In the Storm: Preserving the UMC

For the past several years I have consistently asked myself why I am seeking ordination in a denomination that is facing an issue that has divided many major churches over the past two decades. The Lutherans, Presbyterians, Anglicans, and many others have faced schism over the exact same issues that the United Methodist Church (UMC) clashes over today, and during the past four years tensions have only continued to rise. I would be breaking the ninth commandment (thou shall not bear false witness) if I did not admit that I have indeed studied other denominations with an evangelical nature to have a backup plan, or “exit strategy,” in the event that the UMC tears itself apart.

After an extensive study of other denominations such as the Presbyterian Church of America, Missouri Synod of the Lutheran Church, Roman Catholic Church, Southern Baptist Convention, and even the Eastern Orthodox Church, I realized that none of them lined up with my theological beliefs like the United Methodists do. I feel at home with this church because I did not actually grow up in it like some people, but instead felt led to it by God at age sixteen when I needed the church most in my life. I have felt this special connection to it ever since, but over these past few years a disconnect has started forming as the church drifts further and further away from the biblical truths that we have held for so many years. I could be like others who get out while they can and begin searching for a new church just like shopping for a new pair of shoes. I could seek out a nondenominational church with a good preacher and good music for a short time until I get tired and bored with that and need to move on again. I could do all of those things and leave behind the very church that brought me to Christ, but this is my home, and I will fight for it.

The UMC needs strong evangelical voices that affirm the authority and divine inspiration of Scripture to not only stay, but to become more vocal and present than ever before. Now is not the time to abandon ship and flee from the challenge, but rather to take a deep breath, equip ourselves with the Word of God, and bring the Gospel back to America. I cannot help my home denomination from the outside, therefore I need to become as integrated as possible by preaching from the whole Bible (yes, even Leviticus) in church on Sundays and defending the biblical positions of the church at Annual Conference each year. As I kept up with General Conference 2016 in Oregon, I happened to notice that the church never goes back to the Bible on anything anymore. Many of our resolutions have become purely based on the church’s response to the culture instead of evaluating what the Bible teaches and discerning how we can address these concerns while still holding to those biblical truths.

To be honest, I am not entirely sure what the UMC has become. Though I still love this denomination, I do not love the direction in which it is moving. It seems that many Methodists today have lost their path and no longer hold to prima scriptura (Scripture first) perspective in terms of how our faith is directed, which is a core necessity: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” (2 Tim. 3:16)

Yes, John Wesley developed the quadrilateral of Scripture, reason, experience, and tradition, but those four are not equal in nature. There are others coming into the church, like me, who hold to the authority of the Bible, and together we can build off of the foundations that have already been laid and envision a church that follows the Bible in all of its teachings.

The UMC is currently declining, and contrary to popular belief, it is not because the church is not relevant enough to our society and culture, or because the church is not inclusive enough, or even because the church is not modern and contemporary enough. No, the reason why our church is steadily decreasing in membership is because most Christians do not want to be part of a church that disregards the basis of our faith to protect the feelings of the few. That is not what the church is for. I believe, instead, that the church should comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable, balance truth and grace, and teach the Gospel. As Paul writes in Romans, “I appeal to you brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve.” (Romans 16:17-18) The church needs strong evangelical voices to continue to speak truth and uphold the Word of God lest the prominent postmodern voices in our society and culture deceive the hearts of faithful United Methodists any further.

Can the UMC be saved from schism and dissolution? Yes! However, it absolutely cannot be done without God’s help. I am not sure that I have ever met a Christian who has not believed that the Bible is the Word of God and that He speaks to us through it. Therefore it follows that if we ignore what the Bible says, then we are ignoring God’s voice in our very lives. I constantly hear people saying that they’re waiting for God to speak to them, yet they never open up the Bible and read what He says. It is exactly like sitting in a classroom on the first day of school and raising your hand to ask the professor a question that is already answered in the syllabus. This divide is not about same-sex marriage or the steady decrease in membership, but rather in how we view Scripture as the director of our theology.

The UMC is not a lost cause. This past General Conference has proven that as we took a strong stance against abortion, even though every other mainline denomination supports it. We took an evangelical and biblical position when the world thought that our church would just follow the Episcopalians and Lutherans. We defied the odds, we surprised the world, and we can do it again. I love the United Methodist Church because I believe that it has diversity unmatched by any other denomination. Our worship services vary from the extremely formal and traditional to the energetically spirited and contemporary. Nearly half of our entire membership is from Africa. Our churches range in membership from twenty to well over twenty thousand, and we have four generations – from the great grandson all the way to the great grandfather – attending every Sunday morning to worship God together. It will take a significant amount of work, but if evangelicals actually stick together we can preserve the United Methodist tradition of teaching and upholding the authority of the Bible so that generations down the line will be able to call the same church their home.

Adrian G. Morgan is beginning his second year of pursing a Master of Divinity degree with a focus in Biblical Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary. Upon graduation he plans to return to his home region of East Texas to pastor a local United Methodist congregation.