Overstatement

Winding down....

Well, things are winding down here at GC 2008. I must say that I have not paid as much attention to the legislative process as I might have liked. I noticed the big things, but I imagine there are many little things that passed under my radar screen that will pop up later. It’s been an interesting experience.

To be honest, the whole thing seemed a little more low key than past conferences. I didn’t feel the presence of the caucuses as much as in the past. There was a real effort to focus on “conferencing” as opposed to “fighting.” And, on the hot-button sexuality issues, not much changed.

We did revive a focus on mission, which was refreshing. The Nothing But Nets campaign was a central focus, with Bishop Bickerton’s basketball becoming a very successful fund-raising tool. We also emphasized our four areas of focus and seven pathways. And there was much good to celebrate and rejoice in - lives saved from malaria, a renewed focus on HIV/AIDS, a recommitment to combat poverty, an emphasis on new church starts. The main highlight for me was our worship, which was creative, energetic, diverse and high-quality. The preaching was generally excellent and inspiring, the music beautiful and moving.

I have often wondered what General Conference really means. I still do. It seldom seems to touch the basic mechanics of the local church, and when I return to my congregation I wonder what difference GC really made. My experience is very little. Churches that are open to gays remain so. Churches that are homophobic remain so. Churches that are growing continue to grow. Churches in decline continue to shrink. To be sure, local churches do change, but seldom is it because of an action at GC.

Does that make GC irrelevant? I guess I am starting to think that GC is increasingly meaningless, though not yet irrelevant.  It is increasingly engaged in conversations that aren’t that interesting, debating issues that it can’t resolve, struggling with funding agencies and institutions that seem disconnected from the realities of the local church. Perhaps that is a bit jaded - the agencies do provide much to the local church - but I can’t help but think that local churches just keep on doing their thing, and GC just pontificates to itself.

What could make GC a more meaningful event? What would it take to make GC more relevant to the local church and to the communities we serve?