area, Detroit and West Michigan Conferences

Topics and presenters for the ministry labs included:

• "Spiritual Formation: Learning How to Be in a Performance-Oriented World" -- The Rev. Juanita Rasmus and Christian Washington
• "Preaching in the Black Church" -- The Rev. Dr. Lydia J. Waters
• "Evangelism in the Black Church" -- The Rev. Dr. Kwasi Kena
• "Worship in the Black Church" -- The Rev. Dr. Safiyah Fosua
• "Holistic Stewardship: It's More Than Money" -- The Rev. Melvin Amerson and Curtis Henderson

GBOD's mission is to support annual conference and local church leaders for their task of equipping world-changing disciples. An agency of The United Methodist Church, GBOD (www.gbod.org) is located at 1908 Grand Ave. in Nashville, Tenn. For more information, call the Media Relations Office toll free at 877-899-2780, ext. 7017.