United Methodist Council of Bishops President Janice Riggle Huie says the people of the church expect bishops to lead boldly by making disciples and saving lives around the globe.

 "This meeting is a threshold... It is decision time," Huie told bishops during her presidential address in Maputo, Mozambique. "I believe that a new Pentecost can happen here... I believe the Holy Spirit is calling the people of the United Methodist Church into action."

"Christianity has changed. The day and time when people went to church because it was expected and 'everybody did it' is gone. Christian discipleship is now a matter of decision... [often] made in the face of obstacles and even hostility," Huie said.

While Christianity has changed, "what I see and hear is the deep human desire for hope," Huie added. She cited the dramatic growth of persons in Volunteers in Mission ministries after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the tremendous response to the 2005 tsunami in eastern Asia.  To date, United Methodists have donated more than $100 million to those efforts.

To succeed, to follow Jesus and make disciples, bishops must take risks, Huie said. "Not many people are going to step out into a new future if the leaders are focused on the rear-view mirror of institutional survival and self-preservation... We need to do a lot of listening and a lot of loving... We will also need to remind people of what they already know: We follow Jesus... God is with us."

Eleven million United Methodists, she said, can:

• Live the United Methodist way in their daily lives and public witness.
• Begin a new church every day somewhere around the globe.
• Reach and save children all over the globe.
• Lead in the effort to stamp out the killer diseases of poverty: HIV/AIDS.

These calls to action reflect a strategy under development by the Council, the church's general agencies, and members of The Connectional Table, the denomination's program coordination group.

Huie concluded by saying, "It is God who gives us hope. The Holy Spirit gives us courage. Jesus expects us to follow him. John Wesley gives us the method. The people of The United Methodist Church expect us to lead."

Nearly 80 bishops are meeting in Mozambique for the council's semiannual meeting. It is the first meeting to be held outside the territorial United States.

Bishop Innis Focuses on African Growth, Reality During Sermon
Liberian Bishop John Innis focused on the reality of preaching and leading in Africa during Thursday's morning service or word and table.

"The church of Jesus Christ called United Methodist is indeed alive in Africa," Innis said during his sermon, citing the long history of mission and disciple-making on the continent.

The United Methodist Church has been in ministry in Africa since the 1830s.  United Methodists have congregations and missions in two dozen African countries. United Methodist schools, clinics and hospitals play a key role in those countries

"By coming to Africa, we, the bishops, show recognition of the contributions of Africa to our church... The United Methodist Church is a powerful church... it is great [in Africa]," Innis said.

Christianity is growing rapidly across Africa, Innis said. "Nowhere is there a record of such growth - 350 million Christians in Africa. We are a reality the Christian world cannot ignore."

Pastors, district superintendents and bishops work under difficult conditions, Innis said, noting they often walk "10, 20 miles... 20 hours to reach our people... When they see us, they say, 'Jesus is here.'"

	See Also... Topic: United Methodist Church |  Methodism |  Geographic Region: Africa |  World |  Mozambique |  Source: Agencies of UMC
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Date posted: Nov 03, 2006