Should i leave the methodist church

In my view the Methodist Church this week went past that tipping point. Can God still use people who stay in the Methodist Church? He is God. But just because God can do something with the mess that we create, does not mean that we should disobey Him in order for him to show his power! Just because the Lord can use a donkey, does not mean that we should start braying! We simply have to ask what Jesus thinks, and what he wants us to do…. We are not to be yoked together with unbelievers — and that is not primarily a message about marriage, but one about uniting with others in worship.

What do righteousness and wickedness have in common? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What agreement is there between the temple of God and the temple of idols? Meanwhile I remain encouraged. Churches come, and churches go…but The Church of Jesus Christ endures forever. It is being prepared for the wedding feast of the Lamb — and all real believers in every denomination belong to it.

The Gates of Hell cannot prevail against Her. Although that does not mean that when one once faithful part, falls away and apostatises, we should not mourn — or pray for renewal and repentance.

Thanks for this clear strong counsel, David. Spot on! Bless you David. Thanks for the excellent article. Hugh is correct — and your response is unusually inaccurate! He said Ireland, not Northern Ireland. Ireland is not part of the UK. Northern Ireland churches will adhere to the position outlined by Dr. Hey ho! They have abandoned the faith.

I will continue to pray and will not attend a Methodist church. I do agree there are true believers to be found in every denomination, but why submit yourself to false teaching? The Lord and the New Testament are very clear on this…. The word Methodist no longer points to Christ, but to the world — their real master.

Leave them and let them fold. The liberals are sucking the life out of the real Church. The Cof E was dead when the Methodist came into existence and the Wesleys were persecuted by the establishment. We are now in the same times again. Let the Lord raise up new Wesleys and new churches…. My great grandfather was one of the first Methodist missionaries to The Gambia. He would be distressed by this abandonment of biblical principles. Going down this path allows us to rewrite anything in Scripture to suit our whims.

You may be right, but I am bound to ask: Why should this latest fudge of many become the proverbial last straw for Methodists, rather than the arguably more severe development reported in the following news story, nearly four years earlier? Call that an improvement? Perhaps they never got the piece of paper because to have done so would have undermined the financial viability of their de facto union, because of the various couple penalties imposed by the state on the legally married.

Many mammalian species mate for life, forming reproductive and child-raising pair bonds, in their case without a piece of paper from the government. The love between the Persons of the Trinity and between Christ and the Church are both compared to this noble pair bonding, witnessed in wildlife and ordained by God as the favoured reproductive behaviour of humans too.

It is the same today. Most domastic abuse and child abuse occurs in relationships outside of marriage. To recognize defacto relationships simply encourages further abuse of women and children.

Thank you for acknowledging the second point in my first comment and expressing a different opinion from mine. For me, that was the last straw, nearly four years earlier. It is far from surprising but is dispiriting. Are there no longer any prohibited degrees as far as Methodism is concerned? Perhaps of greater concern is the point about the exclusivity of Christ Jesus. But again that is not surprising. The content was little more than wishy washy, humanistic good works including contributions from chaplains, with no Christian theology.

Saying they were Christ-lite is an exaggeration. What you have set-out David is more than illogical, it is confused absurdity. If it marriage of two people of the same sex then the minister or the church council can decline. Presumably because one is a recognition of fallen humanity seeking repentance, whilst the other is a category error.

Or, to use one of my pet punch lines, one error is categorical, whilst the other is merely dogmatic. Sad state of affairs. It is like reading the downward trajectory of the Church of Scotland, just a change of name now to the Methodist church. Challenging and wholly appropriate evaluation of where the liberal church is heading. He is a Progressive, and last week introduced his congregation to the Enneagram, having done a course on it last summer to learn more about himself and the God incarnate within him.

Thanks for this David. What a sad outcome indeed and by such a majority!! In the first Book of the Bible, Genesis, we see Adam and Eve as two becoming united, physically, emotionally and spiritually and in the last Book of the Bible, Revelation, we witness the union between Christ the second Adam and His Bride, the Church.

May God have mercy and grant true repentance to those walking away from His truth and may He grant resilience to many other denominations which will no doubt have more pressure on them now to comply! The entire New Testament teaching is abandoned, no repentance, no sin, no holiness, no Godliness, no forgiveness because nothing is wrong no need for the Cross, redemption, regeneration or resurrection.

God does not change, he is same yesterday today forever. Soneone ought throw them from the Empire that they abort the English Language so. But progressive churches are leaving the UMC , too. Progressive churches leaving the denomination also consider the Alliance of Baptists and the UK-based Inclusive Church. In June, leaders of Love Prevails, a group of UMC progressive pastors, announced their departure from the denomination.

Now, the group has become the core of the Global Methodist Church , a conservative denomination to receive departing congregations after the split. Will Willimon, professor at Duke Divinity School, sees how students studying ministry are worried about what the denomination will look like when they are ready to enter it.

He wonders if the exodus of churches will force remaining churches and UMC leaders to put the focus back where it needs to be: on local churches ministering in their communities. Lomperis hopes that some of the conservative churches that have left the UMC will eventually join the Global Methodist Church. He hopes that the Global Methodist Church can develop a leaner, less bureaucratic arrangement that gives more power to local congregations. Gibbons is encouraged to see attendance up from 20 to 90 in worship, a combination of new families and returning members, even as she acknowledges there is always a honeymoon period with a new pastor.

And members of former UMC churches maintain their appreciation for historic Methodism and its contributions to global Christianity. Sections Home. Bible Coronavirus Prayer. Subscribe Member Benefits Give a Gift. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. Comment by Paul knag on January 17, at pm. The faithful are in control of the Methodist Church but by leaving they will leave the left in control.

No one should be allowed to leave with church property and the faithful in particular should not go anywhere. Comment by John Smith on January 18, at am. If the faithful were in control would the Bishops be so out of control? The seminaries? The boards and agencies? The faithful may be the majority but they are not in control. Creating an elite answerable only to itself is a mistake. Yes, they will eventually answer to God for their shepherding.

Will the new denomination learn? Comment by Carlos on January 18, at am. Comment by Renee on February 16, at am. Going to visit a congregation church today. The progressives will fight to the death about an agenda. Ultimately the small traditional church will close with all their assets stripped. Not sure the fight is winnable. Comment by Dee on January 16, at pm. The roadblock for them has been the outsiders — media, public, etc. Too bad for them. As to the UMC, the outsiders are not defining the United Methodists as traditionalists or progressives, orthodox, or whatever.

Read the news…. As an outsider with outsider friends, we concur with the press. The media has defined this as a split over lgbtq full inclusion. Comment by Sam on January 16, at pm. And, at least we know that the Catholic Church will never, never sanction same-sex marriage since one man, one woman marriage is a dogma of the Church and not a doctrine. Comment by John Smith on January 16, at pm. OTOH the current Pope is making some strange comments and appears to be looking at some changes.

Since despite all the talk of the magisterium it still comes down to one man…. Comment by John Smith on January 17, at am.

My theology is tethered to the sufficiency and authority of scripture. For some reason, in the UMC this has manifested in a fight about same sex marriage. From the orthodox view this is stupid. Comment by JR on January 17, at am. Interestingly from an historical perspective , that first battle ended just shortly before this current one began. Comment by John Smith on January 17, at pm. I agree with the need for the split; I disagree with the stated reasons which is why I often use the term Orthodox instead of traditionalist and I dislike the terms.

Comment by David on January 18, at am. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. Nothing more, nothing less, Nothing else! Comment by Dean on January 17, at pm. There is such a huge difference in forgiving of sin and celebrating sin. I know the Catholics do not. That is the crux of this whole issue. Comment by Pudentiana on January 17, at pm. I agree… a friend on mine is a devout convert to LMS or so I thought. Her 3 son is gay and to be married. She said as long as they are happy that is all she cares about.

I am over here thinking, what about heaven? How to take sin so softly; if it makes you happy just do it. Comment by Donald E Null on January 17, at pm. I belong to a rural Missouri UMC that is just hanging on financially. It is also one where some people are more willing to buy into the progressive agenda whereas others are not. For the time being we co-exist. Force us to vote, one way or the other, and I believe our church ceases to exist.

Thankfully, we have other Christian denominations that will welcome in the traditionalist. None of the other denominations will welcome the liberals. I think this will be the same story over and over again in rural Missouri and probably other states too. I believe that Charles Wesley would be turning over in his grave with what is presently happening to the church he founded.

Comment by Kimberly on January 18, at pm. I listen to Catholic radio every day and have learned more about it and its beliefs than I know about ours. Comment by Gary Bebop on January 16, at pm. The clergy covenant has always been enforceable or not based on what clergy peers are willing to charge, try, convict, and punish.

In some cases, there is vigor; in other cases, slackness. Magisterium is the teaching authority of the church which the Methodists do claim. I think the question is should there be someone over the Bishops? What would it change? Look at the RC; Cardinals, Arch Bishops, Bishops have all been implicated, all have been protecting one another until secular authority compelled them. The problem in the UMC has been theology and that is not a ground for secular intervention.

Even in RC theology there are signs of change. But why think adding more layers of bureaucracy would increase accountability? Its usually the other way around. Look at how the agencies and boards act.

The best way for Bishops to be proper shepherds is when it is hard, persecution hard. When the temporal hardships of the post far outweigh the worldly benefits of the post then you know those who are in the post are doing it for the sake of God and the sheep. I kneel in awe at those suffering for the faith in Africa and Asia. Comment by Gary Bebop on January 18, at pm. There is no Magisterium in the UMC.

There is no doctrinal enforcement mechanism. There is no powerful corrective available. We are governed by conferencing, not by a hierarchical ladder. Disobedience has grown without ceasing.

Comment by Jeff on January 17, at am. Show me in the Book where this is supported. If you still believe in the inerrant Truth of the Book, that is.

Comment by Jw on January 17, at am. Hi, first time commenting but regular reader of this site. Beyond love your neighbor is there any biblical justification that the progressive side has used tried to use to refute what IS said in scripture? I asked my pastor this almost a year ago and he said he would send me material if he received any….

I have yet to receive any. Comment by Joan Wesley on January 17, at pm. Also, how can a church say that God is simultaneously for and against something? Do we worship an indecisive God who no longer knows what he intended when he created us? Comment by JR on January 17, at pm. Comment by William on January 17, at pm.

Why did he emphasize this by pointing out the obvious? Why did he state that the two will become one flesh? And, why has this definition Jesus gave marriage been deemed irrelevant by many in this age, thus reducing the relevancy of Jesus in this age? Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.

Comment by td on January 17, at pm. This article is disingenuous. Of course on group is being asked to leave and one is getting to stay; just because the remnant UMC will be different than before, it will still be the easy default and will be the UMC.

I will not argue that this is a bad thing. But do not confuse people on this. If you are okay with changing the definition of sexual sins, then you have very little work to do to assure your local church goes on the liberal path. However, those who are adhering to christian beliefs on these matters are being treated as disrupters. They will be the ones having to file for local church votes, most likely in opposition to their pastor and district superintendent, and even possibly in opposition to their church council.

If GC goes with this protocol, they need to nail down exactly what bishops, annual conferences, district superintendents, councils, and pastors are not allowed to procedurally deny to a local church. And the GC should require each member church to vote at an all-church conference that is held on-site with full church notification.

Trust in these procedural matters in our churches is dismally low. Comment by David on January 17, at pm. So one seems to talking about the possibility that General Conference will vote in the affirmative on the much publicized plan. Just a thought. Comment by John Smith on January 18, at pm. Given the realities of the system, the way votes are structured and apportioned there is little chance of the proposal being voted down unless it gets hit with too many amendments.

That the orthodox were able to fight the system to uphold scripture before this was a minor miracle. Now that the organizations that were leading the charge against the progressives have joined hands with them to push this proposal it is unlikely there are the votes to defeat it even if there was a will and a leader to fight it.

Comment by Houston Parks on January 17, at pm. I am a lifelong Methodist. I am lay leader of my church. Right now, I am livid with the leaders of the denomination. They have miserably failed the laity. They cannot compromise on same-sex relationships, so their resolution is to punt the controversy down to thousands of local churches that are functioning just fine. Progressives are well-intentioned but self-righteous wreckers.

Centrists are cowards. Traditionalists realize they are in the minority in America, and have decided to capitulate. The church will shamefully split. The New UMM will gloat but continue its decline.

The new traditionalist church will struggle mightily to structure, govern, and populate a new denomination. I am ashamed of United Methodists bishops and pastors who lack the grace to abide by the Book of Discipline. I am angry with traditionalist leaders who have agreed to put local churches in a most difficult dilemma.

A viable option for me this year is leaving Methodism for another form of worship and service. Comment by Judith Foster on January 18, at am. Comment by Todd Collier on January 18, at pm. I would amend to say that traditionalists have been convinced that they are in the minority. I really doubt the change folks represent anything close to a majority, they have simply been allowed to take charge while the rest of you were busy elsewhere. Comment by Pam Randolph on February 13, at pm.

Comment by Tommye Jordan on January 17, at pm. He never has. Only those who only think and plan for their own personal wants will lose the battle. Read your Bible. God will win and His will last, but will Methodists. Comment by td on January 18, at pm. I agree. God is in control. However, the basic issue really seems to be that our leadership is not letting God be in control. God is not going to force unbelievers to become believers.

It certainly has not been the case, at least in the short term, for the presbyterians, lutherans, and episcopalians. Comment by Louis Amandola on January 17, at pm. The issue I am going to have is, at the end of my pastors tenure, and our church is traditional by the way, what happens if the DS or the Bishop decides to replace him with a progressive pastor knowing full well what we are. Comment by Dan W on January 18, at am.

At that point they could choose to join a traditional Wesleyan denomination. Your local congregation could conceivably be appointed a progressive pastor before it fully separates from the U. Some think this process will destroy a lot of small Methodist congregations and they are probably correct.

Comment by Randy on January 18, at am. Comment by Ron on January 18, at am. Traditionalist should fight for the institution. They have church history on their side. Progressives want the change, make them form the new church. Otherwise, the next whim such as sanctuary or climate radicals will split the denomination again and again. People will always want to USE religion to pursue political ends. I agree with your point. But like most of the people who sit in the pew, I feel helpless to fight the hierarchy.

My option will probably be to leave the UM church.