UM Men
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During turbulent times, Methodist men challenged to ‘stay focused on Jesus’ By George Hohmann
During these turbulent times, Mississippi Bishop James Swanson Sr. challenged UM men of West Virginia to stay focused on Jesus because “one thing I know is, he holds the future.”
Jesus provides the answer as he tells Peter to stay focused on the mission of making disciples.
The president of the church’s General Commission on UM Men, Swanson served as keynote speaker for the annual gathering of the West Virginia UM Men.
I don’t know what the future holds, Swanson said, “but one thing I do know is, He holds the future. He also holds my hand.”
Because of the pandemic, the gathering was held virtually. A video of the proceedings — including Swanson’s message — is posted here. “The trick of the enemy is to get you off-focus,” Swanson said. He cited the verses in John chapter 21 where Jesus is talking to Peter, but Peter is distracted by someone else and asks: “What about him?” Jesus replies that Peter must not be distracted but must stay focused. Jesus said, “You must follow me.” In the midst of the pandemic, racial upheaval, strife, and a very contentious society where “everybody seems to have their feet anchored in concrete with no sense of how we can find a way to live not only together but to bless each other,” Swanson asked, “How do we hear the voice of Jesus that so clearly says, ‘Follow me’? How do we do that when we seem to be so easily distracted?”
George Hohmann is president of West Virginia Annual Conference UM Men.
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“The trick of the enemy is to get you to a point where JAMES SWANSON you’re not focused," Swanson said, “so that when somebody who is a candidate to get to know Jesus walks by, instead of you putting your focus on being able to give them a Christian witness…your mind is turned somewhere else where it does not need to be. “Not only must you stay focused, your passion has to be centered and focused in the Lord Jesus Christ,” Swanson concluded. Sandra Steiner Ball, resident bishop of the West Virginia Annual Conference, introduced Swanson to the men’s gathering. She noted the gathering was held on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack. That day people wondered: “Where is our God?” People have continued to ask that question during the past 20 years. The answer, she said, is “God is in our midst 24/7.” She reminded the men that Jesus is the Great Physician. His message is one of “hope and life.”
