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Over 7,000 churches have left the United Methodist Church amid homosexuality schism: More than 5,000 churches have disaffiliated in 2023
Christian Post ^ | 11/21/2023 | Michael Gryboski

Posted on 11/21/2023 9:12:42 AM PST by SeekAndFind

The number of congregations that have left the United Methodist Church amid the schism over the denomination's stance on homosexuality has passed the 7,000 mark.

Over the weekend, the number of churches that have disaffiliated from the UMC since 2019 reached 7,286, according to UM News, with over 5,200 leaving this year alone.

This total includes 366 churches leaving the Kentucky Conference, 349 churches leaving the North Alabama Conference, 334 churches leaving the North Georgia Conference, 326 churches leaving the North Carolina Conference and 317 churches leaving the Indiana Annual Conference.

Of the 334 congregations that have disaffiliated from the North Georgia Conference since 2019, 261 were given approval to disaffiliate over the weekend at a special session held by the regional body.

According to a statement from the conference, there are still about 440 congregations affiliated with the regional body. These include four congregations whose disaffiliation votes were not approved: The Fountain United Methodist Church at Sugarloaf in Duluth, McEachern Memorial United Methodist Church in Powder Springs, Trinity United Methodist Church of Rome and Griffin First United Methodist Church.

Over the past few decades, the UMC has been embroiled in a divisive debate over whether the country's second-largest Protestant denomination should amend language from its Book of Discipline that prohibits the blessing of same-sex unions and the ordination of clergy in same-sex romantic relationships.

Although efforts to change the Book of Discipline have failed, liberal leaders within the denomination have often refused to follow or enforce the rules, drawing the ire of many theological conservatives.

At a special session of the General Conference held in 2019, delegates voted to add paragraph 2553 to the UMC Book of Discipline, a measure to allow churches to disaffiliate from the denomination. The measure is set to expire at the end of the year.

While thousands of congregations across the United States have disaffiliated from the UMC under the parameters of paragraph 2553, some congregations have either had their disaffiliation votes rejected by their regional conferences or have faced other obstacles in their bid to leave.

Some of those churches have filed legal action against their respective conferences, accusing them of either not properly following the disaffiliation process or arguing that the process is unfair.

Earlier this month, a court in Montgomery, Alabama, ruled against 42 congregations trying to leave the Alabama-West Florida Conference, concluding that, as a secular court, it did not have the authority to intervene in the churches' complaint.

"The Court is without jurisdiction to rule on such issues because the relief sought by Plaintiffs would require the Court to interpret a provision of the Book of Discipline intertwined with church doctrine," ruled the Montgomery County Circuit Court.

Thousands of congregations that have disaffiliated from the UMC have joined the Global Methodist Church, a theologically conservative denomination launched as an alternative to UMC last year.


TOPICS: Mainline Protestant; Moral Issues; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: church; exodus; homosexuality; homosexualpolicy; methodist; schism; umc
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To: Soul of the South

Well written, well thought out and presented... and sadly not that surprising. Thanks for sharing.


41 posted on 11/21/2023 12:18:27 PM PST by GOPJ (Ignorant but arrogant is a sad way to start an adult life. Victor Davis Hanson on Ivy college grads)
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To: SeekAndFind

Churches run on $$$ and you would be surprised how much it costs.
Belivers need to take their $$$ and find a place that doesn’t treat them like fools or monsters for not following the lemmings.


42 posted on 11/21/2023 1:29:11 PM PST by Zathras
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To: SeekAndFind

America’s Cultural Revolution


43 posted on 11/21/2023 1:30:49 PM PST by ViLaLuz (2 Chronicles 7:14)
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To: GOPJ

Same thing that killed the Boy Scouts.
As soon as they let the gays in, everyone else left.


44 posted on 11/21/2023 1:34:38 PM PST by Zathras
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To: SeekAndFind

Excellent news.


45 posted on 11/21/2023 3:27:56 PM PST by cyclotic (Don’t be part of the problem. Be the entire problem)
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To: SeekAndFind
I was raised in a UMC and graduated from 2 UMC universities. Both parents very active - at church any time the doors were opened until graduation day. Grandfather was a circuit rider in the UMC. All of this is provided for context for my following comments.

The UMC used to be a somewhat charismatic congregation in my youth. Bible study/teaching was a top priority. Spiritual gifts were appreciated and encouraged - although in the minority. Some pastors were anointed by God and preached powerful sermons under that anointing. Many knew the HEAD of the Body, and knew that those led by the spirit were children of God. That was then.

By the time I graduated high school, three of the last four pastors at my home church couldn't tell the difference between the Holy Ghost and Casper the friendly ghost - Only a slight exaggeration. Many who were "spooky" (spiritual) were chased away, or worse, accused of heresy. Sermons that resonated in your spirit, were replaced with quiet talks about being nice or helping the poor. Nothing wrong with a social gospel, but those works come from being Born Again, and are most effective when God is leading. The UMC, from my experience, became overly focused on works and outward actions, rather than spiritual maturity first.

The seminaries (or cemeteries if you prefer), kept graduating kids that know how to act like a Pastor, but know little about the Word, and even less about Spiritual things. They get in churches and instead of being led by the Spirit, and preaching the Word, they start doing worldly things to grow their church. And if you see the Bible as nothing more than some helpful advice, its not long before you start doubting God's Truth. All it takes is a little worldly pressure to cause you to compromise.

IMHO, that is why the UMC is where it is today. I hope the split will grow life back into some churches, but I have concerns. The last one I attended, on my last day, played a Disney film and used it to reinforce that Sunday's message. This church voted to split.

My oldest sister is the music minister for a "Reconciling" church as it is called. We spent a few hours discussing the issues that led to the split, but made no progress either direction. I do believe there are good people on both sides. They are so eager to keep the Love commandment and not "hate" that they compromise the Word. For me the key is simple. Jesus dined with sinners. He knew Judas was stealing, yet gave him plenty of chances (mercy) to repent. When He met the woman caught in adultery, He told her to go and sin no more. To me that is the key. Are they even attempting to set people free from the bondage of sin, or simply normalizing it, like fornication, adultery and many others.

On the other side, the danger is becoming self-righteous, and adopting the attitude of the religious Jews of Jesus day, and wanting nothing to do with those dirty sinners.

Either side could do good, if they go back to the Word, and let God be in charge. If not, I expect many of these churches to fade away, and the property sold. My sister's church has downsized to a PT pastor (semi-retired) and will likely be forced to merge with another congregation if they want to survive. She has given 20 years to this congregation, and about a third left over the vote to not split.

None of this makes me happy. But God is in control, and good will come from this. I am confident that HIS CHURCH, the Body of Christ, is expanding every single day!
46 posted on 11/21/2023 4:39:34 PM PST by Kandy Atz ("Were we directed from Washington when to sow and when to reap, we should soon want for bread.")
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To: Zathras

What got let in was the ‘gay agenda’... I suspect there have always been gay kids in the scouts.


47 posted on 11/21/2023 8:08:24 PM PST by GOPJ (Ignorant but arrogant is a sad way to start an adult life. Victor Davis Hanson on Ivy college grads)
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To: MNDude

“..It’s been a long time effort to infiltrate and destroy the church...”

Yes! The social revolution of the 60’s and 70’s led to the budding but powerful homosexual movement infiltrating universities, government and churches. They had a plan and they succeeded beyond imagination.


48 posted on 11/24/2023 6:40:26 PM PST by elpadre
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To: elpadre

actually much before then. A book written in the 1700’s called Plan to Abolish Religion discusses how elites plan to infiltrate all parts of society to implement debauchery.


49 posted on 11/24/2023 7:32:46 PM PST by MNDude
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