In the fall of 2001, Andy Lewis, Charles Harrison, Georgia Harrison, and Andy Stoker gathered around a table and dreamed about an alternative model for Youth Ministry that would reflect our shared Wesleyan values as United Methodists. Through this process, “When Grace is the Chauffer” was born.
Through this model we tried to answer some questions:
- If John Wesley was the Youth Minister in any Church we have served, what would he have done differently?
- Where are the Youth Ministry models that reflect the distinct contribution of the Methodist Movement?
- How can we implement into our shared ministries with Youth the latest psychological and sociological research that helps us understand developmental issues and respond appropriately to meet Youth where they are?
- How do Youth form their identities?
- What happens during conversion?
- How do we form community?
- What should discipleship and evangelism look like?
- Should we re-think how we involve Youth in mission work?
- Is Wesleyan theology still viable in the Post-Modern Matrix?
- What about the “worship wars” of style versus substance?
We also wondered out loud together about some other trends we knew about:
- Why is the turnover in Youth Ministers so frequent?
- Is “big-box” Youth ministry the best way?
- Why has entertainment become a dominant model of “ministry” with Youth?
- Why are so many United Methodist Churches hiring non-Wesleyan Youth Ministers?
- Why are so many United Methodist Churches buying educational resources from non-Wesleyan para-church organizations and/or from non-Wesleyan mega-churches?
- Why has the mission “to make disciples” been corrupted by the measurements of membership?
What started out as a conversation about Youth soon turned into a model that involved the entire Church in a Holistic way. We decided that Youth Ministry must be fully integrated into a Church model that was distinctly Wesleyan. Soon, this branched out past thinking only about the local church. We began talking about the effect this model could have on Campus Ministry and also on Mission Organizations.
We began to lovingly call our model WGITC [wi-jitz-zee] since all good Methodists have such a love of acronyms!
What if United Methodist Youth Ministers were better trained to be Wesleyan in thinking and practice?
What if new Church starts used WGITC as their model?
What if older Churches felt a call of renewal to their Wesleyan roots?
What if college and university Students found a dynamic community that they could grow spiritually in?
What if intuitively Wesleyan mission organizations were able to articulate the need for both personal holiness and social justice?
What if Financial Campaigns were developed through a Wesleyan filter?
While our original group continued to develop our experience, thinking, and practice we expanded the dialogue to many United Methodists across the United States. Youth Ministers, Scholars, Pastors, Lay Leaders, Evangelists, Missionaries all have given much valuable input.
In the fall of 2006, a group of anonymous donors approached Charles W. Harrison with a grant idea to help further develop the model, publish it, and make it available to local Churches and other organizations.
Out of this initial funding The Center for Wesleyan Renewal was born. From 2007 to 2009, the Center for Wesleyan Renewal will be working to make the WGITC model available to as many people as possible through development of on-line resources, regional trainings, and phone consultations. While still holding a passion for the WGITC Youth Ministry model, we will also be working with Local Churches, Campus Ministries, and Mission Organizations to think across the life cycle and to reach into each unique cultural context to promote Wesleyan models of Renewal.
The Center for Wesleyan Renewal is working toward becoming a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization. We are forming a Steering Committee and Board of Directors in 2008.
