United Methodists do not face a “binary choice,” the pastor of the denomination’s largest church in America told his congregation last spring, foreshadowing the schism that has since become full-blown. A video of Adam Hamilton, pastor of Church of the…
United Methodists on alert for dissidents ‘poaching’ members and pastors
Tales of Robin Hood, the English hero who robbed the rich to give to the poor, often start with an episode in which the hero saves a peasant from being killed by unscrupulous nobles for “poaching the king’s deer.” In…
Suburban Dallas UMC congregation withholds funds in protest of former pastor’s ‘scapegoating’ by the local bishop
A congregation in suburban Dallas is withholding about $15,000 in dues to the United Methodist Church’s North Texas Annual Conference to protest the “scapegoating” of a former pastor there who is gay. As if the schism in the UMC weren’t…
‘Everybody’s doing it’: United Methodists ignoring their own rules as break-up continues
I am utterly spent and crushed; I groan because of the tumult of my heart. — Psalm 38:8 Church politics, like all politics, creates noble achievements and underhanded dealings. As the year draws to a close, United Methodists find themselves…
The Methodist and Baptist battles over LGBTQ inclusion this week trace a common road back to … Samford
In any other year, the following fact would have been a minor footnote in a story about United Methodists electing a gay male pastor as bishop in defiance of the denomination’s official ban on gay ministers: Cedrick Bridgeforth is a…
United Methodists elect married gay clergyman among 13 new bishops who represent many other firsts
A married gay clergyman from California was among 13 new bishops elected by United Methodist delegates to five regional U.S. conferences Nov. 2-5. And that was only one of several first-ever results of this year’s elections. The election of Cedrick…
United Methodists talk up reasons to stay in splintering denomination with less than 3% of U.S. churches leaving so far
Life in The United Methodist Church these days is like riding a seesaw: one moment up and the next down. Sometimes the players bump on the dirt; sometimes they slide off the high end. However, United Methodists from bishops through…
In stunning development, United Methodist African bishops repudiate separatist group
Separatist forces suffered a major blow to their political strategy Sept. 8 when a majority of African bishops repudiated a special interest group and its traditionalist sponsor for “working to destroy our United Methodist Church.” The “Statement from Africa Colleges…
Foundry Network offers third alternative to disaffected UMC churches
A collaboration of former United Methodist large-membership churches has announced creation of an association to provide accountability and resources without the constraints of a denomination. The Foundry Network will launch in September, according to an announcement posted on Facebook by…