This website has previously addressed how the United Methodist Church’s governance has become hopelessly dysfunctional and broken. This brokenness is more succinctly explained in today’s guest piece, by Dr. Trav Wilson, lead pastor of Madison United Methodist Church in lovely downtown Madison, Alabama. He earned his M.Div. at Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, Georgia and his D.Min. in the Beeson Program at Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. He and his wife Becca have two teen daughters who are as gorgeous and as smart as their mother.
Wilson originally posted the following reflection on Facebook. Reposted with permission.
UM Voices is a forum for different voices within the United Methodist Church on pressing issues of denominational and/or social concern. UM Voices contributors represent only themselves and not IRD/UMAction.
Imagine if you will an alternative reality in which:
1. There is no President of the United States.
2. The executive power of the United States Government and its Bureaucracy is wielded only by the Governors.
3. Many of the Governors disregard and disobey the United States Constitution. And there is no one to stop them.
4. The Supreme Court does exist, but in the past many of the Governors have refused to abide its rulings because there is no way to enforce them without the consent of those Governors. Alas, the Supreme Court is now controlled by the Governors and the Bureaucracy of the United States Government.
5. There is no Senate.
6. However, the House of Representatives does exist.
7. The House of Representatives writes and enacts all the laws of the United States.
8. These laws are supposed to be obeyed by the Governors.
9. Yet the Governors proposed new laws to the House of Representatives to ensure their own power and advance their own agenda – regardless of the people’s wishes.
10. The House of Representatives refused to pass those proposed laws, and instead pass their own reforms to limit the power of the Governors and bring the government of the United States in line with the Constitution.
Now, imagine this: the Governors and the Bureaucracy of the United States Government have repeatedly stopped the House of Representatives from meeting for up to five years so no further reforms may be enacted.
What would you expect would come of such a situation in the United States?
Would many of the people cry out for revolution?
Would still others remain silent, because they like the power and the agenda of the Governors?
Yes and yes.
Alas, this is not an alternative reality.
This the state of the United Methodist Church. The Governors are the Bishops. The Supreme Court is the Judicial Council. The House of Representatives is the General Conference. The people are you: United Methodists who care enough to read this.
Can you trust a system so dysfunctional that this state of affairs would be permitted and even encouraged?
If not, then it’s time for a peaceful, Christian revolution. Let us disaffiliate by congregation or by family or by individual person.
We will meet back together again in The Global Methodist Church: for only there may we be truly United and truly Methodist.
Comment by Dan W on September 20, 2022 at 12:23 pm
What safeguards are the Global Methodists proposing to prevent this same scenario in the future? If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck…
Comment by Steve on September 20, 2022 at 12:32 pm
The GMC doesn’t even have an agreed upon polity. They are working from a “transitional” BOD that up until the end of May contradicted what they where telling churches about being able to own their own property. Yet this writer criticizes the UMC’s polity. Wow! I’m not saying the UMC is great, or even good, but at least it exists and not to be determined until after churches join it. Buyer beware!
Comment by Roger on September 20, 2022 at 4:42 pm
I have watched a video of the Global Methodist Church, and read articles, and Global means all peoples will be welcomed into the Global Church. I have asked a few Pastors, how will Progressives be treated in the New Church. They first answer as anyone else. Then I ask will there be borders for Progressives to follow? Then they become silent and don’t know. As Steve above has replied they are still working on a Transitional BOD. They need to address these issues of sexuality and Protocol more clearly soon for transparency, so Churches may be informed, before people have to vote on disaffiliation or not as the deadline for paperwork to the DS is approaching. It appears that the vote should come before the paperwork is filled out and not afterward. Cart or Horse first?
Comment by PSC on September 20, 2022 at 7:34 pm
Once again we get the false binary choice between UMC and GMC. Other denominations, some progressive and some traditional, are accepting UMC congregations that have chosen to disaffiliate. And other congregations have chosen to go indy/non-denom.
Comment by Gary Bebop on September 20, 2022 at 8:48 pm
It’s not a “binary choice,” of course, but the GMC is the only denomination specially designed to receive churches that have come out of the fire of the current travail. The GMC is arguably a better fit than other options (such as Free Methodism, Evangelical Methodism, or Church of the Nazarene). Denominations (and local churches) are church cultures.
Older holiness denominations have distinct cultural traits. Theologically they may resemble their cousins, but they are not the same. Think of this as family ethos (the differing traits within a family tree). We know this because two United Methodist churches only blocks apart may have incompatible attitudes and organizational quirks.
Comment by PSC on September 21, 2022 at 3:45 pm
You’re right, Gary. “We know this because two United Methodist churches only blocks apart may have incompatible attitudes and organizational quirks.” That’s true where I live. One former MEC, the other former MEC,S. Old habits, traditions, and cultural attitudes die hard.
Comment by Gil Pedras on September 21, 2022 at 9:03 pm
I think the immediate need is to leave a sinking ship. The episcopacy model hasn’t worked well because bishops just have a hard time being disciplinary leaders. They are elected for popularity in their annual conferences and because of political stance. Time to jettison the episcopal model and go to a congregationally-based system of accountability coupled with an overseer accountable to the general church. The old, bureaucracy heavy UMC overhead staffing can be jettisoned in favor of an operational needs model, with emphasis only on governance
Comment by Steve on September 22, 2022 at 2:26 pm
Gil,
Ask the Southern Baptist clergy who have flocked to the UMC how well the congregationalist system is for clergy. I know of, and have witnessed, many clergy fired in the congregationalist system because they did not spend more time focusing on the 20% that tithed regularly and tried to treat everyone equally. People tend to focus on those whom their job depends on for pay. I have seen clergy in those systems that are really good people who try to treat everyone equally in their congregation. But it is noticeable that they jump when someone in the 20% needs them compared to others. Of course this is just one of many problems the congregationalist system has.
Comment by George on September 22, 2022 at 6:30 pm
From the beginning, our UMC government was set up to fail. In the beginning it was run by those with some integrity and strong Christian beliefs. As time went on, the liberals slowly but steadily took over. They made changes that benefited them selves and pushed their liberal agendas. But they kept it quiet and treated the people they serve like mushrooms.
They were just waiting for the more senior (conservative) Methodists to die off.
I hope and pray that the Global MC will have learned their lesson and put some teeth in our rules and laws. We will see over time. We will see.
Comment by Bill Messersmith on September 25, 2022 at 3:53 pm
I was a UM for 20+ yr and signed out long ago. So glad I’m no longer a member of a “church” that spends it’s time and resources making Satan laugh instead of the great commmission from Jesus Christ. So sad
Comment by Paul Zesewitz on September 26, 2022 at 1:30 pm
It’s important to remember, I think, that the Methodist church wasn’t like this when John Wesley founded it. Poor guy must have tears in his eyes up there. But this is how liberals operate. “You will know them by their fruits,” Jesus said. They sneak in like wolves in sheeps clothing. I hope the GMC will be discerning and be steadfast for the Gospel. Otherwise, it’s members would do well and flee to the local Baptist church, which is supposed to be independent and autonomous, without some dictatorship looking over their shoulder.
Comment by Loren Stanton on September 26, 2022 at 6:01 pm
Jesus. WWJD. Global Methodists and Global Methodist wannabees never mention the New Testament or the love of Jesus. I wonder why those that want to disaffiliate are immune from the love of Jesus and don’t believe in the great commandment? I have so many other questions.
Comment by John Smith on December 9, 2022 at 3:42 pm
All of which begs the question: “Why is the GMC so wedded to the concept of Bishops?”.