Teddy Ray: One Church Plan – What are we voting on?

on January 25, 2019

UM Voices is a forum for different voices within the United Methodist Church on pressing issues of denominational concern. UM Voices contributors represent only themselves and not IRD/UMAction.

Rev. Teddy Ray is the founding pastor of the Offerings Community of First United Methodist Church in Lexington, KY, where he also serves as the Pastor of New Communities and Leadership Development. This article first appeared on his blog, and is reposted with permission. 

As we prepare for a Special General Conference next month, a majority of the UMC’s Bishops are supporting the “One Church Plan” (OCP). However, the plan’s theological claims directly contradict what our Bishops tell us the plan will do. If the OCP comes to a vote, we need to ask some questions about what exactly is being voted on and what precedents we’re setting for future votes.

An important question for Bishops supporting the OCP: Do you support the plan’s stated Theological Foundations, or do you support its proposed disciplinary changes?

And an important question for delegates to ask: Will a vote for the plan’s disciplinary changes be considered an acceptance of its theological foundations?

These are important questions because the One Church Plan’s stated Theological Foundations and the described effects of the plan are mutually contradictory.1

The One Church Plan’s effects, as described

On a website developed by a group of Bishops to promote the OCP, they try to allay the fears of anyone who affirms and upholds the church’s historic teaching regarding marriage and human sexuality:

No annual conferences, bishops, congregations, or pastors are compelled to act contrary to their convictions. The plan grants space for traditionalists to continue to offer ministry as they have in the past with explicit disciplinary assurances that no pastor or church shall be compelled to perform ministries that represent a conflict of conscience.

https://onechurchplan.org/faq/

This has been a key to what the OCP says it is about. “I’m okay. You’re okay.” It’s at the heart of why supporters have tried to promote this plan as one that preserves the UMC’s unity.2

The problem: The Theological Foundations for the plan directly undermine the notion that every Annual Conference should be able to make these decisions for itself.

The One Church Plan’s Theology, if implemented

Take a look at the key theological rationale for the plan, as noted in its “Theological & Biblical Foundations” section.

We are aware that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) persons exist in every nation and every culture in the world, with varying degrees of openness, acceptance, and freedom […] There are, and have been, LGBTQ persons serving at all levels of leadership in the UMC, as laity and clergy. Currently they suffer as they are unable to live into God’s calling on their lives to ordination or to lay leadership.”

This section makes plain the first concern of the OCP: “LGBTQ persons suffer when they are unable to be ordained.” 3

Where is this suffering taking place? “LGBTQ persons exist in every nation and every culture in the world.”

What should we do about it?

The very next paragraph of the plan makes it plain:

The UMC Social Principles state that all people are persons of sacred worth. This calls us to honor the human dignity of all persons and we believe that it is the calling of the church to be about the eradication of all forms of suffering. It is our sacred obligation to work to end suffering everywhere, that all might be free.4 We do this in order to live into our calling to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world.

At the heart of the OCP’s theological foundations, we find the church’s “sacred obligation to work to end suffering everywhere.”

If the supporters of this plan truly believe (a) LGBTQ persons suffer when they cannot be ordained, and (b) the church has a sacred obligation to work to end suffering everywhere, then they can only conclude that they have a sacred obligation to ensure ordination of LGBTQ persons everywhere.

Why would someone who believes the above support the OCP? After all, this is the only plan before our General Conference that would limit ordination of LGBTQ people by geography.5 It seems to me that you can only believe this plan’s theology and support its actual changes if you see it as a first step.

Should this plan pass our General Conference, I expect it to be used in the near future as support for mandated ordination of people in sexually‐active same sex relationships everywhere. The OCP’s own theological foundations would be used as support. There would be a call to carry the theological foundations we’ve already affirmed to their only rational conclusions. And without the many conservatives who will have inevitably left, that should be a vote that passes easily.

Questions for Delegates and our Bishops

For delegates who will choose to support the OCP, will your vote in favor be to support its theological foundations, or only its disciplinary changes? How can you ensure that an endorsement of this plan’s disciplinary changes is not an implicit endorsement of its theological foundations?

For our Bishops supporting this plan, do you support its theological foundations, which would make it your sacred obligation to work for LGBTQ ordination everywhere?

Bishops, you have pastors who will not perform same‐sex weddings. Ken Carter, as the President of the Council of Bishops, you will preside over annual conferences who will not ordain people in sexually active same‐sex relationships. Do you believe that those pastors and Annual Conferences are causing suffering? Do you believe it is the sacred obligation of the church to end that suffering?

Bishops Ken Carter, Cynthia Fierro Harvey, and Sue Haupert‐Johnson, as signing supporters of the OCP, how can you assure traditionalist pastors and annual conferences that you will protect their freedom to continue causing the suffering you say must end? The theology you espouse and the assurances you give to traditionalists are inconsistent. Which should we believe?

The One Church Plan lacks fundamental integrity. Its drafters and supporters have either overlooked this or must look to it as a first step on the way to more significant change.


  1. I detailed this previously in a longer article that approached it from a different angle and also discussed other issues. I thought it worth a different focus here.
  2. This is a false claim. It’s difficult to believe that those making the claim really believe it. Many churches and pastors have made it clear that they could not remain in the UMC in good conscience if this plan passes.
  3. An important note that I hate relegating to the footnotes and may expand in a later piece: I strongly disagree with how this language is used and what it suggests. The UMC does not prohibit ordination for LGBTQ persons. It prohibits ordination for anyone who is in a sexually active same‐sex relationship. Celibate people of any sexual orientation may be ordained in the UMC, along with people living in fidelity in a monogamous heterosexual relationship. These are bounds not based on sexual orientation but based on our theological understanding of God’s design for sexual intercourse. When you read “LGBTQ persons” throughout, please note my disclaimer here.
  4. A minor objection I decided not to spend more time on: Is the church’s calling truly to eradicate all forms of suffering? We are called to administer true justice and show mercy and compassion to one another. I am not sure this is the same as “eradicating all forms of suffering.”
  5. The Connectional Conferences Plan limits by ideology within the denomination, but not by geography. The Traditional Plan limits by denomination, by affording the option to create a new Methodist denomination, unlimited by geography, that would ordain LGBTQ people.
  1. Comment by LaVerne Valdez on January 25, 2019 at 9:23 am

    John 17:14-17 Jesus Prays For His Disciples, “I have given Them your Word & The World has Hated Them, for They are Not of The World. My Prayer is that You Protect Them From The Evil One. Sanctify Them By The Truth, Your Word is Truth.” For those that clearly Know & Follow The Holy Scriptures, it seems futile to try to change the minds of those that already made a decision. To All that has posted reference to Romans 1:18-32 Truly understand the Joys of Serving Gods Word. There is One Faith left that I know of that Stands by ‘Gods Word’ Jehovah Witnesses. I studied with them for 4 years in my youth & I know they would Never put up with this! They may not have a Choir, But They have The Truth! That’s where I am heading back too! I have always kept in touch with them, And you can’t beat their True Love & Joy to each other as well.

  2. Comment by Skipper on January 25, 2019 at 10:33 am

    LaVerne, there are many faiths that stand by the Word of God. You need to be careful about something with the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Their official concept of Jesus has him created, not a part of God. That makes a big difference. Therefore they would not worship Christ. Often they don’t know their official position though.

  3. Comment by LaVerne Valdez on January 25, 2019 at 11:42 am

    Skipper, Their concept of Jesus is John 1:1-4 In the beginning was the Word & the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. This one was in the beginning with God. All things came into existence through him, and apart from him not even one thing came into existence. What has come into existence by means of him was life and the life was the light of men. (please notice “the Word was a god,” g-is lower case in reference to Jesus being the Word) This is Jehovah Witnesses position, they do Not believe in the Trinity & they do Not put Christ above God. They do however believe in Jesus as a separate being, the Son.

  4. Comment by Skipper on January 25, 2019 at 7:57 pm

    The Bible says “the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
    “The Word was a god” is only in their make-shift translation, the New World. Check any other bible. They changed it to suit their theology.

  5. Comment by LaVerne Valdez on January 25, 2019 at 9:14 pm

    Skipper, “The Word” was & is Distinct from “The Father” The Gospels also links “Light” with Christ. I’m just clearing up your misconception of the Witnesses, when you replied “they don’t know there official position” Sure they do, I was just giving it to you.

  6. Comment by Skipper on January 26, 2019 at 10:37 am

    Most I have met consider Jesus as God in the flesh, the King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s just like the Christian understanding. I just wanted to mention that their official position is different thought. Those I have met do consider homosexual behavior to be very evil, as you suggest. Thanks for responding.

  7. Comment by Skipper on January 25, 2019 at 10:29 am

    The Traditional Plan is what most people want, thank goodness! Delegates need to watch the crafty bishops carefully because they will cause problems if they can. Be glad they can’t vote!

  8. Comment by Lee D. Cary on February 20, 2019 at 1:20 pm

    It’s a very sad state of affairs when Bishops & trustworthy are implicitly thought compatible. How did we get here?

  9. Comment by Lee D. Cary on February 20, 2019 at 1:22 pm

    typo: “incompatible”

  10. Comment by William on January 25, 2019 at 5:57 pm

    The ‘one’ church plan is the most egregious deception EVER placed before the MethodIst Church. How can anyone utter the words, “one church plan”, with a straight face? Of course it is but STEP ONE. Ken Carter, please, please round up your fellow liberal bishops and your rapidly shrinking flocks and go to the Episcopal Church. They’ve already passed through step one — their local option and are well on their way to where you seem to want to be.

  11. Comment by Lee D. Cary on February 19, 2019 at 12:23 pm

    William, you wrote “Ken Carter, please, please round up your fellow liberal bishops and your rapidly shrinking flocks and go to the Episcopal Church.” Fine suggestion, sir.

    An Episcopal Church (EC) provision went into effect in early Dec ’18 that now requires EC Bishops to permit priests in their diocese to conduct same sex marriages. One EC Bishop, William H. Love, Albany Diocese, said he would not abide by that prohibition on his responsibilities. He is prepared to accept the consequences. He send a Pastoral Letter to his Dioceses. It’s warrants reading at http://tinyurl.com/ybww9p3h.

    His story can be read at http://tinyurl.com/y2g7hom9, on “Militant Church,” a Roman Catholic website.

  12. Comment by Ronald Lewis on January 25, 2019 at 10:28 pm

    Until 18 years ago I had been a lifelong member of the Disciples of Christ denomination and a lay elder for a large number of years. I loved the precepts the denomination was founded upon. As the view on sexuality was changing (and since each congregation in the DOC is autonomous) I could have moved to another congregation that held to my conclusions. However as I evaluated the direction the national office of the denomination was taking and aligning with the “Church of Christ” denomination, I felt I could not march under a denominational banner that “in effect” said: “We do what is right in our own eyes on core issues”.

    I say this to illustrate that even with the freedom given in the first 2 plans there will be those who will not be able to affiliate with them. (And this doesn’t even take into account a possible change in the stand on abortion.

  13. Comment by Victor Ubiera on January 26, 2019 at 4:36 pm

    The problem with OCP is that its theological foundations are not either biblical, nor actually “theological”. They may be politically correct statements but not biblical affirmations which of course do not resist or pass the best biblical exegesis.

  14. Comment by Darel Veal on February 4, 2019 at 4:33 pm

    It’s a ruse plain and simple, a proverbial trojan horse. It is the same ruse that has already fooled other denominations who bought into it. Ask them where they are now, regarding these same issues. They certainly have one church alright, but it is no longer the church of historic, apostolic, orthodox Christianity. I don’t understand how we can allow Wesley’s legacy to become even more tarnished than it has been already. God help us.

  15. Comment by Terri Beller on February 7, 2019 at 2:09 pm

    It’s comforting to know that the true church is not in any denomination but it is the individual believers around the world that make up the body of the church, with Christ as our head.
    This apostasy in Methodism seems to be very scriptural in these last times. The book of Revelation identifies churches that have fallen away and are doing what Christ hates. Sexual immorality is specifically mentioned. Teddy Ray, you rock!
    You were of great comfort to me 10 years ago when you wrote a piece responding to a liberal article on Methodists celebrating abortion. From Iowa to Kentucky—God Bless You.

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