United Methodist drag queens as spiritual leaders in the denomination has once again become a hot topic in the news. The following guest article is adapted, with permission, from a November 13 email the Rev. Beth Ann Cook recently sent to supporters of the Indiana Confessing Movement, of which she is President. Cook is also an ordained UMC Elder, pastor of Logansport First UMC, and president of the Indiana Confessing Movement. She loves Jesus, chocolate, and cheering for the Indianapolis Colts.
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Dear friends,
I’ve just returned home from a wonderful retreat with artist friends. During our time of seeking the LORD’s still small voice I stepped off of social media and did not return non-emergency phone calls. When I turned my phone on and went back on social media I discovered so many people reaching out to me about this Religion and News Service article: Meet the UMC Pastor featured on Drag Reality Show “We’re Here.”
The pastor in the article is Indiana UMC Elder Craig Duke who is at Newburgh United Methodist Church. I was actually aware of the taping of the show which happened some time back. My understanding is Rev. Duke sprang this on his congregation as a surprise, which makes it even more disturbing.
I’m also aware that the “Room for All Coalition” (a group of leaders who are self-described progressives and centrists in INUMC) recently held an event at Broadway UMC in Indianapolis featuring Isaac Simmons whose drag personality is “Miss Penny Cost”.
These events have upset a lot of people. I’ve had sad conversations with Indiana pastors and lay leaders struggling to deal with the fall out. Some have lost members/major givers or are on the verge of doing so. At least one is worried about making payroll because of key givers leaving.
Most communications that I get have two questions in them:
1) What do I do?
2) When can I/we separate from this?
I’m going to do my best to help you process those questions in this email.
Let’s start with the “What do I do?” question.
a. Think/speak theologically.
As pastors and lay leaders our job is to help people in the pews understand God’s word, God’s heart, and how to be God’s people in the midst of the culture we live in. This is an opportunity to do that.
b. Affirm that God loves LGBTQ persons.
Lets start with where we agree with Rev. Craig Duke. God loves LGBTQ+ persons including his daughter. This is not up for debate. Every person is made in the image of God and loved by God. All people need the ministry of the church and should be welcome in our pews.
The debate in our church is whether God’s word affirms same-gender sexual relationships and whether non-celibate gay clergy should be ordained. We should also be aware as we respond that many LGBTQ persons have been hurt by churches. We need to speak truth in love.
Many theological conservatives are angry at the way progressive leaders in the UMC have disregarded the decisions of General Conference and done outrageous things that cause division in our churches. In our anger let’s make sure we don’t sin! Too often the church has given the impression that that the sins of gay people are somehow worse than the sins of straight people. They are not. God loves all people. All people sin and fall short of God’s glorious standard.
c. Seek to understand what others believe and how that will shape the churches birthed in the future.
In the Religion and News Service Article Rev. Duke explains why he preached in drag. He and other progressive/centrist clergy believe that this is God’s will and a great way to reach out into a marginalized community for Christ. He simply has a different understanding of what God’s call and holiness looks like than I do. His understanding has been shaped by his love for his daughter and her friends.
The handwriting is on the wall for what kind of church the post-separation (also called Continuing United Methodist Church) will be. We should pay attention to the values, goals, and ideals of those leading the church in the future.
The Indiana Room for All Coalition is made up of progressive and centrist leaders in our conference, including District Superintendents and General Conference delegates. This is the group that brought Drag preacher Isaac Simmons (Penny Cost) in as keynote speaker [that is him in the picture above—Ed.]. They have been clear that their vision of the church is “fully inclusive” of practicing LGBTQ clergy.
The Wesleyan Covenant Association and Global Methodist Church Transition Team are casting a different vision based on a different understanding of holiness. Every church should explore the vision and values of both the post-separation/continuing UMC and the Global Methodist Church. Which vision of the church best fits with your congregation?
Here is an article from the INUMC website that details the vision set forward recently by the North Central Jurisdiction: NCJ Delegates Name Commitment to Anti-racism, LGBTQIA+ Inclusion and an excellent critique of that statement from Illinois Great Rivers Rev. Bob Phillips: What’s Missing from the NCJ. Delegation Statement.
d. Do some soul searching of our own.
My friend Chris Ritter is a gift to the church. Chris is in Illinois Great River Annual Conference where Isaac Simmons aka Penny Cost is seeking ordination. He wrote a thoughtful and helpful blog called “How Drag Queen Clergy Help the Church” which I encourage you to read. In it he writes:
But even for traditionalists, the emergence from the vestry of drag queen clergy provides a teachable moment for the church. When we see a drag queen, we see something in our own souls… wrapped in a gaudy, bedazzled vessel. And taking a long, reflective look in the mirror may be exactly what Christ wants the church to be doing right now. If you haven’t noticed, the church in North America is currently being pruned by our Vinedresser (John 15). Branches not bearing fruit are being lobbed into the fire so a leaner, more fruitful configuration can emerge to the glory of God. Drag queen clergy show us our own addiction to fabulous at the expense of fruitful.
Megachurch pastors wearing $3,000 sneakers are an easy example of gaudy self-expression celebrated in the church. But run-of-the-mill congregations platform the flesh in our own ways. We love to hype our own trappings of success, intellectualism, architecture, social awareness, or cultural relevance. If drag seems a weird flex, it is really just the garden-variety pride with which we all tempted. Carnality run amuck demands the spotlight. We tell ourselves it is somehow for a greater good when it is really just the same old internal Golden Calf — manufactured with the help of our excess jewelry — leaking out to be praised instead of God.
d. Educate people in the pews about the coming separation in the UMC—and the exciting potential for ministry in the Global Methodist Church.
The average person in the pews knows little of our denominational disagreements or the coming division. We must help the average person in the pews understand what is happening. Pastors have sought to shield them from it either because they were afraid of it causing division or because they didn’t want to answer difficult questions about their own theology.
We have the opportunity to cast a vision for what is coming–which is exciting and hopeful. Take a look at the plans for the GMC here: Global Methodist Church
I recently saw progressive clergy in a Facebook group talking about how much they disagree with our theology but how they admire the exciting work for renewal of local churches that has been done in preparing for the GMC! They are actually jealous of what we are preparing.
e. Meet local church members and givers where they are with regard to tithes and offerings.
Many of you are telling me that your members simply won’t or can’t put money in the offering plate anymore. They are deeply offended and do not want their money supporting this kind of teaching. Church budgets are taking a significant hit. One pastor literally said he is worried about paying his staff members after conversations this week with members about Rev. Duke and the HBO show.
Some pastors I’ve talked with are concerned because laity are voting in board meetings to stop paying appointments (also called mission shares). Pastors must NOT be involved in any decision not to pay Annual Conference tithes as this is a chargeable offense. If laity choose to take this action, the concerned pastor can ask that it be noted in the church board minutes that they advised against this action and that a copy of those minutes be sent to their Superintendent. You can also encourage the laity to write directly to the Bishop to express their disappointment and concerns.
f. Pray.
Pray the church. Pray for God’s word to go forth with both truth and grace to set people free. Pray for LGBTQ persons. Pray for pastors. Pray for an amicable separation for the UMC as soon as possible.
Now on to the question of “When can I/we separate?”
Hopefully the protocol will be passed in less than a year. But I have no guarantee of that. I’m cautiously optimistic that General Conference can be held as scheduled in August/September of 2022. International travel is resuming and vaccination is becoming available in many places. But I can’t guarantee that. It really depends on the pandemic. Here is a helpful article by my colleague on the Commission on General Conference, Joe DiPaolo: What is happening with General Conference in 2022?
Churches can disaffiliate now in Indiana with a high price tag. Some have chosen to do that. Most that have disaffiliated are churches that really want to be independent. I personally do not want to be part of an independent congregation. I believe churches should be in connection and that pastors/congregations need healthy accountability to prevent problems. I’ve seen to many violations of trust including financial abuses in independent churches.
Some annual conferences have not been willing to use this provision passed at General Conference, but Indiana’s cabinet has been fair in administering it. A few churches have considered disaffiliating now and joining Global Methodist Church later. This is possible. But the money that would be given to Indiana conference is money your local church could use to reach the lost, feed the hungry, and help those in the bondage of addiction be set free.
Some pastors who have contacted me have said that they are considering retirement. My answer to you is the same as Mary to the servants at Cana. You should pray and “do whatever Jesus tells you to do.” Here is the thing–Jonah took the first boat out of Joppa and ended up fish puke. For many years now my prayer has been to never run from what God is calling me to do. I simply don’t want to be fish puke. The big question you must discern is what God is calling you to do!
Please know that I’m praying for you and appreciate your prayers for me. God is good all the time. All the time, God is good.
Blessings and peace,
Beth Ann
Comment by Star Tripper on November 22, 2021 at 8:16 am
Drag queens in the pulpit happens when a church falls away from using Scripture to make decisions and uses public opinion or feelings.
Comment by E C on November 22, 2021 at 11:35 am
Wise guidance, extremely well written.
Comment by Bob phillips on November 22, 2021 at 12:07 pm
Wise, practical, gracious, solid in both truth and love. Thanks!
Comment by betsy on November 22, 2021 at 1:24 pm
As a lifelong, multi-generational Methodist/United Methodist, I am in possession of several small antique Disciplines from the Methodist Episcopal South; their years of publication range from 1894-1922. It was back in the day when the Book of Doctrine and Discipline was small enough for everybody to have one in their possession. However, I discovered something in the 1894 Discipline that gave me a long term perspective of the problems the UMC is currently experiencing. In 1890 the General Conference was concerned enough about where the church was headed that they mandated that the Bishops come up with an address on “Worldly Amusements” to be included in the 1894 Book of Discipline. Here is an excerpt from that address:
“Fundamentally correct in our views of scriptural truth, and, in, the main, commendably consistent in our conduct, we have departed, in some instances, from the simplicity of the gospel as we first received it. An inordinate love of the word, i the forms of wealth, of fashion, and of amusement, has largely diffused itself amongst our people and corrupted their spiritual integrity. The peculiar institutions and usages of Methodism have been frequently neglected or abandoned, and a relaxation of wholesome discipline has diminished our strength and impaired our testimony against the vices of the age in which we live. To these tendencies, to which we are perpetually exposed by the pressure of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and to those actual departures from the ‘old paths’, we earnestly call your prayerful attention.”
The address on “Worldly Amusements” was also included in the Disciplines of 1918 and 1922 but is not present in the 1926 Discipline.
Comment by Jimmie Boyd on November 22, 2021 at 1:31 pm
Not all “sins” have been named in the Bible, but enough have been for the average person to know what God “hates”. ! When a sin is called an “Abomination” in the Bible , it is the most blatant sin! That does not reduce the severity of “common” sins though. God loves every human being ever born! No Christian can doubt that , but my Bible says when you accept Jesus and ask forgiveness of your sins they are forgiven! Then you will become a “saved” Christian who should no linger desire those sins! That means that you now know that sins you committed before are forgiven by God !
This means that you are not to commit those sins again! Especially those “ Abomination” sins! Why would God lift “man lying with man” to the level of Abomination if He specifically forbid that sin?? Because he specifically hates that sin! To bring a practice into any church that God calls abomination is a “ Grave” sin and you will have to answer to God for that same as other sinners! None of us are exempt from God’s wrath!
God will not be mocked!! We cannot vontinue to allow the world of sin to be accepted as Christian practice that is ok. We see the damage done! God says to us “Come out of the world”!!
God help us all go separate ways i. Peace!!
Comment by David S. on November 22, 2021 at 2:01 pm
Wise advice. I think similar things should be said of members as well. I would also add one additional concern, which led to my decision regarding another mainline denomination. Personal health. If the abdication and rejection of even basic orthodoxy, let’s forget about sex, marriage, ordination, gender, etc., I am talking about items such as a very popular teaching by that false bishop in the Western Jurisdiction that has infected other mainline denominations ascribing sin to Jesus in Matthew 15 that has bearing on the implications of basic Christianity. If one is finding himself or herself so angry or stressed over the rejection of requiring adherence to basic orthodoxy affecting the most basic and core of theologies related to salvation, and said stress could lead to heart attack, stroke, etc., then perhaps it is time to leave. A person cannot effectively be of service to God or their family in such a situation. It may create family upset, but loss of livelihood due to disability or death vs. maintaining affiliation with people who clearly are advocating a different religion is not worth anything in the world. And, much of progressive theology is a different religion masquerading under the terminology of Christianity, like the Prosperity Gospel, Mormonism, JW, and other cults do.
And to be charitable, let me be clear that I differentiate between those who are socially progressive, but in matters of salvation hold to orthodoxy, and those who are socially progressive and either believe in accommodating those, who don’t, or they themselves don’t hold to orthodoxy in matters pertaining to salvation. Sadly, it seems though the wolves, which are the latter, have been quite successful in deceiving the former into letting them hold controls of the levers of power.
Comment by David on November 22, 2021 at 3:09 pm
Methodist church services have changed quite a bit over the years. Prior to the 1920s, the brass cross and candlesticks on the communion table were uncommon. Then churches were built as altar-centered instead of the traditional pulpit-centered meeting house. The plan of Episcopal churches was deemed increasingly more respectable. In the 1940s and 50s, Methodist clergy began wearing gowns, again reflecting the desire to be more formal. At first, the gowns were black and since largely changed to white. One model sold today is similar to what the Pope wears with a shoulder cape. Meanwhile, the wearing of jackets and ties by men in the congregation seems to have withered.
Despite all these changes, I do not see the point of a costumed preacher. There might be some justification for 1st century apparel, liturgical robes are based on ancient forms, but odd dress becomes distracting. I no more see the point of drag than appearing in a dinosaur costume.
Comment by Dan W on November 22, 2021 at 8:47 pm
“Love your neighbor even if she’s a drag queen” is a legit Christian message.
“If you don’t accept your new pastor, the drag queen, you aren’t showing the love of Christ” is nonsense.
You can fool all of the people some of the time… but then they wise up and leave with their tithes, as they should.
Comment by Chris Mullis on November 23, 2021 at 7:32 am
Excellent advice, Beth. Thank you for sharing this.
Comment by td on November 23, 2021 at 9:02 pm
I laughed when i read in the letter that a pastor who suggests or endorses withholding apportionments from his or her church is subject to disciplinary action- because that is exactly who was leading the charge in local churches here to withhold apportionments after the 2019 decision at the special GC.
Comment by Walt Pryor on November 25, 2021 at 1:03 pm
God says; “I am holy and you should seek to be Holy too.”
We are already unclean but we seek to be clean.
The word “UNCLEAN” describes those who indulge in sexual fantasies.
The closer we follow God’s word the better off we will be.
Comment by Ellard Lee Jensen on November 26, 2021 at 8:58 am
God is weeding out of the UMC those that will not follow Him as depicted in His Word, the Bible. So let the LGBTQ crowd go their own way. They as a “church” will not survive as the food they have to provide is not the spiritual food that believers desire.
Comment by Anthony on November 29, 2021 at 6:38 pm
If you want to read one of the most deceptive, misleading, contorted, and egregious pack of falsehoods, wrapped in the sweetest dialogue, ever issued at any time in the Methodist Church, read this document issued by the Council of Bishops on November 4, 2021:
COUNCIL OF BISHOPS
A Narrative for the Continuing United Methodist Church
United Methodists all over the globe are liturgical, contemporary, charismatic, social activists, urban, suburban, small town, rural and much more. We are children, youth, young adults, senior adults, new Christians, and mature Christians. We are present on four continents, in more than 45 countries, and we comprise an unknown number of cultures and languages. We are a holy communion of different races, ethnicities, cultures, and perspectives united by the Holy Spirit, driven by the mission of Christ, and bearing the good news of an unmerited grace that changes lives and transforms communities.
Christ’s prayer for our unity and command to gather all to the table, to make space for one another, appreciate one another, and look for Christ in each other, prohibit us from creating individual tables only for those who think, act, look, and perceive the world like we do. We cannot be a church that fractures its identity and commitment to Christ by aligning itself with political parties. We cannot be a traditional church or a progressive church or a centrist church. We cannot be a gay or straight church. Our churches must be more than echo chambers made in our own image arguing with each other while neglecting our central purpose. This is the way of the world.
Instead, we must be one people, rooted in scripture, centered in Christ, serving in love and united in the essentials. It is hard work. It is sacred work. It is the ministry of reconciliation that Christ gave to each of us. Our best witness is to love each other as Christ loves us, to show the world the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to bind us together despite our differences. This is living out the gospel.
We are a church:
• Confident in what God has done in Christ Jesus for all humankind
• Committed to personal and social salvation/transformation
• Courageous in dismantling the powers of racism, tribalism, and colonialism
All of our members, clergy, local churches, and annual conferences will
continue to have a home in the future United Methodist Church, whether they consider themselves liberal, evangelical, progressive, traditionalist, middle of the road, conservative, centrist, or something else. We hold on to our Wesleyan heritage that “the living core of the Christian faith is revealed in Scripture, illuminated by tradition, vivified in personal experience, and confirmed by reason”.
We are longing for a United Methodist Church that will move towards new forms of being a connectional church, a General Conference focused on global essentials, and an empowerment of regions for contextually relevant forms of living our common mission mandate. Deeply rooted in the Doctrinal Standards of the UMC, we pledge to exercise our episcopal role in ways that enable as many United Methodists, lay and clergy, as are willing to remain in the UMC and – together – to continue in making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. And, because we are part of the Church Universal, we seek to be united visibly and in ministries with other parts of the Body of Christ in God’s mission for the human family and creation.
We are committed to strengthening every local church, where the word is preached and Christ is offered, and where the table is set before all who hunger and thirst for righteousness, confident in the prayer we have learned to say and share:
• Make us one with Christ—this is faithfulness.
• Make us one with each other—this is unity.
• Make us one in ministry to all the world—this is fruitfulness.
This is the United Methodist Church we love and serve!
Council of Bishops
The United Methodist Church November 4, 2021
Comment by Anthony on November 29, 2021 at 6:44 pm
My analysis of the bishops’ narrative below:
“A Narrative for the Continuing United Methodist Church”, issued by the Council of Bishops, is a vague, confusing, misleading, and artfully biased document — yet is inadvertently revealing in a number of ways.
The Bishops have finally and officially acknowledged that the United Methodist Church is in crisis and facing separation. They identify the underlying reasons for this pending separation and expose their own leadership failures by deferring to a future United Methodist Church that of which they have failed to achieve in the present church.
They state that the future United Methodist Church, “must be one people, rooted in scripture, centered in Christ, serving in love and united in the essentials”. They go on to claim that, “all our members, clergy, local churches, and annual conferences will continue to have a home in this future United Methodist Church whether they consider themselves liberal, evangelical, progressive, traditionalist, middle of the road, conservative, or something else”. This is stated in the face of the stark reality that these same groups are presently in an irreconcilable conflict and looking to separation as the solution.
These conflicting groups named by the bishops certainly do not identify as one people, certainly do not agree on what rooted in Scripture means, certainly do not agree on what centered in Christ means, and certainly do not agree on what the essential include. Otherwise, this whole conflict would not be happening, there would not have been the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation negotiated by major church leaders representing the varying perspectives of these groups, and these groups would certainly not be supporting any sort of separation plan.
So, they put forth their key deceptive message that all these conflicting groups will somehow have a home together in this “Continuing United Methodist Church” tomorrow — this being in the face of the reality that the Protocol has already been negotiated. Yet they state — “Deeply rooted in the Doctrinal Standards of the UMC, we pledge to exercise our episcopal role in ways that enable as many United Methodists, lay and clergy, as are willing to remain in the UMC and – together” after more than fifty years of not exercising their episcopal role ways to achieve this.
Furthermore, and of great significance, this narrative demonstrates that the bishops have staked out a hard position on one side of this conflict today while attempting to hide behind this false pretentiousness that they’ll suddenly work with all these conflicting groups in unity tomorrow.
This document shows no signs of any objectivity, no signs of real episcopal leadership, no signs of honest and truthful guidance, and no signs of realistic direction to follow for a fair and balanced process to actually help with an amicable separation. As the episcopal leaders of the whole United Methodist Church, they obviously should be overseeing and guaranteeing a process ensuring that all information is freely shared and open opportunities offered for comparing and contrasting the new emerging Methodist denominations — especially the crucial information needed for to accurately compare and contrast the Post Separation United Methodist Church and the Global Methodist Church.