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IN RETROSPECT Why Not?
By James F. Jennings
Conference Council on Ministries Director
If my recollection is correct, I believe it was Robert
Kennedy who closed most of his addresses with: "Some see things the way they are and
ask why? I dream of things that never were and say ‘why not?' "
On the fourth Sunday in June I posed the "why not?" question in a worship
service at First United Methodist Church, Haines City.
For example, what does it mean when a church asks, "Why?"-- specifically in
terms of new ideas and possibilities for ministry. Are they really seeking to know if the
proposed ministry is Godly, people sensitive, or kingdom building? If the answer is yes,
then the response is, "why Not?"
Shortly after the Sunday I preached at First, Haines City, the church's pastor, the Rev.
Doug Hallman, invited me to arrange for the Conference Council on Ministries staff to be
with his congregation.
All things being equal, the first Saturday of October was hailed "Why Not? Day."
It was a day of dreaming, visioning, praying and asking, "Why not?" Pastor
Hallman related, " ‘Why not?' can be a very exciting question to ask, with a new
decade, a new century and a new millennium just a year away."
We realize that the Conference Council on Ministries cannot provide all the answers that
congregations need. Neither can we be present in all churches as we done in Haines City.
We can, however, broker specific help which may not include the entire staff.
Additionally, we can facilitate interactive learning groups and help direct congregations
with similar issues. More that anything else, we want to be more relevant. We are
listening to churches and seeking to empower them the way they want to be empowered,
instead of the way we want them to be empowered.
Whenever your church is in the midst of doing new ministries to share the love of Christ
with our love starved world, what will your response be: "It's not realistic; not in
the budget; let's wait and see; it'll never work; if it ain't broke, don't fix it;"
or a resounding "Why Not?"
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