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Don't Look Back: Methodist Hope for What Comes Next
Hope and help for pastors and congregations who are asking, What now? And What’s next?
Some pastors and congregations have managed remarkable innovation, creation of new ministries, courageous pruning of old programs, and rediscovery of core Wesleyan convictions in recent years. Others have experienced a long, slow-motion, downward cycle of loss.
We might be tempted to ‘sit down’ wherever we are, looking back at all that’s happened, shaking our heads in disbelief. But it’s time to stand up, to move forward. Will Willimon shows what that could look like. He spent a year committed to asking questions and careful listening in conversations with clergy, organizational leaders, and parishioners across the U.S. What’s next for Methodist church folk?
As you read, join in the process of asking and listening. The honesty, wisdom, and inspiration you find here may point you in new directions. What do you think God is up to in the present moment? What should we stop doing and begin doing, responding to God’s call now? What are the biblical texts, stories from our past, and core Wesleyan convictions that might guide us from this point?
And are we at Good Friday or at Easter?
As Willimon writes in his Introduction, “Let’s have a decent burial for yesterday’s good intentions and then partner with the Holy Spirit in creating tomorrow’s church.” This is a book to read and reflect on with colleagues, congregants, and Methodist friends.
What others are saying!
“Based on his lifetime as a Methodist, Will Willimon takes us on a personal journey through the formation of the Wesleyan movement, a painful critique of the forces that are now tearing apart The United Methodist Church, and ultimately, biblical hope for the future. This book blends history, theology, personal narrative, and biblical scholarship to offer pastors and congregations concrete ways to move forward to a reformed church of which John Wesley would be proud.”
—Andy Langford, senior pastor, Central United Methodist Church, Concord, NC; scholar and expert on worship, evangelism, and preaching; editor of The United Methodist Book of Worship
“Don’t Look Back brings good news for weary, sad, and cynical You are loved and chosen. There is a place and future for you in the relentless renewing work of God in our world. Drawing deeply from wells of ministry and faith, Will Willimon shares the wisdom we need for this season. His insights are tough and encouraging, practical, clear eyed, honest, relational, humble in service, Christ-centered, and so hopeful! This book invites us to dig deeper into our faith and ultimate mission beyond denominational mechanics and brokenness—bearing witness to what God is doing. This is a word not only for Methodists but for anyone who shares a radical Christian commitment and calling.”
—Joni Sancken, professor of homiletics, United Theological Seminary, Dayton, OH
“In Don’t Look Back Will Willimon is an ‘equal opportunity’ truth teller. No one and nothing is off limits, including himself and especially not the institutional church. He encourages healthy grieving for what is no more but eschews syrupy nostalgia. He preaches, teaches, meddles, prods and probes all in the hope that we will fasten our attention on the resurrected Jesus and join him where he is at work.”
—Gregory V. Palmer, resident bishop, Ohio West area, The United Methodist Church
Some pastors and congregations have managed remarkable innovation, creation of new ministries, courageous pruning of old programs, and rediscovery of core Wesleyan convictions in recent years. Others have experienced a long, slow-motion, downward cycle of loss.
We might be tempted to ‘sit down’ wherever we are, looking back at all that’s happened, shaking our heads in disbelief. But it’s time to stand up, to move forward. Will Willimon shows what that could look like. He spent a year committed to asking questions and careful listening in conversations with clergy, organizational leaders, and parishioners across the U.S. What’s next for Methodist church folk?
As you read, join in the process of asking and listening. The honesty, wisdom, and inspiration you find here may point you in new directions. What do you think God is up to in the present moment? What should we stop doing and begin doing, responding to God’s call now? What are the biblical texts, stories from our past, and core Wesleyan convictions that might guide us from this point?
And are we at Good Friday or at Easter?
As Willimon writes in his Introduction, “Let’s have a decent burial for yesterday’s good intentions and then partner with the Holy Spirit in creating tomorrow’s church.” This is a book to read and reflect on with colleagues, congregants, and Methodist friends.
What others are saying!
“Based on his lifetime as a Methodist, Will Willimon takes us on a personal journey through the formation of the Wesleyan movement, a painful critique of the forces that are now tearing apart The United Methodist Church, and ultimately, biblical hope for the future. This book blends history, theology, personal narrative, and biblical scholarship to offer pastors and congregations concrete ways to move forward to a reformed church of which John Wesley would be proud.”
—Andy Langford, senior pastor, Central United Methodist Church, Concord, NC; scholar and expert on worship, evangelism, and preaching; editor of The United Methodist Book of Worship
“Don’t Look Back brings good news for weary, sad, and cynical You are loved and chosen. There is a place and future for you in the relentless renewing work of God in our world. Drawing deeply from wells of ministry and faith, Will Willimon shares the wisdom we need for this season. His insights are tough and encouraging, practical, clear eyed, honest, relational, humble in service, Christ-centered, and so hopeful! This book invites us to dig deeper into our faith and ultimate mission beyond denominational mechanics and brokenness—bearing witness to what God is doing. This is a word not only for Methodists but for anyone who shares a radical Christian commitment and calling.”
—Joni Sancken, professor of homiletics, United Theological Seminary, Dayton, OH
“In Don’t Look Back Will Willimon is an ‘equal opportunity’ truth teller. No one and nothing is off limits, including himself and especially not the institutional church. He encourages healthy grieving for what is no more but eschews syrupy nostalgia. He preaches, teaches, meddles, prods and probes all in the hope that we will fasten our attention on the resurrected Jesus and join him where he is at work.”
—Gregory V. Palmer, resident bishop, Ohio West area, The United Methodist Church
- GenresNonfiction
180 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 20, 2022
48 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
William H. Willimon
171 books53 followersThe Reverend Dr. William H. Willimon is Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at the Divinity School, Duke University. He served eight years as Bishop of the North Alabama Conference of The United Methodist Church, where he led the 157,000 Methodists and 792 pastors in North Alabama. For twenty years prior to the episcopacy, he was Dean of the Chapel and Professor of Christian Ministry at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 8, 2022
In this book, Bishop William continues to be an equal opportunity annoyer in his criticism of both conservatives and progressives as a deeply divided United Methodism faces an uncertain future. Willimon calls for the church to return to its roots as a missionary movement and focus less on the hot button issues that have taken central place undermining the church's task of making disciples of Jesus Christ.
February 5, 2023
Excellent
Both challenging and encouraging for those of us in the United Methodist Church. As a certified lay minister at a United Methodist congregation, I was convicted to refocus on our purpose of Loving God, Loving Neighbor, and Renewing Our Community.
Both challenging and encouraging for those of us in the United Methodist Church. As a certified lay minister at a United Methodist congregation, I was convicted to refocus on our purpose of Loving God, Loving Neighbor, and Renewing Our Community.
September 20, 2024
Confessionally, I am not a United Methodist. That said, I have delighted in a number of Willimon's writings and have very close friends who are Methodist clergy as well as family who are members of a UMC congregation. Therefore, I picked up this book with something of a connected interest in American Methodist life.
As always, Willimon writes exceptionally well, makes fabulous use of humor to make his points and does so with well-crafted insight and logic. That said, I found the book, overall, lacking.
The first section of the book covers a lot of material useful for any congregation in the midst of seeking new direction. Willimon suggests congregations get both a firm grasp of identity ("who are we?") and location ("why are we here?"). UMC or not, those are valid questions every church should ask for they can clearly expose the purpose of the life of a church. In this section, while well traveled material by other authors, Willimon does well.
But the second half of the book, and perhaps it should, deals specifically with the recent conflict within the United Methodist Church (UMC) and the formation of the Global Methodist Church (GMC). He passionately (and very repetitively) notes both reason and ethics why no group, conservative or liberal, should leave the UMC. His primary point is such a split will both leave Methodism weaker as a tool for the work of Christ and violate the very covenant Methodists made before God when they joined the church (or became clergy in the UMC). Simply, the fight over sexuality is not worth a break in the UMC family.
What I found most frustrating was his assumption being united was uniformly a better option than division. He is absolutely right if the "loyal opposition" will both engage in healthy debate while focused on working together in making the world a better place, both can end up giving insight and corrective to the other. In an ideal world, left and right need each other as wisdom figures. However, both sides being better is not a promised outcome.
Willimon correctly notes when congregations become inward in focus, they begin to die. If all energy is put into holding the status quo, nothing is done about loving or tending the larger world outside the walls. He fails to note the past decades of fighting over "scriptural authority" and same sex relationships have done just that. And if the GMC had stayed, the inward focus would have remained angry and bitter for decades to come. Such debates in other denominational constructs have shown that to be true.
Now that the UMC and GMC have split, will they take their new found harmony and look outward? Perhaps, but there is no guarantee. Many a divided group has soon found something else on which to fight, making "I'm more pure or radical than you" a motto. However, there is a chance the harmony within the backwash can bring a refocus outside the congregational walls and allow energy to be put into ministries that change lives and neighborhoods. Only time will tell which will be the case.
As always, Willimon writes exceptionally well, makes fabulous use of humor to make his points and does so with well-crafted insight and logic. That said, I found the book, overall, lacking.
The first section of the book covers a lot of material useful for any congregation in the midst of seeking new direction. Willimon suggests congregations get both a firm grasp of identity ("who are we?") and location ("why are we here?"). UMC or not, those are valid questions every church should ask for they can clearly expose the purpose of the life of a church. In this section, while well traveled material by other authors, Willimon does well.
But the second half of the book, and perhaps it should, deals specifically with the recent conflict within the United Methodist Church (UMC) and the formation of the Global Methodist Church (GMC). He passionately (and very repetitively) notes both reason and ethics why no group, conservative or liberal, should leave the UMC. His primary point is such a split will both leave Methodism weaker as a tool for the work of Christ and violate the very covenant Methodists made before God when they joined the church (or became clergy in the UMC). Simply, the fight over sexuality is not worth a break in the UMC family.
What I found most frustrating was his assumption being united was uniformly a better option than division. He is absolutely right if the "loyal opposition" will both engage in healthy debate while focused on working together in making the world a better place, both can end up giving insight and corrective to the other. In an ideal world, left and right need each other as wisdom figures. However, both sides being better is not a promised outcome.
Willimon correctly notes when congregations become inward in focus, they begin to die. If all energy is put into holding the status quo, nothing is done about loving or tending the larger world outside the walls. He fails to note the past decades of fighting over "scriptural authority" and same sex relationships have done just that. And if the GMC had stayed, the inward focus would have remained angry and bitter for decades to come. Such debates in other denominational constructs have shown that to be true.
Now that the UMC and GMC have split, will they take their new found harmony and look outward? Perhaps, but there is no guarantee. Many a divided group has soon found something else on which to fight, making "I'm more pure or radical than you" a motto. However, there is a chance the harmony within the backwash can bring a refocus outside the congregational walls and allow energy to be put into ministries that change lives and neighborhoods. Only time will tell which will be the case.
Read
January 12, 2023Will Willimon's insight that we should be spending less time and energy on what the larger judicatory is doing (be it GMC or UMC is refreshing. It is even more refreshing that he sees the hope of the church in vital thriving local congregations. This is not 'we have met the enemy and he is us', rather 'we have met the solution to all our problems and it is Jesus as Jesus directs us to be the best church Jesus has called us to be'. I am excited. Amen.
Chapter five: The Body of Christ in Motion gives some practical advice for the local church getting off the dime and moving forward.
At one point in my life while speaking to a counselor I laid out a really good case as to why I never needed to speak to a person who had played an important role in my life. The counselor had been with me all the way up to that point. When I had figured out how to end the relationship the counselor told me he had to get off of that agenda; as a Christian counselor he was in the business of keeping relationships going, keeping people talking.
I only bring this up because this is one of the arguments Will Willimon makes against those who want to disaffiliate from our denomination. I happen to believe it's a good one. For those of us who serve Jesus - we need to figure out how to keep talking to one another. Willimon is right this disaffiliation is all about ending the conversation. Perhaps my Christology is off here - but I don't see how you can end a conversation with another party who themselves are not ready to end the conversation.
When Jesus sent his disciples out on mission he only told those disciples to wipe the dust off their feet after they had not been welcomed into the home. He didn't tell the disciples that the hosts had to accept every word, and doctrine they promoted. The only requirement placed on the hosts was that they welcome the disciples.
All that said the business of disaffiliation is not the main point of the text. The main point is that whether we stay together or disaffiliate we have bigger challenges ahead - both groups. Folks are leaving and the main job is what it has always been - proclaiming the good news - actually making disciples as opposed to simply talking about it.
Willimon offers some very practical advice on this; advice I plan on taking.
Chapter five: The Body of Christ in Motion gives some practical advice for the local church getting off the dime and moving forward.
At one point in my life while speaking to a counselor I laid out a really good case as to why I never needed to speak to a person who had played an important role in my life. The counselor had been with me all the way up to that point. When I had figured out how to end the relationship the counselor told me he had to get off of that agenda; as a Christian counselor he was in the business of keeping relationships going, keeping people talking.
I only bring this up because this is one of the arguments Will Willimon makes against those who want to disaffiliate from our denomination. I happen to believe it's a good one. For those of us who serve Jesus - we need to figure out how to keep talking to one another. Willimon is right this disaffiliation is all about ending the conversation. Perhaps my Christology is off here - but I don't see how you can end a conversation with another party who themselves are not ready to end the conversation.
When Jesus sent his disciples out on mission he only told those disciples to wipe the dust off their feet after they had not been welcomed into the home. He didn't tell the disciples that the hosts had to accept every word, and doctrine they promoted. The only requirement placed on the hosts was that they welcome the disciples.
All that said the business of disaffiliation is not the main point of the text. The main point is that whether we stay together or disaffiliate we have bigger challenges ahead - both groups. Folks are leaving and the main job is what it has always been - proclaiming the good news - actually making disciples as opposed to simply talking about it.
Willimon offers some very practical advice on this; advice I plan on taking.
March 10, 2023
The United Methodist Church has been preoccupied with distraction, dismantling, and denominational disorder. It is time to move forward. It does not have to be a death-dealing storm. It could be a fresh infusion of the Holy Spirit.
In this book, Bishop Will Willimon has done a good job of trying to "right the ship." He lays out strategies for getting us where God wants us to be. He reminds us that hopefulness will arise as Christian hope always does as a gracious gift from God. Thanks be to God.
In this book, Bishop Will Willimon has done a good job of trying to "right the ship." He lays out strategies for getting us where God wants us to be. He reminds us that hopefulness will arise as Christian hope always does as a gracious gift from God. Thanks be to God.
April 11, 2023
Highly recommend for anyone UMC especially if your church is wrestling with the question of disaffiliation.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews