Posted on 08/12/2022 10:12:39 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
A Texas megachurch has voted to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church due to the mainline Protestant denomination’s ongoing debate over homosexuality as over 200 churches in the Lone Star State are considering disaffiliation.
The Woodlands Methodist Church, a congregation with approximately 14,200 members located in Woodlands, Texas, voted on Sunday to leave the UMC Texas Annual Conference.
According to an announcement from the church, about 3,000 members gathered at the church on Sunday and about 2,678 members — or 96.3% of those voting — supported disaffiliation.
Senior Pastor Mark Sorensen posted a video on the church’s website saying that the vote affirmed that “we are united in one vision and one clear mission.”
“We are ready to move on past the division and the differences that have been an ongoing distraction in our denomination for far too long,” said Sorensen. “Remember, we are changing to stay the same. With this vote, we are preserving the ministry that we know and love.”
Sorensen “offered a blessing” to those who wanted to remain in the UMC, suggesting it is “time to bless one another, even as we go our separate ways.”
“In this there is no victory, in this there is no winner or loser,” he added. “We are called to pray for and lift up others in whatever ministry God has calling us to now and in the future.”
According to the UMC Texas Annual Conference, more than 210 member congregations are considering disaffiliation from the denomination as of late July.
The conference will host a special session on Dec. 3 in Houston that will, among other things, include officially recognizing the departure of churches that have taken the necessary steps toward disaffiliation.
Woodlands is not the only congregation to disaffiliatee from the Texas Conference on Sunday. The 1,300-member Faithbridge of Spring, Texas, approved disaffiliation when all 549 members present for the vote supported leaving.
“I’m … realistic about where the denomination is heading, and so I have no second thoughts,” said Faithbridge Senior Pastor Ken Werlein, as reported by UM News. “We’ve done the right thing, the smart thing, the wise thing to keep Faithbridge Faithbridge.”
Over the past several years, the UMC has faced a polarizing debate and schism over whether the United States' second largest Protestant denomination should maintain its official stance banning the blessing of same-sex unions and the ordination of noncelibate homosexual clergy.
Although theological liberals within the denomination have failed to change the official rules, many of them in positions of leadership have refused to enforce the existing rules highlighted in the UMC Book of Discipline, causing much frustration among theological conservatives.
Across the United States, many congregations have left or are considering disaffiliating from the UMC. Many have joined the Global Methodist Church, a newly created conservative Methodist denomination.
As long as they take much of the perverted theology with them to their new destination, such as female ordination, they’ll be in the same position as before within a decade.
Now that’s my kind of church but I live too far 👍🏻
I read all of that and still do NOT know the Woodlands church’s position on homosexuality and same-sex marriage. Those guys are slick, aren’t they?
Global Methodist Church, a newly created conservative Methodist denomination
Im holding out for the inter galatic methodist church
I just read the article - that’s it my church lol I’m still a member and the last church I attended but I moved out of Houston.
I have the same reaction.
I haven’t lived there since 2016
I always went to the Loft especially on Saturday nights
I talked with a good friend yesterday that is planning to leave them because of this. He was on the board and was very involved with their missions. He said others are going to be leaving too.
Two issues:
1. The Methodist denomiation as a whole elected NOT to accept homosexual marriage - and that was led by the conservative African churches. The majority of the American churches voted for gay marriage
So, as conservative churches are being driven out of the Conference, the denomination, as a whole, becomes more liberal, and so in a better situation to impose its will.
2. Some of these churches have pledged their property to the conference, so the liberals may try to claw back the valuable buildings and property, or force the congregations to buy it back. More money going to support liberal causes. This was what the Episcopalians did, (the Denis Canon). Churches that had been supported by families for generations, built with blood and sweat by the congregants, were kicked out of their own buildings.
I was basically told “You are not allowed to disagree” so I left. That’s cult behavior. Now I’m in a UMC conference that will probably leave the church as a unit after the vote.
My former church had a series on gay ordination with one “conservative” and two liberals and the liberals pitched a fit because the “conservative” was even allowed to speak. Cult behavior.
IOW they choose to stand with the the bibles teaching on homosexuality instead of the " God loves everyone, even practicing butt pirates, so love love us too" Philosophy.
John Wesley was very much a part of the Holiness Movement pushing Protestants to live holy lives (even if we believe we’re saved by grace and not works). He’d have a conniption fit over the hedonism pushed by the Methodist church he started.
“read all of that and still do NOT know the Woodlands church’s position on homosexuality and same-sex marriage”
From the article:
“remember, we are changing to stay the same. With this vote, we are preserving the ministry that we know and love.”
That one made me dizzy right there.
Also, I know what my Bible says about homosexuality.....the book of Romans is very clear on the subject.
Amazing how relevant the Bible is in today’s world.
“History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.”
Ecclesiastes 1:9 NLT
This is my church and I voted. The title misleads folks. It wasn’t about guys. Rather it is about being true to the Bible. Progressives dismiss the Bible. Just as they dismiss the Constitution. Progressives in the UMC also exclude all traditionalists. I’m so proud of The Woodlands Methodist Church. We expect VERY FEW to leave. We are moving forward in faith!
If he is already in the hospital, I volunteer to give him a super cheap transgender operation performed with a machete and a drill.
Conservative churches are not being driven out of the Conference. The Conference is driving itself away from conservative churches. The Conference is the big loser….and they probably don’t care.
Good luck to you all I am proud you did the right thing
After getting fed up with UMC liberal antics, I told people I’d joined the Outdoor Methodists. Camping, biking, hunting, paddling, etc on Sunday mornings out in God’s Country.
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