The United Methodist Church formally and explicitly, several General Confernces back, rejected the notion that we are to “make disciples of Christ for the salvation of souls” and replaced it, in writing, in the Book of Discipline, with words that we are to “make disciples of Christ for to change the world.”
This is an explicit rejection of Christianity and implied declaration of the reality that the UMC’s God is Progressive ideology.
Why would any lover of Christ stay in this institution of Progressive evil, other than to hold onto hope that the denomination will not fall to the ground before one starts drawing from his pastoral retirment plan?
It will be a good thing that the roof crashes in on the UMC denomination. The Christian church of Wesley and Asbury can continue on via other means. And should.
Slight correction, mbarker12474: the 2008 General Conference added a phrase to the current United Methodist Church’s mission statement. The complete mission statement now reads,”The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Local churches and extension ministries of the Church provide the most significant arenas through which disciple-making occurs.” (Book of Discipline, paragraph 120)
The various factions within the denomination interpret and implement that differently, but that’s what it says.
As for the “Yalta” analogy: there are three main factions within the current UMC theological split - traditionalists, progressives, and centrists. Rather than substituting three individuals for Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin, I think the reference refers to the 3 opposing parties/positions.
(I’m a UM who has attended every General Conference since 2000, never as a voting delegate.)