Leaders of every major faction and region of the United Methodist Church have now agreed that (1) our debates over homosexuality come from far deeper divisions over more basic questions, and (2) our denomination’s level of infighting has become unsustainable, and so we must have some sort of a split. Absolutely no one in the United Methodist Church has any serious, honest, and sustainable plan for how all United Methodists could still remain in one denomination. And yet for most rank-and-file church members, there are many unanswered questions, big and small, about the impending United Methodist split.
Last Sunday, I had the chance to speak to a United Methodist congregation in the Midwest about the coming United Methodist split.
As a sermon in the Sunday morning worship service, I preached on 1 Corinthians 6:1-11, 18-20 and Jude 1-4, 17-23. My sermon/presentation offered a big-picture “bird’s-eye view” of the United Methodist split, in light of relevant Scripture, church history, and how United controversies over homosexuality have become about far more than just homosexuality.
I begin around the 18:00 mark of the embedded video below:
Then during the Sunday school hour, I offered a more in-depth “worm’s eye view” of specific details and questions related to the coming United Methodist split.
This time was divided between three mini-presentations, each followed by a time of discussion with members of the congregation. The first segment addresses key details about the widely endorsed “Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation,” which remains the most serious plan for moving United Methodism past its cycles of worsening conflict, dysfunction, and decline. The second segment explains how not only will the two denominations emerging from the United Methodist split differ on same-sex weddings, but the liberal post-separation United Methodist Church (psUMC) and the traditionalist Global Methodist Church (GMC) will also differ on several other issues. I highlight a few of the most prominent of these other issues. The third and final segment directly addresses the question of if a United Methodist split is really unavoidable.
This Sunday school hour discussion is included in the video embedded below:
Both of the videos above address issues and questions that are very directly relevant to United Methodists throughout our denomination. So watching them may be helpful for other congregations, Sunday schools, pastors, and other church leaders seeking to better understand the nature of the coming United Methodist split.
One way or another, a time is coming when our congregations will have a choice to make of where we stand. The choice will be ours. And so will the consequences.
Documentation:
2016 General Conference Legislation Tracking: Prohibit Non-Christian Training (60558-FA-¶816.2-G); http://calms2016.umc.org/Menu.aspx?type=Petition&mode=Single&number=558
2019 General Conference Legislation Tracking: A Simple Plan #8 – Souto – Chargeable Offenses – Par. 2702.1 (90075-TC-¶2702.1-G); http://calms2019.umc.org/Menu.aspx?type=Petition&mode=Single&number=75
The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church (Nashville: United Methodist Publishing House, 2016).
Riley B. Case, Evangelical & Methodist: A Popular History (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2004).
“Covenant to Build BeLoved Community,” 2021 North Central Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church; http://www.ncjumc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/NCJ-Covenant-to-Build-BeLoved-Community-1.pdf
Draft Book of Doctrines and Discipline for a New Methodist Church, version 1.1. Wesleyan Covenant Association (WCA), 3 December 2020; https://wesleyancovenant.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Doctrines-and-Discipline-Version-1.pdf
“First openly gay United Methodist bishop stays, subject to church review.” The Guardian, 29 April 2017; https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/29/karen-oliveto-gay-lesbian-methodist-bishop
Global Methodist Church official website: www.globalmethodist.org
Ron Grossman, “Methodist bishop cleared of heresy.” Chicago Tribune, 18 February 2003; https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2003-02-19-0302190091-story.html
Heather Hahn, “Church disaffiliations, court cases mount.” UM News, 8 February 2022; https://www.umnews.org/en/news/church-disaffiliations-court-cases-mount
Eric Huffman, “From Skeptic to Believer,” Good News magazine, May-June 2021;
https://goodnewsmag.org/category/may-june-mj-2021/
Institute on Religion and Democracy, UMC Choices archive; www.juicyecumenism.com/tag/umc-choices/
Matt Jameson, “United Methodism’s Iliff Seminary Embraces Paganism.” Institute on Religion & Democracy, 14 February 2022; www.juicyecumenism.com/2022/02/14/united-methodist-iliff-paganism/
Charles Keysor, “Methodism’s Silent Minority.” Christian Advocate, July 14, 1966; https://goodnewsmag.org/2017/01/24/methodisms-silent-minority-4/
John Lomperis, “Karen Oliveto’s Theology of Criticizing Jesus, Defending Demon Possession.” Institute on Religion & Democracy, 16 July 2016; https://juicyecumenism.com/2016/07/16/karen-olivetos-theology-criticizing-jesus-defending-demon-possession/
John Lomperis, “Lesbian ‘Bishop’ Karen Oliveto Warns to Not ‘Create an Idol Out of’ Jesus, Says He Had ‘Bigotries and Prejudices’ (UPDATED).” Institute on Religion & Democracy, 15 September 2017; https://juicyecumenism.com/2017/09/15/lesbian-bishop-oliveto-warns-not-create-idol-jesus-says-bigotries-prejudices-updated/
“Master of Divinity, Islamic Chaplaincy.” Claremont School of Theology; https://cst.edu/master-of-divinity-islamic-chaplaincy/
Christa Meland, “NCJ delegates name commitment to anti-racism, LGBTQIA+ inclusion.” Illinois Great Rivers Conference News, 12 November 2021; https://www.igrc.org/newsdetail/15762802
“Methodist Family,” The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA); https://www.thearda.com/denoms/families/trees/familytree_methodist.asp
Leander W. Munhall, Breakers! Methodism Adrift (New York: C.C. Cook, 1913).
“Protocol on Reconciliation and Grace through Separation” official website: www.gracethroughseparation.org
Jeffrey Walton, “Episcopal Legal Expenses Estimated at $52 Million as Anglicans Receive Payout.” Institute on Religion & Democracy, 31 August 2021; https://juicyecumenism.com/2021/08/31/fort-worth-episcopal-lawsuit/
Comment by David on March 3, 2022 at 7:07 am
Had the ME Church South not been admitted back into the fold in the ’30s, the present situation may not have arisen.
Comment by Steve on March 3, 2022 at 11:34 am
I noticed you didn’t spend much time discussing the option to affiliate with another Methodist denomination like Frazer UMC in Montgomery, AL (which hosted the WCA conferences) is doing now by joining the Free Methodist Church. Since the Free Methodist Church is a traditional denomination (they profess marriage between a man and woman only and allow preexisting churches who affiliate with them to keep their property out of denominational trust) and they have been around for over 100 years, wouldn’t the better option for UMC traditional churches be to join the Free Methodists, or similar traditional Methodist denomination, rather than an upstart denomination like the GMC? Especially since the disaffiliation process has been made easier and traditional churches do not have to wait until another General Conference meets in order to leave?
Comment by John Kenyon on March 3, 2022 at 4:07 pm
Let us praise The Lord God Almighty that neither side is armed. I don’t see the big deal. When Justin Buttigieg becomes our first man, his husband will make us well. Like Finland, he will prosecute all of you deplorable, homophobic Scribe and Pharisees. BTW Have great deal on river front property on Ukraine. Call me. God bless you.
Comment by Jeff on March 3, 2022 at 4:09 pm
Steve, indeed fleeing the foundering UMC as a congregation for a connectional Wesleyan denomination that “has it together” in doctrine, mission and identity is an attractive option, but maybe an expensive one. For the corrupt UMC it’s all about “das Geld” you know.
Or individual Christ followers can flee the corrupt, feckless, incompetent, neurotic and confused UMC/WCA/GMC mess altogether, for a Word-based, Spirit-filled and -led “nondenominational”. Or even plant a home church, water it, and watch the Spirit give increase.
I didn’t leave the UMC; it left me. Cliche, but true.
Blessings!
Comment by Anthony on March 3, 2022 at 5:28 pm
Adam Hamilton already has the way for the psUMC. He is correct to state the current issue is not about homosexuality, but the BIBLE. All will, indeed, be welcome and extreme inclusiveness will be the norm as all will be handed the three buckets to dissect the Bible as each sees fit. It will be a glorious time as sin, beginning with sexual sin, is tossed into buckets two and three. From there – nothing will be immune. And, these people are already telling saying that a traditionalist like me will be welcomed and respected in that place.
ADAM HAMILTON:
“The real issue for the church is not homosexuality, but the Bible,” Adam Hamilton writes. “And the underlying issue regarding the Bible is what kind of book the Bible is and how God has spoken, and continues to speak through it.”
Hamilton proposes in his book that there are three “buckets” into which scriptures fall:
1. Scriptures that express God’s heart, character and timeless will for human beings.
2. Scriptures that expressed God’s will in a particular time, but are no longer binding.
3. Scriptures that never fully expressed the heart, character or will of God.
Comment by GM on March 3, 2022 at 8:45 pm
I occasionally visited Frazer when in Montgomery for work and heard the news that they will join the Free Methodist Church. Curious if that will be a temporary home till the Global Methodist Church is up and running.
Comment by Jeff on March 4, 2022 at 2:05 am
Anthony,
>> Adam Hamilton already has the way for the psUMC… It will be a glorious time as sin, beginning with sexual sin, is tossed into buckets two and three.
You nailed it.
Of all the many heretics breeding within the UMC, Hamilton is among the very worst. Why? Because with his “credentials” he gives cover to all manner of satanic evil creeping in to the UMC.
“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves [cough cough Adam Hamilton cough cough] to be wise, they became fools. And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man… Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves…”
From Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 1. I wonder into which bin the renowned Adam Hamilton places this inspired Word?
Blessings,
Jeff
Comment by Jerry on March 4, 2022 at 8:27 am
John Kenyon, you are a detestable heretic.
Comment by Pastor Mike on March 4, 2022 at 4:44 pm
Is it just me, or is the sound on these videos really bad (as in hard to hear – very low volume)?
Good content, John – but hard to listen to, even with an external speaker turned all the way up!
Comment by John Smith on March 5, 2022 at 5:13 pm
The orthodox got played and some of it was not their fault. CoVid played into the hands of the progressives and they have used the time constructively. Churches and conferences are being purged. If the protocol is passed I expect major amendments to the benefit of the progressives. I no longer believe any annual conference will leave for the GMC and the number of churches will be much smaller. It is time for the orthodox to walk away. Liquidate the assets, to include equity in buildings and any property that falls under the trust clause and create a new church. Leave the empty shell to the progressives.