What kind of things do you say about yourself‚ Christian?

The truth is the more we engage with others‚ the more inevitable conflict becomes. But we have two options when approaching difficult interactions: we can harbor bitterness or show the love of God.

This month is the 100th anniversary of the Methodist Building on Capitol Hill‚ the stately edifice sitting across from the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court. Built to house Methodism’s advocacy for Prohibition‚ the “Methodist Vatican” was derided by Clarence Darrow as the “most brutal‚ bigoted‚ ignorant bunch since the Spanish Inquisition.” Its locale‚ he said‚ allowed Methodist busybodies to “smell Congressmen’s breath on the way to the Capitol.” Since 1924‚ Methodism has suffered a long downward spiral from its peaks of American influence. For most of the 20th century‚ it was America’s largest Protestant institution. Last year‚ it suffered a schism over sexuality‚ resulting in more than 7‚660 mostly traditional congregations quitting the denomination. This exodus‚ perhaps the largest church schism in America since the Civil War‚ represents 25 percent of United Methodism’s once 30‚000 U.S. churches. Exodus The deadline for churches to exit United Methodism‚ which was America’s third-largest religious body‚ was December 31. Exiting churches needed approval from governing regional bodies‚ and the last such vote was December 14‚ when the Texas Conference‚ centered around Houston‚ approved four more church exits for a total of 319—or 51 percent—of its once 621 churches. Conservative congregations were anxious to exit under a temporary church law before the next governing General Conference on April 23 to May 3‚ 2024‚ in Charlotte‚ North Carolina. It’s widely expected‚ absent many traditionalists‚ to finally liberalize the church’s policies on marriage and sex. United Methodism will be nearly the last of the once paramount mainline Protestant denominations to liberalize. United Methodism is widely expected‚ absent many traditionalists‚ to finally liberalize the church’s policies on marriage and sex. Church properties in United Methodism are owned by the denomination through local regional conferences. In 2019‚ at a special General Conference that reaffirmed traditional teachings on marriage and sex by 53 percent‚ delegates created the temporary policy to let churches exit with property and assets. Exiting congregations had to vote by two-thirds and pay hefty exit fees to the denomination. Small churches paid thousands of dollars‚ and larger churches had to pay hundreds of thousands—sometimes millions. Issues Unlike other historically liberal mainline denominations‚ such as the Episcopal Church and Presbyterian Church (USA)‚ United Methodism has never liberalized on sex. That was thanks to delegates from its growing churches in Africa‚ where there are 7 million United Methodists‚ compared to less than 6 million in America before the exits. Conservatives in the U.S.‚ aligned with those in Africa‚ prevented liberalization for decades. But U.S. bishops‚ church agencies‚ seminaries‚ and most clergy are overwhelmingly progressive and increasingly refused to uphold church law. While successfully running for bishop in 2022‚ Kennetha Bigham-Tsai‚ who now presides over Iowa United Methodism‚ declared‚ “No‚ it is not important that we agree on who Christ is.” She elaborated‚ “God became flesh‚ but not particular flesh. There’s no particularity around that. God became incarnate in a culture‚ but not one culture.” Also in 2022‚ bishop Ken Carter of Florida explained‚ “While I believe in our traditional‚ orthodox faith that’s rooted in the Scriptures‚ I also have always believed that we have to adapt our doctrine and our Scriptures to changing life circumstances that people have.” After the 2019 General Conference‚ liberals and conservatives agreed to a negotiated church split that the scheduled 2020 General Conference likely would have approved. The pandemic repeatedly postponed the conference‚ and liberals backtracked. So traditionalists‚ aware of the 2023 deadline‚ organized their mass exits. United Methodists largely avoided the prolonged lawsuits the Episcopal Church experienced. But there were ecclesial explosions. Seven churches were denied exits by Arkansas‚ Virginia‚ and North Georgia‚ forcing congregations to abandon now mostly empty properties. One large church outside Atlanta was denied exit by the North Georgia Conference on a Saturday afternoon‚ and on Sunday morning‚ most of its congregation was worshiping across the street in a funeral home chapel. Other congregations failed to attain two-thirds majorities for exit‚ with frustrated majorities quickly splitting off into new church plants. GMC Over 4‚300 exited churches so far have joined the new Global Methodist Church (GMC)‚ which includes churches from the U.S.‚ Africa‚ the Philippines‚ and Europe. Many more U.S. churches will join‚ but some are skittish about losing autonomy. U.S. Protestant Christianity is increasingly nondenominational‚ with younger people rarely guided by once-strong multigenerational denominational loyalties. Nearly all U.S. denominations‚ liberal and conservative‚ are declining. Conservatives in the U.S.‚ aligned with those in Africa‚ prevented liberalization for decades. The GMC‚ in many ways‚ will echo the nondenominational world. Unlike the old denominations‚ it won’t have large agencies‚ official seminaries‚ a publishing house‚ or a powerful hierarchy. It will have binding church doctrine and bishops‚ in a system that Methodists call “connectional.” But GMC congregations will have more autonomy—for example‚ the GMC allows congregations to own their property. Future When old Methodism built the Methodist Building on Capitol Hill in 1924‚ it was a great‚ confident national denomination that saw itself as stewarding American civilization. Prohibition‚ imposed by constitutional amendment‚ was Methodism’s last great political crusade. The building now houses mostly ignored progressive religious advocacy. And the United Methodist Church‚ once 11 million members strong‚ is now—after decades of decline amplified by the recent schism—approaching 4 million‚ with a bleak demographic future. The new GMC‚ with networks of other exited churches‚ will be a large but still countercultural religious insurgency. But John Wesley‚ an 18th-century Church of England priest who founded Methodism to renew both church and society‚ would recognize the model. Whether through the GMC or other entrepreneurial networks‚ a renewed Methodism could contribute mightily to Christian vitality in America. Methodism at its core focuses on personal and social holiness‚ with Christian perfection as the goal. This pursuit of holiness can be empowering and transformational. And doesn’t the church in America need more grace-driven seekers of holiness?

Rote. The word sounds negative‚ doesn’t it? It may give a parent flashbacks to long lists of dates or learning multiplication tables. Using mechanical or habitual repetition to teach children the truths of something as precious as the gospel may sound especially unappealing‚ even inappropriate. Yet this is precisely the method proponents of religious catechisms advocate. Children who learn catechisms memorize the answers to questions like “What is God?” “What do you understand by the providence of God?” and “What is prayer?” We expect young children won’t fully understand the answers they’ve memorized. The process is truly mechanical. Is this right? Isn’t catechizing kids by way of rote memorization the same as indoctrinating or brainwashing them? We expect young children won’t fully understand the answers they’ve memorized. The process is truly mechanical. Is this right? This objection to catechizing isn’t uncommon today‚ but it’s truly an objection of today. People didn’t make “brainwashing” claims until recently. The ancient way was to ensure children mentally stockpiled as much useful material as possible‚ even if they didn’t understand it. But today‚ rote learning has fallen out of favor for at least two reasons: we’re deferential to young people’s feelings‚ and we tend to think learning must be individualized to be “child friendly.” If children dislike memorizing‚ we shouldn’t make them do it‚ right? And surely memorizing content we don’t fully understand clashes with our creative drive. But are these objections enough to ditch a venerable method of learning? Aimed for Formation Flannery O’Connor once argued for the use of a textbook that was unpopular among students. She wasn’t swayed by her critics‚ but said‚ “If the student finds that this is not to his taste? Well‚ that is regrettable. Most regrettable. His taste should not be consulted; it is being formed.” This is the logic of rote memorization. It’s by design that young children won’t understand (and perhaps won’t even like) the catechism immediately. B. B. Warfield cited Westminster Shorter Catechism contributor‚ Lazarus Seaman‚ as saying that the questions and answers weren’t aimed at the level of knowledge a child has but at the knowledge “the child ought to have.” Similarly‚ the catechism isn’t aimed at the level of desire a child currently has but at the desire the child ought to have. It’s meant to be formative. Many parents want children to express their opinions‚ ideas‚ and desires for life. This can be good‚ but to be formed well‚ children must be taught the elementary truths on which mature ideas and skills are built. Countless times‚ I (William) have wished I was fluent in other languages. But I’ve never taken the time to learn the grammar and vocabulary. If I’m ever to fulfill this desire‚ I’ll need to go back and learn the basics. When my learning has started with elementary things‚ I’ve never regretted it. In elementary school‚ for instance‚ I memorized a song that taught the U.S. states in alphabetical order. In third grade‚ I knew almost nothing about those states‚ but that song set my trajectory. Children memorize the ABCs long before they can tell you how the alphabet works and why it’s important. Mature formation follows disciplined learning of information and skills that build on each other. As Dorothy Sayers argued‚ “It does not matter nearly so much that these things should be fully understood as that they should be known and remembered. Remember‚ it is material that we are collecting.” Material for building. This is true in religion too. We want our children to have a personal walk with Jesus. But a self-conscious relationship with Christ is formed by first learning facts. Foundation for Faith The fundamentals of the Christian faith are the most vital building blocks we could give our children. Catechisms have rightly been called “the Christian’s ABC.” They offer the materials of a sound religious education. As D. G. Hart put it‚ If you grow up with it‚ you will never need to outgrow it. . . . And some day‚ God willing‚ you will remember back to the drudgery of learning the Catechism and actually thank God that parents and teachers exposed you to a system of truth that has sustained Christians for generations and can sustain you for the rest of your life. Effective catechisms systematize God’s revelation‚ telling the story of redemption in outline form. Historical catechisms teach about the massively important events summarized in the Apostles’ Creed and sketch a form of practical piety taught by God himself in the Ten Commandments and the Lord’s Prayer. This is the doctrine our children need‚ truth that gives us faith and life (Titus 2:10). As Christians‚ we’re not embarrassed by this‚ and so we shouldn’t shy away from indoctrinating our children in the truth. Teaching our children catechisms will neither brainwash them nor convert them. We shouldn’t forget our need for the Holy Spirit to powerfully operate in their lives. Still‚ how are we to raise our kids in the fear of the Lord unless we get doctrine into their hearts and minds? How will our children believe if they don’t hear the good news (Rom. 10:14)? Rather than expecting our kids to wander into the faith of their own accord‚ we should give them basic doctrinal propositions on which to build their lives. Designed for Memory If we’re honest‚ it may be parents—more so than our children—who are annoyed by the idea of memorizing. Most children will happily memorize and repeat ad nauseam the most insignificant poem or song lyric. Memorizing is laborious for adults; it’s fun for kids. Memorizing is laborious for adults; it’s fun for kids. Thankfully‚ good catechisms are made to be easily memorized. If you’re looking for contemporary resources to help your family begin learning from a faithful catechism‚ here are some great options. The Quest for Comfort introduces children to the history of the Heidelberg Catechism‚ and Kevin DeYoung’s The Good News We Almost Forgot helps families journey through it together. Similarly‚ our book Glorifying and Enjoying God helps families journey through the Westminster Shorter Catechism in a year. You should also check out The Gospel Coalitions’s New City Catechism resources. Let’s reconsider the beauty of rote learning. Let’s give our children the best mental building materials we can find‚ trusting that with God’s help‚ they’ll later learn to synthesize the facts they’ve tucked away.

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