[Pastoral Address, cont'd. from page 1]
[Editor's Note: Many of the statements made by the 2003 Board of Bishops in this pastoral address reinforce the clarity of vision to which the FMC has held through the years. When you see a photo of an historic FM bishop, click it to view a quote from the past relating to this 34th address.]

We share this pastoral address with you out of deep gratitude for the faithfulness of God. All praise, honor and glory belong to Him — for every sin forgiven, every sinner redeemed, every evil addiction destroyed, every body healed. God is at work; the Holy Spirit continues to draw people to the Lord; the Lord Jesus Christ continues to intercede for His people; the Father continues to prune His church. We did not choose Him, but He chose us and appointed us to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last (John 15:16).

We are grafted into the Vine and are continually nurtured in the life of Jesus Christ. The faith, hope and love that He has given to us as a church lives on because the Holy Spirit is at work, convincing us of the reality of sin, of the possibility of righteousness and of the judgment to come. As a response to God, we hunger and thirst for righteousness, setting aside every sin and the weights which so easily distract us, keeping in mind that we shall all appear before the Holy God to give an account of our deeds.

As bishops we are constantly aware of our connections through servant leaders like John Wesley, B.T. Roberts and scores of others. We are a part of the body of Christ and a part of His vineyard known as the Free Methodist Church. Our debt to godly, competent lay leaders, presidents of our colleges, universities, seminaries and human service institutions, pastors, chaplains, teachers, superintendents, and colleague bishops, both present and past, is beyond our ability to express.

Knowing that to stay focused on mission and a compelling vision over the long haul has many distinct advantages such as unity of purpose, broad understanding, common ethos, and centering on essentials, the Free Methodist Church continues to build on the 1985 Board of Bishops' call to "A New Day, Under God." This call for a new day was rooted in our mission, "To make known to all people everywhere God's call to wholeness through forgiveness and holiness in Jesus Christ and to invite into membership and equip for ministry all who respond in faith."

Wilson T. Hogue Bishop 1903-1920

The 1985 Board of Bishops reminded us that "the distinctives of the Free Methodist Church are especially relevant in the times we live in, that her mission today is urgent and clear, and that God is stirring us to break out of present molds to grow in numbers and effectiveness in the world."

Attempting to build on and encourage a constant "new day" mind-set in the Free Methodist Church, the General Conference adopted the three-column paper United in Mission: Together in Harvest. The impact of this paper has been extensive. Placing mission ahead of method, our pastors and churches are free to strategize and minister in ways which fulfill our eight expected outcomes. The rather simple concept behind this paper has accomplished two very important results:

George W. Coleman Bishop 1886-1903

a) The stating of non-negotiables has pressed us to center on essentials because as a church we have determined to not live in violation of the Scriptures; to not live in violation of our Articles of Religion, the Membership Covenant, or the Mission of the Free Methodist Church.

b) By stating the boundaries, the doors and windows have been opened wide for creative thinking. This has resulted in extensive diversity in everything from approaches to worship to methods of ministering to our cities and communities.

Though some of the New Day goals, like U.S. membership and church planting, have not been reached, several others have been exceeded. In 1985, we were in 24 countries, and the goal was to be ministering in 40 by the year 2000. Today, we are in 63 countries of the world with ministry in Jesus' name. There are well beyond the hoped-for 400,000 members, and the goal of having six new general conferences has been surpassed as Canada, Congo, Dominican Republic, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Philippines and Brazil have been added to Rwanda, Japan, Egypt, Burundi and North America.

What is most encouraging and stimulating to us as we all work together is the rallying around the VISION of the Free Methodist Church. Everywhere we see a growing commitment to our being "a healthy biblical community of Holy people, multiplying disciples, leaders, groups and churches." We know that it is God Who adds to the church and that He delights to do so where holy people are practicing healthy, biblical community. While multiplication of disciples, leaders, groups and churches must be approached with intention, competence and appropriate strategies, we believe these objectives must emerge from a community of people who are determined to pursue holiness of heart and life, and who love one another enough to insist on healthy biblical community.

It is our intention, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, to continue calling the Free Methodist Church to the fulfilling of this VISION, accomplishing of our MISSION, and measuring of productivity on our EXPECTED OUTCOMES.

So that these dreams and prayers may all the more be realized, we intend to work hard to engage every pastor and member in learning communities that will focus on four needs:

a) Lifelong learning in community where discussion of Scripture, key issues, situations and helpful writings will keep us moving toward Christlikeness.

b) Godly encouragement where we are regularly "spurring one another on to love and good deeds." One of the greatest needs we have as people is encouragement, so we want to help establish attitudes that are full of thanksgiving, praise and blessing. We dream of the Free Methodist Church being a community that affirms every good, every spiritual gift, and every person as a creation of a holy and loving God.

c) Healthy accountability, in groups or one-on-one, where mentoring, coaching and prayer-partner relationships are developed. Where this kind of atmosphere is created, the more than 50 "One-Anothers" of the New Testament are better fulfilled.

d) Dreaming about, discerning and doing the work to which God has called us. We are calling the church to embrace and practice anew the words of John Wesley, "Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can."

Finally, we believe it is time to call the Free Methodist Church to a renewed stewardship of life and resources. It is time for our 29-year decline in percentage giving to be turned around. This will take a change in the way we live. It will mean a turning away from attraction to the world and its constant pursuit for material things. It will mean a renewed focus on the cross. There are plenty of people around with medals and too few with scars. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote: "The church is herself only when she exists for humanity … she must take her part in the social life of the world, not lording it over men, but helping and serving them. She must tell men, whatever their calling, what it means to live in Christ, to exist for others." Bonhoeffer may have read John Wesley who wrote, "Christianity is essentially a social religion and to turn it into a solitary religion is to destroy it."

In other words, we must PRAY the vision, we must SAY the vision, and we must PAY the vision.

William Pearce Bishop 1908-1947

The world is our parish; the world is reeling in suffering and pain — lonely and without hope; the world is temporary; the world needs Jesus, and so, needs us. The church must lay down its life. Along with Jesus we must make ourselves of no reputation, take on the role of a servant, humble ourselves, become obedient unto death, taking up our cross and following Him.

2003 BOARD OF BISHOPS

Roger W. Haskins, Jr.
Leslie L. Krober
Joseph F. James
Richard D. Snyder