A Response to a Question about “Open Minds” – by Rev. Donald A. Watt, Ph.D.
This is a reflection by the author and is not an official statement of the general United Methodist Church nor the Middleton United Methodist Church.

The United Methodist affirmation of “Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors” is a statement of our approach to living out the Great Commission to “Go and make disciples of all nations.” While not delving into every possible theological point of contention among Christians, especially United Methodists, it does reflect the main thrust of our understanding of what it means to be a follower of Christ. Thus, it is a statement of an ongoing Wesleyan lifestyle and a Christian approach to the broader community, rather than being a statement reflecting only the past, such as individuals who only want to focus on how God’s spirit entered their life.
Since this question was about “open minds,” slightly more space will be given to that, but it is necessary to comment on the other two portions of the affirmation. As has been said elsewhere, “open hearts” is a statement of the condition of our hearts. We are open to the love which God has for us, and we seek to share this love with all who we meet. While no single individual or congregation has all the resources or talents to assist all who are in need, if we have “open hearts,” then we seek to extend our love to all, in whatever ways might be appropriate.
Historically, within the UMC and its predecessors, having a congregation with “open doors” has not always been easy, because there has been segregation in the past. “Open doors” means that whatever the background of the individual, whatever their lifestyle, however the person might be seen in racial/ethnic terms, or any other descriptor might be used about individuals, we invite them into the church. God’s family is not just people who all look alike or act exactly the same; rather it is composed of a wide diversity of individuals who all seek to faithfully follow our Lord. While it is true that most United Methodist congregations are fairly homogeneous, having “open doors” means that we believe it does not have to be this way and are open to any person who desires to worship with us.
The two, which were covered above, often get more attention, because they generally are reflected in a variety of outreach programs. “Open minds” is an understanding that not only are we searching for a more perfect way to serve our Lord, but we are open to others who are searching in their lives as well. This may mean searching for a basic understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus, or how to live out their faith. We are not closed to the work of the Spirit in our lives, and the fact that it may speak to us differently, at different stages of our lives. Just as in the Wesleyan tradition we speak of prevenient grace (God working in our lives and the world before we are aware of it), justifying grace (when we begin to believe and recognize God’s presence in our lives), and sanctifying grace (the movement of the Spirit within us which allows us grow toward a more perfect and holy faith), so it is in the term “open minds” we recognize that we continually need to be open to God’s word for each new day. As Paul wrote in Romans 12, “be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is,” we believe that having open minds is essential for this. Similarly, when he wrote to the Corinthians, in the thirteenth chapter of his second letter, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves,” we believe that it takes “open minds” for this to happen. We are willing to question what we are doing, we are willing to question our faith, in order that we might grow closer to our Lord. “Open minds” is an essential part of this process. We believe that it is important to continually seek God’s word for this day, in order that we might be faithful disciples of our Lord. Just as we have multiple statements of faith in our Book of Worship, similarly, we believe that there are multiple ways in which God’s love for us and all people can be expressed in and through our lives. In order to do this, we must have “open minds” to hear not only God’s word, but also the needs of our neighbors.

Come and explore with us on Sunday mornings at 11 am. Look forward to seeing you.