Reverend Owen Barrow Delivers Harrison Memorial Lecture at UMO

The Rev. Owen Barrow, lead pastor of Fuquay-Varina United Methodist Church, delivered the annual Vivian B. Harrison Memorial Lecture at the University of Mount Olive on Thursday, October 22, in Rodgers Chapel.

Speaking to students, ministers and laypersons, Barrow built this year’s two-part series around the theme “Helping Others Own Their Own Faith: A Map and a Toolbelt for Discipleship.”

The first lecture, “Shifting from a Menu to a Map Approach to Programming,” began at 9 a.m. The second, “Shifting from an Information- to a Tools-Based Approach to Discipleship,” followed at 10:30 a.m.

Barrow asked the audience a thought-provoking question – “Are we making accidental disciples or intentional disciple-makers?”  He encouraged attendees to spend time considering that divide and how to close it.  Barrow also encouraged ministers and laypersons to find a way to take the principles he discussed and make it fit for their church.

“Discipleship is a whole-life journey, not simply a moment of surrender,” said Barrow.  He goes on to explain, “We say regularly that you can’t lead a person to a place that you yourself are not willing to go. But once you have gone and you understand what that part of the journey is like, you can turn around and invite others to follow you to that place.”

His second lecture focused on shifting to a tool-based discipleship. 

“There is this implicit assumption that we seem to teach, which is that if you just have the right information, then you can figure out how to do anything.  A Sunday school lesson, a 20-minute expository sermon every week, lecture after lecture in seminary.  But information alone doesn’t make disciples.”

Barrow drew a parallel to 1 Corinthians 4: 16 when Christ said, “I appeal to you, then be imitators of me.”  This scripture reminds us that discipleship is not about learning only, but it’s about imitation. He continues by saying, “I would suggest to you that we have been missing an essential step, an essential part of how we as humans learn and develop and grow – and an essential part of what it means to be a disciple.  The step-by-step instructions!”

Barrow has spent two decades in pastoral ministry, mostly in larger congregations, and he has led a new start-up church. His ministry roots are in youth groups, camping ministry, and small rural churches. He approaches the work as a practitioner, serving alongside congregations to help people own their faith.

Though Barrow grew up in Raleigh, most of his family is from Snow Hill. His grandfather served there as a Free Will Baptist minister with deep ties to UMO.

The Rev. Frank R. Harrison established the Vivian B. Harrison Memorial Lecture in memory of his late wife, a Mount Olive College alumna and longtime North Carolina public school teacher. The lecture provides continuing education for ministers and laypersons across North Carolina.