United Methodist Church loses more than 1 million members in single day when group takes stand for 'God and His word'



In one fell swoop last week, the United Methodist Church lost more than 1 million members.

Weeks after the United Methodist Church voted to allow LGBT-practicing clergy and reverse prohibitions on same-sex marriage, the United Methodist Church of Ivory Coast (Eglise Méthodiste Unie Côte d'Ivoire) voted on May 28 to leave the UMC.

'This is not an emotional issue but a matter of unchangeable truth. Homosexuality is clearly a sin.'

The West African Methodists made the decision to leave the UMC "for reasons of conscience, before God and His word, the supreme authority in matters of faith and life." The decision of the UMC to embrace LGBT culture and same-sex marriages "deviates from the Holy Scriptures," according to the EMUCI. The UMC church is, therefore, "sacrific[ing] its honor and integrity to honor the LGBTQ community."

In a statement, Bishop Benjamin Boni said the UMC "is now based on socio-cultural and contextual values which have consumed its doctrinal and disciplinary integrity."

This is a significant development because it means the UMC is losing more than 1 million members.

Even more important is the fact that Methodism of the conservative/traditional variety is growing in the Ivory Coast. The UMC in the U.S., on the other hand, has seen years of decline — especially as the denomination began embracing liberalism.

Ministry Watch explained:

With 900 churches and 100 preaching points, the church has experienced 7-8% annual growth. Its demographic reflects the country’s, with 60% under 35 and women as the majority. Alongside its spiritual mission, the church runs schools and a hospital while engaging in community development.

The Côte d’Ivoire Conference was granted provisional membership in the denomination during the 2004 General Conference and fully admitted in 2008. It quickly became one of the denomination’s largest conferences, with over 1 million professing members as of the most recent report.

The EMUCI is not the first group of Methodists to walk away from the UMC.

Over the last several years, thousands of UMC congregations in the U.S. have disaffiliated from the UMC, joining the Global Methodist Church or remaining independent. They left over the denomination's liberal drift.

The Korean Methodist Church — which boasts approximately 1.5 million members — could soon also be on its way out of the UMC.

"Homosexuality cannot be accepted until the Lord returns. This is not an emotional issue but a matter of unchangeable truth. Homosexuality is clearly a sin," a coalition of conservative Korean Methodists said last month. "This is an issue concerning the sanctity of life that the church must teach correctly, without compromise."

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United Methodist Church REJECTS God’s word to embrace LGBTQ, changes pronouns to was/were



Several years ago, there was a split in the United Methodist Church over the issue of whether or not the church should be “gay affirming.”

“It also had to do with gay clergy, and I’m talking openly gay, affirming homosexuality, homosexual relationships, as what they would call holy, normal, fine, on the same plane as a heterosexual actual marriage,” Allie Beth Stuckey explains.

Now, the controversy is continuing.

Last Wednesday, delegates at the United Methodist Church General Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, voted to overturn the church’s historic discipline and doctrine on homosexuality and same-sex marriage.

The ruling was approved by a 692-to-51 vote and approves of removing the language that prohibited the ordination of self-avowed practicing homosexuals from the book of discipline.

“What has happened is that progressives, after they basically took over the UMC in 2019, they have hollowed out the Methodist Church, the Methodist denomination, and have decided we are going to abandon Christianity, we’re going to abandon church history, we are going to abandon our creeds, we are going to abandon the Bible all together,” Stuckey says.

“And we are going to then, in essence, abandon Christianity,” she adds.

“This is always what happens when you abandon Scripture,” she continues. “When you decide that the Bible is not authoritative, when you decide that your opinion or cultural changes or social whims have more authority than the word of God, then you will always end up conforming to the spirit of the age.”

“And sexual depravity, and the feelings that you have, the lust that you have, of course will take precedence over what God’s word says. You will change the definitions of holiness, you will change the definitions of sin and repentance, you will change the very definitions of right and wrong.”


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African Methodists take a stand for biblical marriage after United Methodist Church adopts pro-LGBT measures



A group of African Methodists released a statement last week, taking a stand for orthodox Christian teaching on sexual ethics.

The United Methodist Church joined ranks with other progressive American denominations last week when, at its general conference, the church reversed prohibitions on LGBT clergy, same-sex weddings, and rules against LGBT-practicing members.

Now, United Methodist pastors can openly practice the LGBT lifestyle and will not face discipline for officiating same-sex marriages. The denomination, moreover, no longer teaches that "the practice of homosexuality ... is incompatible with Christian teaching."

But Methodist representatives from the majority world are standing their ground.

In a statement, a group of African Methodist delegates accused the UMC of following in the footsteps of "western culture" to change the definition of marriage.

"The United Methodist Church has chosen to follow what pleases man instead of what pleases God," the delegates charged.

"The United Methodist Church has changed the definition of marriage. It now defines marriage differently from what God created it to be in the beginning (Genesis 2:18, 23-25). It has changed the definition of marriage from how Jesus described it in Matthew 19 as one man and one woman," the delegates added.

"In Africa we do not believe we know better than Jesus. We do not believe we know better than God. We do not believe we know better than the Bible," they said.

The African leaders made it clear they want the entire world to know where they stand: "We do not accept a change in the definition of marriage, and we will never accept marriage as anything other than one man and one woman."

Nimia Peralta, a delegate from the Philippines, similarly said, "While we celebrate worldwide regionalization, I truly believe the definition of marriage can never be regionalized."

Measures to approve the progressive guidelines were adopted with overwhelming approval.

That's because most conservative Methodists chose not to attend the conference. Indeed, thousands of former UMC congregations have voted to leave the UMC, joining the Global Methodist Church or remaining independent.

The pushback from African Methodists demonstrates an important phenomenon happening in Christian circles today: the embrace of pro-LGBT theology is almost entirely confined to the Western church.

On the other hand, Christians in Asia, Africa, and Latin America — areas of the world where the issues of sexuality and gender are not cultural lightning rods — are remaining faithful to orthodox Christian teaching on sexual ethics.

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Second-largest Protestant denomination in US votes to allow LGBT clergy — but African pastor holds the line



United Methodists voted on Wednesday to rescind a denominational rule prohibiting LGBT clergy from ordination, a historic moment for the country's second-largest Protestant denomination and its progressive drift.

In 1984, the United Methodist Church took a stand for orthodox Christian sexual ethics, declaring:

Since the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching, self-avowed, practicing homosexuals are not to be accepted as candidates, ordained as ministers or appointed to serve in the United Methodist Church.

Now, 40 years later, the UMC will officially allow LGBT clergy.

At the UMC's general conference meeting in Charlotte, the denomination struck the prohibition from denomination guidelines with an overwhelming vote, 93% to 7%. The change was passed alongside nearly two dozen other pieces of legislation without debate.

The change follows the conference's trend, which has been to pass denominational legislation normalizing the LGBT lifestyle and to remove ethical and disciplinary measures related to LGBT-identifying and LGBT-practicing Christians. Conference delegates are expected to pass additional pro-LGBT measures before the conference ends on Friday.

Methodists who oppose the UMC's progressive trend began breaking away from the denomination several years ago, starting the Global Methodist Church or remaining independent. Thousands of Methodist congregations have already joined the ranks of the Global Methodist body.

The pro-LGBT affirming vote is representative of the split, as most conservative Methodists chose not to attend the conference.

Still, some faithful Methodists, especially from Africa, are holding the line.

"We see homosexuality as a sin," Forbes Matonga, a pastor from West Zimbabwe, said. "So to us, this is a fundamental theological difference where we think others no longer regard the authority of Scripture."

Whereas the UMC is now going the way of other progressive Christian denominations in the U.S. — like the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America — it's important to remember that the embrace of pro-LGBT theology is almost uniquely confined to the Western church, where issues of sexuality and gender have become cultural lightning rods.

The vast majority of Christians in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, however, continue to uphold orthodox Christian teaching on sexual ethics.

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Votes at United Methodist conference may pave way for LGBTQ+ clergy, weddings in US: 'This is God's vision'



As it normally does every four years, the global United Methodist Church is currently holding a general conference to vote on church matters and policy. However, unlike recent conferences, this year's delegates have signaled a desire to revamp the church's policies regarding human sexuality.

This year's conference is underway in Charlotte, North Carolina. And while there are still several days left in the conference, delegates have already approved measures that will have a major impact on the church.

One of the most significant measures involves regionalization. The measure would give the region of the United States greater autonomy to establish and enforce policies, especially in regard to LGBTQ issues. The regionalization measure passed with 78% of the delegate vote, but it still must be approved by local annual conferences, which are expected to consider it within the next year, NPR reported.

Many United Methodist congregations in other parts of the world, such as Africa and the former Soviet Union, still strongly believe that marriage is a sacred covenant between one man and one woman. However, many of its U.S. churches have moved radically in the other direction, refusing to enforce bans on gay clergy and marriage.

"I celebrate that this is a beginning of a new way of being a worldwide church, where our voices are actually heard, and we can begin to listen to one another in new ways," said Rev. Deanna Stickley-Minor, the executive director for mission engagement.

Bishop Tracy Smith Malone of Ohio, who celebrated that the vote "decenters the U.S." and "dismantles colonialism," was even more exuberant. "I had to contain myself," she said after the vote to approve the regionalization measure. "We get to be the workers in the vineyard, but this is God's vision."

Another vote gave LGBTQ activists even more hope. In a staggering 667-54 vote, the United Methodist General Conference delegates decided to upend rules and policies that favor traditional marriage and heterosexual clergy and that denied funding for gay ministries, the AP reported. Now, church leaders may soon be able to consider openly gay individuals for ordination or positions on church boards.

Later this week, delegates will also vote on whether to change church law and policy to include gay clergy and same-sex weddings. Rev. Tracy Cox, lead pastor of First United Methodist Church in Pittsburgh, is hopeful.

"If you are called by God to be an ordained elder or deacon, no church, no institution should step in that way," she said earlier this month. "And as far as marriage goes, when somebody falls in love with someone, we need to be able to help them to raise a family or to be a family in the community where they’re going to serve."

These votes demonstrate a marked shift in United Methodist congregants' views on sexuality and marriage. Just four years ago, delegates reaffirmed traditional marriage by voting to penalize clergy who performed same-sex weddings.

But in the years since, many congregations — particularly in the U.S., where United Methodist was once one of the largest denominations — broke away, appalled at the progressive direction the church appeared to be headed. This same movement to break away in favor of a more conservative denomination then likely played into the hands of their more liberal counterparts. Without conservative voices — and conservative delegate votes — at the 2024 conference, the progressive measures have sailed through easily.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the church's website still promotes traditional marriage and family among its social principles. "We affirm the sanctity of the marriage covenant that is expressed in love, mutual support, personal commitment, and shared fidelity between a man and a woman," the website says.

It also claims that "sexual relations are affirmed only with the covenant of monogamous, heterosexual marriage" and calls the practice of "homosexuality ... incompatible with Christian teaching."

Whether those social principles will change by the end of this week remains to be seen.

The following video provides a brief summary of the conference's agenda on Tuesday, highlighting a group confession against sexual harassment and a ceremony to affirm dozens of deaconesses and female home missioners:

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Retired United Methodist Church leader caught on video writing what Jewish woman says is swastika on box outside her door



A retired leader of the United Methodist Church in the Los Angeles area was caught on video writing what a Jewish woman said was a swastika on a box outside her door late last year.

What are the details?

KCAL-TV said Leah Grossman confronted her neighbor Mark Nakagawa around 10:15 p.m. on Dec. 5 just seconds after video caught him leaning down and writing on her groceries. KCAL's video report indicates Nakagawa was listed as a pastor and senior leader in Los Angeles' United Methodist Church until last year.

Video of Grossman's confrontation with Nakagawa at first shows him appearing to deny knowledge of what happened and then denying the symbol is a swastika:

Grossman: "Is there a problem?"
Nakagawa: "What?"
Grossman: "Is there a problem?"
Nakagawa: "No."
Grossman: "Is that a Nazi symbol?"
Nakagawa: "No."
Grossman: "What is that?"
Nakagawa: "I'm just walking by here. I don't know."
Grossman: "I saw you."
Grossman: "I have a camera. Like, what is that? What did you draw there?"
Nakagawa: "I don't know."

KCAL spoke to Grossman — a single, Jewish mom raising two boys under 12 — who said after the incident she "fell to pieces" and felt "just shattered."

"Like, I've never shook like that before. My toes were shaking. I get emotional thinking about it because it reminds me of all the people I know, my family, my children," she told the station while trying to hold back tears.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Grossman noted to KCAL the confrontation with Nakagawa occurred not long after he allegedly called her a fascist in a homeowner's association meeting because she displayed an Israeli flag from her balcony after the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas sneak attacks.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

"What's going on in the world has really opened up a crevasse of anti-Semitism, and I think people feel really emboldened to push Jewish people around," Grossman added. "People just shouldn't get away with this."

Image source: YouTube screenshot

'Bad judgment on my part'

KCAL interviewed Nakagawa, and the station said he claimed Grossman called him a fascist — but he didn't deny writing the symbol.

Nakagawa told KCAL his intent in writing the symbol on a box outside Grossman's door was to educate Grossman about the symbol's history as a Buddhist symbol of love. Yet, he repeatedly insisted he didn't know how Grossman would react, the station said.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

The reporter — KCAL's Laurie Perez — wasn't buying the former UMC pastor's explanation.

"You know what she was going to think about it," Perez said, according to the station's video report, which shows her conducting her own confrontation. "You put a swastika on a Jewish" person's belongings, and it seems like "you're trying to intimidate them. And it's a symbol of hate. It's recognized as a symbol of hate."

KCAL said Nakagawa at first denied the symbol was a swastika, but then Perez on the station's video called out Nakagawa's behavior, which included trying to place the symbol on the victim's belongings without being detected, then denying to Grossman that he did anything until she said she caught him on camera.

Perez then told Nakagawa his actions against Grossman on the night of Dec. 5 can't easily be interpreted as an attempt to educate a Jewish woman about the symbol's origin, either.

"In hindsight, the way I went about it was not the right away to go about it," Nakagawa told KCAL. "It was bad judgment on my part. I realize that."

The station's video report added that Nakagawa soon stepped down as HOA president and tried to apologize to Grossman at least three times.

KCAL's video report added that police called the symbol drawing a "hate incident" but not a "hate crime" since there was no property damage.

The station also said there is a movement to take back the swastika's meaning as a sacred symbol by educating people about its origin.

Jewish woman says neighbor drew swastika on her belongingsyoutu.be

Anything else?

The California-Pacific Conference of the UMC posted the following message concerning Nakagawa on its website Monday:

Our community was saddened to learn over the weekend about an incident in December involving one of our retired clergy and former District Superintendent, Mark Nakagawa. The California-Pacific Annual Conference does not condone any form of hate or discrimination. We are committed to loving our neighbors, fostering an inclusive and respectful environment for all, and nurturing interfaith relationships in our communities.

Rev. Nakagawa retired from active ministry in July 2023. He is currently in a supervisory process regarding this incident.

The conference in February 2023 announced Nakagawa's retirement as west district superintendent effective July 1, 2023.

Calling Nakagawa's "joyous and generous spirit" a "blessing," Rev. Dr. Dottie Escobedo-Frank — resident bishop of the Los Angeles area — added in the retirement announcement that she's "witnessed" Nakagawa's "kindness, strength, and mercy for God’s people."

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Female Pastors Face Church Trial After Marrying Nonbinary Couple

'Prayers for all'

Texas Churches Split From Methodists Over Gay Marriage Stance

Bans on same-sex couples

Major Christian denomination splits over 'divisive and destructive debates' on LGBT issues



The United Methodist Church, one of the largest Christian denominations in the U.S., will officially undergo a schism in the coming months, ending a years-long internal disagreement over LGBTQ+ issues.

What are the details?

On Thursday, organizers of the Global Methodist Church — a more conservative Methodist denomination that favors a traditional view of marriage and opposes the ordination of LGBT clergy — announced a formal launch date of May 1, 2022.

The announcement came amid yet another General Conference postponement over COVID-19 pandemic fears and travel obstacles. With the next meeting pushed back until 2024, conservative United Methodists decided they could not wait for the next meeting before launching the new denomination.

"Many United Methodists have grown impatient with a denomination clearly struggling to function effectively at the general church level," said Rev. Keith Boyette, chairman of the Transitional Leadership Council that has been guiding the creation of the new denomination over the past year.

"Theologically conservative local churches and annual conferences want to be free of divisive and destructive debates and to have the freedom to move forward together. We are confident many existing congregations will join the new Global Methodist Church in waves over the next few years, and new church plants will sprout up as faithful members exit the UM Church and coalesce into new congregations," he added.

Delegates were supposed to vote on an agreed-upon separation plan at the General Conference, called the "Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation."

The plan, often referred to as simply the Protocol, stipulates that the UMC would pay the new denomination $25 million over the next four years to cover start-up costs and that disaffiliating congregations would be allowed to join the GMC "with all of their property and assets intact."

With the conference delayed and the Protocol not yet adopted, those provisions have not been approved.

What's the background?

According to Boyette and his leadership council, the hastened split was necessary in order to provide a place to land for those Methodist congregations or individuals who have already decided to leave the UMC or were planning to in the coming months.

Earlier this week, Frazer United Methodist Church, a Methodist megachurch in Alabama, announced it had voted to leave the UMC.

The mainline denomination's long-anticipated schism was first sparked in 2019 after delegates to the General Conference voted 438-384 to approve the so-called Traditional Plan, which strengthened the church’s bans on the ordination and marriage of LGBTQ United Methodists.

Most U.S.-based delegates opposed that plan in favor of LGBTQ-friendly options, but they were outvoted by U.S. conservatives aligned with delegates from Methodist strongholds in Africa and the Philippines, the Associated Press reported.

After the meeting, moderate and liberal clergy vowed that they would not abide by the bans, kick-starting talks for a formal separation. Though in a somewhat disjointed manner, that plan for separation will be carried through in May.