Author Archives: Kim Reisman

A Response to Recent Events in the United States
By Rev. Dr. Kimberly Reisman
June 1, 2020

Events in the United States often impact the rest of the world. Though World Methodist Evangelism is a global organization working through a network of 80 million Methodist Wesleyans in over 130 countries; I feel it is important to speak out on the current unrest unfolding in the US.

I have been trying to mentally and emotionally process what has been happening recently in my country, the United States: to comprehend the storming of government buildings and escalating threats of violence. It demonstrates the universal human response when people feel their rights are being denied or their freedoms restricted. When I think about US history, it makes sense. We Americans have always protested injustice. From the American Revolution to the Civil War, when we believe our freedoms are being taken away, we protest. When we feel the government is “treading on us,” or limiting our rights, we protest. All of us can understand the anger and frustration that arises when we feel the government is exerting too much control over our lives.

It makes sense on the one hand, but I’m confused on the other. Because I never thought armed protests and people with AK-47s storming a state capital would happen over the issue of reopening hair and nail salons or being asked to wear a mask.

Now, protests have occurred again in my country – many peaceful, but not all. And they too have been in response to restricted freedoms, denied rights, and excessive control. We ought to all be able to understand how that feels, at least to a certain extent. Afterall we are all human.

But there is a difference here.

I’m part of a global Methodist Wesleyan movement that has not shirked the responsibility of speaking truth to power. My personal mentors in this movement fought Apartheid in South Africa and Jim Crow in Mississippi. They taught me to understand that, in contrast to people protesting in response to lockdowns and masks, what is happening at this moment is in response to a much deeper spiritual problem.

Some call it racism, but for me that’s too general a word to describe the US context. The spiritual problem besetting this country is white supremacy. It’s not a new problem, and it’s not the domain of the alt-right. Our country was founded on the assumption of white supremacy. It undergirded the Doctrine of Discovery which was crafted in the mid-15^th century and continued to be used until the mid-20^th century. It influenced the drafting of the US Constitution, was a foundation of the slave trade, and was the germ of the idea of America’s manifest destiny.

For the four centuries since the first enslaved Africans arrived here the assumption of white supremacy has been our spiritual problem. For the 155 years since those enslaved Africans were first emancipated it has been our spiritual problem. For the over 5 decades since the voting rights acts were passed, it has been our spiritual problem.

The assumption that people who believe themselves to be white are superior to others is the scaffolding on which our society has been built. It has infected us to such a degree that we have great difficulty recognizing it as sin, and many have already stopped reading this because I’ve suggested that it is. And yet, whether we are willing to admit it or not, this enduring sin of white supremacy is continually laid bare by the ongoing killing of those labeled black. From the disregard for Africans kidnapped into slavery through the murders of Emmett Till, Trayvon Martin, and Aiyana Jones, to Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and most recently George Floyd.

As a Christian, American, and one labeled white, the most painful part for me in this most recent of tragedies, is the reminder that the church identified as white has been for the most part silent regarding this besetting sin of ours; and because of that silence, we have been complicit in its consequences. Through our white flight, we’ve created bubbles of white privilege, quarantined ourselves from suffering, and consciously or unconsciously put ideology – including the ideology of white supremacy – over the call of the Gospel.

As Christians, we believe the Spirit of Jesus lives in each of us – we celebrated that belief only a few days ago on Pentecost Sunday. When Jesus first spoke of the Spirit, he said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

If the Spirit of Jesus lives in us, then we are to bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to captives, and to set the oppressed free. And yet, George Floyd’s gasps of “I can’t breathe!” illustrate with overwhelming clarity, that we have not done so.

The reality of life in America is that nothing changes unless enough people identified as white want it to change. That means the question for Christians in America is are we willing to break free from the narrative of white supremacy? Are we willing to admit that if all lives really matter, then Black. Lives. Matter. Are we willing to trust our black and brown sisters and brothers when they tell us that there is another narrative of life in America and that it involves over-policing, poverty, environmental catastrophes, food deserts, and little access to health care and proper education? Are we willing to trust them when they tell us that they were deemed “essential workers” until they got sick, and then were turned away when they sought testing or treatment for COVID19?

If the Spirit of Jesus is alive in us, we must be willing to believe that our sisters and brothers identified as black and brown are telling us the truth about their experience in this country.

I believe them. And because I believe them, as an American I will do the following things:

• Call my friends identified as black and brown to offer solidarity and care.
• Lead WME in a way that honors and nurtures the gifts of all people.
• Work to end educational inequality in this country.
• Work for processes and procedures that ensure the right of every US citizen to vote and to have equal representation.

There is so much to be done, but as a Christian, American, labeled white, I can start with this.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator border_width=”6″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

By Rev. Dr. Kimberly Reisman

Recently I discovered that a very effective way to learn the game of chess is to begin by playing without the Queen. Because the Queen is the strongest chess piece, players often lean heavily on her for their overall strategy. Learning to play without her, however, forces you to recognize the value of all the other pieces on board, and enables you to see that there is much more to chess than the Queen.

I believe the challenges created by the COVID19 pandemic these last several weeks have revealed something of the church’s “chess” strategy. As restrictions on gatherings of people have tightened, churches have felt compelled to explore professional live streaming or at the very least Facebook Live. The quest to create a virtual worship experience has been the dominant theme across Christian social media, accompanied by a palpable undercurrent of anxiety. And that anxiety continues to amp up the closer we get to Easter. Our weekly worship services it would seem, are the Queens on our chess boards.*

And yet, just as a chess set is much more than the Queen, the church is much more than weekly worship.

Of course, this is not to say that worship is unimportant. Regular connection to the gathered community of faith is a vital part of following Jesus. Indeed it’s one of the essential values of showing and sharing the love of Jesus. So it’s a good and valuable thing that leaders are looking for creative ways to provide that connection.

However, the pandemic we’re currently facing requires more than the power of the Queen. It requires every aspect of being the church – every piece of the chess set. These other aspects have always been a sweet spot for the church. In fact, history shows us that the Church often loves best when things are at their worst. We feed the hungry, tend the sick, reach out to the lonely, create relationship and connection where there was none (even in our age of zoom and facetime). These chess pieces have long been a vital part of our ability to reach the hurting world around us, and we would do well to waste no time in focusing intently on them as we face these challenging days.

Moreover, in addition to all this, COVID19 has raised a multitude of questions that remain even in the midst of feeding the hungry and tending the sick. Why is this happening? Where is God in the midst of the suffering? Is he really in control? These are questions that neither science, nor medicine, nor the government are able to answer. These are questions that only faith can face. And how we face those questions and how willing we are to walk with people as they ask them, will be crucial to our witness in these difficult days and beyond.

So, where is God in the midst of this? How are we to understand the suffering that is happening all around us? Though the answer may feel impossible, it is no less true. God is here, in the midst of the suffering, pain, fear, and confusion. God is here.

There are many images that hold meaning for Christian faith, but there is one central, powerful image that sums it up more than any other – a naked, bleeding, suffering, divine-human being hanging on a cross.

Our God knows suffering.

In becoming human in Jesus, God descended to the very depths of our humanity, sharing all of it, even the worst of it. All for love’s sake.

Colossians 1:16 tells us that “through [Jesus Christ] God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see… Everything was created through him and for him.” (NLT) While on earth, the man Jesus healed and restored, calmed storms and walked on water. Yet he did not abolish all disease or disaster. He saves us from our sins, but not from our suffering and death. He didn’t even save himself from that. Instead he died naked on a cross.

The cross is the way through, in all times but especially in these times.

Our crucified God fully enters into suffering – not just for us, but with us. As followers of this crucified God we enter into the suffering of others as well, so that they might know that they are never alone. So that as we carry our own portion and are willing to help others carry theirs, they might see the God who carries us all.

*Thank you to my good friend Zach Szmara for this wonderful analogy.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator border_width=”6″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

By Rev. Dr. Kimberly Reisman

In March the Order of the FLAME gathered at Epworth by the Sea for its annual week of Holy Spirit inspired worship and learning. What a blessed time!

As always, our goal at the FLAME gathering is to plant the DNA of evangelism into young leaders so they see themselves appointed not only to their local congregations, but to their entire communities – reaching out in holistic ways to their neighborhoods and beyond. We had outstanding teachers help us explore preaching, teaching the bible, reaching out to the “other” in our contexts, racial reconciliation, and spiritual healing – to name just a few of the topics covered.

The teaching and worship at our FLAME gatherings is always extremely rich and meaningful. And yet, I am always most encouraged by the relationships that form as people connect with each other in a deep and lasting way. This year was no exception. I was particularly encouraged when I met Micah, an AMEZ pastor from Alabama who arrived quite worn out from the demands of his ministry. As he sat at his table awaiting the beginning of the first session, Keith, a UMC pastor from Virginia sat next to him.

Keith is a member of the FLAME who chose to return this year. He wasn’t sure why he decided to come, but the Holy Spirit kept nudging him. When he had attended the FLAME several years ago, he had felt exhausted from ministry and had been contemplating giving it up, but the FLAME gathering had reenergized him in a powerful way. As he traveled to Epworth, he felt that his experience might be part of why he needed to be there.

Turns out he was exactly right. As Micah and Keith shared and prayed together, they were able to connect in a way that only the Spirit can accomplish, and both left renewed, refreshed and revitalized for ministry.

The Order of the FLAME is a unique gathering in that regard – a boundary breaking gathering where denominational lines, racial and ethnic barriers, and cultural obstacles all fade in the presence of the Holy Spirit. A gathering where leaders who might otherwise have never met, are able to minister to each other, learn from each other, and partner with each other for the glory of God and the spreading of the Good News.

We received many blessings during the 2020 Order of the FLAME and even welcomed a fourth “generation” leader whose father and three brothers are also members. We’re grateful for the way God, year after year, brings a new diversity of people to Epworth by the Sea, binding us together through our faith in Jesus Christ, shaping us into a reconciled people joined together by our commitment to being mission evangelists in our communities, and empowering us as a Holy Spirit led people linked together by our willingness to become channels of God’s prevenient grace to all people.

Planning for FLAME 2021 is already underway. We will gather March 15-19, 2021 on St. Simons Island, Georgia. If you’re a member of the Order of the FLAME, we encourage you to make plans join us and to nominate a promising young leader to participate in this transformative experience.

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During WME’s close to 50-year history, the shape of the Wesleyan Methodist movement has changed and grown. New denominations have been created, others have become autonomous, and still others have expanded beyond their original boundaries. Because World Methodist Evangelism provides a connection point for all of the these dynamic and engaged Churches, one of the most exciting aspects of our work has been to witness this exciting new growth and change.

As we strengthen discipleship and equip Christ followers to share their faith, we are blessed to be able to bring the Methodist Wesleyan family together around a common purpose. We are grateful that the Holy Spirit does not limit us to one Church, but empowers us to cross denominational boundaries so that the whole world might truly come to know Jesus Christ.

Whether we’re in North America bringing AME’s, AMEZ’s, CME’s, UMC’s, and Wesleyans together for our Order of the FLAME young clergy gathering…

or in New Zealand bringing the Chinese Methodist Church, the Methodist Wesleyan Church, the Methodist Church, and the Salvation Army together for an Embrace faith sharing training event…

or in Indonesia bringing the various Methodist Churches in Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Malaysia together to launch a Southeast Asia chapter of the Order of the FLAME…

we are passionate about helping all the people of the Methodist Wesleyan family go deeper into their own faith in order to share it more authentically with others.

Jesus described the kingdom of God as a mustard seed – starting out as the tiniest of seeds, yet growing into a huge shrub with strong branches. Our Methodist Wesleyan family is also like a mustard seed, beginning as a small movement many years ago, but becoming continually stronger as new branches have sprouted and grown. We are grateful to be able to connect all these branches so that God’s kingdom of love and grace may be known throughout the world.

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On January 5, Christ followers all over the world will mark what is called Epiphany Sunday. It’s the Sunday we remember the wise men who undertook an arduous journey, following a star without completely understanding what it all meant, but knowing they were part of something larger than themselves. That is what was begun at Christmas really, a journey. The journey of the Jesus way. It takes our whole selves and moves toward something we can’t ever completely understand but know is larger than we are. It’s a journey guided by a star, a light in the darkness, a light so bright that nothing can put it out.

At WME, we are excited about continuing the journey of the Jesus way in 2020. We don’t know all that lies ahead, but we are following the light of the Holy Spirit toward exciting opportunities that are indeed, larger than we are.

2020 holds much promise!

• Churches all over the United States are exploring our Embrace evangelism resources and we will soon have a church resource kit as well as children and youth curriculum to accompany the adult material.
• The Holy Spirit has opened new doors for ministry in Cuba.
• We will launch the Order of the FLAME in Indonesia.
• We will hold international evangelism seminars in Romania and Fiji.

As we move into this new year, I’m grateful for all who have come alongside us in this important work. The light of Christ is shining brightly in the darkness of our broken world. We are following it faithfully and are excited to share that journey with you.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.  Colossians 3:16 (NLT)

In many parts of the world, governments set aside a day dedicated to giving thanks. In the United States that day falls on the fourth Thursday of November. On that day people across the US will gather with family and friends to feast, (usually) on turkey and a wide variety of other dishes depending on what part of the country you live in. And after feasting, many will then spend the rest of the day watching (American) football.

It is an odd thing that governments must remind us to be grateful. Gratitude is at the heart of Christian faith!

A long time ago there were about six years that my husband, John and I weren’t able to be with our families at Thanksgiving due to his work obligations. To make up for that loss, we would host a Thanksgiving dinner for all the people in our little neighborhood who were also unable to be with their families.

I remembered those special times when I read a recent Barna-World Vision study focused on young adults age 18-35. The Connected Generation is a global study with participants from 25 different countries. It’s an appropriate title since they found that 57% of young adults feel “connected to people around the world.” Despite that connection, however, only 33% of young adults feel “deeply cared for by those around them” or feel “that someone believes in them.” And 23% report feeling isolated and lonely.*

Gratitude and caring are bound up together. Gratitude is frequently a major response when we experience love and care from another person. We all know how precious it is to have people in our lives who care for us, believe in us, and love us.

That is why the findings in The Connected Generation should give us pause.

Collective Soul is a band I have really enjoyed over the years. Their song, Reach is particularly meaningful as we think about the connection between gratitude and care.

Should I thirst for knowledge, can I beg you for some water
Should I fight your battles, or can I rest upon your shoulders
I hope I’m able to ride out this storm
So come on Gabriel and blow your horn

Reach, reach out to me
Can’t you see I need you to save me
Yeah, reach, reach out to me
Can’t you see I need you to hold me

Should I beg for mercy, can I be the one you treasure
Should I question knowledge, can I have all of your answers
I hope I’m able to find love today
Can I ask you to light my way
Reach, reach out to me

Can’t you see I need you to guide me
Yeah, reach, reach out to me
Can’t you see I need you to love me

Take me out of these walls
Take me somewhere I can see
Take me away from it all
Please just reach out to me**

Gratitude is at the heart of Christian faith. Many of us will gather later this month to celebrate Thanksgiving. We will likely be surrounded by people who are bound to us by love and care, people for whom we are deeply grateful. The question is, are there other people in our lives  – at our work, or school, or neighborhood, who do not feel deeply cared for by those around them? Who are lonely and isolated or feel that no one believes in them? Are there those who simply need someone to reach out?

To follow Jesus is to love people. To show and share the love of Jesus is to reach out to others with care, with genuine interest in what is happening in their lives. To show and share the love is Jesus is about living in a way that demonstrates that people can trust that we really do love them the way that we say we love them.

As we turn to God with thankful hearts, I pray that we will all live in such a way that enables others to turn to God in gratitude as well, grateful for the love and care that they have experienced from us.

*The Connected Generation – Barna-World Vision collaborative global research project, 2019 https://www.barna.com/research/global-connection-isolation/

**Reach, Collective Soul, Hints, Allegations and Things Left Unsaid, http://www.angelfire.com/ok5/csoul6/hintslyrics.html[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]