Can I Get More Than an Amen?

by Brett Heintzman

Imagine your pastor is on fire during their sermon on a Sunday morning.

You know what I mean, right? I mean, she or he is so red-hot with passionate, plain truth from the Word of God that it’s obvious there’s a manifestation of the Spirit upon them that’s just like the tongues of fire that fell on those in the upper room in Acts 2. On fire.

I don’t know about you, but that gets me all stirred up in my soul. I’m often given to saying “Amen!” when such inferno-like words are spoken, but sometimes the folk just don’t get it. It’s like they’re asleep at the wheel. When a pastor proclaims truth and folk just sit there — unaffected, the pastor will often ask, “Can I get an amen?” That usually signals to the folk that they’ve missed an enormous punchline and so they shout out (albeit obligatorily) “Amen!”

You know what “amen” means, right? “So be it,” or “Let it be so.” But if we’re not paying attention, then all we do is offer lip service to something we didn’t really hear or understand in the first place. So let me get right to the point.

Our bishops are on fire!

Now is not the time to be asleep.

Can I get more than an amen?

Today marks a new day in the life of the Free Methodist Church. The Free Methodist Way: Five Values That Shape Our Identity is an on-fire sermon to the church from our Board of Bishops. If you haven’t already done so, read Bishop Keith’s article and hear the fire — sense the passion in his words. The Free Methodist Way isn’t a promotional campaign or a program, it clarifies what matters most to us, calls us to unify around these values as being most important to us, and prophesies a specific culture for our faith family.

Now is not the time to be asleep.

We need to hear this “sermon” the bishops are preachin’! I’ve dozed off plenty of times in church and my mind has wandered during a sermon or two or twenty (don’t laugh; you have too!). Friends, now is not the time to take a mental coffee break in the life of our church. Look, I know we’re all weary from 2020. I’m with you. What do you say we muster up enough energy to lean into this message? You can watch the bishops’ announcement video here and read the message here. This is a “could you not pray with me one hour?” moment.

Can I get more than an amen?

The biggest mistake we could make at this moment is to offer nothing more of ourselves than an obligatory “amen” — the equivalent of pushing a snooze button on our spirituality and going back to sleep. You know what I mean, right? Here’s how we can get beyond the amen and into action.

Embed the clarity offered in these five values statements. Get to know them intimately. Read them and read them again. Get to know Life-Giving Holiness, Love-Driven Justice, Christ-Compelled Multiplication, Cross-Cultural Collaboration, and God-Given Revelation. Know what they mean, not just what they say.

Unify in thought and action. Let’s be honest, the church can be as divisive as it can be holy. The body of Christ can be fragile and it takes intentionality to keep it whole and unified. This season calls for one of two responses, unity, or a peaceful “no, thank you.” Let’s decide in the direction of unity. Being of one mind automatically draws us into unity of action.

Be a culture-creator. Every disciple and every local church can be a life-giving well of these five values. Close your eyes and envision a church of truly holy, fully-surrendered people who love others so deeply that they will offer justice to all who are marginalized. Imagine a church so compelled by Christ that the gospel is spreading throughout every town, village and city across our nation. Imagine mutually valuing what every people and tribe in the U.S. church contributes such that our collective work is reshaped and reborn as a result. And imagine a church wholly living under the authority of Scripture.

Can you see it? I can, and it’s beautiful.

The Free Methodist Way. Can I get more than your amen? +