Men Who Rules the Church
September, 2005
As the ACW prepares to consecrate our new bishop, there have been many questions as why
another bishop in the Continuing Church. For those whose worries are keeping them up night,
worry no more, he is not another bishop in the Continuing Church, but a servant of the ACW
who will serve (O HE WILL SERVE) with the willingness and the strength to the glory of God.
There are always doubts and anxieties when a new leader takes his place in any organization.
In the Church, it is the same, for we are the men who rules the church, and we are charged to
set the agenda for the future of the church. Within the Continuum, because there are too
many bishop without offices, there seems to be a lack of knowledge of a higher authority,
others just gladly run around in their robes and be called the MOST THIS or the MOST THAT.
We the men who rules the church must find our place in God's service and heed to the call to
which we are charge.
Recently, a member of a parish in the ACW asked why I do not have titles written before my
name. "You", he said, "are a Prince of the church, and you should command your respect by
allowing your titles to be used." As I travel along, it is my hope that a title is not a guarantee
of respect. Titles do not enhance the work of the church. As a bishop, it is my hope as Jesus
said, to be judged by the evidence of my deeds and from within that arena respect will find its
place or nay, you can call me Your Grace, His Eminence (among other things) but it is my wish
just to be called ‘servant‘ as I do his bidding. Let us be clear, there is nothing wrong with these
titles, but, they must, in themselves be used to the glory God and not for those of whose names
they are attached. We, as bishops, must now get out from our offices and our safe pulpits and
return to the streets to spread the gospel and teach those who are lost to the kingdom of God.
As we go to our various parishes, for our safe visit, where we (to use a phrase) are preaching to
the choir. We must limit our safe church visits and go where the need is greater, the streets,
parking lots, door to door, to reach lost souls. Some might argue that this is not possible in the
21st century, with the busy agenda of people, but we as bishops should never give up on
outreach, it is our charge to build the work.
As St. Paul addressed Timothy, "If a man desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good
work." A bishop then must be blameless, be of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
he must be worthy, steadfast and most of all preach the gospel. Timothy himself had no
Cathedral, no office, perhaps he did not even have a robe, yet 2000 years later, his message
still beckons to the call of leadership. So too, it was with our Lord, the founder of this faith, no
office, no title, no adjutant, no fixed zip code, but the words he spoke are still the staple of life
today. I often wonder what the 22nd century will be like, and wonder if we, the men who rules
the church today, would even be a footnote; then I think again perhaps we will, if the evidence
of our deeds are forthcoming.
Today, in this changing world, our work now must shine to be an example for young priests and
laity. We must not make ourselves unreachable, or allow our titles to make us aloof for those
who God has placed in our care. As we, in the ACW send forth a new bishop, it is our hope that
by his work and his deeds, he will lead by the example of his predecessors who paved the way
and that he makes himself worthy of the task given. We, as brother bishops in the ACW, will
lend him a hand as he goes along, always careful to remind him that we, the men who rules the
church, do it not by our titles or education, but only, and only BY THE GRACE OF GOD.
September, 2005
As the ACW prepares to consecrate our new bishop, there have been many questions as why
another bishop in the Continuing Church. For those whose worries are keeping them up night,
worry no more, he is not another bishop in the Continuing Church, but a servant of the ACW
who will serve (O HE WILL SERVE) with the willingness and the strength to the glory of God.
There are always doubts and anxieties when a new leader takes his place in any organization.
In the Church, it is the same, for we are the men who rules the church, and we are charged to
set the agenda for the future of the church. Within the Continuum, because there are too
many bishop without offices, there seems to be a lack of knowledge of a higher authority,
others just gladly run around in their robes and be called the MOST THIS or the MOST THAT.
We the men who rules the church must find our place in God's service and heed to the call to
which we are charge.
Recently, a member of a parish in the ACW asked why I do not have titles written before my
name. "You", he said, "are a Prince of the church, and you should command your respect by
allowing your titles to be used." As I travel along, it is my hope that a title is not a guarantee
of respect. Titles do not enhance the work of the church. As a bishop, it is my hope as Jesus
said, to be judged by the evidence of my deeds and from within that arena respect will find its
place or nay, you can call me Your Grace, His Eminence (among other things) but it is my wish
just to be called ‘servant‘ as I do his bidding. Let us be clear, there is nothing wrong with these
titles, but, they must, in themselves be used to the glory God and not for those of whose names
they are attached. We, as bishops, must now get out from our offices and our safe pulpits and
return to the streets to spread the gospel and teach those who are lost to the kingdom of God.
As we go to our various parishes, for our safe visit, where we (to use a phrase) are preaching to
the choir. We must limit our safe church visits and go where the need is greater, the streets,
parking lots, door to door, to reach lost souls. Some might argue that this is not possible in the
21st century, with the busy agenda of people, but we as bishops should never give up on
outreach, it is our charge to build the work.
As St. Paul addressed Timothy, "If a man desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good
work." A bishop then must be blameless, be of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
he must be worthy, steadfast and most of all preach the gospel. Timothy himself had no
Cathedral, no office, perhaps he did not even have a robe, yet 2000 years later, his message
still beckons to the call of leadership. So too, it was with our Lord, the founder of this faith, no
office, no title, no adjutant, no fixed zip code, but the words he spoke are still the staple of life
today. I often wonder what the 22nd century will be like, and wonder if we, the men who rules
the church today, would even be a footnote; then I think again perhaps we will, if the evidence
of our deeds are forthcoming.
Today, in this changing world, our work now must shine to be an example for young priests and
laity. We must not make ourselves unreachable, or allow our titles to make us aloof for those
who God has placed in our care. As we, in the ACW send forth a new bishop, it is our hope that
by his work and his deeds, he will lead by the example of his predecessors who paved the way
and that he makes himself worthy of the task given. We, as brother bishops in the ACW, will
lend him a hand as he goes along, always careful to remind him that we, the men who rules the
church, do it not by our titles or education, but only, and only BY THE GRACE OF GOD.