Why I'm Not Joining the Global Methodist Church.

What a time to be alive. What a time to be a United Methodist. For those who may not know, the United Methodist church is in a messy divorce.

The issue of human sexuality has caused an irreparable schism between traditionalists, centrists, and progressives, and as a result, hundreds of UMC's are leaving their conferences and becoming independent or joining new denominations. It's all been infamously publicized, and hotly contested, and it has created a toxic church environment for several of us.

One of the new denominations that has been generating a lot of buzz is the Global Methodist Church. They formed in May of 2022, and several thousand US UMC churches have left to join them. I wanted to share my reasons for NOT joining (or, frankly, supporting) the GMC. This may seem like a negative, sardonic, or controversial post, but I am speaking only from my own opinions which have been formed after lots of research and listening and prayer. This isn't meant to influence anyone else, but rather justify my disinterest in participating with this movement. With that being said, here my ten reasons for not joining the GMC:

1. The GMC is not actually operating yet. While it may have officially formed in May of 2022, it isn't really functioning as an active denomination because it hasn't met the required number of churches to fully form yet. There are still many unknowns about how they church will function when it actually begins truly operating, and it isn't a member of the Pan-Methodist Council, either.

2. The GMC claims to denounce discrimination... but is founded on discrimination. On their website, the GMC has a Beliefs page; under "Our Witness to the World" they say: We believe that all persons irrespective of their station or circumstances in life have been made in the image of God and must be treated with dignity, justice, and respect. We denounce as sin racism, sexism, and other expressions that unjustly discriminate against any person (Genesis 1-2, Deuteronomy 16:19-20, Luke 11:42, 19:9, Colossians 3:11). Yet the sole reason for their secession from the UMC is rooted in discriminating against the LGBTQA+ community. I'm sure that this claim will garner some pushback, but the facts are the facts. To launch an entirely new denomination solely over the issue of human sexuality is in fact a form of discrimination against a people group. The LGBTQA+ population will not feel welcomed or safe to attend GMC churches; to some, this may be a good thing. For those of us who believe that Church truly is a safe place for all people, this isn't OK.

3. This is the first modern split of a US denomination based on anticipated changes. The churches that are choosing to leave the UMC and go Global are doing so in anticipation of changes that they believe may come to our Book of Discipline...but that haven't actually happened. There have been highly speculative and false rumors that the UMC no longer believes in our creeds, that we dismiss the authority of Scripture, etc. and this just frankly is not true. To base a huge decision such as disaffiliation off of rumors or speculation is unwise -- and it's rooted in fear. Fear is never a good foundation on which to try to build something new.

4. The GMC claims to be based on Wesleyan theology, but they actually seem to be changing it. Part of what has attracted me to the UMC is it's Wesley-based teachings on grace: prevenient grace, justifying grace, and sanctifying grace. Everything from our sermons to our Emmaus services are rooted in these understandings of God's grace which chases us down, transforms us, and grows us toward love. Grace is THE thing in Wesleyan faith. Yet in the GMC's Transitional Discipline published on their website, they exalt the idea of glorification in grace -- which is essentially a fifth way of grace, and is an addition to Wesley's. It is an emphasis on the conviction of sins and the rewards of heaven; this is not rooted in Wesleyan doctrine, but rather in American evangelicalism. And it isn't taught in any UMC seminaries in our country.

5. The GMC retains the right to disaffiliate their churches involuntarily if you do not make connectional giving payments or if they decide that your congregation isn't aligning with their vision. This basically means that they can kick you out against your will whenever they want. (Check out their "Congregational Fidelity" section in their Transitional Discipline, par. 354.)

6. The GMC can dismiss any laity whose life choices they don't agree with. Be clear: the UMC has a process for laity to be put on trial for removal of their membership. But the GMC takes this a step too far in my opinion. In the past of the UMC, any laity trials have involved clergy or clergy orders. But the GMC adapted the UMC's procedure and added on to them: both UMC and GMC state that laity can be charged with criminal activity, sexual immorality, and racial, gender, or sexual discrimination, as well as undermining the ministry of a pastor. The GMC added that though that you can be put on trial for "promoting or engaging in doctrines or practices that are not in accord with those established by the Global Methodist Church..." They go on to say that an additional charge may be made against laity if there occurs "disobedience to the order and discipline of the Global Methodist Church." Do you see the implications of this? It means that even if you aren't actively opposing or speaking out against the GMC doctrine, if your lifestyle or choices are deemed as "disobedient" to the church's "order and discipline" you could face a trial wherein you're essentially excommunicated.

7. The GMC doesn't give clear indications on how (or if) they will help churches find new pastors. In each draft of their Transitional Disciplines, there has been different statements on how exactly the GMC plans to help (or not?) with finding and establishing new pastors. But with each new iteration, one thing has remained clear: there are no guaranteed appointments. Pastors could face long stretches of unemployment, and there is no clear plan on how to make sure that all pastors (female clergy, BIPOC clergy, etc) are treated fairly when it comes to deciding who gets an appointment and who doesn't.

8. The GMC has the "Transitional Leadership Council" which, if I could be irreverent, sounds a lot like Professor Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad. For those unfamiliar with the Harry Potter series, Professor Umbridge was a nasty headmistress of Hogwarts who formed the Inquisitorial Squad in an attempt to maintain order the way she wanted over the school. The GMC's TLC has the ability to do the following: Override local church, disaffiliate churches for violating teachings or non-payment, assign initial Annual Conferences and districts as well as appointments, control the education fund, exercise ultimate authority over professional endorsements that require denominational support, decide which clergy from the UMC may affiliate with the GMC (and all joining pastors will undergo an "evaluation" period"), "prohibit gay persons in committed monogamous relationships from being paid staff of the GMC," and act as legal representative for the entire GMC. This is just too much power of one group of people, for me.

9. Do you know how much money it will cost disaffiliating churches to remove all UMC logos from everything? I haven't heard this mentioned, but disaffiliating churches have to surrender the flame and cross symbol of the UMC -- this could mean removing signage, stained glass windows, hymnals, etc. Anything symbolic of the UMC or associated with the UMC has to go -- that + paying to leave your conference could really add up!

10. And finally, the United Methodist Church already is global. This number has decreased due to disaffiliations, but according to a 2018 report there were 31,268 UMC churches across the world. That's roughly over 6 mil. members. 6% of Americans identify as United Methodists. UMC's exist from Chicago to the Congo, from Albania to Alabama. It has always been global, it has always invited everyone to participate. The name "Global Methodist" seems to try to undermine this.

These are just my big, personal reasons for not joining the GMC. I really do wish any disaffiliating churches or members the best of luck in their new journeys, and I am sorry that we are no longer able to walk the same path. I may not support the GMC, but that doesn't mean that I don't support you.

Cheers.