Methodist Blogger Profile: Mitchell Lewis

Mitchell Lewis of Lection Reflections

I'm an ordained Elder in the North Georgia conference of the United Methodist Church. I've been under appointment in the conference since 1981. For the last 15+ years, I've been an Army chaplain on active duty. I'm currently stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, just outside of Kansas City. As a United Methodist chaplain in a military setting, I am endorsed by the United Methodist Endorsing Agency (a component of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry) and appointed yearly by my bishop, just like every other clergy member of the conference.

My journey with the Army has taken me to Missouri, Korea, New Jersey, Germany, South Carolina, Georgia, Kuwait, Iraq and Kansas. Before joining the Army, I served United Methodist churches in Bogart, Winder, Stone Mountain and Griffin, Georgia. In college and seminary, I worked part-time in youth ministry and campus ministry. I'm in my 25th year of marriage, and I have two children - a daughter at Georgia Tech, and a son who will start at the University of Georgia in the fall.. I’m a 1977 graduate of Wake Forest University.

I post my general thoughts at Mitchell Lewis, and weekly reflections on the lectionary at Lection Reflections. My posts, of course, express only my own views and do not necessarily represent the views of either the United Methodist Church or my employer. You can contact me at the.ole55 at gmail dot com.

Why do you blog?
I write my personal blog about issues that concern me: my faith, my church, the military and political community, and various religion in the world issues. I also want to make the existence of military Methodists more apparent to the rest of the church. When church leaders talk about military issues, I want them to realize that they are talking about their own church members and not some strange animal from another planet. We are proud not only of our service to the nation, but to the cause of peace and justice as well. We see ourselves as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ whose vocation lies - at least temporarily - in the profession of arms.

I write Lection Reflections as a personal discipline.

What has been your best blogging experience?
I find the StatCounter logs very interesting, especially when they show a visit based on a search.

What would be your main advice to a novice blogger?
I am certainly not qualified to advise others.

If you only had time to read three blogs a day, what would they be?
Mudville Gazette (to keep up with what's happening in the world of Soldiers), Instapundit (to keep up with what's happening in the world of politics) and - now - Wesley Daily (to keep up with what's happening in the UMC).

Who are your spiritual heroes?
Let's reach in the grab bag: Martin Luther, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, George Fox (the Methodist chaplain), Martin Luther King, Jr., Barbara Brokoff (the United Methodist evangelist), N.T. Wright

What are you reading at the moment?
Once again, pulling from the grab bag of books on my desk: The Bible; Moral Man and Immoral Society (Niebuhr); On War (Clausewitz); Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Meditations on Psalms (Robertson); While God is Marching On: The Religious World of Civil War Soldiers (Woodworth).

What is your favorite hymn and why?
A Mighty Fortress is Our God is my favorite because of its theology, although I love all singable hymns that glorify God and reflect his majesty.

Can you name a major moral, political, or intellectual issue on which you've changed your mind?
Suffice it to say, most of the people with whom I went to college and seminary would be shocked that I'm in the Army.

What philosophical thesis do you think is most important to combat?
The philosophy behind Al Qaeda and its fellow travelers is worth combating - in the most literal sense of that word.

If you could effect one major change to the governing of your country, what would it be?
I think a lot about our society and, of course, I have all the answers. As a public servant, however, I'll express my political opinion at the ballot box and to my representatives. Members of the armed forces have a wide variety of opinions about political issues. Neither my vocation as a Soldier nor as a member of clergy calls me to become the leading voice of political opinions or movements.

If you could effect one major policy change in the United Methodist Church, what would it be?
Again, I think I'll express my opinion on church politics to the members of my annual conference as we prepare for the next General Conference.

What would be your most important piece of advice about life?
Be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ and continue to grow in the knowledge and love of God. Enjoy what life has to offer, take your responsibilities seriously and depend wholly on the grace of God.

What, if anything, do you worry about?
When I am deployed or on temporary duty, I worry about my family's well being.

If you were to relive your life to this point, is there anything that you'd do differently?
Standard military smart aleck response: "I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you."

Where would you most like to live (other than where you do now)?
Athens, Georgia. Go Dawgs.

What do you like doing in your spare time?
Enjoying my home and family, taking infrequent trips with a camera to interesting places, eating good meals, learning new things and playing iTunes DJ.

What is your most treasured possession?
I'm not sure I have one, although a good coffee maker and a pound of Sumatra are pretty darn important.

What talent would you most like to have?
I'd wish I could play the piano. It's solely a wish; I'm not willing to actually study or practice.

If you could have any three guests, past or present, to dinner, who would they be?
Let's make it a theme party: Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, and Frederick Douglas. We'll certainly have something to talk about.