 As I write this in November of 2005, The United Methodist church is debating the issue of accountability and authority. Does the pastor have the authority to decide who can join the church? These are difficult issues; and at the moment, we as United Methodists don't agree on the answers. But the life of the local church goes on; and we, as leaders, must deal with the issues that surface in our own groups and congregations.
For example:
- My pastor once baptized the baby of a teenage single mother, a girl who had been a member of that congregation all her life. A few members accused him of condoning the girl's sinfulness. Others thanked him for offering the entire family the love, forgiveness, and support of God and the congregation.
- One of our early Sprouts groups was on a weekday afternoon. Ashley came to the church's afterschool day care and decided to take part in Sprouts because two of her friends (church members) were participating. Her family did not belong to or attend any church. Ashley tagged along, but in Covenant Time it was clear that she was not receiving parental support; and she consistently was not coming to church. When I urged her mother to see that Ashley got to church, her mother objected to my pressuring her, explaining that they had "other things" to do on Sunday mornings. At that point, I had to decide whether fulfilling the covenant was more important than Ashley's participation. If she wasn't being accountable despite our best efforts to help her, should she be asked to leave the group? Or should we hope that continuing involvement might eventually result in a change in behavior?
As we participate in Covenant Discipleship groups and even our local church, we are faced with such questions of accountability. In Covenant Discipleship, how far does accountability extend? How do we help children live their covenants? After all, a third grader can't get herself to church unless her family is cooperative. In Sprouts, does the adult leader make these decisions
alone; or should it be a group discussion?
For United Methodists, grace is an essential part of our spiritual life. Do we always err on the side of grace? I can't give you hard and fast answers or rules to follow. These are difficult issues, and this is one reason why Sprouts leaders dare not ignore their own spiritual life. You need to be in an adult Covenant Discipleship group, making sure you are keeping your appointments with God by practicing the means of grace and that you are receiving the support and accountability you need to nourish your Sprouts faithfully.
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Edie Harris is a layperson in the Florida Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church and co-author (with Shirley Ramsey) of Sprouts.
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