Posted on 02/21/2026 8:47:04 PM PST by SeekAndFind
A theologically conservative denomination founded as an alternative to the United Methodist Church now has more than 7,000 member congregations, months after surpassing 6,000.
Launched in 2022 amid the UMC’s schismatic debate over LGBT issues, the Global Methodist Church announced on its Facebook page Wednesday that it has “officially surpassed 7,000 churches worldwide.”
“This moment reminds us that growth isn’t just measured in numbers — it’s found in repentance, renewal, and lives being transformed by Jesus Christ,” stated the GMC.
“As Wesleyans, we are called to holiness of heart and life, to return to the Lord, and to carry His love into every community.”
GMC Bishop Mark J. Webb said in an emailed statement that he believes the milestone “reflects the faithfulness of God and the willingness of His people to boldly follow the Holy Spirit’s leading and God’s call.”
“Each congregation is a living witness to the transforming power of Jesus Christ,” he continued. “As we celebrate this moment, we remain steadfast in our calling to make disciples of Jesus Christ and to spread scriptural holiness across the globe. We give thanks for what the Lord has done, and we look forward with hope to all that is yet to be.”
For decades, a divisive debate over whether to amend the UMC Book of Discipline, which prohibited the blessing of same-sex unions and the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals, has roiled what was once the second-largest Protestant denomination in the U.S.
Although efforts to change the Book of Discipline at the UMC General Conference always failed, many theological liberals in the UMC refused to follow or enforce the rules.
In January 2020, a group of 16 UMC leaders from different theological backgrounds announced their support for a proposed separation protocol that would create a pathway for churches that wanted to disaffiliate from the denomination over the debate.
The proposed protocol would also set aside funds to create a theologically conservative denomination for those congregations interested in launching such a church body.
While the protocol was scheduled to be considered at the 2020 UMC General Conference, the gathering was postponed multiple times during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In March 2022, GMC organizers announced that they would launch the new denomination that May, without waiting for the postponed General Conference to approve the protocol.
Over the next couple of years, thousands of congregations would disaffiliate from the UMC over the ongoing debate about LGBT issues, with most of them voting to join the GMC and others becoming non-denominational.
By January of 2024, GMC Transitional Connectional Officer Keith Boyette told The Christian Post that the denomination had over 4,200-member congregations.
Months later, the UMC General Conference voted to amend the Book of Discipline to remove the debated rules, though the changes allowed regional bodies and local congregations to continue enforcing them.
Last October, GMC announced that it had reached the 6,000-member congregation milestone.
Congratulations and more power to the GMC.
The UMC is reaping its justly-earned rewards of ignominy and ultimate oblivion.
Same thing needs to happen to the Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Lutherans, UCC members, etc.
They now worship at the feet of Hedonism, the homosexual God of modern paradise.
Catholics have their own schism brewing with SSPX challengingVatican on ordinations, among other things.
LGBT issues included a woman bishop marrying a woman. The UMC leadership is liberal across the board. For example, they were for open U.S. borders.
There are still conservatives attending services at about 22,000 UMC churches. Some don’t realize what is going on as their pastor does not appear to be so left-wing. Some know what has happened to the leadership but are praying for change.
I know one congregation that probably would have disaffiliated if the pastor had led, rather than resisted, the effort. She was nearing retirement age and risked losing her pension.
That’s what happened to us. He retired after splitting the church. The UMC assigned us a pastor we loved so we stayed.
DW and I are pleased to be members of the GMC!
Join us @ Faith Community Methodist Church, 4000 Spring Park Road, Jacksonville, FL.
Service @ 1000 Sunday: https://www.faithcommunitymethodistjax.org/
7,000 congregations, but only 2 in CT—and one of those is Korean.
She was nearing
In our city, one large congregation has left for the GMC, three congregations have stayed with the UMC, although one is bleeding members and selling off real estate; one of the UMCs appears to be doing quite well, and I have no idea what is going on with the third. I'm not seeing the property fights in court with the Methodists that we saw with the Presbyterians and Episcopalians.
That is very sad. Infect the leadership and take-over the vast historic-wealth of formerly conservative churches. A frequent problem with top-down structures, whether they be religion or other organizations.
“Same thing needs to happen to the Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Lutherans, UCC members, etc.”
We are members of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
The Episcopalians have the African and Reformed continuing faithful I believe. The Presbyterians have many conservative Bible believing shoots (all affiliates at NAPARC.org we are talking millions, plus, many more internationally). The Methodists as mentioned above…the Lutherans have Missouri Synod….
God preserves His people. We are here in major numbers. The old
Mainlines are just a husk sadly.
RE: SSPX
As I understand it, unlike the separation within the UMC, The SSPX itself insists it is not in schism and has never severed communion with Rome
But The SSPX’s precise status remains one of the most debated questions in Catholic canon law.
The Vatican has consistently treated the SSPX as having an irregular canonical situation, discouraging attendance at its liturgies while stopping short of declaring all members formally schismatic.
The situation has escalated dramatically this year. On February 2, 2026, the SSPX announced plans to consecrate new bishops on July 1 without a papal mandate — echoing the 1988 crisis created by Archbishop Lefebvre, whom established the SSPX to preserve what he considered the authentic traditions of the Catholic Church, particularly the Traditional Latin Mass.
The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith warned that proceeding would constitute “a decisive rupture of ecclesial communion (schism) with grave consequences”.
Despite its irregular status, the SSPX has grown into a significant parallel structure within Catholicism, with 733 priests, 264 seminarians, 145 religious brothers, 88 oblates, and 250 religious sisters, along with schools, seminaries, and parishes worldwide.
This growth is what makes the situation so consequential for the Vatican — it represents, as some commentators describe it, a “parallel church”.
But as of now… Unlike a declared schismatic group, the SSPX has not been universally labeled as outside the Catholic Church. Popes Benedict XVI and Francis extended limited recognitions to preserve unity, but this falls short of full communion, which requires submission to the Pope and acceptance of post-Vatican II norms.
As far as I know, Pope Leo views the SSPX as a significant challenge to Church unity but has pursued reconciliation through dialogue. He has not made extensive public statements on the group, but his administration’s actions—such as authorizing a February 12, 2026, meeting between SSPX Superior General Father Davide Pagliarani and Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández—indicate a desire to avoid schism while upholding papal authority.
First thing they had to do in the PCUSA was change it from a bottom up governance structure to a top down. Create an appointed position called the "Executive Presbyer" (functionally a Bishop) to control the Presbyteries.
we’ll see what happens with ordination issue.
IMHO, if a church wants to leave the UMC and retain their property, they should be able to do so, without having to pay an enormous sum of money!
Our small church had to pay the UMC $65,000 to leave!
We were fortunate to be able to do so — many UMC churches do/did not have the financial resources to pay the large amount that UMC demanded for separation!
UMC also retained other very valuable resources which had been paid for by millions of UMC members over the years!
IMHO, UMC should be sued into bankruptcy for their Mafia-like criminal behavior!
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