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Running From and To God
Experiencing God's Grace with Mike Lowry
by Linda Owen
Mike Lowry, senior pastor at University United Methodist Church, did not set out to be a minister. He dreamed of going to law school and becoming the next Clarence Darrow. He envisioned himself making speeches to juries and judges in a courtroom; instead, he ended up preaching to thousands on Sunday morning.Lowry, along with his twin brother, James Patrick, were raised in a small farming community in northern Illinois. His father was the superintendent of schools and the family was semi-active in the Marengo Methodist Church. During his senior year in high school, Lowry's family moved overseas to The Republic of China (Taiwan) where his father assumed the position of High School Principal and Assistant Superintendent of Schools for the Taipei American Schools. Moving from a small town to a cosmopolitan foreign capital was an eye-opening experience for Lowry. During that time, he wrestled deeply with his faith and his future. For a short time, he went from active in a youth group to a searching period of basic agnosticism. Then Mike attended Earlham College, a Quaker school in Richmond, Indiana. There he took a required religion course that changed his life. He credits his religion professor for his conversion to Christ and the Quaker influence for his involvement in both the civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements. Mike also served as co-pastor of a small Quaker meeting literally located in the middle of a cornfield."Even after my conversion, I planned on going to law school," Lowry remembers," but God had other ideas. God grabbed hold of me and wouldn't let go." His dramatic conversion experience was followed by repeated incidents when he heard God's call clearly. "It was an itch that wouldn't stop," Lowry explains, " so I decided to try seminary for a year."For one year Lowry grudgingly went to his classes at Perkins School of Theology (SMU). While he continued to struggle with God's call, Lowry felt the need to return to his Methodist roots. Still, there was the call of God into ministry - and that was something different than just giving his heart to Jesus. "At the end of that year, I left with no intention to return," he remembers. "I was still stubbornly running from God's will."Like Jonah, who ran to the ends of the earth to escape God's call (Jonah 1:3), Lowry ran to New England. Since he had previously worked as a supervisor at YMCA summer camps, he became the Assistant Director of Morgan Memorial Fresh Air Camps (Goodwill), where he provided leadership for five Fresh Air Camps in the Boston area. His administration and involvement at the camps brought him in contact with youngsters, families, children in crisis, and the severely retarded. In his rebelliousness, Lowry experienced God's pardoning grace; and he received confirmation of his call to ordained ministry. He went came back to Perkins for good about halfway through the next semester, dedicated to doing his part for God"s kingdom.Lowry received his Master of Divinity (Theology) from Perkins in 1976, and his D. Min. (Doctor of Ministry) from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 1985.The administrative skills that surfaced during Lowry's supervision at summer camps have been useful in his ministry. He quickly gained a reputation as the pastor who doubled worship attendance in a relatively short period of time at St. Paul's UMC (Kerrville). At Asbury United Methodist Church in Corpus Christi, 527 members became over 1100; and at Bethany UMC in Austin, worship attendance increased by 200. Through the years, Lowry has used his gift of administration to complete a building campaign, three capital fund campaigns, and the relocation of facilities.In 2001, Lowry arrived to fill the vacancy of senior pastor at University United Methodist Church. Under his leadership the congregation has grown by over 600 members, with a membership of 5,172. He oversees a staff of 162 employees, some of which are teachers at the church's school which ministers to over 400 children. There is also the Achievers Secondary School for special needs teens and young adults. What is the secret of Lowry's success in ministry?"I don't believe it's a secret," Lowry says with a boyish grin. "Administration is clearly a spiritual gift. But I think a lot of good administrative work is the same, whether you work for a church or IBM. Success is based on being at the core of God's will and not your own. And that's true, no matter what one's job is."Lowry believes in the fusing of evangelism and missional outreach "committed to advancing the Kingdom of God through love, justice, and mercy." He also sees the ministry of the laity as a core component for success. At UUMC, for instance, they are now building their tenth Habitant for Humanity House. The congregation has sent their members to Guatemala, India, and Russia, and is now working on a partnership with International Justice Ministries. Over $500,000 is earmarked for missions. "The church exists as the Body of Christ to give herself away for the sake of the last, the least, and the lost," he says. "We live at the epicenter of one of the largest mission fields on this planet," he adds. "We are called by God to engage in outreach to all elements of our society. Diversity and multi-cultural ministry are not only the wave of the future but a description of the present age we are called to serve. The time has come [for churches] to stop talking about being inclusive and be inclusive. Minorities, women, and others often excluded are to be treated with full equality and respect." As a leader, Lowry believes that "leadership must not be confused with coercion or domination." He also believes that disciples are led by the promptings of the Holy Spirit, rather than by his motivation. Evident in his leadership style are prayer, dialogue with study, and careful and faithful listening to a variety of viewpoints. "I operate out of a standpoint of presumed trust," he explains. "I am not afraid to make decisions but believe deeply in prayerful listening and open consultation with those involved."Lowry is married to Jolynn Lowry, who teaches Psychiatric Nursing at the University of Incarnate Word. ["I often say that's why she's qualified to be married to me," Lowry jokes.]. Mike and Jolynn have a son, Nathan, 25, an engineer with Draper Laboratory in Massachusetts, and a daughter, Sarah, 21, who works for a law firm in Atlanta, Georgia.Family is important to Lowry. When he's not preparing a sermon or working with staff, he enjoys visiting with his parents and twin brother who now live in Kerrville. His parents moved from Arizona and retired there when Lowry was pastor at the Kerrville church. James moved from California several years ago. For Lowry, it's good to have the core of the family nearby, for he admits that heretofore there had been a long-distance relationship because of the demands of his ministry.When you talk to Lowry's staff and parishioners, they describe him as a scholar, leader, and visionary who sees what the church may become. "My vision is of a church for a new day and a new century committed to Christ and advancing the Kingdom of God," he says. "To that work I commit my life. When the day comes that they shovel dirt over my coffin, I hope I'm remembered as a submitted man - not submitted to the things of this world, but to the Lord Jesus Christ. The number of members should not be a minister's priority; instead, a faithful leader's priority should be making disciples in the mission of the church."Linda Owen has been a freelance writer for more than 38 years. She is a regular writer on faith, retirement, travel, and general interest subjects for a variety of newspapers and magazines, both secular and Christian. Linda received her B.S. in Education and Journalism from SWTSC and a Master of Divinity Degree from Perkins School of Theology (SMU). She is a former English and Communications teacher at Churchill High School. After seminary, she worked on staff at churches in Dallas, Cotulla, and San Antonio. She also writes Bible study curriculum for the United Methodist Publishing House. For more information, see Linda's web site: www.angelfire.com/zine2/lindaowen-writer/index.html
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