Posted on 04/27/2021 4:35:30 AM PDT by xzins
America's third largest Christian denomination – the United Methodist Church – is splitting as conservative pastors aim to create a new denomination that will adhere to traditional biblical teachings.
Methodist church leaders have formed a new denomination – called the Global Methodist Church (GMC) – and filed for formal separation from the UMC over the latter's growing acceptance of modern teachings on sexuality and gender.
"In the United States, particularly, some bishops, clergy, and churches are operating in open defiance to the teachings of the United Methodist Church," said Keith Boyette, president of the conservative Wesleyan Covenant Association and spokesperson for the GMC. "The Church has become ungovernable as a consequence, such unchecked defiance has destroyed the integrity of the Church."
Boyette said the mission of the GMC will be "to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly."
The GMC filed for separation from the wider denomination on March 1 but has yet to hear back from UMC leaders on formally approving the split.
Working with the Wesleyan Covenant Association, the GMC said in a statement that it had created a working group in 2018 and held a conference in 2019 to explore these issues and see if there was a way to reconcile "issues that have deeply divided the UM Church for decades."
Long awaited. Please pray for the break. Hateful actions on the part of heretical UMC bishops and leadership have prompted a departure prior to the formal separation planned for the twice delayed denominational business meeting...the General Conference. Conservatives are being sidelined, conservative churches are being closed, and covid is being aggressively manipulated to prevent formal separation decisions from being made.
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I think this entire conference might go GMC. Although we have been stuck in car church, it is nice to have a real Methodist service again. We go “in-house” on Sunday.
Therefore:
Lutheran (EL C S*A) Ping!
* as of August 19, AD 2009, a liberal protestant SECT, not part of the holy, catholic and apostolic CHURCH.
The August 19 date refers solely to the adoption of the gaysbian agenda, NOT to the “Full Communion” agreement.
I left the Methodist a few years ago when they admitted that they had a lot of trouble finding Biblical prohibitions to murder and homo behavior.
Outstanding. I’m now pastoring an independent Methodist church, and they went off-site for a few months, but have been back to in-person services for over a year. That’s longer than I have been there.
Those are some of the reasons the split is taking place.
I left several years ago. The UMC has gone off the rails. Haven’t been back since. Started there in 1971 and got married there in 1972.
I believe it’s all about money. The progressives have seized control but at the cost of funding. Now they have to sell off the smaller churches to pay for their retirement. Conservative churches have to buy their way out but as long as the traditional congregations and pastors keep up with their contributions to the council they’ll be left alone. If they don’t pay, they don’t play and the pastor will be replaced. I feel like the progressives would gladly close any church they could because many of the properties are in prime locations and would bring in a huge chunk of money to the retirement fund. At the same time, any pastor that leaves the UMC, would lose their retirement. Make no mistake, this is not about serving God.
I was a Certified Lay Speaker on the Ministry track, until my small Hudson Valley NY Church got a “woke” new hip Female Pastor from New York City, who decided she wanted to fly the “pride” flag in front of our church. Myself, the lay leader and a majority of the Congregation opposed this. Within three months they pulled my letter of support, the DS removed me from the CLS rotation and I was removed from all Committee assignments. I left and went to a Baptist Church.
There is nothing "conservative", nor has there ever been, in any Methodist "church."
We have circuit churches near here(Giles County, Va). Quite a few I believe, . We plan to do the summer circuit tour. My wife has ancestors buried at two of the churches. The Conference does not do a good job of keeping up the data on them so you have to drive by the church to see when they are meeting.
The older Protestant church west of the Allegheny Mountains is nearby. We attended a service there. Doors on the pews. New Dublin Presbyterian.
The only formerly mainline protestant church which has not yet split along doctrinal lines is now the UCC. Of course they are dying on the vine, so not much left to salvage.
There is nothing “conservative”, nor has there ever been, in any Methodist “church.”
Incorrect. I can take you to UMC churches that are conservative. Much of the Holston Conference is evangelical and conservative, even some tongue speaking. The church we are attending is conservative and fully-funded. The conservative UNC churches tend to do very well financially which will hurt when they leave.
Disciples Of Christ may still be together. It’s very liberal but we have a fairly conservative church here. Basically, we don’t have liberal churches around here.
"Global" is redundant.
I agree with you that it’s largely about money in the mind of the progressives. The already funded retirements are a matter of law and record. They can’t really be touched.
Those that are putting money in the retirement fund, that money is supposedly in their own account. Time will tell whether that is true.
For the conservatives, the issues are pretty clear:
1. Scripture and doctrine. (not sexuality, as many claim, however, sound interpretation and doctrine reject sexual immorality.)
2. Independent ownership of church property by local churches. End the trust clause in the new GMC.
3. Bishop term limits. The abuse of power must be stopped.
That's bad news for the truthful in an age when truth is held in contempt by the prevailing decadent culture.
Truth remains steadfast despite the vicissitudes of the zeitgeist.
Your story is a shameful episode for the UMC. Others have been treated as you have. I was raised baptist, so I know how awesome some of their churches can be!
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