To close observers of The United Methodist Church, the current legal wranglings over Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas might sound familiar. A similar story played out four years ago in Arkansas, in what was then the second-largest UMC…
Today’s UMC has only 3 megachurches
With Highland Park Methodist Church of Dallas now claiming to have disaffiliated with The United Methodist Church, there are only three U.S. churches with more than 10,000 members in the UMC, down from six in 2022. But that’s not the…
In Dallas, Methodist bishop creates a church in exile
This article was updated Thursday evening to include a response from two church lay leaders. The drama around one of the most contentious Methodist church fights in modern history took yet another turn Oct. 29 as the bishop of…
Highland Park Methodist and the death of denominationalism
My son texted from Connecticut this morning to ask, “What’s all this hoopla with Highland Park UMC?” Having grown up in North Dallas and being a musician who has played in churches all over town, he has some sense of…
Somewhere along the line, HPUMC forgot an important concept
As a 21-year-old, serving my first full-time church “gig” as youth director at Calvary United Methodist Church in Paris, Texas, I quickly learned just how influential Highland Park United Methodist Church was. My first annual conference took place at Highland…
Dallas megachurch overwhelmingly votes to leave UMC
This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available. Ninety percent of the voting members of Highland Park Methodist Church voted to leave The United Methodist Church, following a recommendation of the Church Council….
Prominent members weigh in on HPUMC vote
As the nation’s wealthiest United Methodist church readies to vote on a proposed split with its denomination, some church members are weighing in publicly with their opinions. Members of Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas will vote this coming…
3 reasons all churches should pay attention to HPUMC right now
Why is a Baptist-affiliated news service spending so much time writing about the Methodists these days? The answer is simple: Because the legal battle between Highland Park United Methodist Church and The United Methodist Church has implications for all churches…
Dallas megachurch to vote on leaving UMC
Leaders of Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas have called for a rapid vote on whether to leave The United Methodist Church. That vote will take place on Sunday, Oct. 25 — just two weeks after a town hall…
Maryland appeals court says 37 churches must pay up to leave UMC
Thirty-seven Maryland churches sought to leave The United Methodist Church and take their properties with them, but the Appellate Court of Maryland has said the churches must pay to leave. On Oct. 5, the state appellate court affirmed a lower…
Here’s what a Baptist sees in the HPUMC legal dispute
Here’s how this looks to a Baptist outsider with more than average knowledge of The United Methodist Church: The denomination’s second-largest church intentionally changed its governing documents to allow the possibility of withdrawing from the UMC. And once the denomination…
UMC bishop appeals directly to Highland Park members
The United Methodist bishop who filed a lawsuit against the largest church in his jurisdiction has written a letter to all members there urging them to return their church to the fold. Ruben Saenz Jr. serves as bishop of the…