Comments on: Conan and Leno, they must be Methodists

By: Matt Nightingale

Matt Nightingale — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 16:45:40 +0000

Well, I don’t know if I’d call us “Wesleyans” – although Wesleyans are welcome – but the Evangelical Covenant Church is my adopted home, and I love it. It is the best denomination I’ve ever found. It’s growing in all the right ways, and yes, it has a significant commitment to church planting. We count Bayside, Lifechurch.tv, Quest Church in Seattle and Newsong as some of our more notable churches… Amazing diversity is allowed, even encouraged. Diversity of style, approach, theological beliefs and of course ethnic and gender diversity is welcomed.

http://www.covchurch.org

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20091216/evangelical-covenant-church-counters-denominational-trends/index.html

By: matt

matt — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 16:21:26 +0000

Well, that’s the thing. I think most of us do have an affinity, even a love, for Methodist ways of following Jesus. So let me just say this. If there was a Wesleyan non-denominational church planting organization that had significant resources, I think there might be some significant migration.

By: Smith Spencer

Smith Spencer — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:33:51 +0000

Well, of course this metaphor can only go so far. You bring up an interesting point though. I haven’t really thought about how many young UM pastors are really only in this system b/c of the paycheck. Do you think that if employment in another denomination/non-denomination was an easy thing more would pull out?

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 03:00:14 +0000

While reading this post, I began to wonder how old the NBC execs are. Perhaps some of this situation can be explained because those calling the shots are all from Leno’s generation…at NBC, of course.

The difference between the UMC and NBC, by the way, is that our “Conans” haven’t been pulling in millions of dollars a year, so unlike the real Conan, many of our “Conans” literally can’t afford to leave.

By: Jeff Jaynes

Jeff Jaynes — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:14:19 +0000

Brilliant analysis, Spencer. Also connected to our system is the relationship between money and decisions such as these (how often do we “promote” pastors because “it’s time for a raise”?).

I’ll admit that, while I’m also not planning a Conan jump, there are times that’s not far off. And if I was treated the way Conan has been, those other options will seem as palatable as they do to him. Unfortunately, as you and I know, there are more “Conans” out there in our generation who have been forced to leave (and become successful in other places) than we care to admit. Let’s hope that NBC sees the error of their ways, and that the UMC reads your analysis and doesn’t fall to the same error.