My Top 10 Faith Lessons

Do you ever stay up late enough to watch David Letterman?  Letterman is famous for his “Top Ten Lists” that have become a signature feature of the show. The very first list, "The Top Ten Things That Almost Rhyme with Peas" was broadcast on September 18, 1985.  Ten years ago I put together a list of “My Top 10 Faith Lessons from Camp Rainbow Connection” for a young student intern in my office.  Camp Rainbow Connection for those of you who might not be familiar with it is our conference camp for youth and adults with intellectual disabilities.  It’s hard to believe that 10 years have passed.  That intern who was in college at the time is now an Elder in our Conference, serving his second appointment, husband, father, and Conference leader. 

In the fourteen years I have been on the Connectional Ministries staff, I have had the deep privilege of mentoring 11 young adult interns reporting directly to my office.  Many others have worked with my colleagues and blessed my life in the process.  I am thrilled each time another attends Licensing School (as was the case yesterday), enters seminary, starts to work in a human service (mission) vocational, or begins serving a congregation in whatever ways match their gifts and graces.  One of the pieces of my legacy of which I am most proud is that of the 11 young adults who have spent summers with me, four are now serving our Virginia Conference churches as pastors (from Elders to Local Licensed – small church to large), one is a youth director at a large church, one is in seminary, and one is a teacher of students with disabilities.  The others are serving their families and communities in ways that use their gifts and graces.  And just this week, there was a news report quoting one of our other former Conference Office interns in an article about a group of United Methodists wanting Tennessee Gov. Haslam to reconsider the possible use of the electric chair in executions. All of these young adults are transforming the world!

With the next group of interns beginning work on Monday, June 2, I’ve decided to share the 10 year old “top ten list” with a few revisions as “My Personal Top 10 Faith Lessons.”  Over the next few weeks, I’ll count my way down. So, in David Letterman fashion, let’s get started with number 10.

My #10 Top Lesson of Faith

God gives every person unique gifts and graces.  That gift might be only the shuffling of feet or a squiggled line on a piece of construction paper, but it is a gift that needs to be shared.  It is a gift that needs to be appreciated and celebrated.

The example Christ modeled and that the early church offered to us is one of the church rising up from the people. Christianity is a religion of the whole people of God – the “laos.” The great lesson from the early church was that the Apostles couldn’t do it alone and that each person had gifts to be used in the sharing of the Gospel – whether leader, teacher, care taker, or dishwasher.

We are all spiritual leaders.  Sometimes we laity don’t think of ourselves as spiritual leaders, as theologians, but we are; that is not a role just for the ordained clergy in our churches.  As spiritual leaders, we are called to discover our spiritual gifts, our passions, that God placed in our hearts which will help us follow through on God’s directions for service. We are also called to help others discover their unique gifts and abilities.  I have a camper from Camp Rainbow that e-mails me often.  She always closes every message with “You are the best Martha Stokes I know.” I hope and pray that I can always live up to that compliment – that I am “the best Martha Stokes” God has called me to be.  

Appreciate and celebrate the unique gifts and graces that God has given to you and to all those in your church and in your community.  Nurture those gifts in others so that as they come behind you or walk along side you, the world will be a better place.