The UMC and Easter hope

Because of some conversations I've been having lately and because of a story out of Wichita of a young United Methodist Church leaving the denomination I have been wondering what the viability is of our denomination and what will it take for us to achieve viability once again.

I feel that I am often living in the tension of two worlds. One is the institutional life I experience as a young pastor in the United Methodist Church. I have dreams and hopes for the church that she would reach out again and be a vital witness to my generation. I feel that her best days are behind and I wonder how long it will be until either schism or a lack of pastoral leadership finally dries up the wells of the UMC. This leaves me feeling defeated and despairing.

But there is another side. A hopeful side. A side that is influenced by Easter.

I get that churches come and go, and that this is also true of denominations. But I also have this inner hope that is part of the core of my life. A hope that when I see death, I also have to see life.

I see that Jesus deeply loves his church, his bride. This is true for the church universal, and also for the church specific (both local and denominational). There has never been a time when the church got it right, but in the midst of our failure Jesus has always renewed us. We as a denomination have bought into a lot of lies, we've missed it. But as people leave our denomination and we lost voice and influence with my generation, what about Easter? If there is one thing resurrection teaches us it is hope and pray for God to move still yet.