Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church

The 2:42 Conference: A Hopeful Glimpse into the Emerging (and Ancient) DNA of Global Methodists

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 18:46:30 GMT

From March 16-18, 2026 in Conroe, TX, the Global Methodist Church hosted its third annual 2:42 Conference for young clergy, seminary students, and those exploring a call to vocational ministry. This conference began a few years ago with the vision to help build life-giving connections among younger leaders, while also providing a space for vision casting and learning that helps invite young leaders into the vibrant DNA being formed in the GMC. Once again this gathering proved to be a powerful time in God’s presence!

As our movement grows, investing in emerging leaders continues to be of vital importance. Recent statistics have confirmed that the majority of American denominations are predominantly made up of older generations, and that includes pastoral leadership. While we praise God for the incredible and faithful service of our more seasoned leaders, we also recognize that the future of the church always necessitates raising up new leadership who will take the baton. The GMC seeks to be a movement that multiplies disciples for generations to come, and that means we need deeply-formed young leaders who will continue to invest in the church for decades.

Every year the 2:42 Conference demonstrates that God is continuing to stir in our younger Methodist generations and we are in good hands as we look to the future! If I were to describe the culture that I observe in this gathering of young leaders I would say it this way: They are spiritually hungry, they are deeply passionate, they long for authenticity and relationships, and they are excited to see the Methodist movement recover our early and more primitive DNA. Our youngest leaders and seminary students are not interested in polite church games or politically dominated denominations. They seem to desire the presence and power of God. They want to be connected in deep relationships with one another. And they are energized by the Spirit-filled, gospel-focused, ancient faith of our Methodist ancestors.

During the 2:42 Conference we plan times of teaching and preaching, extended worship and prayer, practical learning in workshops, and lots of opportunities for intentional relationship building. On the first evening session of our gathering this year the planning team decided to have extended worship and prayer, rather than another plenary speaker. Both on that night, and throughout the time, it was so beautiful to see young leaders caught up in worship, seeking the face of God, and delighted to just spend time in his presence.

Bishop Leah Gregory captured this reality so beautifully in a social media post shortly after the event. She said:

At the 242 Conference, surrounded by young adults sensing a call to ministry along with pastors under 35, I encountered something unfamiliar. Or perhaps… something very old. An hour into worship, we were still singing. Still praying. No sermon yet. This Gen X pastor instinctively checked her watch. But when I looked up, I saw something that stopped me cold—hands raised, tears falling, hearts fully open to God. And no one under 40 seemed concerned about the time. They were not operating in chronos—clock time. They were living in kairos—God’s time… That night, the only ones checking watches were those of us trained to manage time. But the younger generation? They were being captured by eternity.

In other poignant moments during the conference young leaders gathered into small groups to meet new friends and respond to questions about how they sensed God meeting them during the sessions. These groups stayed together over the course of the three days. It was so beautiful to see the new relationships that were formed. By the final day, as I walked around the host church, I saw young leaders sharing tears and heartfelt prayers for one another as they prayed over each other before leaving. Some who entered the conference as strangers, left as new friends. In fact, that has been one of the most rewarding parts of this experience for me as someone helping to plan and facilitate the time. After three years I now see young leaders who have become dear friends, likely to support each other in ministry for years to come, and they met for the first time at one of the 2:42 Conferences.

We also continue to hear testimonies of people gaining clarity in their calling to ministry at 2:42. One young woman shared this year during the gathering that last year’s conference was when God called her into ministry. She was a young GMC church member who came out of curiosity, and left with confidence that the Lord had called her into pastoral ministry. Others have shared with me that they were still discerning if the GMC was the right fit for them, but after 2:42 they left with confidence that this was their spiritual home. God continues to bring amazing fruit through this set apart time!

To all who helped invest in this conference, including the host church, planning team, our bishops, annual conference leaders who sent young leaders, and more, thank you! Your investment in this emerging generation of leaders will bear fruit for generations to come. And for those who are unsure about who might be leading the GMC in the coming years… know you are in good hands! God is raising up incredible young leaders who will carry the holy fire of early Methodism for a new day.

Matt Reynolds is the President and Founder of Spirit & Truth , a Wesleyan-minded renewal and equipping ministry working with local congregations around the United States and globally. He is an elder in the GMC from the Allegheny West Annual Conference and leads the planning team for the 2:42 Conference.

Sowing Seeds That Multiply: The Global Methodist Church at Exponential 2026

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 18:46:27 GMT

Some gatherings are important events on a calendar; others become turning points.

March 17-19, leaders from across the Global Methodist Church gathered in Orlando for Exponential Global 2026, the world’s largest gathering of church‑planting and multiplication leaders. The conference’s theme, “Multiplier: How Healthy Leaders Create Lasting Impact,” was more than a slogan; it was a summons to intentional development. With more than five thousand pastors, planters and practitioners in attendance, Exponential offered five main sessions, four rounds of workshops and seven additional hours of pre‑conference equipping. The GMC did not just show up; we showed up as a partner and participant with a clear conviction: every congregation must begin preparing for future multiplication.

Why This Matters Now

The Kingdom Advancement Commission gathered ahead of Exponential to pray, share updates, and strategize before joining the wider Exponential gathering. On Tuesday morning, pastors and leaders from across the connection joined the first‑ever GMC Pre‑Conference Rally where Patrick O’Connell, Director of Practice for Exponential, challenged those present to think beyond maintenance toward movement. A panel of Global Methodist planters and multipliers shared hard‑won insights, and roundtable discussions sparked relationships and cross-pollination of ideas across our young denomination. On Wednesday a GMC luncheon brought seventy‑five pastors and leaders together to hear about the continued development of the denomination across the globe. Max Wilkins, Team Leader for Church Multiplication for the Kingdom Advancement Commission (KAC), reminded us of our identity: “We are disciples who make disciples who make disciples and spread scriptural holiness across the globe.” These moments embodied the energy and momentum God is stirring among us. As Paul Lawler, senior pastor of Christ Methodist Church in Memphis, TN and vice-chair of the Commission, put it: “This is the time for white‑hot vision casting!”

Why the urgency? Research suggests denominations must start new churches at a rate of roughly three percent of their congregations every year just to stave off decline. The KAC has therefore set a goal: planting 3,700 congregations globally by 2033. When we look at our heritage we learn that for a number of years early Methodists were planting on average 700 new churches per year; not from a desire to preserve the past or build an institution, rather they multiplied disciples in order to advance the mission. Our emerging church must rediscover that zeal. Multiplication will not happen by default; it requires intentional preparation in every congregation now, while the concrete of our structures is still wet.

Exponential’s theme underscored this truth: healthy leaders create lasting impact. We reproduce who we are; if our congregations prioritize prayer, disciple making and sending, we will multiply those values across the globe. The rally and luncheon were not about hype; they were about returning to our roots as a connectional people called to save souls and spread scriptural holiness. Our multiplication efforts must therefore be grounded in prayer, gospel zeal and the means of grace.

A Vision of What Could Be

Participation at Exponential signaled that the GMC is serious about becoming a multiplication movement. Being listed among the conference sponsors placed us alongside networks and ministries committed to reproduction. Our table presence allowed hundreds of leaders to learn about the GMC’s mission. The pre‑conference rally and luncheon demonstrated that we are not content to observe from the sidelines; we are committed to equipping pastors and laity to lead the way.

Action Steps for your Church and Annual Conference

Preparation for multiplication is not just for denominational leaders. It begins in every local church. Here are concrete steps congregations can take now:

Pray intentionally for laborers. Jesus’ first command regarding the harvest was to pray (Luke 10:2). Form prayer teams that ask God to raise up planters, disciplers and missionaries from within your congregation - and put out that call regularly.

Identify and develop emerging leaders. Create intentional pathways for apprenticeships. Encourage laypersons with gifting and character to lead small groups, teach classes and shadow pastors. For those who sense a calling to take an intentional step into something new, consider participating in the GMC Multipliers Learning Community with Exponential to equip leaders to make paradigm shifts and mobilize their group or congregation. (The GMC has reserved 25 spots in the upcoming MLC. Learn more here: GMC MLC)

Start disciple‑making groups that multiply. Strengthen your congregation’s class and band meetings so that deep discipleship and accountability flow out with a zeal to connect the lost and wandering. Teach simple methods of evangelism and discipleship that anyone can use, and shift your scorecard to measure success by reproduction, not retention.

Prepare to plant. Begin praying about where God might be calling your church to send a planting team. Contact your Annual Conference or the KAC for coaching. Form partnerships with other GMC congregations to plant together. Research shows new churches reach more unchurched people.

Commit to attend Exponential. Bring teams of pastors and leaders to Exponential 2027 or regional conferences. Learning alongside thousands of like‑minded believers will stir faith and sharpen strategy. Consider bringing a team from your Annual Conference and/or church.

Rallying Cry

Exponential Global 2026 was not the culmination of our multiplication journey; it was a catalyst. The Kingdom Advancement Commission’s time of prayer and planning, and our growing presence at gatherings like Exponential, signal that the Holy Spirit is weaving together a movement of multiplication within the Global Methodist Church. Yet, the early days of movements are fragile. If we fail to act now - if we assume multiplication will happen automatically - we will drift into maintenance. As Wes Griffin, chair of the Kingdom Advancement Commission, observed, “Exponential isn’t just a gathering of leaders; it’s a catalyst that provides a common language and helps us think differently about how we might advance the Kingdom of God.”

The future of the GMC will be shaped not by the size of our gatherings but by the faithfulness of our sending. Let us prepare now for that future. Let each pastor, layperson, and congregation take up the call to pray, develop leaders, and plant new communities. Let us join hands across Conferences and continents, trusting that the God who empowered the early Methodists will reignite our missional zeal once again.

Zach Kingery is an elder in the Global Methodist Church and serves as Kingdom Advancement's GMC Multiplication Coordinator for North America and Multiplication Team Leader for the Upper Midwest Conference. He is also the GMC representative for Dirt Roads Network. Zach provided key leadership for the GMC at Exponential 2026.

Called, Equipped, Sent: A Growing Witness in Panama

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 18:46:13 GMT

In Panama, the work of the church is growing steadily, shaped by a clear focus on discipleship, leadership development, and a simple but effective model of evangelism that is reaching people where they are.

The Panama Annual Conference is investing deeply in forming both clergy and laity for ministry. In partnership with Asbury Theological Seminary, the conference is currently leading a Deacon formation course, with 17 students on track to complete their training by the end of the year. At the same time, the conference continues to strengthen its School of Ministries for laity, now in its second year, equipping lay leaders to serve actively in the life and mission of the church. Additional sacramental training has further expanded the conference’s capacity to care for congregations and support emerging leaders.

This intentional focus on leadership development is closely tied to how the church is growing across the region. Rather than relying on traditional structures alone, local congregations are engaging in relational evangelism through “Houses of Peace,” small, home-based gatherings that serve as entry points for discipleship, pastoral care, and community transformation. These groups have become a cornerstone of the conference’s ministry, creating space for new believers to encounter Christ and begin their faith journey in a personal and accessible way.

The results are evident. New believers are preparing for baptism, families are being transformed, and individuals who first encountered the church in a home gathering are now stepping into leadership roles themselves. The model is simple, reproducible, and effective, allowing the church to multiply its impact across communities.

One story reflects this movement clearly. Mari Luz, a nurse originally from Colombia, felt a prompting from God while at home: “Go to a church.” Acting on that call, she searched for a congregation and found one in the city center. She arrived in tears, seeking God, and that day gave her life to Christ. After entering a process of discipleship and being baptized, her growth did not stop there. Within a year, she became one of the most fruitful leaders in the conference, now leading multiple house groups and helping others encounter the gospel. Her story is one of many that illustrate how God is raising up leaders from within the community.

Church planting remains central to the conference’s vision. Through evangelism, discipleship formation, leadership development, and the launch of new congregations, the Panama Conference is building a foundation for long-term growth. Their priorities for the coming year include expanding into new cities, strengthening organizational structures, and working toward greater financial sustainability, including the future acquisition of church properties.

This growth has not come without challenges. Most congregations currently meet in rented spaces, and financial resources have not kept pace with numerical growth. Even with these constraints, the conference continues to move forward with clarity and faith, supported in part by connectional partnerships such as the Trinity Conference, which has helped with essential needs including rentals, utilities, and leadership expenses.

Behind the progress is a shared commitment from leaders across the conference, including the Board of Ministry, pastors, and lay leaders, along with the support and leadership of Conference Superintendent, Luciano Pereira da Silva and Bishop Kenneth Levingston. Together, they are cultivating a culture where discipleship is lived out in everyday spaces and leadership is developed from within.

As the Panama Annual Conference looks ahead, its path remains clear: invest in people, expand the reach of the gospel, and trust God to provide what is needed for the next season.

A Letter to the Global Methodist Church

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 18:37:09 GMT

Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ.

On March 11–12, leaders of the Global Methodist Church gathered in Atlanta, Georgia for a historic meeting of the Assembly of Bishops, Connectional Council, Commission Chairs, and Executive Staff. This was the first time these leadership groups have all met together in person, and it was a moment we will not soon forget.

What pictures of these meetings cannot capture is the deep joy of laboring side by side with brothers and sisters from around the world to nurture a Church that only a few years ago existed as a vision. Over these days together, we experienced a spirit of hope, shared purpose, and growing clarity as we prayed, worshiped, discerned, and worked together for the good of the Church we love.

A significant part of our time together focused on deepening collaboration across the leadership structures of our church. While each body has a distinct calling, our work is deeply interconnected as we shape the culture of leadership for this new global church. We are learning together what it means to lead as servants, to cultivate trust across cultures and continents, and to steward faithfully the responsibility the Church has entrusted to us in this season.

At the forefront of this leadership is the Assembly of Bishops, who are entrusted with guarding the faith, upholding the doctrine of the Church, and providing both spiritual and temporal leadership for our movement. The Connectional Council enacts the will of the General Conference, carrying forward the vision and overseeing the work of the Church between conferences. The Connectional Commissions advance specific aspects of the Church’s mission and ministry through resourcing and equipping conferences and local churches.

Together, these leadership bodies are not siloed in their work but are called into shared discernment and collaboration for the sake of the whole Church.

During our time in Atlanta, we also engaged in meaningful work around the strategic planning process for the Global Methodist Church. Those involved in that work were present and actively collaborating with key leaders, helping to shape a clear and faithful path forward for our denomination as part of the ongoing work of the Connectional Council.

Yet faithful leadership requires more than simply carrying out separate responsibilities. It requires shared spiritual discernment.

We have found it essential to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit together, not as isolated groups, but as a community of leaders entrusted with the care of a global Church. This work is not easy. The Church faces real challenges and difficult decisions. But as we prayed and worked together in Atlanta, we experienced a remarkable sense of unity in Christ. Even in the midst of complex conversations, we sensed that clarity is emerging as we hold fast to our shared mission and our unity in the Spirit.

Our time together also turned our attention toward the upcoming General Conference of the Global Methodist Church, which will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, August 30–September 5.

A General Conference is always a remarkable gathering in the life of the Church. It is part family reunion, part revival-filled worship, and part working conference where we prayerfully consider decisions about the doctrine, structure, and future direction of our denomination. The work of shaping our shared life together is immeasurably important, and we know those decisions will be bathed in prayer.

But we also recognize a deeper truth: legislation alone cannot transform hearts. The technical work of the Church cannot by itself usher in the culture of the Kingdom of God.

Our prayer is not that we would leave Johannesburg with a thicker Book of Doctrines and Discipline to script every detail of our life together. Our prayer is that we would emerge from Johannesburg with deeper holiness, stronger unity, and a renewed commitment to the mission God has entrusted to us. We are committed to a nimble Church that flows with the flexibility of a movement even as we align around the shared doctrinal commitments of the historic Church.

Those of us who gathered for our Convening General Conference in Costa Rica in 2024 witnessed something extraordinary. That gathering defied expectations with its passionate worship, spirit of revival, and humble, collaborative work. It launched the Global Methodist Church into what has already become an exciting season of rapid global growth.

In the two years since Costa Rica, many churches and conferences have joined our global family. Today, the Global Methodist Church includes more than 7,000 congregations around the world. By the time we gather in Johannesburg, nearly one-third of those present will represent churches that have joined since that Convening Conference. For that reason, it is vital that we meet one another face to face with open hearts, ready to welcome brothers and sisters in Christ into this shared mission. This work is culture-shaping and identity-forming, rooted deeply in historic Wesleyan faith and in our shared desire to follow Jesus faithfully in every context.

As we prepare for the upcoming General Conference, we call the churches and members of the Global Methodist Church to join us in prayer.

Pray that those who come to Johannesburg will do so with humility and openness. Pray that we would be listeners and learners, especially from those whose cultures and experiences differ from our own. Pray that we would not arrive prepared with arguments striving for preferred outcomes, but that we would seek together the mind of Christ.

Pray also that we would not simply be visitors to another part of the world, but that the witness and growing relationships of the global Church would expand our vision of the Kingdom of God in ways we have not yet imagined.

We left our time in Atlanta deeply encouraged. The unity we experienced there is not something we take for granted; it is a gift of God’s grace. What began only a few years ago as a shared vision is now taking visible shape in congregations, conferences, and communities across the world.

May the Lord who has begun this good work among us bring it to completion. May we walk humbly together, watching over one another in love, holding fast to the faith once delivered to the saints, and seeking above all the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. And may God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, make us a people whose life together bears witness to the transforming grace of Jesus Christ for the sake of the world.

With gratitude and hope,

Bishop Mark Webb , Dean of the Assembly of Bishops

Dr. Rev. Jessica LaGrone , Chair of the Connectional Council

Rev. Mike Schafer, Chief Connectional Operations Officer

A Defining Sunday: Nearly 700 Join Auburn Congregation in Shared Commitment

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:00:06 GMT

AUBURN, Ala. — On a Sunday that began before dawn in a high school gymnasium, a young congregation in Auburn witnessed something few churches of any size or stage ever experience: nearly 700 people standing together to take vows of membership.

For the church leaders of Christ Methodist Church of Auburn, the moment offers more than an inspiring story. It provides a case study in momentum, clarity of mission, and the often overlooked power of spiritual expectancy.

The church, still in its early years, has no permanent building. Its congregation gathers each week at a local academy, where volunteers arrive as early as 5 a.m. to transform a gym into a worship space with chairs, choir risers, and even a donated pipe organ assembled and disassembled week after week.

What could be seen as a limitation has, in practice, become formative.

“There are obstacles,” Dr. Tony McCullough, Senior Pastor, acknowledged, pointing to uncomfortable bleachers, constant setup, and the absence of traditional sacred space. “But once worship begins, it’s like we’re somewhere else entirely.”

That adaptability echoes early Methodist roots, meeting people where they are rather than waiting for ideal conditions. For clergy and church planters, it serves as a reminder that physical permanence is not a prerequisite for spiritual vitality.

The church’s Founders Day did not emerge spontaneously. It was the result of deliberate pacing, layered leadership, and sustained spiritual preparation.

Though only formally organized in recent years, the congregation had already developed core structures prior to receiving members. Leadership teams, committees, and staff were in place, and average weekly attendance had stabilized between 400 and 500 in a single service, with additional growth following the launch of a second service, which is contemporary.

Internally, leadership set incremental goals, first 300 prospective founding members, then 500 as momentum built. By the time March 1 arrived, expectations had been exceeded well beyond projections. The takeaway is clear: measurable goals matter, but they must remain flexible enough to accommodate unexpected growth.

The Founders Day service itself was carefully constructed, blending strong liturgical elements with high quality musical worship and clear theological grounding. The sermon centered on 1 Peter 2, emphasizing Christ as the foundation of the church, a strategic choice that reinforced identity at a pivotal moment. Testimony from earlier leaders connected the present to the church’s origin story, honoring continuity and shared ownership.

Then came the defining act.

As membership vows were extended, the congregation was asked to stand. Every person in the room rose.

“It wasn’t casual,” Dr. McCullough noted. “It was very intentional.”

For leaders, this underscores the importance of clarity in the ask. People are willing to commit deeply when expectations are explicit and meaningful.

THE STAGE IS SET

From the earliest hours of the morning, volunteers sensed something unusual. Attendance surged. Every available chair was used. Some attendees arrived for the first time and chose to join on the spot, an uncommon but telling indicator of authenticity and trust.

Following the vows, the room erupted with a sustained, spontaneous response more akin to celebration than ceremony. The pastor likened the moment to the early church in Acts, not as a rhetorical flourish, but as the closest parallel he could find to describe the shared experience.

In a world where Church is often described in broader culture as declining or marginalized, this scene presented a striking counter narrative, a community marked by joy, conviction, and shared purpose. Notably, the pastor resisted framing the moment around his own leadership. Instead, he pointed to lay leaders who had carried the vision long before his arrival, those who prayed, organized, and sustained the church in its earliest stages.

“This is not about one person,” he reflected. “It’s a celebration of what God has done through many people.”

This posture is more than humility. It is strategic. Healthy growth environments distribute ownership, ensuring that momentum is not dependent on a single personality.

MORE THAN A MOMENT

Following the service, the congregation gathered for a reception, sharing stories, deepening relationships, and reinforcing the sense of belonging that had just been formalized. For church leaders observing from the outside, the more important question is not what happened that day, but what made that day possible.

This is a story of clarity of mission, consistent discipleship, measured growth, and shared leadership, all grounded in an unmistakable sense of spiritual expectation.

The result was not merely a large number of new members, but a congregation unified around identity and purpose, something many churches spend years trying to cultivate. The next chapter for Christ Methodist Church of Auburn will be how that momentum is sustained.

While the numbers are striking, the church’s leadership emphasizes that growth has not come at the expense of depth. Discipleship remains central to the congregation’s identity, supported by a strong network of Sunday school classes, Bible studies, and small groups meeting both on Sundays at Lee-Scott Academy and in homes throughout the community during the week.

That commitment has helped sustain momentum as the church continues to expand. With a current budget of approximately $2 million, the congregation is already planning for the future, exploring building options, and preparing for what could become a significant capital campaign in the coming months.

Yet even as the church looks ahead, its vision extends beyond its own walls.

Rather than focusing solely on internal growth, Dr. McCullough expressed a desire to support other Global Methodist congregations in the region, particularly smaller or newer churches navigating similar challenges.

“We want to be a church that helps strengthen the broader connection,” he said, noting the importance of collaboration and shared resources across the denomination.

That outward focus reflects a broader understanding of success, not simply measured in attendance or facilities, but in the church’s ability to contribute to the wider mission of advancing the Kingdom, spreading scriptural holiness, and making disciples of Jesus Christ.

As the Auburn congregation continues to grow, this extraordinary moment stands as both a celebration of what has been built and a signal of what lies ahead: a church rooted in discipleship, committed to community, and eager to serve beyond itself.

North Alabama Annual Conference: Resourcing Churches, Fueling Growth

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:00:06 GMT

In the North Alabama Conference, a clear theme is emerging. When churches are well resourced and trusted to lead locally, they flourish.

Since its launch in May 2023, the conference has focused less on top-down directives and more on equipping churches for effective ministry in their communities. That commitment is evident in leadership development, missions, financial health, and overall church vitality.

A core value is excellence in ministry. That focus was evident in a recent Preaching Conference featuring Dr. Jessica LaGrone, which brought together 80 clergy for a day of learning and encouragement. The following day, approximately 40 Certified Lay Ministers gathered for continued training centered on preaching. This dual investment reflects a broader strategy of strengthening the pulpit while raising up new leaders within the church. The conference’s Certified Lay Ministry program is already identifying emerging leaders, with some discerning a call to pastoral ministry, reinforcing a commitment to developing leadership from within.

From the beginning, North Alabama churches have demonstrated a strong commitment to missions. Many entered the Global Methodist Church already engaged in local and global outreach, and that DNA has only deepened. The conference now supports mission partnerships in Nigeria and Eurasia, with churches consistently giving beyond budgeted expectations. In addition, each of the conference’s 11 districts is allocated $2,000 annually to support a non-GMC mission organization aligned with its theological commitments. These partnerships are making a meaningful impact, often reaching organizations with no prior connection to the conference.

The conference’s financial health is another notable strength. In 2025, 92 percent of churches participated in connectional funding without formal invoicing. Leaders attribute this to strong theological alignment and trust, with churches giving because they believe in the mission. Since 2023, income has exceeded both budget projections and actual expenses, supported by a lean administrative structure and a connectional funding rate of just 2 percent. That strength is now being reinvested into ministry, including funding for 100 pastors to attend the School of Methodism in the Covenant Philippines Annual Conference.

At the heart of the conference’s approach is a commitment to resource rather than mandate. Leaders have embraced a ground up model that allows local churches the flexibility to respond to their communities. Rather than prescribing programs, the conference provides tools, training, and opportunities that churches can adapt and apply. Discipleship and scriptural holiness remain central across all gatherings, from district events to the Annual Conference session.

Signs of vitality are especially evident among smaller congregations. Many churches with attendance under 50 are experiencing renewed energy and engagement, driven by theological clarity and a restored sense of trust. Connection is also deepening at the district level, where smaller gatherings of pastors and churches are fostering support and collaboration.

After focusing on strengthening and re-missioning existing churches, the conference is now turning toward new growth. A church plant developed in partnership with an existing congregation is preparing to launch next spring, with a planting pastor already in place. Early planning is also underway for a second plant.

Looking ahead, priorities remain consistent: resourcing churches for growth, strengthening discipleship, deepening theological understanding, and equipping congregations to live out their faith. Since its founding, the conference has also seen consistent provision of pastoral leadership across its churches, even in situations that once seemed unlikely. Time and again, needs have been met in ways leaders describe as both unexpected and deeply encouraging.

For the North Alabama Conference, it is a reminder that while systems and strategies matter, the work ultimately depends on something greater. As the conference continues to grow, its focus remains steady: equipping churches, empowering leaders, and trusting God to provide what comes next.

The Global Methodist Church Surpasses 7,000 Churches Worldwide

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 19:32:50 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lubbock, Texas, February 18, 2026 - The Global Methodist Church (GMC) has officially surpassed 7,000 churches worldwide, marking a significant milestone in the denomination’s ongoing mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ and spread scriptural holiness across the globe.

The denomination now includes 48 Annual Conferences, the majority of which are located outside the United States, along with four emerging areas, reflecting an expanding global footprint shaped by local ministry and united by shared faith. While many GMC congregations remain in the U.S., much of the church’s growth over the past year has occurred internationally, with meaningful expansion across Africa, Asia, Eurasia, the Philippines, Europe, and Latin America, along with emerging presence in South America and the Caribbean.

Since its launch in 2022, the Global Methodist Church has experienced rapid growth across multiple continents, demonstrating a collective commitment among clergy and laity to vibrant faith, orthodox Wesleyan theology, and bold witness in communities around the world.

“This moment represents far more than a number,” said Connectional Operations Officer Mike Schafer. “Each local church represents people growing deeper in Jesus, their communities being transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, and new people coming to know Christ. We give thanks for every church family who has helped shape this growing global movement.”

As the denomination continues to grow, leaders emphasize that this milestone is not an endpoint but a reminder of the work still ahead. “This milestone reflects the faithfulness of God and the willingness of His people to boldly follow the Holy Spirit’s leading and God’s call,” said Bishop Mark J. Webb. “Each congregation is a living witness to the transforming power of Jesus Christ. As we celebrate this moment, we remain steadfast in our calling to make disciples of Jesus Christ and to spread scriptural holiness across the globe. We give thanks for what the Lord has done, and we look forward with hope to all that is yet to be.”

For more information about the Global Methodist Church and its mission, visit globalmethodist.org.

About the Global Methodist Church

The Global Methodist Church exists to make disciples of Jesus Christ and spread scriptural

holiness across the globe. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the Church envisions multiplying

disciples of Jesus Christ throughout the earth who flourish in scriptural holiness as they

worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. Rooted in Scripture and led by

the Spirit, the Global Methodist Church seeks to share the whole counsel of God with all

peoples, advance the presence of God’s Kingdom in every culture and community, and

serve the world as ambassadors of Christ with humility, love, and compassion.

A Pastoral Letter from the Assembly of Bishops

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 21:05:17 GMT

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5.13-16)

To Our Global Methodist Family:

Our hearts are heavy as we witness the immense pain and suffering affecting so many across the world today. Our sorrow is not driven by political alignment, but by the compassionate heart of Jesus Christ at the state of our world. The reality of sin and broken relationships across the globe make it appear as if darkness and the powers and principalities of evil are winning the day. Yet we proclaim Jesus, the light of the world who penetrates the darkness, conquers sin and promises to transform lives, families, communities and nations.

As the Assembly of Bishops, we unequivocally condemn all acts that exploit, dehumanize, terrorize, or destroy innocent human life. We lament the suffering of immigrants, refugees, and displaced persons, as well as the victims of terrorism, war, and political violence. Our prayers and voices are with civilians enduring instability, displacement, hunger and even death around the globe.

We grieve with communities experiencing civil unrest, polarization and political violence.

Our hearts are heavy for those being persecuted for their faith, particularly in Nigeria, India, Pakistan and throughout North Africa. We mourn the political polarization, unrest and violence stretching across the globe from Uganda to the United States and all points between.

At their core, these realities are the manifestations of a spiritual disease that can only be healed through an encounter with the transforming grace of God through Jesus Christ.

We support the rights of all people to peaceably seek redress from their leaders regarding unjust policies and practices without fear of reprisal. We must speak and act against evil. Yet we boldly proclaim that apart from the transforming work of Jesus in our lives and the lives of those around us, change will be elusive. May we always see Jesus as the hope and solution to a broken and desperate world and carry the Gospel and Kingdom values into every call for change.

In a world marked by brokenness and fear, partisan conflict or ideology is not the solution. We urge every Global Methodist to boldly live our mission and purpose as the Church of Jesus Christ. God invites us to partner with Him in offering hope, healing, peace and a different way through the one called Jesus.

How can we as global Christians respond faithfully in ways that bring healing rather than further disruption? We offer these thoughts as you consider how you might respond faithfully where you are:

1. Pray. Prayer is always the right first response and the best ongoing posture for those who profess faith in Jesus Christ. Pray for the many areas of the world that God may work in hearts, including yours, to bring about His peace and desire. Pray for the salvation of others. Remember, the Apostle Paul reminds us that first and foremost, much of what we are experiencing is rooted in spiritual conflict when he writes: For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6.12-13)

2. Talk with your church’s leadership team and pastor. Determine how you might work/pray together to change the emotional and spiritual atmosphere. Be reminded that in the GMC, the local church is the basic unit. We believe the greatest opportunity for influence and change happens when the local church involves itself in its community by taking the good news of Jesus into every corner. Where Jesus reigns, justice will be known.

3. Think Biblically and prophetically, not just politically. We hope Global Methodists will be as fully engaged and prophetic as they sense the Holy Spirit’s leading — feeling free to network and advocate, speak out publicly, raise awareness, draw issues to the attention of government representatives and other community leaders to lobby for their active support, and to be peace makers of God. Global Methodists anywhere in the world should be able to live flourishing lives without fear of war and violence as they work for freedom and holiness. Our example for social holiness is John Wesley, and Global Methodists aim to fully embody his example.

4. Treat others as you would want to be treated. As you communicate opinions with others, consider that our primary responsibility as followers of Jesus is to help one another know Christ and grow up into all aspects of Him.

5. Find out who your Annual Conference’s mission partner is and learn how you can support them. Advocate for change, especially where there is religious persecution.

6. When posting online, consider the implications of your words. Ask:

• Have I prayed as I have formed my thoughts?

• Have I resisted the temptation to react rather than respond?

• Who would be harmed if I speak?

• Who would be harmed if I don’t speak?

• How does what I say bring honor to the name of Jesus Christ and invite others to trust Him?

Finally, a word about the role of bishops in the Global Methodist Church. While other denominational bodies expect their leaders to speak for the whole on public issues, this is not so in the GMC. Our culture is different. For us, the work begins with the local church. As much as we might prefer, the GMC has not intended nor empowered its bishops to be outspoken denominational pundits but to serve local congregations by guarding the faith, doctrine, and discipline of the GMC. We are committed to lead in that way. Every Global Methodist and Global Methodist local congregation is charged by the Lord to be the light of the world. Faithfulness to that mission is the responsibility of all of us working together to welcome and advance God’s Kingdom across the globe.

We on the Assembly of Bishops join all Global Methodists everywhere in grieving for the anxieties and uncertainties that plague our world right now. We do so recognizing that the world needs Jesus more than ever. We are convinced that in all the places where there is unrest there is also Jesus, who is always at work to restore this world to himself.

May God be with you as you seek to serve Christ where you are and work for the offering of the good news of Jesus to people who God desperately loves.

With earnest intercession,

Kimba Evariste

Jeff Greenway

Leah Hidde-Gregory

Scott Jones

Eduard Khegay

Kenneth Levingston

Carolyn Moore

John Pena-Auta

Mark Webb

The Most Important Ecumenical Question Today

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 14:16:54 GMT

By Vatroslav Župančić, Central Europe Annual Conference

Ecumenism is a term that derives from the ancient Greek word (οἶκος ) oikos, which means house or household as the basic unit of society. From that term, we derive today's concepts of economy and of the word oikouménē or ecumenism. Ecumenism precisely means: "The inhabited, or civilized world," but is used today to describe the Christian church as a world wide unified body of believers, both clergy and laity, but spread and distributed in various forms of what we know as churches, denominations or parachurch organisations.

By the same name, ecumenical, we are calling the early church councils such as the Constantinople-Nicaea council (whose 1700th anniversary we celebrated last year), because they have a general importance and codified the beliefs of the universal church that was spread through the whole known world of that time. Today, the creeds from the early councils are part of the core beliefs of the churches that we know as orthodox, catholic and protestant.

In modern times , the concept of ecumenism has gained new relevance and began among Protestants. In 1846, the Evangelical Alliance was founded in England, bringing together Protestant churches such as the Anglican, Reformed, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist and others. At the founding conference of this alliance, held in London, the American Presbyterian pastor Samuel H. Cox used the term "ecumenism," advocating for the establishment of a world organization that would promote unity among Christians. In 1867, under the leadership of Philip Schaff, a similar alliance was established in the United States. One of the main reasons for these alliances was to coordinate missionary efforts among different Protestant churches. The movement increasingly developed over time. Mutual dialogue also developed with other denominations, such as the Orthodox churches, and after the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), the Roman Catholic Church also joined the ecumenical cooperation.

When we talk about ecumenism , it is often thought of it as form of an institutional or liturgical communion. However, in recent times, with the challenges of secularism and liberalism, church leaders and theologians from various denominational backgrounds are increasingly coming together to unite around the moral and ethical values that are common to us that we share from the beginnings of our christian faith. Some of those values include advocating for the right to life, opposing abortion or euthanasia, respecting the institution of marriage as a lifelong union between one man and one woman, promoting the value of the family, social projects, etc.

But one question is the most important question today and it requires a true ecumenical answer .

By the recent edition of the World Watch List 2026 published by the Christian organization Open Doors as one of the the most comprehensive and relevant global studies on the persecution of Christians - the persecution of Christians is rapidly increasing in the world. The presented data confirms a continued and growing increase in violence, discrimination and systematic human rights violations against Christians worldwide.

According to this year's data, around 388 million Christians are exposed to severe forms of persecution solely because of their faith in Jesus Christ. This represents an increase that clearly indicates that the persecution of Christians is not a marginal or regional issue, but a global phenomenon that is deepening.

A particularly alarming fact concerns the number of Christians killed because of their faith. That number rose from 4,476 in 2024 to 4,849 in 2025. The vast majority of these killings occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, which now accounts for as much as 93% of all deaths worldwide. The deadliest country for Christians remains Nigeria. Out of a total of 4,849 Christians killed, as many as 3,490 are Nigerian Christians, representing an increase compared to last year's 3,100. Besides Nigeria, Christians are also exposed to extreme persecution in Myanmar, Pakistan and Syria, where believers are often targeted by armed violence, forced displacement, abductions and institutional discrimination.

Because Jesus commanded us in the parable of The Sheep and the Goats that: whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. And opposite: whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. These are serious words that should encourage all Christians to help their brothers and sisters who suffer because of their faith and love in Jesus, regardless of their denomination.

That is why this issue has exceptional ecumenical potential, which we, as Methodists, can urgently respond to for the glory of our God.

Waiting With Joy and Hope

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:34:48 GMT

A Christmas devotional

By Simon Mafunda

Christmas is not only the celebration of Christ’s birth—it is also a reminder of the deep theology of waiting . God’s people waited centuries for the promised Messiah, and when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, that waiting was fulfilled with joy and hope. Today, we too are called to wait—not in despair, but in joyful expectation of God’s promises.

Have you ever waited for something for so long that when it finally arrived, the joy was overwhelming? Growing up in rural Zimbabwe, I vividly remember my mother promising that I would visit the city for the first time once schools closed for the holidays. The anticipation was overwhelming–I often struggled to sleep for days. Waiting three weeks felt as though I were enduring three long years.

The prophets foretold the coming of Christ: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given” (Isaiah 9:6). Israel waited through generations, often in exile and hardship, yet hope was sustained by God’s word. This teaches us that waiting is not wasted time—it is sacred preparation.

There is joy in the fulfillment of God’s Promise. When the angels announced Christ’s birth, they declared: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10). Joy is not dependent on circumstances, but on the certainty of God’s faithfulness . The shepherds rejoiced because the Savior had come, showing us that joy springs from God’s presence.

Our hope should always be forward-looking. Simeon, who had been waiting for the “consolation of Israel,” held the infant Jesus and proclaimed: “My eyes have seen your salvation” (Luke 2:30). His hope was fulfilled, yet it pointed forward to the redemption Christ would accomplish on the cross and in the resurrection. Likewise, we wait with hope for Christ’s second coming, trusting His promise : “I will come again and will take you to myself” (John 14:3).

Our Call Today

Waiting with joy and hope means trusting God’s timing, even when prayers seem unanswered. It means rejoicing in small glimpses of His kingdom breaking into our world. It means living as people of hope , shining light in darkness because we know the Savior has come and will come again.

When you face delays, remember God is working behind the scenes .

When you feel discouraged, choose joy by recalling God’s past faithfulness.

When the world feels dark, live as a beacon of hope , pointing others to Christ.

Christmas teaches us that waiting is not passive—it is active faith . We wait with joy because Christ has already come, and we wait with hope because He will come again.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, we thank You that in Your birth our waiting turned into joy, and in Your promise our hope is secure. Teach us to trust Your timing, rejoice in Your presence, and live as people of hope until You come again in glory. May our waiting be filled with faith, our hearts with joy and our lives with light. In Your holy name we pray, Amen.

The Gratitude Pumpkin

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 05:00:06 GMT

By Dianne Burnett

A few years ago, a dear friend showed up at my home with a simple gift: a blank craft pumpkin and a Sharpie. At first glance, it did not seem like much, but that little pumpkin has become one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions.

Every November 1, my daughters and I put the pumpkin on the table and start writing things we are thankful for. Each day, we add more words—big and small blessings, special and ordinary. By Thanksgiving, the pumpkin is covered in thankful words, year after year.

Some of the words we have written are not things at all, but people God placed in our lives for a season: family, friends, teachers, neighbors, and even a few names we cannot totally remember anymore, reminders that someone once made an impact at just the right time. We have written down moments of worship, nights spent cooking together, long talks with friends, and even entries like “girls' nights.” They may seem small, but each one represents something God used to fill our hearts with joy and remind us of His goodness.

This year, Thanksgiving looks different for me. Perhaps it does for some of you as well. Different seasons bring different emotions, waves of grief, unexpected change, or even a sense of loneliness. And while this year may feel unfamiliar, I will still hold fast to that gratitude pumpkin and to the faithfulness of God that each word represents.

Because gratitude has a way of steadying us. It turns our eyes from what is missing to what God has provided. It reminds us that even when life feels uncertain, God has never stopped pouring out mercy, kindness, provision, and love.

So today, I invite you—wherever you call home, whatever season you find yourself in, whatever language you pray in—to actively reflect and participate:

What would you write on your Gratitude Pumpkin?

Who has God placed beside you?

Where have you seen His goodness this year?

What simple joys has He used to restore your soul?

Take a moment now. Pause in your day. Grab a pumpkin, paper, or simply make a mental list, and thank the Lord for His provision. Scripture reminds us:

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever.” - Psalm 118:1

Even in seasons that feel different.
Even in moments that feel heavy.
Even in years we did not expect.
God is still good. His love is still steady. His grace is still enough.

From the Global Methodist Church family to yours, may your Thanksgiving be filled with reminders of the Lord’s kindness, and may gratitude draw you closer to His heart.

For a Faithful Future: The Global Methodist Church Captures the Mission of a Growing Movement and Honors Its Founding Leader

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 14:33:06 GMT

By Dianne Burnette

Franklin, Tennessee — A new book entitled For a Faithful Future roots the Global Methodist Church in Methodist history, tells of its formation, and shares its mission and vision for the future. The book is in honor of and dedicated to the Rev. Keith Boyette, the leader who guided the new denomination from its inception to its founding.

The volume consists of 17 essays by prominent voices in the Wesleyan movement, including Bishops Scott Jones, Carolyn Moore, Mark Webb, and Bishop Emeritus Robert Hayes, Jr. Other authors include Suzanne Nicholson, David F. Watson, Gabriella Kopas, and Ryan Danker, among several more. Jessica LaGrone and Walter Fenton served as the book’s co-editors.

“For a Faithful Future represents both gratitude and anticipation,” said Rev. Dr. Jessica LaGrone, Executive Director of the Beeson Center at Asbury Theological Seminary and co-editor of the collection. “It marks our place as we stand and reflect with gratitude on all God has done in the earliest days of the Global Methodist Church, and looks forward in anticipation for the future the Holy Spirit is shaping among us.”

The collection honors Rev. Keith Boyette, the Church’s founding Connectional Officer, whose steady and Spirit-led leadership helped the denomination navigate its earliest days. Contributors reflect on the Global Methodist Church’s core mission: to make disciples of Jesus Christ and spread scriptural holiness across the globe.

A launch event was held on Friday, November 21, at Seedbed Headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee, with contributors and denominational leaders in attendance. The book will be featured at Global Methodist Church Annual Conference events and in partnership promotions leading up to the denomination’s 2026 General Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa (August 30 – September 5, 2026).

For a Faithful Future: Essays on the Mission of The Global Methodist Church in Honor of Rev. Keith Boyette

Available now at Seedbed.com

Operation Christmas Child: A Testimony by Zac Vakadweatabua

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 13:00:33 GMT

My name is Sakiusa Rokovasa Vakadewatabua, Jr. But I go by Zac. I grew up in Fiji, an island nation in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The International Date Line cuts straight through my country, meaning that Fiji is the first to see every new morning and new year. We are literally at the very end of the earth.

Childhood there was different than you might expect. Fiji is rich in clear blue waters and warm temperatures, but my four siblings and I grew up playing with sticks and stones. Often kids in our neighborhood played rugby, Fiji’s national sport. Except no one could afford a ball. Instead we played with empty soda bottles, even after someone inevitably got hit in the face.

I come from a long line of pastors, from my great-grandpa, to my grandpa, to my father, to me. My family lived right next to our church, positioned near the river which flooded during rainy season. Routinely my father and the men of our congregation trekked downriver to fetch pieces of the church that swept away. I gave my life to Christ at a young age during a revival camp in my grandmother’s village. Throughout my life, God continues to remind me of His faithfulness.

One reminder of His love was through Operation Christmas Child.

This specific Monday afternoon when I was nine, my mom oversaw a special outreach event to present the Gospel to children in our community. She already told me there was a surprise at the end, but as her son, my name would be the last called – just in case they ran out. All day at school, I prayed, “Please let my name be called!” At the event, I waited anxiously as my mom started calling names, first the kids from the community, then those who regularly attended Sunday School. Soon the celebration drowned out all my worry. Infectious joy burst from my friends and in my own heart as they received their shoebox gifts.

Finally, with the last shoebox in hand, my mom called my name.

Excitement shot me forward to retrieve my very own shoebox gift. From coloring books and pencils to a jump rope and racecars, all these colorful items kept coming out of my shoebox. I didn’t have these new things before!

But the jaw-dropping item which most reminded me of God’s love was a bright yellow yo-yo. I only ever saw this toy in stores that were financially out of reach. Now here it was in my shoebox, a special gift just for me. That yo-yo meant more to me than simple plastic and string. It was a tangible gift from someone around the world, given in faith, to remind me of God’s love.

Going through my shoebox, God brought to my mind Romans 5:8, “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” I was a Christian before, but this moment was impactful. We are all undeserving. But someone spent their time, money, and resources just to pack this beautiful gift for a child at the ends of the earth. Somebody around the world thought of me.

After God opened doors for me to move to the United States years later, He called me to pastoral ministry at my local church in Kansas. Soon after starting my position, I rediscovered Operation Christmas Child.

The youth group participated every year, and the task of leading the project fell to me. Ecstatic, I told my church about how I received one of these shoebox gifts, and the news caught fire! For the kids in my youth group, this put a real face to the mission they were doing and gave them a renewed drive to serve the Lord. Watching those kids pack over a hundred shoebox gifts as an outpouring of God’s love to others around the world, I was so overwhelmed that I cried with joy.

I remember one child in my youth group praying over the shoebox gifts, “Thank you for what I’ve been blessed with that I may bless other kids.” That’s when it hit me that these kids have a profound understanding of what it means to show God’s love.

Being a part of someone’s discipleship journey is incredibly humbling. Whether through pouring into the church I serve in Kansas or through packing a shoebox gift for someone around the world – I know that God blesses such faithful ministry because of my own testimony. Packing a shoebox gift may look like a little thing, but the impact is profound. It’s the fingerprint of God. My shoebox gift shaped me and continues to shape millions of lives all over the world.

Global Methodist Church Announces First Approved Seminaries

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 19:48:42 GMT

The Ministry and Higher Education Commission, in collaboration with its Committee on Approval, is pleased to announce the completion of the approval process for our previously recommended institutions of higher learning. The following have been approved with the status of Six Years , Three Year Provisional and Temporary Status .

Six Year Approval
Asbury Theological Seminary
Beeson Divinity School at Samford University
Oklahoma Wesleyan (for International Students Only)
Truett Theological Seminary, at Baylor University
Wesley Biblical Seminary
West Africa Theological Seminary

Three Year Provisional Approval

Ashland Theological Seminary
Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University

Temporary Status/Approval Process to begin July 31, 2026

*United Theological Seminary

* The Committee on Approval and Ministry & Higher Education Commission looks forward to

revisiting the approval process with United Theological Seminary leadership once a new

president has been secured.

The institutions that received provisional status will be able to apply for passage of their full status at any time once the conditions needed to satisfy their full approval are met. All institutions shall be required to be reviewed after their sixth year of approval status or every seven years, in accordance with Paragraph 810.3 of the Book of Doctrines and Discipline .

We are very grateful for the patience and valuable feedback of these recommended partners through the process, and we look forward to working with each of them as approved partners given they form one of the vital formational components to the training of our clergy in the Global Methodist Church.

Clergy candidates beginning their education January 1, 2026, shall be required to utilize the invaluable partnerships of our following fully or provisionally approved educational partners. Clergy candidates may select from either a degreed program or course of study if the approved partner has one. The course requirements for deacon and elder may be found in 507.3 and 507.4 (BDD), and our educational partners have demonstrated their proficiency in having the necessary courses to meet these educational requirements.

Clergy candidates who enrolled prior to January 1, 2026 and remain enrolled may complete their education at their current institution. Beginning January 1, 2026, unenrolled clergy candidates will be required to utilize one of our approved educational partners.

The Ministry and Higher Education Commission, as well as the Committee on Approval, looks forward to working with new institutions who desire to seek approval via our process. Those institutions interested in applying may do so through the website at globalmethodist.org .

Birthing the Global Methodist Church in Zimbabwe

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 21:51:26 GMT

ZIMBABWE ANNUAL CONFERENCE SPOTLIGHT

The Zimbabwe Annual Conference started out small, but the Lord has heard the prayers and faithfulness of his people and is multiplying efforts across the nation.

The first meeting of Global Methodists in Zimbabwe occurred in July of 2024. There was no pastor, only about 50 eager and faithful members gathering in the name of Christ. In about a year’s time, Zimbabwe officially joined the world-wide movement of the Global Methodist Church after a convening annual conference in August.

From that fledgling group of 50, membership has grown to reach over 4,000 people. In less than a year and a half, 50 clergy members have joined the GMC from Zimbabwe and there are now 97 churches.

The Church is making significant impacts in the community. Chikuhwa primary and secondary schools, along with a clinic, were given to the annual conference by the rural council, forming the first GMC Mission Center in Zimbabwe. The conference is now responsible for the schools and clinic. In addition, considerable land areas have been offered to the GMC, adding up to nearly 250 hactres, equivalent to about 25,000 acres.

The annual conference has seen revivals throughout the year, from Easter services to a retreat for young people. In August, the conference held a five day revival at a Nyamburi campsite with more than 4,000 members in attendance.

According to Conference Superintendent, Rev. Forbes Matonga, These meaningful blessings and gifts are “confirmation of Jesus on our side.”

Join us in praying for this new conference, that the Gospel would spread throughout Zimbabwe and that more leaders and members would rise up to meet the needs of their communities in the name of Jesus.

Stories From the Persecuted Church

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 19:53:25 GMT

During the month of November, we encourage you to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ across the globe who are persecuted for their faith. Below are stories from India, Nepal and Nigeria.

Please note, the names and identities of these individuals and families, as well as specific locations, have been omitted to provide additional protection and safety.

Grieving from Terrorist Attack – Nigeria

In an area of the Northeast Annual. Conference, a community noticed smoke rising nearby. As neighbors gathered to determine the cause, they saw people running and shouting, announcing that terrorists had launched an attack and were burning houses and murdering villagers.

The submitter of this testimony was able to escape with a few others. “God spared our lives,” he said.

More than 40 lives were lost. When the terrorists fled, the survivors returned to bury and mourn the loss of friends and family.

“We see this as the work of the devil trying to wipe away Christian community in [our region] and other neighboring communities. We need your prayers, we need your encouragement that God shall come for our rescue to heal us from the trauma of the incident.”

Pastor and Land Dispute – India

A pastor in India is involved in a court case regarding property lines. His land has been encroached by villagers because he is a pastor involved in converting people to Christ. The pastor filed a court case and paid Rs. 25000/- to the advocate handling the case. The advocate belongs to a a fanatic Hindu group. The advocate shows willingness to solve the problem, but it is complicated. Two acres of land belongs to the pastor and the opponents have no proof to show otherwise. The pastor and the believers are of the firm belief that God will help him to get the land back. Join us in praying for this pastor, that his needs would be met and that the Lord was protect him from persecution.

Lost Home – Nepal

Residents in Nepal were recently expelled from their family home as a result of their Christian faith. They have since been living in great difficulty, without proper shelter and support.

Their hardships have increased further due to the recent passing of a close family member, and the upcoming memorial service has left them in a very vulnerable emotional and social position. They urgently require assistance to sustain themselves and live with dignity.

Faithfulness During Loss – Nepal

A woman, a devoted follower of Christ, along with her husband and their children, have faced severe hardship due to their faith. They were forced to leave their home and are currently living in extremely insecure conditions in a buffalo shed.

Despite extreme poverty, social discrimination, and lack of basic resources, the family continues to serve faithfully in their local church. Two of her children are actively involved in church ministries, including children’s and youth fellowship programs, and have completed one-month Bible school training. Another child is eager to pursue further Bible education.

Support in the form of shelter, educational opportunities, or prayerful encouragement will not only help them survive but also enable them to continue serving the Lord with hope and dignity.

Pastor Testimony – Northern Nigeria

Thousands of terrorist attacks have occurred across northern Nigeria and the North Central region, also known as the Middle Belt. Entire communities have been wiped out by terrorists, with thousands of lives lost. These attacks have primarily targeted Christian communities.

"Personally, I have survived multiple terrorist attacks, though I was never a victim myself, except for the brutal killings of my friend and my brother at the hands of these barbaric individuals," a pastor said. "I could write a documentary about many of the terrorist incidents and the communities affected in Nigeria."

Be in prayer for Nigerian Global Methodists who are living in these vulnerable communities.

November 2 is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP). Join us in praying for these faithful Christians as they navigate these challenging situations. Learn more about the Global Methodist Church's participation in IDOP.

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 16:39:03 GMT

"A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria...But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went." - Acts 8: 1, 4 NLT

The Global Methodist Church invites you and your church to join in the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) on Sunday, November 2, 2025. This is a unique opportunity to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world as we lift our voices together.

The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church is a time each year set aside to pray for Christians who stand as bold witnesses in the world’s most difficult and dangerous places to follow Christ. During this time, we enter into fellowship with these brothers and sisters by praying for their families, their needs and their ministries.

We encourage the GMC family to set aside Sunday, November 2 to observe IDOP corporately during worship services and individually during personal prayer.

Many of those that live daily with persecution are found in the 10-40 window of the globe. This land area is between 10 and 40 degrees north latitude, stretching from West Africa to southeast Asia and includes the majority of the world’s population of Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists.

This is a part of the world where there is much poverty and difficulty in living day to day. Being a Christian here is dangerous, yet those who live here share their faith passionately with non-Christians knowing what it could cost them.

More than 380 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith.

1 in 7 Christians are persecuted worldwide.

1 in 5 Christians are persecuted in Africa.

2 in 5 Christians are persecuted in Asia.

More Christians were killed in the 20th century for their faith in Jesus Christ than in the first 19 centuries of the Church. Christians around the world are targeted for persecution more than any other religious group.

Resources are available to help you and your church observe IDOP. Prayer guides, small group studies, sermon outlines, slides, bulletin inserts, videos and more are available at:

Global Christian Relief https://globalchristianrelief.org/resources/idop-2025/

Open Doors USA https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/getinvolved/resources/idop-resources/

Voice of the Martyrs www.persecution.com/idop/

Join us in a prayer for the persecuted church:

Gracious Lord,

We thank You for our Christian brothers and sisters around the world who accept the risk of bearing witness to Your love and grace and of faithfully leading and teaching Your people in the world’s hardest places to be a Christian.

May these Christian leaders, who are often the first targets of persecution, know the power of Your presence both in times of victory and in days of weariness and loneliness. Bring them reminders from Your Word and love from Your people to sustain them in their work and worship.

As they bear the yoke of leadership in the church, we pray that they will experience the lightness of a yoke shared with You, and will find peace and refreshment as they rest in You. May their courage and faithfulness be a vivid example to the churches they lead and to the persecutors who seek to wound Your Church.

Lord, through Your love and grace, encourage the hearts of these church leaders today, strengthening them in every good work and word.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A New Day for Women's Ministry

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:00:06 GMT

By Katy Kiser

The Global Methodist Church Women’s Ministry is connecting women in annual conferences and building a prayerful network that is in tune to the Holy Spirit.

As the Global Methodist Church was formed leading up to the official launch in May of 2022, the best minds in Methodism began to pray and envision a renewed and empowered Methodist movement. Many questions were being asked, one of those questions was, “Will the GMC offer something official for women?”

It was never in doubt that women would play important roles in both the clergy and laity of the GMC. During the days of the Wesleyan Covenant Association, women leaders began to dialog among themselves and pray seeking the Lord’s plan for women’s ministry in what became the GMC. A scripture emerged from Isaiah 43:18-20, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing!”

And a “new thing” for women was birthed – a ministry that prioritized prayer, the leading of the Holy Spirit, spiritual growth, a renewed commitment to the great commission, and commitment to the Methodist movement. Under the guidance of the provisional leadership team headed by Rev. Keith Boyette, Global Methodist Women’s Ministries was formed. Co-chairpersons, Judy Graham and Katy Kiser were put in place. They in turn developed a task force of women who represent local churches in countries and continents around the globe.

This team began by affirming that all priorities would be in line with those in the mission and vision statements of the GMC. The task force identified coordinators for each annual conference and developed a list of resources for the local church.

Today, the annual conference coordinators are doing significant work providing connection for women. Their creativity is inspiring women in their own conferences and others as well. One conference has developed resources for understanding our Wesleyan distinctives that can be used weekly, monthly or in any number of ways. Another holds an annual luncheon featuring excellent talks by noteworthy female leaders. Still another had over 700 women gather for a day long retreat. Their ideas are endless.

Women have a distinct role to play, and as Bishop Carolyn Moore has written, “Men and women are built for partnership.” It is in partnership that the Global Methodist Women’s Ministry joins the entire GMC to create community and meaningful connections for women within the church.

To learn more, contact the Global Methodist Women’s Ministry through your annual conference coordinator and join the women's ministry on Facebook . View all annual conferences here .

Raising Up Leaders and Expanding Reach: The Northeast Annual Conference Prayerfully Casts Vision

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 19:36:20 GMT

A conference that spans more than 150 thousand square miles, the Northeast Annual Conference is gathering churches and pastors together to cast vision and understand and share the mission and DNA of the Global Methodist Church.

The conference is in the beginning stages of a strategic planning process, with evangelism and discipleship leading the way. The strategic plan will also focus on building missional partnerships, recruiting and deploying clergy, raising up laity in ministry and developing financial and human resource support. Another key priority–raising up the next generation of leaders.

Conference Superintendent Rev. Steven Taylor spoke to the urgency of creating pathways for young believers to enter ministry. “We believe that there’s a wave of the next generation, Z and Alpha, that is coming and we need to begin not only praying for them, but preparing for them to take over in leadership,” Taylor shared.

The conference actively seeks opportunities for young adults to enter leadership positions within the annual conference, encouraging them to have a voice both at the conference level and within their districts.

The conference has 23 districts with 192 churches in one of the most populated areas in the United States. With a population of more than 50 million people, Taylor conveyed the need for churches and the gospel.

“The Northeast is a challenging place to be in ministry because it’s the least churched area of our nation and has the largest unchurched population in our nation as well,” Taylor said. “Methodism in America was birthed in the Northeast, and we’re convinced that it will be rekindled in the Northeast as well.”

The Northeast Annual Conference has a goal to have one Global Methodist Church in each county throughout the 12 states and Washington D.C. The conference has already planted 15 churches and currently has at least one church in each state. With several major cities in the conference area, including New York City, Boston, Washington D.C. and Baltimore, the conference is praying about how to train and prepare urban church planters to reach the unchurched.

“We don’t have any shortage of people who need to hear the gospel of Jesus,” Taylor said. “We are working diligently to find ways to not only revitalize our existing congregations, rural, suburban and urban, but also to plant new congregations in places where there are no Orthodox Methodists.”

It's common to find smaller churches in the Northeast. “The culture of the Northeast doesn’t lend itself to large churches like it might in the Bible Belt or other parts of the country,” Taylor said.

One such smaller church is Mt Zion Orleans Church, with a congregation that meets down a five-mile dirt road in rural West Virginia. The church started with a gathering of about a dozen people and now sees numbers upwards of 40 attendees. Just recently, the church performed baptisms in the Potomac River, demonstrating their passion for preaching the gospel and freedom to minister through the Global Methodist Church. Other small churches in the conference are making an impact in their local communities through Vacation Bible School programming, outreach ministries and revivals.

To maintain connections with churches of all sizes, the conference follows the model set by John Wesley. Pastors in the Northeast Annual Conference attend weekly class meetings with their presiding elders. This rhythm of connection, accountability and mentorship educates presiding elders and enables them to support local churches and pastors. Just as the presiding elders meet with local pastors, pastors are encouraged to use this model to hold class meetings within their local churches.

Above all things, the conference is devoted to prayer.

“We’ve worked from day one to proclaim our identity as Global Methodists and to be grounded in prayer and to be moving in the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit,” Taylor said.

The Northeast Annual Conference prayer ministry holds regional prayer events and develops prayer points of contact throughout the conference. The conference holds a monthly open prayer Zoom meeting for anyone who wants to participate and a weekly prayer with all pastors, which speaks to the conference’s efforts to not only pray together, but connect with local churches and membership.

“John Wesley gave us some great models when he would rise every morning and pray for an hour or more,” said Taylor. “We, as Methodists, are called to be on our knees, seeking God's will to further the mission that we've been called to. It is the foundation of everything we're doing.”

More than 100 churches in the Northeast Annual Conference area are pursuing the process to become Global Methodist churches and join the movement. Pray for these congregations as they eagerly take the next steps to join our denomination, and continue to pray for the churches in place, that they would meet the needs of their communities and more would come to know and love Jesus.

Lead Well: Tea With an Orthodox Priest

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 20:06:49 GMT

By Bishop Leah Gregory

“I ask not only on behalf of these (that’s the disciples), but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word (that’s us), that they may all be one." –John 17:20-21

While on a recent trip to Greece, I found myself in a restaurant sitting next to an orthodox priest. I struck up a conversation with him, explaining that an ecumenical council had brought me to Athens. Later in the conversation, I told him of the hope I had found at our meeting because of the unity around the great commission. He chuckled and he said, “That is the problem with the Western church, you keep looking for unity, when you should be looking for oneness.” I did not let on that I had no idea what he meant by that statement. I mean, aren’t unity and oneness the same thing? Wasn’t he splitting hairs over two words that had the very same meaning? We continued our conversation around the church. There was sage wisdom that seemed to spill with every sentence he uttered, but that thing about ‘oneness’ and ‘unity’ stuck with me. Once I got back home, I began studying scriptures that lifted the words “oneness,” “unity,” and “united.”

On the night in which Jesus was betrayed, he went to the Garden of Gethsemane. In John 17:20-21, we get a glimpse of that prayer. Jesus prays for his disciples of that day and all of those who would believe in him to be ONE. In the only place I know of in scripture, where Jesus actually prayed directly for you and for me… he prays we will be one. He doesn’t pray for us to be one so that there might be peace and harmony, but so that the whole world might come to believe. Our oneness is imperative to our mission and has eternal consequences.

Oneness and unity are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings. Oneness refers to the state of being unified or whole, achieved through the power of the Holy Spirit, which joins us to Christ and makes us one with Him. Ephesians 4:1-16, Paul tells us to make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit (oneness) through the bonds of peace and to grow into the fullness of Christ’s image.

Unity, on the other hand, is the state of being united. It’s about coming together for a common purpose or goal, and it’s often used to describe the agreement and harmony among individuals or groups. Unity can be temporary, depending on the event or cause, while oneness transcends events and is built upon a sharing in the Spirit of God.

Oneness is a deeper, more profound unity that transcends mere agreement or association, whereas unity is the process of coming together for a common purpose. Oneness is a coming together where the parts meld together, bending to the will of God in perfect surrender to the same divine spirit. In Genesis 1:9, God commands all the waters to come and pool together in one place. Waters from the rivers, oceans, streams, and heavens all gathered in one place. Distinct water molecules flowing together cannot be unified. They can only be “one.”

As Christian leaders, we cannot operate as individuals with a common mission, but rather as one in the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not called to unify the church. We are not to bring the church together for a common purpose; rather, we are to lead them to live under the Spirit of God. Rather than leading for unity in name only or even fairness with democratic principles in place, we need to be praying for “oneness.” As a Conference Superintendent, I pray God equips me to lead for “oneness.”

Many of us have tried to explain the experience we had in Costa Rica at the Global Methodist Convening conference. We had experienced New Room and other powerful worship experiences, but Costa Rica was more. We had all been in a room where people came together for common purposes and accomplished great things, but Costa Rica was unique. There was a divine spirit that we were all living in, which made for the formation of a very different church. It was a foretaste of Glory. Being one with God and one with one another, a church was formed that I want to give my life to for the sake of Christ.

The Apostle Paul gives us an example of how a leader leads a church to “perfect unity,” or put another way, “oneness.”

"I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought." – 1 Corinthians 1:10

We can learn much from Paul in this letter on how we are to lead people to oneness:

Pray for the people God has entrusted to your care every day
Do not turn a blind eye to the divisions and disagreements within the church, speak to and lead for oneness
Believe in the goodness of all people and the church
Speak truth in love… approach the conversation with the desire of greater understanding, restoration, and redemption
Lead people to have fellowship with one another and with God, seeking to live in the Spirit of God.

My prayer is that we will be a people who come together not in a false sense of unity, but truly united in the Spirit of God. Living in such a way that the entire world might come to know the transformational love available through Christ Jesus.

Brothers and Sisters, Lead Well!

The Lifter of Dreams: A Testament to Perseverance

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 17:44:23 GMT

Introduction

In the heart of Western Kenya, where survival is a daily struggle, my journey began as the firstborn of twelve children from peasant parents. Life was marked by hardship and deprivation; often, we went without food, and the concept of a proper meal felt like a distant dream. My mother, a beacon of hope, tirelessly mended my torn clothes, preparing me for school against all odds.

Despite overwhelming challenges, a flicker of hope emerged through the generosity of a local church that saw potential in me. Their unwavering support lit a path I once thought was forever closed. This is my story—a testament to resilience, determination, and the transformative power of education.

This journey resonates deeply with the works of Victor Frankl, a philosopher and psychiatrist whose insights into human resilience in the face of suffering provide a profound backdrop to my experiences. Frankl, in his seminal work Man’s Search for Meaning, asserts that even in the direst circumstances, we can find purpose. He writes, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” This sentiment rings true in my life, as I discovered that the struggles I faced were not mere obstacles but vital lessons my character and fueling my resolve.

In the spirit of Maya Angelou, a writer and civil rights activist, I echo her belief that “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated.” Her powerful words remind me that perseverance is not just about enduring hardship; it’s about rising each time we fall. Each challenge has become a stepping stone, teaching me the value of resilience and the importance of lifting others as we rise.

Background

I grew up in a family largely unknown to the outside world, with my father's name unrecorded, and our existence often overlooked. Born into poverty, my life is a complex tapestry of struggles, and even today, we navigate the challenges that come with it. This anonymity has instilled in me a profound understanding of the human spirit's tenacity. As the philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre once said, “We are condemned to be free.” I had the freedom to choose my path, even in the direst of circumstances.

Early Life

In my childhood, simply having a meal at home felt like a miracle. Breakfast was a foreign concept, and if we had lunch, dinner was not guaranteed. Showers were a luxury; we could not afford soap for the entire family. My mother would use a small amount of soap to wash my hair, urging me to make the most of it.

Rain, which should have been a blessing, often felt like a curse. Our round, grass-thatched house leaked from the roof, leaving my eleven siblings and me to sleep on sacks on the floor, exposed to the elements. Yet, in the words of Viktor Frankl, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” I learned to find beauty in hardship, transforming pain into a catalyst for growth.

If wishes were horses, beggars could ride. I often found myself wishing for a better life, but I had to learn that it was not enough to wish; I needed to act.

Education Journey

I vividly recall my admission to primary school. My mother’s determination secured my enrollment, but I had no uniform. I attended classes in patched trousers, lovingly sewn by her. Shoes were a luxury I could not afford.

School fees, a mere $20 between 1995 and 2010, were a heavy burden for my family. My attendance was often interrupted by unpaid fees, leading to frequent trips home. One of the few bright spots was the provision of milk in schools—two 500ml packets every Friday. Despite missing classes throughout the week, I ensured I was present on Fridays to take home the precious milk to share with my family.

In upper primary, from Primary Four to Eight, the challenges intensified. The school often sent me home due to accumulating fees. Yet, I fought to stay. Sometimes, I'd return during lunch or linger outside to catch the school meal. Frederick Douglass’s words echoed in my mind: “Knowledge is the pathway from slavery to freedom.” I believed that education could unlock a brighter future for my family, a belief that became my guiding light.

Thanks to the generous support of a village church, I completed my primary and secondary education. They believed in my potential, organizing fundraisers that provided me with the resources I needed. Their faith in me was a testament to the interconnectedness of our human experiences.

Struggles and Resilience

As the eldest child, the weight of responsibility felt heavy, especially with my mother suffering abroad. I remember the heart-wrenching moment when she told me, “My son, I don’t see myself coming back to Kenya. Take care of your siblings; we will meet in heaven.” Her resolve, despite the mistreatment she faced, motivated me deeply.

To survive, I worked tirelessly on a farm, often waking before dawn and returning late at night to save enough for a trip to the capital city. When I reached out to my uncle in Nairobi for help, I was met with silence, leaving me to sleep on the streets for three days until a friend took me in as a watchman. Here, I learned the painful truth of existence: that sometimes, even those we rely on may not be there to catch us when we fall. Yet, in that despair, I found resilience—a lesson echoed by Maya Angelou: “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated.”

As I navigated these trials, I often thought, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Each hardship I faced became a lesson in strength, teaching me the value of perseverance and determination.

Higher Education

Life remained tough, and I married early due to loneliness. Joining the Methodist Church opened doors to a scholarship opportunity, which I pursued with determination. However, coming to campus was fraught with challenges. After fundraising for my ticket, I traveled by road for five days through Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, only to lose all my belongings—including my donated laptop and educational materials—in Zambia.

Upon arriving on campus, I was overwhelmed. Although I received a scholarship, financial difficulties persisted. My wife earned a modest allowance of $70 per month, barely stretching to cover rent, food, and our daughter’s school fees. We often relied on friends for basic necessities. I found myself renting my meal card to afford printing assignments, as I did not own a laptop.

Reflecting on my journey, I am reminded of Malala Yousafzai’s powerful words: “One child, one teacher, one pen, and one book can change the world.” I strive to be that change, determined to uplift myself and those around me. Each challenge became a stepping stone, teaching me the importance of lifting others as we rise.

Current Situation

Having completed my studies, I am back in my country, serving God through my passion for writing. I contribute articles to the church, sharing insights that aim to inspire and uplift my community. I am immensely grateful to the Global Methodist Church administration for recognizing my contributions and providing me with a platform to amplify my voice.

My heartfelt prayer is to transform lives through education and empowerment. I hope that through this writing, God, the lifter of men, will show me mercy and connect me to a family that can illuminate my path. I am committed to supporting young Africans facing challenges similar to mine—those lacking guidance and resources—while fostering meaningful connections that could provide the mentorship essential for uplifting many in our community.

Through my writing and outreach efforts, I aspire to inspire a new generation to dream big and pursue their education, ensuring that no child has to endure the struggles I faced alone. Together, we can create a movement of empowerment, lifting each other up and building a brighter future for Africa.

Lessons Learned

Through my journey, I have gleaned several key lessons that I hope will instill hope and provide guidance to those facing similar challenges:

1. The Power of Hope and Determination

Hope is a powerful force. As Frankl suggests, it can provide a sense of purpose even in the darkest moments. When faced with adversity, the belief that a better future is possible can motivate one to keep pushing forward. As I navigated my struggles, I learned that determination, combined with hope, fuels resilience.

2. Education as a Catalyst for Change

Education is not merely a means to acquire knowledge; it is a transformative tool that can break the cycle of poverty. Just as Frederick Douglass asserted, “Knowledge is the pathway from slavery to freedom,” I found that education opened doors and offered opportunities that seemed impossible. Investing in one's education is an investment in the future.

3. Community Support is Vital

No one can succeed in isolation. The support of my local church was instrumental in my journey. Their belief in my potential and their financial support through fundraisers allowed me to pursue my education. This emphasizes the importance of community—lifting one another up can create a ripple effect of positive change.

4. Resilience Through Adversity

Life will inevitably present challenges, but it is how we respond to these challenges that defines us. As Maya Angelou said, “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated.” Each setback I faced became a lesson in resilience, teaching me to rise stronger and more determined.

5. Self-Reflection and Growth

As Rainer Maria Rilke suggests, “The only journey is the one within.” Introspection allows us to understand our experiences better and learn from them. Embracing self-reflection has been crucial in my journey, enabling me to transform pain into purpose.

6. Acts of Kindness Create Ripples of Change

Just as a single candle can light a thousand others, acts of kindness can create a ripple effect in the community. I learned that even small gestures can have a profound impact on someone’s life. Together, we can cultivate a culture of compassion and support.

Conclusion

As I stand at the crossroads of my journey, I reflect on the path I have traveled—a winding road forged through adversity, brightened by hope. Much like a seed buried in the earth, struggling against the weight of the soil, I have fought to break free and reach toward the light. The challenges I faced were not mere obstacles but vital lessons, each one shaping my character and fueling my resolve.

In the grand mosaic of life, we are all threads woven together, each contributing to a larger narrative. My story is but a single stitch in this intricate design, yet it is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. I have learned that true strength lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall, echoing the words of Friedrich Nietzsche: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”

Through my writing and outreach, I aspire to be a beacon of light for others who find themselves in darkness, guiding them toward the shores of education and empowerment. I believe, as Rainer Maria Rilke said, “The only journey is the one within.” It is through introspection and the pursuit of knowledge that we can uncover our true potential and inspire others to do the same.

In this world, we often underestimate the power of compassion and connection. Just as a single candle can light a thousand others without losing its glow, so too can one act of kindness create ripples of change. I invite you to join me in this movement of empowerment, lifting each other as we rise, fostering a community where dreams are nurtured, and every child is given the opportunity to flourish.

As Albert Camus once said, “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” Additionally, Viktor Frankl reminds us, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” I pray that my journey resonates with you, igniting a spark of hope and encouraging you to lend a hand to those still navigating the shadows.

Together, let us cultivate a garden of possibilities, where every young mind can bloom and every heart can find its purpose. For in the end, it is not just our stories that matter, but the legacy we leave behind—a legacy of kindness, resilience, and an unwavering belief in the transformative power of education.

Kenya Annual Conference Spreads Scriptural Holiness and Equips Local Communities

Tue, 26 Aug 2025 14:27:05 GMT

The Kenya Annual Conference is dedicated to pursuing God’s work with passion and zeal. The conference aims to bring community and self-sustainability to local churches and communities.

The KAC-Development Investment Fund was created by the Kenya Annual Conference under the direction of the 2025 Conference session at Dr, B.T. Cooper Memorial School in Kayole Nairobi. This fund was created locally by Kenya's Global Methodist churches and is distributed according to the evaluation of each local church's capacity. In order for the KAC to fulfill its ministry responsibilities, churches agreed to contribute between approximately $40 and $400 U.S. dollars each year. Churches agreed to invest the funds after a specific time period to work toward self-sustainability.

The fund's primary goals are to enhance the conference's financial foundation, increase resources and support its developmental prospects. Long-lasting impacts that fortify local communities are produced by the fund, which fosters unity and a shared goal among local congregations and helps the Conference become self-sustaining, self-propagating, and self-supporting. In order to support the church and raise money for its ministers, the conference encourages congregations to launch modest business ventures.

Missions-minded, the Kenya Annual Conference coordinates outreaches at House Grace Gigil-Nakuru District, Mikingirini in Kilifi and at Dirakho GMC to inspire members in spreading scriptural holiness across different communities. The conference ordained 5 elders and 22 deacons from 2024-2025, performed 30 baptisms, saw 44 confirmations and 170 new professions of faith.

Conference superintendent Rev. Wilton Odongo led and prioritized discipleship in the local church, traveling to every district to teach leaders, pastors and laypeople about the Global Methodist Church and the depth of its worship. To support the need for ministry education for pastors, Bishop Jeff Greenway taught more than 50 pastors at the Wesleyan Methodist Training College in Nairobi last October. The conference also offered regional pastor training hubs to develop skills, educate on Methodism and teach on church administration and structural organization in Kakuma, Turkana and North Coast regions. The conference currently seeks retired clergy members who are willing to donate their time and resources to teach or empower Kenyan pastors and leaders.

The conference signed a memorandum of understanding in June with the Allegheny West Annual Conference, pairing districts together and developing relationships with pastors to strengthen the power of the connection. Through this partnership, Allegheny West provided scholarship funds to support 45 high school and college students for 2024 and 2025, creating new opportunities for young adults and inspiring growth of church membership for very vulnerable and poor families.

The Kenya Annual Conference has a three-year goal to plant 29 new churches. In April, congregants attended a church planting and multiplication workshop to create vision action plans to achieve this goal. The conference planted 19 new churches in 2024, and 37 churches joined the GMC in 2025. In total, the Kenya Annual Conference has 133 congregations across the country, with many more in the process of being planted and discipled.
The conference is praying for partners, friends, and well-wishers across the connection as plans move forward to establish a ministry center. This center would provide a place where local leadership could host conferences, seminars, and workshops, while also serving as a resource to support broader initiatives such as kingdom development, mission work, scholarships for Global Methodist Church students, and economic empowerment for members.

The Wesleyan Methodist Training Center (WMTC), established in 2019, continues to equip pastors and leaders. Currently operating in a rented facility that has become increasingly costly, the conference looks forward to one day having a permanent location where ministry can flourish and expand.

At the same time, the conference continues to lift up local congregations facing significant challenges. Some worship in makeshift or substandard structures, while others gather under trees in unsanitary conditions that pose health risks. In particular, churches such as House of Grace—relocated last year—and Kayole St. John’s are navigating difficult circumstances and are in need of support. Access to clean water remains a critical concern, with plans to secure modern drilling equipment as a priority for the year ahead. Meanwhile, churches serving in the Turkana Region’s Kakuma refugee camps are deeply impacted by hunger and limited access to health care.
Through prayer, partnership, and perseverance, the conference is working toward strengthening the witness and wellbeing of local churches and communities.

To connect with the Kenya Annual Conference, email conference superintendent, Rev. Wilton Odongo at tomwilton2000@yahoo.com .

God With Us in Every Season

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 17:13:58 GMT

Scripture:

“ Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” – Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” – James 4:8 (NIV)

Devotional Thought:

Life doesn’t always make sense. It’s not always fair. Hard things happen—sometimes in waves

that threaten to pull us under. I know this truth deeply and personally.

In just four years, I lost all four of my grandparents. My first husband abandoned me and our

daughter. I endured two miscarriages, battled ovarian cancer, and underwent surgery. At age 31,

I lost my second husband suddenly to a heart attack. These losses cut deep. I entered a season of

addiction—dark, consuming, and isolating.

And yet—God.

Fourteen years ago, I had an encounter with the living God. In that sacred moment, I met Jesus

Christ as my Lord and Savior. That encounter changed everything. Fourteen years later, I am still

in recovery, still walking in grace, still held together by the One who promised never to leave me

or forsake me.

His Word became my anchor.

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)

Even when doctors discovered three blood clots in the language center of my brain, God was

with me. I made a full recovery. In the valleys and the victories, I have experienced His

faithfulness.

I’ve learned to love even when betrayed. I’ve grieved deeply, most recently losing my mother

suddenly. Grief and I have walked together for many years. Yet, the wounds God healed in

earlier seasons have helped me walk through new pain with hope, not despair.

One thing I know for sure: bad things happen in this world. We don’t get to choose when or how.

We do, however, get to choose how we respond.

There are hurting people all around us—not just across the world, but right down the street. We

can choose to step out of our comfort zones, meet people where they are, and be vessels of

compassion and encouragement.

Focusing only on the chaos of the world drains our energy and shifts our focus from what God is

calling us to do right here, right now. You may not be able to control the world, but you can

control your response. You can choose love. You can choose grace. You can choose to draw near

to God—and He will draw near to you.

Reflection Questions:

Where in your life have you seen God remain faithful, even in pain?
Are you focusing on things you can’t control, or are you letting God use you where you are?
Who in your community might need encouragement today?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for never leaving me, even when I felt abandoned or broken. Help me to keep

my eyes on You, not on the chaos around me. Teach me to be an encourager, a light, and a vessel

of Your love to those around me. May my story, my scars, and my healing all bring glory to

You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The 2:42 Conference: Holy Fire Stirring Among Our Youngest GMC Leaders

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 16:36:44 GMT

The early days of any new movement comes with questions about the sort of DNA that will form the culture of that organization. There may be many aspects of that formation outlined on paper: guidelines, beliefs, mission, vision, and more. But beyond what’s on paper there are unspoken cultural realities. Every organization has organically formed DNA, and sometimes that organic DNA has more culture-shaping power than any aspirational language that may have been formally adopted. In my travels around the country working with GMC congregations and annual conferences I am beginning to have a sense of this DNA taking shape, and it fills me with tremendous hope. In particular, if my recent experience at the 2:42 Conference is any indication of the spiritual DNA that is forming the future of the Global Methodist Church, then I can confidently say I’ve never been more excited about where we are headed.

The 2:42 Conference is a gathering of young leaders in our denomination, as well as seminary students and those exploring a call to ministry. The idea was initiated by our bishops last year when they pulled together a planning team of young-ish leaders from around the country. We recently completed our second annual gathering in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.

From April 7-9, 2025 young leaders gathered for worship, prayer, teaching, and intentional time to build new relationships. The conference is named after Acts 2:42, a summary statement of the DNA that was forming in the early church after Pentecost. The vision for this conference was to create a space where young leaders could lean into this simple, yet powerful vision for church life, and get connected with one another to discover the real support and community that’s needed in order to live out a lifelong call to ministry.

This year 2:42 main session speakers included Emma Winchester, myself, Dr. David Watson, and Dr. Luther Oconer. These speakers covered topics like holiness and prayer, pastoral calling, the uniqueness of Methodism, and Spirit-filled life and ministry. A final session also included a panel of pastors discussing the realities of navigating local church ministry. This panel included pastors representing different stages and types of ministry ranging from a church planter to a large multi-campus church pastor. (Videos from the 2:42 main sessions are now available here.) In addition to main sessions, attendees participated in breakout sessions on topics like Next Gen Ministry and Pastoral Leadership. A Q&A session on navigating ordination and education requirements was also provided, as well as a panel discussion with all the Bishops who were present for the conference.

Beyond the teaching sessions, the three-day event was filled with lots of prayer and worship. Attendees lingered in times of singing and reflection, simply enjoying God’s presence together. Other times were filled with passionate intercession for the church, for the lost, or for each other. At several points throughout the gathering the altars were filled with young leaders on their knees, crying out to God. I overheard many testimonies of God clarifying calling, answering prayer, bringing healing, and so much more! Plenty of intentional time for connection was provided. Each day participants broke into small groups to reflect on how God was moving and to get to know each other on a deeper level.

God did so many incredible things in our time together, but here are a few aspects that I found quite encouraging about the whole experience:

Young leaders in the GMC are incredibly passionate and committed to the church. I experienced a group of people who are not jaded about past hurts. They are not bemoaning the recent decades of church decline. Their eyes are fixed on Christ and they see great hope bubbling up among their peers. I found the passion and enthusiasm for the future to be contagious.
I witnessed a denomination that is committed to being intergenerational. The 2:42 Conference is not about glorifying youth. There was a beautiful balance between hearing the hearts and vision of young people, while still recognizing the importance of seasoned leaders and mentors. There have been times in the church where the young were either platformed too quickly as a way to try and prop up declining institutions, or ignored for too long because they had not “paid their dues.” What I see forming in the GMC is a culture where the voice and gifts of all generations are being valued and shared for the good of the whole.
The 2:42 Conference also demonstrates the denomination’s investment in the future of this movement. It was quite beautiful to see 5 out of our 8 bishops make the practical commitments necessary to be present throughout this time. In fact, the only ones who could not make it were not there for unavoidable reasons, like they happened to be on another continent! The very act of offering this type of event is a sign that the GMC wants to build a movement that will continue for generations to come.

Finally, I want to say that the spiritual hunger and DNA of our young leaders that I witnessed can teach us all something about what God is doing in the church right now. Emma Winchester, a 22 year old emerging GMC leader who was one of the 2:42 keynote speakers, recently wrote about this in a compelling way in Firebrand Magazine . I would encourage you to read her perspective. What I witnessed myself echoes her sentiments. Our youngest leaders are hungry for a church that abandons performance, gimmicks, and half-hearted discipleship. What I see in our younger generations is a deep desire to give their lives to something costly. They want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. They have no time for cheap grace, surface-level church programming, or luke-warm leadership. They desire authenticity, simplicity, and leaders who are all-in. It’s appropriate that this conference was given the 242 title, because it’s that kind of back-to-the-basics kind of Christianity that I see these young leaders pursuing.

Coming away from the 2:42 Conference I can definitively say that the future of this movement is bright! Together, across generations, we are forming a renewed and Spirit-filled Methodist culture that is both new and old at the same time. In many ways, 2:42 felt like a fresh discovery of ancient paths. There is a growing zeal for the “doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which we first set out.” The DNA that gave birth to Wesleyan revival in the mid-1700s is becoming new again. For that, I can only say that I am so grateful and I pray for this to continue multiplying!

Our young GMC leaders are carrying something that is crucial for the future of our church. What I experienced at 2:42 contains the seeds for the sort of dynamic movement that will allow us to truly become a body which is fully embracing our calling to “make disciples of Jesus Christ and spread scriptural holiness across the globe.”

Matt Reynolds is the President and Founder of Spirit & Truth , an equipping and renewal ministry in the Methodist/Wesleyan tradition that is working with GMC congregations and annual conferences around the world. He led the planning team that implemented the 2:42 Conference this year.

Doctrinal Standards: The Articles of Religion and the Confession of Faith

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 16:31:43 GMT

The Articles of Religion and the Confession of Faith are currently doctrinal standards of the Global Methodist Church. In designating these two documents as doctrinal standards, we continued the practice of the United Methodist Church, the denomination with which many of us were once affiliated. Each document came from one of the UMC’s predecessor denominations. The Articles of Religion came from the Methodist Church, and the Confession of Faith from the Evangelical United Brethren. When these two denominations merged to form the UMC in 1968, the new denomination adopted both standards.

The problem, however, is that these two standards are not entirely in agreement with one another. Following its first General Conference in 1968, the UMC formed a theological study commission to combine the Articles and Confession and thereby produce a new standard for the denomination. That commission was led by Albert Outler. Rather than combining the two documents, however, the commission came back with a proposal for a loose theological method that involved the use of Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. The UMC thus retained the two doctrinal standards alongside what came to be known as the “Quadrilateral.” The problem of inconsistent doctrinal standards remained unresolved.

Now, with the formation of the Global Methodist Church, we face the same problem the United Methodist Church faced in 1968: we have two doctrinal standards that stand in some tension with one another. The GMC’s 2024 convening General Conference therefore tasked the Doctrine, Discipleship, and Just Ministry Commission to develop a new standard that combines the Articles and Confession, to the extent that this is possible. Following the outlines of a plan proposed by Ryan Barnett, the Commission thus formed two working groups. The first is a writing task force. It is co-chaired by Jason Vickers and David Watson. Other members of the task force include Gabrielle Kopas (Slovakia), David Zamora (Costa Rica), Ken Collins (USA), Matt O’Reilly (USA), Luther Oconer (Philippines) and Esther Kukah (Kenya).

During its April 2025 meeting, the Doctrine, Discipleship, and Just Ministry Commission approved the following guidelines for the writing task force:

Principles for New Methodist Doctrinal Standard Combining the Articles of Religion and Confession of Faith.

We will stay as close to the intent and spirit of the two documents as possible.
When there are differences between them, we will make judgments based upon our best understanding of Wesleyan theology. We will try to reach consensus on these judgments. If we cannot, we will decide by vote.
We will seek to avoid idiosyncratic interpretations, e.g., overly specific interpretations of doctrines relating to topics such as atonement, sanctification, Scripture, and eschatology. We will try to produce a document that will generally encompass the breadth of Wesleyan belief that is present in the GMC currently.
We want to maintain about the same level of specificity as the two documents. The articles should be around the same length as in the two predecessor documents.
We will strive to write at a level that can be understood and taught by mature Christians, whether ordained or laity.
We will focus on affirmative content, rather than on negative content (such as anti-Roman Catholic or anti-Anabaptist articles).

All members of the task force must agree to these principles before we begin our work.

The second working group is a feedback committee. Bishop Scott Jones has agreed to assemble a larger working group consisting of men and women from different regions of the GMC to provide feedback on the document produced by the writing task force. The task force will adjust the document responsively.

Upon completing this assignment, we will submit the new document to the General Conference as part of a legislative petition.

Rev. Dr. David Watson is Chair of the Global Methodist Church’s Doctrine, Discipleship, and Just Ministry Commission, Academic Dean and Professor of New Testament at United Theological Seminary and incoming President (July 1, 2025) of Asbury Seminary.

Discipline In All Ages

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 20:46:53 GMT

By Tena Griggers, from the North Georgia Annual Conference

I have to admit that in our early days of married life, when my husband, Steve, and I were both working full time with two young children, I rarely made our bed and was not the best housekeeper. On weekends, yard-work, home maintenance and other projects would take priority instead of church. Sometimes we decided to take the kids for picnics, road trips or to the beach.

On the way there, while listening to the radio, our little son Steven would sing along to "life is a highway, I wanna ride it all night long".

Don't get me wrong– laughter, fun, adventure and exploration are good, but constantly seeking fun and happiness does not produce happiness. Seeking God does. Back then, we didn't put God first, but that has changed.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

-Jeremiah 29:13

Growing up, we both received discipline from our parents and learned right from wrong–to take responsibility for our own actions and learn a strong work ethic. We instilled these into our children, too. What was lacking in our earlier years was the number one thing for a good and peaceful life; putting God first and relying on Him instead of self. Also lacking was the discipline to not give in to your flesh and to always finish what you start.

In his 2014 keynote address to graduating college students at the University of Texas, the very first piece of advice Admiral William McRaven gave was: “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed…if you can’t do the little things right, you will never be able to do the big things right.”

A life without discipline becomes chaotic, self-centered, superficial, anxious, confusing, worrisome and unfulfilling. Discipline is important to God, and God disciplines those He loves.

“Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

 – Hebrews 12:9-11

We've come a long way, and have a ways to go, but being a Christian is a journey; the destination is Heaven and God teaches us along the way if we just humble ourselves, listen to Him and are obedient to Him. He sent Jesus not only as the Lamb for our sins, but also to be the perfect example of how to love and live this life. The Bible is our life

manual. We learn to love from Christ and we also learn to practice discipline, but it means nothing if we don't put it all into practice every day.

“But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. – James 1:22

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.

–Galatians 5:22-23

Celebrating the 1700th Anniversary of the Council of Nicea

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 20:39:25 GMT

Written by Vatroslav Zupancic

on behalf the Ecumenical Relationships Commission

The first Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, which this year celebrates its 1700th anniversary, was a defining moment in the life of the Church Universal. Convened in 325 A.D. as the first gathering of Christians from both the Catholic and Orthodox traditions, the Council of Nicaea set out to gather church leaders from across the known world. Out of this historic meeting came one of the most important and fundamental statements of faith. The Nicaean Creed is recited every week by millions and millions of people who believe Jesus Christ is fully God, "not made, being of one substance with the Father."

The Council was convened in response to what is called the Arian controversy, which denied the full divinity of Christ. In opposition to that heresy, the global Church boldly declared with one voice that the Son is "God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God"

The Global Methodist Church stands firmly with the Church Universal in continuity with this historic confession. Our Articles of Religion and Confession of Faith, along with our Catechism, affirm the truths upheld at Nicaea concerning the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, the eternal divinity of the Son, and the unity of God’s being. These are not optional theological preferences but essential truths that shape our worship, discipleship, and mission in the world.

We also recognize the destructive power that various types of false teachings have caused throughout history to the unity of the Church of Jesus Christ. The Nicene Council is proof that profound accomplishments can emerge from ecumenical efforts, and that theological unity is important to the Church. As a denomination, we hope to focus our ecumenical efforts on supporting the Church wherever it is persecuted, and on standing together with other

denominations in teaching and preaching an orthodox faith.

With thanks to God for those early bishops and confessors who bore witness to Christ with faith and courage, we who serve with the Ecumenical Relationships Commission joyfully commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea as we proclaim the faith of our fathers and carry their convictions into this new movement. We renew our own commitment to proclaiming this apostolic faith—not in abstraction, but as the very heart of our life together in Christ.

As Wesley declared in his sermon Catholic Spirit, "Is thy heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? Then give me thy hand." United in the truth of Christ, we extend our hands and hearts to the global body of believers who share this ancient and living confession.

May the Spirit who led the Church at Nicaea continue to guide the Church today. And may we, the people called Methodist, remain faithful to the One who is "the radiance of God’s glory and

the exact representation of His being" (Hebrews 1:3).

Beyond Retirement: Upper Midwest Senior Clergy Forms the Jethro Project Ministry

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 20:27:48 GMT

Early in the life of the Global Methodist Church, the word “retired” was replaced with “senior members” to describe senior status clergy who are past the season of pastoring a church, but offer other gifts and insights. Ministry never concludes, it matures and the Lord guides us to new paths. For many senior members in the Upper Midwest Annual Conference, this path is known as the Jethro Project.

Jethro, though not a prominent figure in Scripture, blessed God’s people through his seasoned experience and insight. As the Upper Midwest Annual Conference grows for Kingdom-building work, structural assistance is offered by the senior members of the conference. These men and women labored for decades in the church and movements that birthed the Global Methodist Church. Their passion for Christ, expertise and experience in ministry is valuable in these fledgling moments of our denomination.

One of the Jethro Project’s early challenges is connecting senior members to each other. The Upper Midwest Conference encompasses a large area of the United States, which can make relationship building difficult. With early adoption from individuals living in areas across the conference map, the Jethro Project builds community and encourages sharing within the conference.

The Jethro Project is heartily affirmed and supported by the Upper Midwest Conference and aims itself at the following ministries:

The pastor and congregation prayer project pairs a senior member with a district to pray daily for every pastor and congregation in their assigned district and directly contact each pastor periodically to listen, encourage and pray with them. 15 of the 18 districts in the conference are being ministered to in this way.

Let’s be Methodist Together , a conference retreat, has been constructed for the purposes of worship, connecting clergy and encouraging pastors to imbed Methodism in the DNA of their congregations. By October, eleven districts will have experienced the retreat.

The Jethro Program made in-person seminary visits at Indiana Wesleyan University, United Theological Seminary, Asbury Theological Seminary and Wesley Biblical Seminary to build relationships with students and staff, and recruit new pastors to the Upper Midwest Annual Conference.

As God grows the Upper Midwest Annual Conference, the need for spirit-filled pastors is evident. The Jethro Project passionately advocates for clergy of different cultures and ethnicities to come join us in life and ministry.

This leads to the Jethro Project’s newest ministry, cross cultural coaching . Cross cultural coaching guides congregations through the benefits, opportunities and possible obstacles of employing and being spiritually led by a person of a different culture, ethnicity, or both. In addition, pastors are coached on similar topics as they prepare to lead a congregation from the majority culture.

Deploying their experience and wisdom, the Jethros individually counsel, encourage and coach pastors and ministries. Jethros are in conversation with churches considering joining the Global Methodist church, and fill pulpits, lead revivals and write articles to resource the annual conference.

If you are a senior member and want to know more about the Jethro project email Mike Morgan wesleyclubiowa@gmail.com

Global Methodist Church Receives Four New Annual Conferences and Welcomes Bishop Eduard Khegay

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 17:16:08 GMT

The Global Methodist Church continues to grow its global connection with the addition of four newly received annual conferences: Central Russia, East Russia and Central Asia, Northwest Russia and Belarus, and South Russia.

“These conferences represent faithful communities committed to the mission of the Church,” said Clark Atkins, Chair of the Conferences Commission. “We’re encouraged to see the connection expand and grateful for the relationships that have made this possible.”

Alongside this development, the Global Episcopacy Committee and the Assembly of Bishops have also received Bishop Eduard Khegay into the Assembly of Bishops. Bishop Khegay is currently assigned to three of the four new Eurasian conferences (excluding Central Russia) and also serves the emerging area of Pakistan.

Celebrating 100 Endorsed Clergy: “Building Connections” in Pella, Iowa

Thu, 29 May 2025 19:38:41 GMT

The Global Methodist Church recently reached an exciting milestone on May 1, 2025: 100 individuals have now been endorsed to serve in chaplaincy, pastoral counseling, and coaching ministries. To support this growing community, 34 participants gathered in Pella, Iowa, on April 14–15, 2025, for a historic first GMC Endorsement Training Event under the theme Building Connections.

Attendees included chaplains, ministry coaches, and pastoral counselors from across the country, each committed to living out the Gospel in diverse ministry settings—from hospitals, hospices, prisons, law enforcement, military, coaching, corporate offices, and counseling centers.

The training event began with opening remarks and introductions by the host, Rev. Kevin Glesener, Lead Chaplain at Vermeer Corporation. The event took place at the Vermeer Global Pavilion, located at their corporate headquarters. Rev. Glesener then introduced Rev. James Parks, our Upper Midwest Conference Superintendent, who warmly welcomed attendees and offered an opening prayer of blessing.

Day one featured a keynote from Rev. Mike Schafer, Connectional Operations Officer, on the growth and strength of GMC’s connectional ministry. Sessions focused on Clinical Pastoral Education, evangelical distinctives in chaplaincy, and the challenge of engaging religious pluralism in institutional contexts. Attendees also connected in affinity groups and enjoyed an evening banquet at Liberty Street Kitchen.

Mike Schafer, Stephanie Sturdivant, Gary Clore, James Parks, and Leslie Tomlinson.

Day two began with a stirring devotion by Rev. Dr. Paula Payne, challenging our connectional spirit in worship as we lifted the roof with our praise. Vermeer senior chaplain, Rev. Kevin Glesener, introduced the Thrive Center’s Spiritual Health Framework, which features engaging modules on vocation, ethics, relationships, and personal virtue.Returning speakers at the Vermeer Leadership Seminar, alongside GMC clergy, Dr. Jaclyn Williams and Dr. Mary Glenn of Fuller Theological Seminary, offered timely insights that stirred both hearts and minds. Participant feedback highlighted the value of small group discussions, theological grounding, and practical resources.

Key Takeaways:

Chaplaincy in the GMC embraces both evangelical convictions and respectful interfaith engagement.

Affinity group networking provided a meaningful foundation for peer support.

Attendees resonated with the Thrive model’s holistic approach to spiritual health.

Looking Forward:

To build on this momentum, organizers recommend:

Launching a centralized digital resource portal.

Offering annual training events and expanding to a second location on the East Coast.

Establishing a shepherding system for new endorsees.

Continuing to elevate diverse voices within the GMC endorsement network.

Strongly encourage full-time endorsed ministers to be appointed by your Annual Conference.

A special thanks to Rev. Mike Schafer, Dr. Jaclyn Williams, Dr. Mary Glenn, Dr. Jack Lea, Rev. Doug Stewart, Dr. John Ruiz, and all facilitators, speakers, and volunteers. Deep gratitude also goes to event coordinator Stephanie Sturdivant, site host Kevin Glesener, and the Vermeer Charitable Foundation for their leadership and hospitality.

As we celebrate 100 endorsed clergy through the Global Methodist Church, we express gratitude for a growing movement characterized by courage, care, and connection as we fulfill our GMC mission and vision.

For anyone interested in endorsement, please email endorsement@globalmethodist.org or call 703-795-5705.

Loneliness: An Invitation from God

Thu, 29 May 2025 17:17:07 GMT

Have you ever felt completely alone—even in a room full of people? Maybe you’ve experienced seasons when nothing in life seemed to fill the emptiness inside. We often think success, popularity, or material possessions will make us feel whole. But they don’t. Even those who seem to “have it all” can still feel isolated and unfulfilled.

David’s Story: Loneliness in the Midst of Riches

The Bible gives us countless examples of people who struggled with loneliness, but one of the most powerful is King David. Long before he wore a crown, David was a shepherd—overlooked and underestimated, working for his father Jesse. Later, he became a musician and aide in King Saul’s court.

During the war between Israel and the Philistines, a giant named Goliath taunted the Israelites for 40 days. David, armed only with a sling and stones, courageously stepped up to fight and defeated the giant. His bravery brought him fame—so much so that Saul grew jealous and sought to kill him. David fled and spent years on the run until Saul’s death.

Eventually, David became king, ruling with wealth, power, and influence. By all appearances, he had everything. Yet, even with so much, David knew the sting of loneliness.

His heart is revealed in this prayer:

“Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.

Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish.

Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins.

See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me!

Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.”

(Psalm 25:16–20, NIV)

Even in prosperity, David recognized his deep need for God. His loneliness drove him to lean into the Lord—not into the comforts of the world.

What About Us?

Unlike David, we often try to fill the God-sized void in our hearts with entertainment, social media, relationships, or achievements. But no matter how much we try, the emptiness lingers. These substitutes can never truly satisfy.

Jesus offers us a better way:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

(Matthew 11:28, NIV)

God did not design our hearts to be filled with things that fade. He created us for Himself. Loneliness, though painful, can become a holy invitation—drawing us back to the only One who can truly satisfy.

Reconsidering Social Security: Potential Path for Pastors Who Opted Out

Thu, 29 May 2025 17:06:24 GMT

Many pastors were convinced early in their clergy careers to opt out of Social Security. While…

¡La Iglesia Metodista Global ya está en México!

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May is Kingdom Advancement Month

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 23:05:41 GMT

Disaster Response: Crisis Meets Compassion

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 16:25:33 GMT

From tornadoes to wildfires, floods to hurricanes, disease and more. Global Methodists have been met with crises across the globe, testing the resilience of many communities. And yet, through every storm, the faithful people of the Global Methodist Church have stepped up as the hands and feet of Christ.

The Evangelism, Church Multiplication, Missional Mobilization, and Disaster Response Commission—informally known as the Kingdom Advancement Commission—oversees a wide range of ministry initiatives reflected in its title. To manage their work effectively, the commission established subcommittees dedicated to specific areas of focus. The Disaster Response subcommittee, chaired by Rev. Linda Davis, is one such group leading efforts to organize and strengthen the denomination’s response to crises.

Last month, the subcommittee held its first ever Disaster Response Retreat, from March 24–26 at Alcoa Methodist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, and brought together 25 leaders from 11 U.S. annual conferences. United by a shared calling, they deepened their understanding of disaster ministry, clarified the mission of Disaster Response teams, and affirmed the theological grounding of this work in the Book of Doctrines and Discipline . The retreat culminated in a new training proposal to help churches and conferences prepare for and respond to crises in their communities.

This retreat also marked a milestone in a journey that began months earlier. In November 2023, disaster ministry leaders began training efforts with the Florida and Alabama conferences. Those efforts quickly shifted into action, as a series of devastating events unfolded.

A Call to Response and Relief

Between November 2023 and February 2024, the focus was on organizing and developing procedures. However, as disaster after disaster struck, the ministry was thrust into action—even as they continued laying the groundwork for new processes within our denomination.

Here’s a snapshot of a few disasters our network has served in recent months:

– Slidell, Louisiana Tornado (April, 2024): An EF2 tornado cut a destructive path through the area. Assessments began within days, and a Florida team quickly deployed, joined by teams from Louisiana, Arkansas, and South Carolina. Over 700 homes were impacted.

– Houston Flooding (May, 2024): Heavy rains caused widespread flooding. Local churches worked with conference leadership to call for aid, resulting in assistance to over 100 homes and six churches.

– Hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton (August – October, 2024): Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia and surrounding areas endured multiple hurricanes in a short period of time. Teams were sent all over, with funds and supplies flowing steadily. Support for hurricane relief has exceeded $1.2 million dollars, with donations still coming in.

– Monkeypox in the Democratic Republic of Congo (November, 2024): The DRC was overwhelmed by a severe Monkeypox outbreak, affecting thousands. Faithful Global Methodists stepped up and donated approximately $10,000 to ease the suffering of this vulnerable population.

– Super Typhoon Man-Yi in the Philippines (November, 2024): This super typhoon was the sixth of the year and caused significant devastation. Thousands were displaced, homes destroyed, and livelihoods disrupted. The Mega Manila and Covenant Philippines Annual Conferences mobilized to provide food and shelter to affected families and Global Methodists again donated aid nearing $4,000.

Amid these ongoing disasters, communication among passionate volunteers expanded significantly. The need for structured training remains a key initiative for 2025. The goal is to develop a comprehensive disaster recovery and relief committee that can proactively equip annual conferences and churches for future emergencies.

Strengthening Through Partnership

Participants also reviewed a draft application for potential partner organizations during the Knoxville retreat. A vetting process was introduced to ensure all partners align with GMC values— Christ-centered, theologically grounded, accountable, and experienced in disaster work.

As we reflect on this past year of faithful response, we’re reminded that disaster response is not just about logistics—it’s about love in action. It’s about showing up, stepping in, and serving those in the deepest need.

Please continue to pray for all affected communities and for our teams in the field. May God grant us a season of calm—but as storms inevitably return, may we be ready to meet them with courage, compassion, and Christ at the center.

Resurrection Power

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 15:41:44 GMT

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead…” Ephesians 1:18–20a (NIV)

One song that still sticks with me (now MANY years old) is “The Same Power” by Jeremy Camp. It takes Paul’s words from Ephesians and brings them to life with a powerful message: The same power that raised Jesus from the grave on Easter is alive in us.

Let that sink in for a moment.

As we journey through Holy Week—beginning with the joy of Palm Sunday, walking through the sorrow of the cross, and arriving at the glory of Easter morning—we’re invited to slow down and truly enter the story. Don’t rush from celebration to celebration. Spend time at the Last Supper with Jesus. Stand at the foot of the cross with the disciples—especially the women who stayed, unafraid. Visit the tomb where they laid his body.

Why? Because without the weight of death, we can’t fully grasp the power of resurrection.

And here’s the incredible truth: that same resurrection power that raised Christ from the dead is alive and working in you and me. It’s not just about forgiveness—it’s about new life, restoration, and the promise that we, too, will be raised when Christ returns.

“Christ is risen, and you, O death, are annihilated! Christ is risen, and the evil ones are cast down! Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice! Christ is risen, and life is liberated!” — St. John Chrysostom, Paschal Homily

So don’t just celebrate Easter—live it. Live in the power of the risen Christ. Share that hope with someone who needs to hear it—maybe for the first time, or maybe for the first time in a long time. Invite them into worship. Share your story. Be ready to speak about the hope you carry, because it’s not just a memory—it’s the power of God, alive in you.

Rev. Steven Taylor is the Conference Superintendent of the Northeast Annual Conference.

January Littleton

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 08:00:00 GMT

January Littleton, a devoted member of Killearn Methodist Church in Tallahassee, Florida, was recognized during President Trump’s recent address to Congress. She is standing up for parental rights after discovering that her daughter’s school facilitated a social transition without her or her husband’s knowledge. We stand with January, honoring her courage and faith as she upholds biblical truth.

Read the full article from CBN

Photo credit: Pink News

The post January Littleton first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

General Conference Commission Projects 2026 Delegate Allocation

Thu, 27 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT

In order to guide annual conferences in electing delegates to the 2026 General Conference, the General Conference Commission has released its projections of how many delegates each annual conference will have. The official number of delegates for each annual conference will be set in February 2026, based on the number of churches and pastors on January 1, 2026.

Most delegates will be elected at annual conference meetings beginning in April, so it was necessary to provide preliminary guidance for how many delegates each conference should elect. Conferences will want to ensure they elect enough alternate and reserve delegates in case their official number increases a year from now.

This preliminary allocation sets the number of delegates at 420, which is at the high end of the acceptable range established by the Connectional Council. The allocation is based on estimated church and pastor numbers submitted by each conference superintendent.

The big story told by these numbers is the shift in the number of delegates between the U.S. and other parts of the global church, particularly Africa. In 2024, African delegates made up twelve percent of the delegates to Costa Rica. In 2026, African delegates may make up one-third of the delegation. This means the U.S. share may go down from 84 percent in 2024 to 61 percent in 2026, resulting in the loss of some delegates by some U.S. annual conferences.

This shift is larger than originally anticipated, as eight more African annual conferences are in development than expected when the number of delegates was set at 380-420. In addition, the number of churches and pastors in the four Nigerian conferences is greater than expected, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (now split into six annual conferences) has also experienced unexpected growth.

While Africa had only five annual conferences in 2024 at Costa Rica, they could have as many as 27 annual conferences represented in 2026. However, it is questionable whether all these annual conferences will be able to organize and have their convening conferences by the end of this year. The number of African annual conferences will probably be less than the 27, which will reduce the total number of delegates. Individual congregations throughout Africa will also need to go through the official registration process, which may further reduce their numbers.

The same is true of Asia and Latin America, both of which are projected to add two annual conferences each.

The General Conference Commission will recommend the final allocation of delegates to the Connectional Council based on actual official numbers, rather than estimates. That final allocation in February could see some delegate numbers shifting slightly up or down.

The preliminary allocation of delegates is posted on the Global Methodist Church website here .

As annual conferences elect delegates, alternates, and reserves for the 2026 General Conference, we can surround the process with prayer, relying on the Holy Spirit to guide the election of gifted leaders to help our denomination move forward in mission. We can also rejoice at the rapid growth of the Global Methodist Church in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. If all of the projected annual conferences come on line, the Global Methodist Church will be found in more than 27 different countries. We are becoming more global by the day!

Reverend Thomas L. Lambrecht serves as the General Conference Secretary for the Global Methodist Church.

The post General Conference Commission Projects 2026 Delegate Allocation first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Bulgaria Annual Conference

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT

After years of trials and tribulations, the Bulgaria Annual Conference, comprised of Bulgarians, Roma people, Turkish-speaking people, Armenians, and 24 local churches with a total of 1,250 members, is working together in faith to overcome challenges and move towards renewal with a commitment to prayer, fasting, and financial self-sufficiency.

The Struggles of Protestant Believers in Bulgaria

Bulgaria is an Eastern Orthodox country. Dr. Daniel G. Topalski, Conference Superintendent, said, by default, if you’re Bulgarian, you must be orthodox. As a result, protestant believers must spend time explaining that their faith is an authentic and legitimate expression of Christianity. Additionally, decades of Communism have left many Bulgarians wary of whom they trust, making it even more challenging for our friends in Bulgaria to live as disciples.

Strengthening the Church Through Prayer and Study

To strengthen and equip the church to make more effective disciples, the conference has developed a special document based on Acts 2:42, encouraging local churches to deepen their study of the Bible. During worship services, congregations engage in scripture readings, ensuring they listen to and reflect on God’s word as much as possible.

To further encourage prayer, Topalski and the presiding elders are each responsible for recording a week of morning prayers and devotions, which are shared on their Facebook, website, and SoundCloud. This daily practice has been instrumental in fostering a deeper commitment to prayer within the conference.

Additionally, the conference has old-fashioned Methodist classes, recognizing this as the best way to train their lay members to take responsibility for the ministry of the church. These classes emphasize practical biblical holiness, encouraging members to pray and fast actively every Wednesday and Friday, not just in times of need but as a regular spiritual discipline. Topalski said members enjoy it so much that they don’t even need a reminder to go.

Breaking The Cycle of Financial Dependency

Since the arrival of the Methodist missionaries in the mid-19th century, financial dependency has been a major challenge for the church. The church has relied on external support rather than fostering self-sufficiency. However, the transition to the Global Methodist Church has provided the opportunity to break the cycle.

In partnership with the Mid-Texas Annual Conference, Bulgaria has executed an ambitious five-year plan to achieve financial independence. Though some have considered this daunting, this initiative has already shown remarkable success. Bulgaria appreciates the opportunity to have an international partnership with Mid-Texas, considering it a vital element in their development. Before joining the GM Church, there were talks about their connectional global nature, but they rarely experienced it. Now, they feel it through their shared mission and the support of Mid-Texas.

Topalski has made it clear to the conference that it’s the local church’s responsibility to work for the future of their church. His message to the church was simple: everyone must do the maximum from the beginning. The church responded with action. One church in the first month met 100% of its financial contribution, far surpassing the goal of 10%. Over the past year and a half, they have consistently surpassed this goal, giving gladly because they see financial self-sufficiency as possible.

The conference is committed to strengthening marginalized communities, particularly Roma families, by helping them become spiritually free and encouraging them to dream and do bigger things.

Two children’s centers play a vital role in integrating Roma children into an educational system with the help of retired teachers providing guidance and support.

Additionally, local churches serve as crucial social centers in Roma neighborhoods. Pastors play an important role in supporting and organizing their communities. The conference has been identifying and training Roma pastors. They integrate them with other local pastors. Topalski says they have well-prepared Roma pastors. One pastor from a Turkish-speaking minority in the neighborhood is now serving as vice chair of the connectional council on the annual conference level and has a degree in theology. They try to use these people as role models to say you can achieve spiritual freedom.

The last church plant, now four years old, is a vibrant church with mostly Roma’s. In many neighborhoods, the church is the only stable, constantly present type of institution. They are also social centers for them because the pastors are trusted and respected.

A Fresh Start

Joining the GM Church has been an opportunity for Bulgaria to make a statement about their faithfulness to the traditional Biblical values and rebuild the church from scratch. Topalski says the greatest challenge for them is convincing people that while they remain the same community, the church itself has changed. Topalski said the GM Church has done many things to make them aware they aren’t the same church anymore.

Topalski shared that the annual conferences are now celebrations rather than boring events. Before, it was difficult to find candidates to serve as delegates. Now, the church enjoys attending because the atmosphere is completely different. They are talking about their hopes and dreams for the future instead of giving dull reports that leave attendees disengaged.

Morgan Howe is a Communications Specialist for the Global Methodist Church.

The post Bulgaria Annual Conference first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Some Thoughts On The Importance of Faith In God By Bishop Greenway

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Samson is one of the most tragic figures in the Bible. He was born as a child of promise to previously childless parents. His parents raised him according to a strict Nazarite holiness code, forbidding him to cut his hair. From birth, God set Samson apart to deliver Israel, and his uncut hair was his source of strength.

He was far from perfect, but God was able to use him and his strength—that is, until one day when his strength was compromised by a woman named Delilah, who deceived him into losing his hair. The Philistines captured and held Samson, the imperfect deliverer, in chains.

“But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved” (Judges 16:22).

Despite his many mistakes, Samson’s life had a triumphant ending. As he worked in prison grinding grain for his enemies, Samson’s hair grew back. This was the sign of his Nazarite vow and the secret of his strength.

One day, the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to their pagan god Dagon and to celebrate, saying,

“Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands” (Judges 16:23).

Three thousand people gathered on the flat temple roof, with many more inside. Then, for entertainment, they brought in their “trophy” of war.

With the help of a servant, Samson made his way to the temple’s supporting pillars. There, he prayed,

“Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes” (Judges 16:28).

Samson then pushed with all his might and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people inside—killing many more as he died than while he lived (Judges 16:30).

Even though Samson is one of the most tragic figures in the Bible, his story provides us with an important lesson. Regardless of how badly we fail, God can still use us if we renew our commitment to Him. Surprisingly, the New Testament applauds Samson because of his faith (Hebrews 11:32).

Samson teaches us that a person’s most important characteristic isn’t who he or she is, or what he or she has done, but the God in whom he or she believes.

Claim faith, my friends!

Bishop Jeff Greenway

The post Some Thoughts On The Importance of Faith In God By Bishop Greenway first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

2025 Connectional Budget Is Approved

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT

Friends,

When my son was in elementary and middle school, I would drop him off at school. Before he left the car each morning, I would tell him, “God has something good in store for you today”. Today, I celebrate with you and thousands around the world the faithfulness of God.

As Executive Director of Finance, I have the sacred privilege of participating in the connection of faithful and faith-filled resources with ministry throughout the world. Through connectional funding, each local church actively participates in the mission and ministries of the GMC.

As God’s stewards, we are called to handle our resources with wisdom and prayerful consideration. I am pleased to share details about our newly approved Connectional Funding Budget for the coming fiscal year.

Before reviewing the budget, I invite you to bathe it in prayer:

Praying God’s blessings upon the GMC,
Matthew Conover, Executive Director of Finance

Connecting Faith and Ministry: The 2025 GMC Budget

A collaborative process

The process began several months ago with input from various financial leaders within the denomination. Together, we diligently reviewed our current financial standing, anticipated needs, and opportunities for growth. Our goal was to create a balanced budget that aligns with our core values and strategic priorities.

Transparency and Accountability

We are committed to financial transparency. We encourage you to ask questions and engage in open dialogue about our financial stewardship. Regular financial updates will be published. Feel free to contact Matt with any inquiries at mconover@globalmethodist.org .

Disciplinary Charge

The Book of Doctrines and Discipline charges the Connectional Council to be guided by the following financial values:

Disciplinary Restriction: The Book of Doctrines and Discipline guides us in the total amount to budget, “the 2025 budget shall not exceed 90% of the total sum received in general church connectional funding in 2024.” ¹

Key Highlights

Connectional Funding Income

The total Connectional Funding provided by local churches worldwide totaled $7.1 Million [2] in 2024. The Disciplinary Restriction provides for a Connectional Funding Budget of $6.4 million for 2025.

Poised for Growth

The budget anticipates growth. In the development of the budget, there was a deliberate effort to provide for what are deemed, “Growth Contingencies”. These are line items that provide for the unforeseen. The total amount of Growth Contingency was set at an industry-standard 10% of the total budgeted income.

Commissions Fully Funded

Each commission, except for rearranging a few functional line items, has been funded beyond essential levels.

Staffing and Administration

Since congruence with the church’s mission and strategy, as well as congruence within the Commissions, is paramount, staff will be a major portion of any Connectional Funding budget. With 20 staff members in Global Operations, we are committed to supporting our dedicated staff and ensuring the efficient administration of our denomination’s operations. This line item includes providing competitive compensation and benefits, as well as investing in professional development opportunities.

The Episcopacy

Set apart for a ministry of visionary servant leadership, general oversight, and supervision in support of the Church in its mission, the financial support of bishops is crucial. The rapid and continued growth of the denomination creates opportunities beyond the local church. It is the foresight and vision of the Global Episcopacy that delineates the GMC from any other Wesleyan movement.

[1] The Book of Doctrines and Discipline of the Global Methodist Church, 2024.

[2] Unaudited results.

It is with great humility and a commitment to faithful stewardship, we acknowledge that these resources belong not to us, but to God, for the sake of His Kingdom. It is in this spirit that the Connectional Council presents the 2025 Connectional Funding Budget .

Connectional Conversations on Finance!

Our panel of financial leaders will engage in a discussion on the Church’s financial stewardship, budgeting, and resources. Plus, there will be a Q&A session—don’t miss your chance to ask questions and be a part of this exciting conversation by clicking below

The post 2025 Connectional Budget Is Approved first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Teresa Auten | Every Child Is My Child

Thu, 13 Mar 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Teresa Auten of North Carolina Annual Conference is devoted to children’s ministry, believing kids are precious souls and vital to the Church now. With 25 years of experience, she shares practical insights on engaging children through meaningful teaching, love, and respect. She urges Christians to welcome and nurture them as Jesus did.

“Children are souls. They are precious to Me. Love and guide them well.” God speaks these words to me countless times daily, igniting a fire within my heart. For over forty years, I’ve been fueled by the unwavering belief that every child is my child.

This incredible calling has been my passion and life’s work.

My upbringing didn’t set me on this path. I was raised outside the church by parents who thought religion was a waste of time. I met Jesus through the dedication of women who adored Jesus and cherished children. My journey to the Lord was winding and narrow, and I am so grateful for it.

God spoke into my life, and I responded with the eagerness of a child yearning for love and affirmation. As an adult, I heard His call to challenge the tendency of adults to overlook children, seeing them only as future producers and consumers. “Children,” He reminds me, “are souls. They hold intrinsic value.” This truth guided my every step as a Children/Youth Ministries Coordinator for nearly twenty-five years.

Recently, I was asked on social media how to engage children within a faith community. It hit me that many churches are searching for ways to encourage children to participate like they did in the past. “Where are the children?” I often hear. “Our Sunday school used to be full!”

To give a solid answer, I dove into analyzing the practices I’ve used from the early 2000s to today. Parishioners wanted practical insights, not scholarly essays. They needed actionable steps for volunteers to implement.

It was a challenge to identify the engaging and varied activities that welcomed children and their parents to experience the joy of life in Christ. But as I reflected, I couldn’t help but smile. Many things work well, some don’t, but it is a joyful journey!

In 2019, I began documenting these insights as presentations and blog posts. I create memes to raise awareness and seize every chance to proclaim, “Children matter. We must lead them all to Jesus. Every child is our responsibility. We cannot let the little ones slip away!” I could talk for hours about children’s ministry and its importance. It is a work that I love, and I encourage congregations to love it too.

Here are a few things I discovered that high-functioning children’s ministries have in common:

Here are a few closing thoughts:

Excellent children’s ministry can be learned through textbooks, degrees, and experience, but my greatest teacher has always been the child in front of me. Remember your childhood and how it felt to be small and curious. Invite that child to sit with you and Jesus. Tell them of His love.

Teresa’s website is Shine A Joyful Light

The post Teresa Auten | Every Child Is My Child first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

2026 General Conference Planning Update

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 20:17:00 GMT

Commission on General Conference Releases Key Details, with More to Come in Future Weeks

The Global Methodist Church is pleased to announce that the Commission on General Conference, under the leadership of Chair Rev. Mike Grant, Vice Chair, the Rev. Dr. Anthony McPhail, and Secretary, Stacy Taylor, is actively engaged in planning all aspects of the 2026 General Conference. As preparations move forward, the Commission anticipates releasing the location, dates, theme, and additional details in the coming weeks.

While many aspects of the event are still being finalized, the delegate allocation process and other key details have already been determined.

Change to In-Person Legislative Committee Meetings

The Connectional Council has approved a plan to hold legislative committee meetings in person and on-site at the General Conference in 2026. This will provide a much superior experience, as face-to-face meetings are more fruitful than virtual ones. It means we will not have to contend with poor internet connections and accommodating drastic time zone differences. To accommodate this change, the conference will be lengthened from five days to seven.

The original plan had been to hold legislative committee meetings online through the summer of 2026 and limit the in-person General Conference to plenary sessions only. This plan was adopted by the 2024 General Conference in San Jose, Costa Rica, as part of the Plan of Organization for 2026. At that time, the Commission was operating under the information that none of the venues under consideration could accommodate in-person and on-site meetings of the legislative committees.

As planning continued following the 2024 General Conference, it became necessary for the Commission to consider other locations and venues than the ones originally contemplated. Several of these new venues did have room to accommodate legislative committee meetings, and after visits to the venues, the Commission made the recommendation to expand the General Conference from five days to seven, in order to include the legislative committee meetings.

The original plan for virtual legislative committee meetings was our attempt to make do with a less-than-ideal situation. The Commission welcomed the opportunity to include in-person meetings, as they believe it will be a much better experience for everyone. Following the Connectional Council’s approval of the change, General Conference delegates were polled, and 97 percent of those responding favored the move to a longer conference with in-person legislative committee meetings.

The good news is that this change is not expected to increase the cost of the General Conference. The budget has been adjusted accordingly to accommodate the expanded schedule while ensuring responsible financial stewardship.

Revised Deadlines and Timeline

Besides providing a better experience for everyone, the change to in-person meetings will have dramatic effects on the timeline and deadlines in the original Plan of Organization.

Under the new plan, legislative committees will meet once virtually about a month to six weeks before the General Conference. These meetings will allow the legislative committee members to introduce themselves and elect committee officers. The meeting will also include parliamentary procedure training in our rules of order. Having this meeting early will enable the committee officers to be trained prior to the General Conference, and they can begin organizing the committee’s work in advance, so the committees can begin work immediately when meeting on site.

The revised Plan of Organization and Covenant adopted by the Connectional Council is posted online here .

All the linked documents included in this article are available in all six official languages of the Global Methodist Church. You can access them here .

Key Delegate Allocation Details

To support annual conferences in planning and preparing for their delegation process, the Global Methodist Church is providing key information regarding delegate selection and certification timelines.

The allocation process is guided by key values ensuring:

Resources outlining the range of delegate numbers , allocation values , and selection process can be viewed here .

Looking Ahead to the 2026 General Conference

The Global Methodist Church remains committed to hosting a well-organized and impactful General Conference that reflects its mission:

“To make disciples of Jesus Christ and spread scriptural holiness across the globe.”

We are especially looking forward to hosting the 2026 General Conference in Africa, continuing to honor the global nature of our connection and celebrating the diverse and growing body of believers within the GMC.

Financial Support for This Historic Event

Annual conferences, churches, and individuals who are interested in helping financially support this historic event can do so online by visiting this link and selecting “General Conference” under the fund selection. If you prefer to give by check, please include the downloadable form that can be accessed on our website to ensure proper designation to the General Conference.

Checks should be made payable to “Global Methodist Church” and mailed to:

Global Methodist Church
P.O. Box 1360
King George, VA 22485

For online gifts of $5,000 or more, please email finance@globalmethodist.org to confirm your donation. Our provider will not process large gifts without confirmation from our team that the gift is legitimate.

If you have any questions about fund options, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us by email at finance@globalmethodist.org or call 540-898-4960 .

Stay tuned to our social media pages and watch for email announcements as we share exciting updates, including the location, dates, theme, and other important details in the coming weeks!

The post 2026 General Conference Planning Update first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Heartland Annual Conference

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Jordan McFall, Conference Superintendent, leads the Heartland Conference, which spans a dynamic region of Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Colorado, six churches in Nebraska, and even a church plant in Canada. Under his leadership, this vibrant area now encompasses 213 local churches, including 208 chartered congregations and 16 church plants (five of which are unchartered). Since their convening conference in November 2023, 27 churches have joined, including four new church starts.

God at Work in the Heartland
The conference is experiencing transformative growth and spiritual renewal. Over 26,000 members are actively engaged, with an average weekly worship attendance of 11,101. In 2023 alone:

The Heartland also celebrated the ordination of 72 elders and deacons across three services, with 11 more approved for ordination in 2024.

Key Programs and Initiatives
The Heartland Conference is focused on equipping leaders and empowering local churches through impactful programs:

Disaster response has also been a testament to the conference’s heart for community. Following tornadoes in Oklahoma, local churches partnered with Samaritan’s Purse, offering facilities and volunteers to aid recovery efforts.

Raising Up New Leaders
Reports from across the conference highlight a growing number of individuals answering the call to ministry. Churches are excited to see God’s work in their midst, and the conference is energized by a renewed commitment to mission and discipleship.

The Heartland Conference is a vibrant testament to the power of God’s movement, with churches and individuals stepping forward to embrace their calling. Together, they are fulfilling the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ and witnessing boldly to the world.

Mission and Missional Partnerships Beyond the Conference

The Heartland Annual Conference is seeing God move in extraordinary ways as local churches actively participate in missions and form missional partnerships worldwide. From disaster response efforts to long-term global relationships, Heartland churches are committed to being the hands and feet of Christ beyond their communities.

Morgan Howe is a Communications Specialist for Global Methodist Church.

The post Heartland Annual Conference first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Commission on Evangelism, Church Multiplication, Missional Mobilization and Disaster Response Is Now Known As Commission on Kingdom Advancement

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

We are deeply grateful for the prayerful discernment and thoughtful deliberation that led to the establishment of the Commission on Evangelism, Church Multiplication, Missional Mobilization, and Disaster Response at the 2024 General Conference. This name beautifully encapsulates the vast scope and critical significance of the commission’s work.

At the same time, we recognize the challenge of consistently communicating such a comprehensive title in day-to-day ministry contexts. To enhance clarity and accessibility, the commission will use a simplified working title—the Commission on Kingdom Advancement—in its communications and outreach.

“The heart of this commission remains unchanged: we exist to advance the Kingdom of God by equipping and mobilizing the church for evangelism, multiplication, mission, and compassionate response,” said Wes Griffin, Chair of the Commission. “Using a simplified descriptor allows us to communicate this mission more effectively while honoring the vision established at General Conference.”

This adjustment is purely practical and does not alter the commission’s official name, as approved by the General Conference. Rather, it serves as a tool to streamline communication, making it easier for churches, clergy, and members to connect with the commission’s purpose and engage with its work.

“We honor the wisdom of the General Conference in naming this commission and are committed to carrying out its God-given mission with excellence,” Griffin added. “This streamlined title will help us more effectively mobilize and inspire the church for Kingdom impact.”

Thank you for your support and partnership as we work together to make disciples of Jesus Christ and bring glory to God.

The post Commission on Evangelism, Church Multiplication, Missional Mobilization and Disaster Response Is Now Known As Commission on Kingdom Advancement first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Living With Our Gifts By Bishop Carolyn Moore

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.” Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith). 6 These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them. So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too. — Acts 6:1-7 (NLT)

There is a backstory to this moment. Just before this scene in chapter six, a group of apostles — the ones who had been in Jesus’ inner circle — had just been grilled by religious leaders about their activity, then flogged and told never to speak in the name of Jesus again. Walking away from that ordeal, they rejoiced not that they’d escaped alive but that they’d been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.

(I remember years ago Bishop Lyndsey Davis telling a story about meeting a woman who was 103 years old. He asked her, “What is the best thing about being 103?” She said, “Well, there’s not a lot of peer pressure.” There’s something to be said for that way of life — for rising above the pressure to conform. And here are these followers of Jesus, walking away from a beating just happy that they get to do this very counter-cultural, radical, unpopular thing, in the name of Jesus.)

Though they’d been told not to, they walked right back into the Church, only to find out when they got there that a spat had broken out.

Because this is what we do in church. Can I get an amen?

The Hellenists were picking a fight with the Hebrews because the Hebrews seemed to be treating the Greek widows unfairly in their meal program. This is what happens when we get tired, overworked, don’t have bandwidth to give our best selves. Beaten and battle-weary themselves, the apostles called the community together and used the moment to better define what makes the church the Church and what makes a leader spiritual. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God , not running a food program. So select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the Word.”

That last phrase makes this moment an important one. Faced with limited bandwidth and a desire to operate as a movement in a healthy way, the apostles themselves described the center and priority of an apostolic ministry in this way — in prayer and teaching the Word. And this was at the dawn of the Christian movement when the Church was just forming, when it was being persecuted but also growing like crazy. In that spiritual atmosphere, the disciples saw not only God’s vision for apostolic ministry but also the immense danger of taking their eyes off that vision because of some pressure by some group or another to fill some need that anyone else in the Church could fill … or maybe that no one could fill to everyone’s satisfaction.

Keep in mind that this is straight out of Acts. “Prayer and teaching the Word are the center of what we do. That’s apostolic ministry. And the rest of it belongs to the people.”

As a freshly minted bishop in the Global Methodist Church (GMC), I have to ask myself: How does that definition stack up against what I do most of every day? A dozen zoom meetings and phone calls, endless emails and texts (Microsoft has mistaken my email volume for that of a spammer; I say that with a mix of pride and shame). More time is spent raising funds for emerging ministries and arranging for travel and more travel. It is all remarkably good, and it is all important. Much of what bishops do makes the rest of it work. But does our work fall inside the definition of apostolic activity?

I believe the office of bishop in the GMC is meant to be an apostolic office, an exercise in true spiritual leadership. And the apostles in Acts remind me that as the months tick by, we as an Assembly are building culture by the activities we choose. If we want to distinguish ourselves from what we’ve known, then taking stock of how we spend our time is a good buffer against mission drift. Prayer, the apostles teach us, is an apostolic activity. It is also one of our stated values in the covenant this Assembly of Bishops made with each other. We committed together to “dedicate a portion of each gathering to concentrated prayer for the Church and our work.” That was a good call on our part, and very apostolic. But how do we do that in an intentional, even measurable way?

Taking a page from the Salvation Army playbook, I have suggested that we spend time during each meeting praying for a different annual conference each week. The GMC’s prayer team has accepted the challenge to coordinate that effort. They will solicit prayer requests from Conference Superintendents and regional prayer coordinators, then pass those onto our bishops we can we pray. As a team, Conference Superintendents, regional prayer coordinators, and the Communications Department will work together to gather, share, and distribute prayer requests—ensuring that our bishops and the entire connection can unite in prayer over the expressed needs.

Prayer is an apostolic activity; so is teaching the Word . This is also the mandate for the Assembly of Bishops. The Book of Doctrines and Discipline calls on bishops to “to guard, transmit, teach, and proclaim, corporately and individually, the apostolic faith as it is expressed in Scripture and tradition and understood from a Wesleyan perspective … and to reclaim and exercise the historic teaching office of the episcopacy…”

Teaching and guarding the faith are apostolic activities. Our assembly has begun accumulating a list of topics on which we’d like to begin preaching and teaching. We haven’t yet formed our plan for how those teachings will happen consistently, but we are committed to creating content that reclaims our historic faith and guards against mission drift.

In Acts chapter six, once the apostles came up with a plan to get the details in other hands, they could return to what they were convinced was their primary responsibility. “We apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.” The very next verse, after the resolution of this conflict is announced, begins with these words: “Everyone liked this idea.” And the scene concludes with, “God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.”

Prayer and the ministry of the Word are apostolic activities. I trust our Assembly of Bishops will emphasize that work. And the works of compassion, the meat of ministry, belong to the people. What power is unleashed when everyone is serving according to their gifts and call.

Bishop Carolyn Moore

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The post Living With Our Gifts By Bishop Carolyn Moore first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Welcoming Our Newest Staff Members

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 09:00:00 GMT

Becci Wood, General Conference Event Project Manager

I am excited to be joining the GMC Staff Team, working with the General Conference Council for the 2026 General Conference. I have been organizing and leading key events for organizations, corporations, and denominations for over 30 years. My best friend and husband, John, and I are both ordained elders in The Wesleyan Church. I am incredibly proud of my seven children—four by birth and three from the marriages of my three oldest kids—as well as my three grandchildren, with a fourth on the way. Outside of my family and ministry, I enjoy savoring a great cup of coffee, reading a good book, and adventuring with John, our children, and friends.

Matt Conover, Executive Director of Finance

Spirit & Truth

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Reynolds emphasizes that evangelism isn’t about using scripts or polished techniques but about being sensitive to the Spirit’s leading. Reflecting on the story of the woman at the well (John 4:1-42), he highlights the need to meet people where they are and speak with grace and love. Reynolds teaches that starting small, trusting the Holy Spirit, and approaching others with a heart of love are key to meaningful spiritual connections.

John Wesley’s journey in embracing field preaching serves as a foundation for Spirit and Truth’s mission. Wesley initially resisted preaching outside the church but eventually stepped beyond traditional spaces to reach people where they were, sacrificing comfort and reputation for radical obedience to God. This approach became central to early Methodism, planting churches and spreading revival across communities. Reynolds echoes this mindset today, urging Christians to shift their focus from internal programs to empowering members to serve as missionaries in daily life. He reminds believers that “one minute with the Holy Spirit is far more effective than 1,000 minutes of human effort.” Through Spirit and Truth, Christians are encouraged to listen for God’s voice, trust in His leading, and share His love in simple, powerful ways.

By reclaiming the church’s evangelistic DNA and trusting the Holy Spirit, Spirit and Truth inspires believers to be bold, compassionate, and obedient in guiding others toward Christ.

Morgan Howe is a Communications Specialist for Global Methodist Church.

The post Spirit & Truth first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The Wesley at West Texas A&M University

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 14:16:00 GMT

WT Wesley leaders reported that the organization’s transition to the GM Church was driven by a deep commitment to remain grounded in biblical truth amidst a rapidly changing world. With support from both within and beyond the GM Church, WT Wesley has seen an outpouring of prayer, encouragement, and resources united behind its decision. The unity reinforces its commitment to raise up the next generation of Christian leaders, ready to serve wherever God calls them.

Sabby Mannix, WT Wesley’s Associate Director of Development, was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. A longtime member of WT Wesley, Sabby spent five years as a student and has served on staff for the past four years. When Mannix began college, she was running from the Lord and was drawn into worldly culture. The WT Wesley stepped into the gap, helping guide her back to her faith. Now, Mannix works with college students, standing in that same gap for those being pulled in countless directions—many away from God.

This mission is taking root in tangible ways as WT Wesley students engage in ministries across campus. From Bible studies to prayer groups, worship nights to campus outreach, students are living out their faith with confidence and boldness. For many, their college years are a time of deep reflection as they discern God’s call on their lives. Students who once struggled to find their place in the church are now boldly proclaiming the Gospel and leading others in faith.

“Our dream is that one day every floor in every residence hall across the university will have a Bible study,” said Mannix.

“We pray, ‘Lord, if what we’re doing helps even one person come closer to You, then we know it’s all worth it,’” said Sydni Smith, a junior at WT and student leader from Lubbock, Texas. “It’s not about the numbers or being seen by everyone; it’s about reaching that one person and making an impact for His kingdom.”

Morgan Howe is a Communications Specialist for Global Methodist Church.

The post The Wesley at West Texas A&M University first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Kyung Kim

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:00:00 GMT

Kyung Kim, clergy in the Mid-Texas Conference, shares his story which is one of faith, sacrifice, and unwavering dedication to answering God’s call. As a clergy member of the Mid-Texas Conference of the Global Methodist Church and an active-duty chaplain with the U.S. Army, Kyung’s journey reflects the challenges and blessings of serving both the church and the nation.

I am not from Texas. I moved to Texas in July of 2023, when I resigned from my church, UMC, in North Georgia Conference. I applied for the membership with Global Methodist Church prior to moving, but the process was not finalized until after moving to Fort Cavazos, Texas, once all the legal matters of disaffiliation in North Georgia was settled.

I moved to Fort Cavazos, Texas, to serve with US Army as an active duty chaplain. I had served with Army reserve for over five years while pastoring a church. My church, Jones Chapel in Danielsville, Georgia, was very supportive and understanding of my role as a chaplain with Army reserve. I loved pastoring Jones Chapel. We worked together to navigate through the challenges of COVID19 and through the challenges of disaffiliation. I loved Jones Chapel family and still love them greatly. I loved pastoring Jones Chapel, which is now a Global Methodist Congregation following the disaffiliation.

Currently, I am on a deployment with my unit to Europe. My wife and two children are in Texas. Leaving Georgia to move to Texas was a big decision and a challenge. I was ordered by the US Army to go to Fort Cavazos in the summer of 2023, and I knew that the deployment was in the schedule for the unit that I was assigned to. With an agreement and support from my wife (thank you!), we made a move. Moving to a new place, and then shortly after, being separated from the family. And, leaving a loving church family to be a chaplain for the Soldiers. Is this the cost of the call?

I have been asked, “Why did you decide to be a chaplain?” While serving as a reserve chaplain, I saw opportunities to be with people who wouldn’t come to the church. As an active duty chaplain, I have opportunities to work with Soldiers. Some are Christians. Many are not. Some have grown up or have church experiences but have drifted away from faith. God loves them all, and He seeks to find one more lost sheep.

While being with the unit in deployment, While being with the unit in deployment, I get to be a pastor to my Soldiers, 24-7. Every week, I lead Christian worship, preach, teach the Bible, provide pastoral counseling, and more. Active Christians, like Will, Ben and Mandy, are continuing their faith journey through the Chapel services and activities while on deployment. Then, there are those who are finding their way back to faith, like Jeremy, Issac, Jessica, Sean, etc. And, ones like Nate and Ashley have never heard about the love of God through Jesus Christ, and now heard the gospel. This is the field of harvest. To all Soldiers, regardless of their religion or interests in any faith, I have opportunities to do no harm and to do good all I can. As John Wesley said, “You have nothing to do but to save souls. Therefore, spend and be spent in this work. And go not only to those that need you, but to those that need you most. It is not your business to preach so many times, and to take care of this or that society; but to save as many souls as you can; to bring as many sinners as you possibly can to repentance.” – Conversation with Francis Asbury, Thomas Coke, and others, 1784. Being an Army Chaplain gives me opportunities to talk about God’s unfailing love and to invite the sinners to the sonship of our loving God who is gracious, full of compassion, and slow to anger.

The call comes with the cost. I will miss all the holidays with the family and the birthdays of my children this year. But the call is clear. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations”. (Matthew 28:19). First command is to go. Where are we going to make disciples? How are we reaching to those who would not come to the church? I have witnessed the setting of Army as a snapshot of the pluralistic and secular culture of the world. The spiritual battles are ongoing over the lives and the families. This is where God said for me and my family to “GO”, to witness boldly in order that the souls will be saved. And so, here I am.

The post Kyung Kim first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Assembly of Bishops of the Global Methodist Church Addresses Violence in Munga Dosa, Nigeria

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 22:11:26 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Assembly of Bishops of the Global Methodist Church is responding to reports of violence in the community of Munga Dosa, Nigeria, involving members of the Global Methodist Church (GMC) and the United Methodist Church (UMC). This tragic incident has reportedly resulted in loss of life and the destruction of homes by fire.

"We are deeply grieved by the loss of life and the devastation that has occurred," the Assembly stated. "We unequivocally decry the use of violence in any form and call on all people, Global Methodists and United Methodists alike, to act as agents of peace. We urge the church and the global community to pray fervently for those enduring unimaginable suffering, for justice to be served to those responsible for these acts, and for peace to be restored in Munga Dosa."

There remains significant uncertainty surrounding the events of this past Sunday, and the Assembly cautions against accepting unverified accounts or accusations circulating on social media. Initial reports suggest that the conflict stems from a decades-long family feud, including both United Methodists and Global Methodists which has been intensified by the process of disaffiliation in Nigeria.

The Assembly of Bishops is fully committed to holding any person within the Global Methodist Church accountable for their actions. For years, the church has been teaching and advocating against the use of violence. In a joint statement issued by Bishops John Pena Auta and Scott Jones, representing the four annual conferences of the Global Methodist Church in Nigeria, they declared:

“As bishops of the four annual conferences of the Global Methodist Church in Nigeria, we deplore all forms of violence being practiced. This is especially wrong when the persons involved are members of Methodist churches. We call upon all persons to practice love, mutual understanding, and respect for differences. We are praying for the victims and their families.”

The Assembly is actively working with Connectional Operations Officer, Mike Schafer, to coordinate efforts to gather information, address immediate needs, and provide support to those impacted. Bishop John Pena Auta has traveled to the region to gather firsthand information about what transpired. The Assembly is supporting and relying heavily on the expertise and leadership of its Nigerian bishops and leaders to navigate this situation and address the underlying issues contributing to the violence.

Recently, correspondence from United Methodist bishops was sent to Global Methodist bishops assigned to Nigeria. Due to travel schedules a response to that correspondence was delayed, but we have responded, sharing our commitment to do our part to end the violence and discord among Methodists in Nigeria.

The Assembly is also evaluating the need for financial assistance to support those displaced by the fires with food and shelter. Should specific needs be identified, the church will share this information as an invitation for the Global Methodist community to respond with generosity and compassion.

The Assembly of Bishops calls upon all members of the Global Methodist Church and people of faith everywhere to continue in fervent prayer for the victims of this tragedy, for justice to be served, and for peace to prevail in Munga Dosa.

About the Global Methodist Church: The Global Methodist Church was launched in 2022, born out of a desire to reclaim the church’s Wesleyan heritage and focus on making disciples of Jesus Christ. Guided by a deep commitment to scriptural authority, holiness, and the transformative power of the Gospel, the church seeks to inspire passionate worship, extravagant love, and bold witness. Our mission is clear: to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. As a connectional and global body, we value the authority of Scripture, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the call to spread scriptural holiness across the globe. For more information, please visit globalmethodist.org.

Assembly of Bishops Gather for Historic First Meeting

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 14:17:00 GMT

By Dianne Burnett

Rev. Mike Schafer, Connectional Operations Officer of the Global Methodist Church, participated in this gathering, demonstrating his and the bishops’ commitment to fostering collaborative and aligned leadership.

Centering on Mission, Vision, and Covenant

The Assembly of Bishops began their time together by reaffirming the Global Methodist Church’s shared mission and vision: to make disciples of Jesus Christ, spread scriptural holiness across the globe, and, through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, multiply disciples who flourish in scriptural holiness by worshiping passionately, loving extravagantly, and witnessing boldly. This unified purpose served as the foundation for their collaboration.

“We want to operate as a leadership team, not just a team of leaders,” said Bishop Mark J. Webb on behalf of the Assembly, underscoring their reliance on the Holy Spirit and their commitment to prioritizing the church’s mission over personal preferences. A key focus of the meeting was creating a covenant to guide their work, inspired by the principles of unity, service, and transparency outlined in Ephesians 4:4-13.

Highlights of their covenant include commitments to:

This covenant reflects the Assembly’s dedication to leading the Global Methodist Church with integrity, unity, and a Spirit-led focus. The full covenant, which outlines the guiding principles and aspirations of the Assembly of Bishops, can be viewed online here .

Leadership Structure and Collaboration

To ensure consistent communication and strengthen teamwork, the bishops have committed to meeting weekly via Zoom and gathering in person twice a year. Rev. Mike Schafer, Connectional Operations Officer, will actively participate in each in-person meeting.

Assignments to General Commissions

In addition to organizing their leadership, the bishops discerned assignments to General Commissions that will oversee key areas of denominational focus:

By thoughtfully distributing these responsibilities, the Assembly of Bishops aims to guide the Global Methodist Church with clarity, focus, and collaborative leadership.

A Vision for the Future: Priorities for 2024-2026

Central to these priorities is a commitment to fostering a church-planting culture. The bishops set an intentional goal of establishing at least one African-American and one Hispanic congregation in every U.S. Annual Conference as a reflection of their dedication to building a diverse and inclusive church.

In alignment with their focus on transparency and communication, the bishops recorded a teaching video on Scriptural Holiness during their gathering. This resource, which highlights the denomination’s mission and vision, will be shared with the church early next year. To further engage the membership, profile videos are also being developed to help church members connect with the bishops on a personal level.

“This is a pivotal moment for our church,” said Bishop Jeff Greenway, “As we move forward, our goal is to cast a vision for a Spirit-filled Methodism that inspires and equips believers to worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.”

The Assembly of Bishops’ first meeting stands as a defining moment for the Global Methodist Church, laying a strong foundation for leadership and ministry. Guided by unity and the Holy Spirit, the bishops are committed to boldly leading the church into its next chapter of growth and faithfulness.

Dianne Burnett serves as the Executive Director of Communications for the Global Methodist Church

The post Assembly of Bishops Gather for Historic First Meeting first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Bennett-Faust Motion

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 18:38:40 GMT

Natalie Faust, Presiding Elder of the North Central District in the Heartland Conference, shares how the “Bennett-Faust Motion” was created to honor her son Bennett at the GMC Convening Conference. Proposed with Delegate D.A. Bennett, the lighthearted motion emphasized joy, unity, and humility among church leaders. Additionally, she highlights how her connections through her daughter and others in the church fostered new relationships within the GMC community.

Stay tuned for more inspiring stories of members witnessing boldly, loving extravagantly, and living out their faith!

Morgan Howe is a Communications Specialist for Global Methodist Church.

A Thanksgiving Message: Living with Gratitude

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 09:00:00 GMT

The Global Methodist Church is a growing, worldwide connection of believers committed to spreading scriptural holiness across the globe. From Africa to Asia, from the Americas to Europe, we see God moving powerfully through faithful individuals, congregations, and Annual Conferences. Together, we are united by a shared mission: to make disciples of Jesus Christ and bring His light to every corner of the earth.

This year, we give thanks for the vibrant diversity of the Global Methodist Church and the ways God is working through His people. Every congregation, every act of service, and every prayer offered represents a testimony to the love of Christ alive within our global community. We celebrate how God is using the Global Methodist Church to transform lives and extend His Kingdom.

One remarkable reflection of this unity in mission is the overwhelming generosity of our members. Through your sacrificial giving, we have raised over one million dollars for hurricane relief efforts, providing hope and support to those impacted by natural disasters. This milestone is a testimony to the heart of Christ moving among us—a heart that compels us to care for one another, regardless of geography or circumstance. While this achievement is a reason for gratitude, it is just one example of how God is using our connectional church to bring healing and restoration.

Gratitude, however, is not only found in major milestones. It is present in the daily faithfulness of believers around the world: the quiet prayers for a neighbor, the hospitality extended to a stranger, the perseverance in ministry despite challenges. Thanksgiving is not confined to a specific time or tradition; it is a way of life that honors God in every act and word done in the name of Jesus.

As we reflect on the blessings of this year—both seen and unseen—let us take a moment to give thanks for the global family we are privileged to be part of in the Global Methodist Church. Let us also ask ourselves how we might live out this gratitude in our daily lives, whether through acts of kindness, service, or renewed devotion to Christ. In doing so, we embody Paul’s call to “do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

As we close, we invite you to join us in prayer, a prayer we offer for every member, every congregation, and every Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church around the world:

Gracious God, we come to You with hearts full of thanks. We thank You for the many ways You are working through the Global Methodist Church to bring hope, healing, and holiness across the globe. Bless every congregation, every member, and every mission effort. Help us to live with grateful hearts, reflecting Your love in all we do. May every word we speak and every act we perform be done in Your name, giving thanks through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. We pray Your peace, provision, and presence over all who gather in Your name, wherever they may be. Strengthen our unity as a global church and guide us in spreading Your light to the ends of the earth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The post A Thanksgiving Message: Living with Gratitude first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Rev. Anna Miller

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Rev. Anna Miller, Associate Minister of Congregational Care at First Methodist Albany in the South Georgia Annual Conference and prayer team member at the General Conference, shares about her encounter with God’s presence through Bulelani, a South African pastor she met day four of the General Conference. Bulelani, whose name means “Give Thanks to the Lord,” serves those in need of mobility assistance and teaches young men godly values, radiating gratitude and kindness despite challenges. Rev. Miller sees this meeting as a prayer answered, a reminder of the call to be a “sweet aroma” for others through love and holiness.

God has been overwhelming us with His sweet spirit through all the senses this week. Beauty surrounds us in the people, their hospitality, the fruit, flowers and just the beauty of His creation and His people. I woke up this morning asking God, “How will you reveal Yourself to us today? Whatever it is, I know it will be a sweet aroma.” I left the hotel room expectant, watching and waiting.

It didn’t take long. At our 10:15, what I like to call our “snack time” two delegates from our South Africa Conference came to sit at our table. A sweet aroma of what I thought was from a lady passing by lingered around us, the most beautiful smell of sweet roses. As we lingered in conversation, I realized the wonderful aroma came from one the South Africa delegates. The smell was as sweet as the conversation around the table.

I’d like to introduce you to Bulelani whose ministry and person are as beautiful as his name. He is a pastor in South Africa who spends his time ministering to those who have physical challenges needing wheelchairs, walkers and canes. These are quite expensive items in Africa, so he has taken upon himself to make canes for those who are unable to acquire wheelchairs. For those who do have one, he has built a team who constructs concrete ramps for them to get in and out of the doors of their huts. Otherwise, this is impossible from the way the door frame is constructed to their huts.

He also has a heart and passion for young men to teach them God’s ways and Godly characteristics. Immorality is rampant in their area. He wants them to know how to treat a lady with respect, and treat themselves with respect.

Bulelani is a wonderful storyteller who spoke a language I understood, the language of the Holy Spirit. Our common foundation is one of Scriptural Holiness and Love for our neighbors. Not only was his English perfect, it was a beautiful song of the Holy Spirit at work through, the many days even it took them to get here. Two different layovers, in two different countries, and a complete reroute through Brazil. Not once did he complain, but only saw how God was at work in the journey. I was enthralled by the presence of God in him and in the moment still sensing the powerful sweet smell of roses.�� I knew God had answered my prayer to show up!

When we finished conversing I asked if I could pray for him. So I did and thanked God for his beautiful name his parents had given him. After the prayer, he shared it was not his parents who named him, but his grandparents. In his culture, the mother and father take their newborn to the grandparents, who will declare what they will be named. He shared Bulelani means “Give Thanks To The Lord.”

What a beautiful sweet aroma Bulelani is to God by using his gifts for the kingdom. I am reminded that as a new testament people being a sweet aroma to the Lord, is quite different than it was in the Old Testament; Numbers, Exodus, and Leviticus when a sweet aroma to the Lord was the burning of a sacrifice. This is no longer needed now, because the perfect, ultimate and final sacrifice has already been given, Jesus.

Let us give our thanks to the Lord for Jesus by sacrificing ourselves sharing with the world the gifts God has given, spreading Scriptural holiness in the land, and loving all people.

My friend and prayer partner on our Albany Connection Prayer Team, Bonnie Lindsey often opens prayer with “Sweet Jesus“. Jesus, what a sweet name it is that You have sacrificed for us Your life that we might live our lives according to Your will and Your ways to bring more into the loving fellowship of Your kingdom. This is who we are as a Methodist people. I want more sweetness Lord, more sweetness of You in my life and it partly comes from those around me.

A prayer partner here at the conference and I shared a few tears together afterwards in the prayer room, so sweet was the moment. I wonder if I will ever see him again after the conference?

God, You are truly present among us. May our deepest desire be to be a sweet aroma to all whom we encounter this day. You are good. You are holy. You are worthy to be praised Sweet Jesus. You are our fragrance, our Rose of Sharon. Give Thanks to The Lord for He is good.

The post Rev. Anna Miller first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Generosity in Action: Supporting Communities at Home and Abroad

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 16:01:00 GMT

By Dianne Burnett

The Global Methodist Church continues to embody its mission of compassion and generosity by responding decisively to recent natural disasters and global health crises. Contributions to Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton relief efforts in the United States are approaching $1 million, providing essential aid to families and communities working toward recovery.

While this support has been extraordinary, the global community’s needs remain urgent. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the ongoing monkeypox outbreak is straining local resources. Continued assistance is vital to address this public health challenge and bring relief to those affected.

In the Philippines, Super Typhoon Man-Yi—the sixth super typhoon of the year—has caused significant devastation. Thousands have been displaced, homes destroyed, and livelihoods disrupted. The Mega Manila and Covenant Philippines Annual Conferences have mobilized to provide food and shelter to affected families.

Mega Manila Conference Superintendent Luther Oconer shared, “Over the past 10 days, four typhoons have struck the Philippines. By God’s grace, none of our churches or members in the Mega Manila Conference have been significantly affected. However, in the Covenant Conference, some members have experienced damage to properties and crops. One pastor has requested food packs for his parishioners as they begin the recovery process. Our prayers rise for all those impacted, members and non-members alike. May God’s provision and comfort strengthen them as we work together to provide meaningful support.”

Reporting on the impact of Typhoon Man-Yi in Isabela Province, Gideon Salatan, member of the Transitional Leadership Council, expressed gratitude for his family’s safety despite the extensive damage to property. He issued an urgent appeal, stating, “Many people in the province are homeless and without food, relying heavily on government aid and the generosity of others. In our community alone, thousands are in dire need of basic necessities—food, clothing, and medicine. I hope we can reach them as quickly as possible.”

Reflecting on these efforts, Bishop Scott Jones emphasized the global mission of the church, “Our mission as the Global Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ and spread scriptural holiness across the globe. This includes standing in solidarity with our brothers and sisters around the world in their time of need. Our response reflects both our compassion and our commitment to the global nature of our faith.”

These events highlight the interconnectedness of the Global Methodist Church and the shared responsibility to care for one another across borders. Supporting those in need worldwide reinforces the church’s identity as a global community united in faith and action.

Members are encouraged to continue contributing to these critical relief efforts. Donations for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Philippines provide essential resources such as food, shelter, and medical aid to those in need.

To donate online and make a difference in the lives of those suffering, please visit:

LINK TO MONKEYPOX RELIEF
LINK TO TYPHOON RELIEF

To donate by check, make checks payable to “Global Methodist Church” and mail to:

Global Methodist Church
P.O. Box 1360
King George, VA 22485

Through prayer and generosity, we can extend Christ’s love, offering tangible aid and hope to those in distress. This opportunity to serve is a testament to the enduring power of faith and community. Together, let us shine as a light in the darkness, glorifying God through our actions and lifting up those in need.

Dianne Burnett serves as the Global Methodist Church’s Executive Director of Communications.

The post Generosity in Action: Supporting Communities at Home and Abroad first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Oak Ridge Methodist Church

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 22:30:00 GMT

After Hurricane Helene devastated Avery Farm’s Christmas tree farm, Tiffany McDaniel partnered with her church, Oak Ridge Methodist Church in North Carolina, to sell their trees, turning heartbreak into hope. This is a beautiful reminder of how God’s love works through His people to bring light in the darkness.

Read the story here

The post Oak Ridge Methodist Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

A Family’s Shared Experience at the GMC Conference

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 09:00:00 GMT

By Morgan Howe

As preachers’ kids who grew up in The United Methodist Church, Revs. Sarah and Gabe Wanck, respectively lead pastor and associate pastor at Marion Aldersgate Church, a Global Methodist congregation in the Great Lakes Annual Conference, share a common upbringing in the church.

One of Sarah’s best childhood memories includes attending UM Church annual conferences with her father, and Gabe shares this cherished memory as he witnessed his parents’ journey into ministry, attending conferences with them. Recently, the clergy couple transitioned to the Global Methodist Church and are happy serving their local GM church, which is located deep in Southern Illinois.

Given their similar experiences as teenagers and their calls to full-time ministry, it’s no surprise they encourage their son Hudson, 13, to participate not only in the life of their local congregation, but also in the wider church.

“Growing up, Methodist conferences were just a part of our lives,” said Gabe. “So when the Great Lakes Annual Conference elected Sarah as one of its General Conference delegates, we immediately started thinking how we could attend the historic event as a family. When we learned Conference organizers were recruiting pages to assist delegates during committee and plenary sessions, it was a no brainer for us – Hudson and I would volunteer as pages so we could join Sarah in Costa Rica.”

The Wancks say they approach ministry together for two main reasons. First, ministry is part of their lives; it affects the entire family, making it a natural choice for them to participate in nearly all church events as a family. Second, as they have faced personal and professional challenges, they discovered the benefit of navigating them together.

They also acknowledged the importance of exposing Hudson to a broader understanding of the church. They wanted him to see the body of Christ as a larger entity, filled with thousands of people seeking the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit for the whole church.

“I think for kids to grow in the faith and successfully participate in the church as adults, they need to see it on a large scale,” said Sarah. “As important and essential as the local church is for their formation, our young people also need to be exposed to the wider church, to know that it consists of millions of people from all over the world, who together are seeking to follow Jesus.”

Attending the convening General Conference as a family seemed like a great opportunity to help Hudson understand how large his church family is. Hudson was eager to join. “Even before my parents asked me, I had already decided I wanted to attend the Conference with them,” he said.

Initially, Gabe and Sarah were prepared for the Conference’s organizers to say Hudson was too young to serve; they were elated when he was accepted to work alongside his father.

Sarah said she prepared Hudson for any odd comments he might hear about his age, but in the end her fellow delegates warmly welcomed his involvement. “It was encouraging to see them acknowledge what young people can contribute, breaking the stereotype that perhaps minors shouldn’t participate.”

Hudson served as the youngest page and the youngest volunteer at the Conference, assisting with a range of tasks essential to the smooth operation of each session. His responsibilities included the prompt distribution of key documents to delegates, and carefully counting votes on various legislative matters to ensure accuracy. He also learned to provide technical assistance with voting devices, patiently helping delegates navigate any issues. His role extended to closely observing delegates and signaling to the presiding officer whenever one of them wanted to address the assembly. Sarah and Gabe were proud to see their son contribute to the good order of the Conference along with other pages.

“The sacrifice Hudson had to make to attend the Conference was missing two weeks of school. He continued online learning and studying when he was not working on the Conference floor,” said Gabe. “But at one point or another, the pace of events wears down most delegates and volunteers, including Hudson. He rested, but he performed his role as a page and finished his school work , which is a pretty big feat for a 13-year-old.”

Father and son served as pages. Some days, they worked two out of three shifts, and some days, they worked a morning and night shift, spending long hours together in the convention center from seven in the morning until almost ten at night.

Several memorable moments stood out for the Wancks during the Conference, including a worship service at the Methodist School of Costa Rica in San Jose, the country’s capital city. Gabe and Hudson helped people navigate the space, particularly assisting those with mobility issues during the Holy Communion Service. Hudson enjoyed seeing kids from another culture sharing his passion for music, and Gabe found joy in joining a dance circle with the students.

For Sarah, the most significant aspect of the conference was witnessing the GM Church as a movement rather than just a denomination. She has longed for a movement of the Holy Spirit that transforms local churches and communities with the message of God’s love in the Wesleyan way. She emphasized that Aldersgate Methodist Church and many others made tremendous sacrifices to nurture the hope that the GM Church will be one marked by the movement of the Holy Spirit.

“We hoped Hudson would see a Church that could attend in an orderly and mature way to challenging legislative matters, and also be sensitive to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit,” said Sarah. “And praise the Lord, he did see that! I’m sure his days at the convening General Conference will make a lasting impression on his life, and I look forward to seeing how it shapes him as one of Jesus’ disciples.”

The tradition of attending gatherings as a family isn’t new for the Wancks. In addition to annual conferences, Gabe and Sarah have participated in New Room Conferences for several years. Hudson joined them in recent years. These conferences have served as spiritual retreats for their family; they find it encouraging to see more children and teens participating, illustrating the church’s effort to engage younger generations.

This focus on including young people resonates with Sarah and Gabe, particularly as they reflect on their formative experiences as teens and later as adults. Regrettably, they left many UM annual conferences discouraged by the rancor and discord they witnessed. Both agreed the GM Church’s convening General Conference felt refreshingly different. They hope their son and other young people see a GM Church that always strives for harmony and concord despite inevitable differences.

In that atmosphere of hope, Hudson wanted to remember his experience by collecting signatures in his commemorative convening General Conference Hymnal. All of the Church’s bishops and the Rev. Keith Boyette, the denomination’s transitional connectional officer and its pivotal leader, all signed (Boyette retired at the close of the Conference). Bishop-elect, Rev. Dr. Carolyn Moore wrote in Hudson’s hymnal, “When it’s your turn, give them Jesus!”

“At some point, the GM Church’s founding generation will yield leadership to Hudson and his generation,” said Sarah. “By the Holy Spirit’s guidance and power they will carry the movement forward. If we’ve done our job right in these moments, then, as Bishop Moore put it, Hudson and his generation are going to give the world Jesus, too!”

Looking ahead, the Wancks plan to attend the New Room Conference next year. And their 2025 annual conference, along with many others, will elect delegates to attend the GM Church’s 2026 General Conference. If possible, the Wancks will attend both gatherings, exemplifying how ministry can be a shared experience, rooted in faith, family, and the hope of building a movement that inspires future generations.

Morgan Howe is a Communications Specialist for Global Methodist Church.

The post A Family’s Shared Experience at the GMC Conference first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Rev. Dr. Anthony McPhail

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 17:36:00 GMT

Rev. Dr. Anthony McPhail, lead pastor at Valdosta First Methodist Church in the South Georgia Annual Conference and supervisor of registration and hybrid teams for the General Conference, shares the story of reconnecting at the General Conference with Pastor Wesley Nascimento, a mentor who profoundly shaped his calling to ministry during a mission trip to Brazil nearly two decades ago. Their reunion brought back memories of Wesley’s encouragement and prophetic words, renewing Anthony’s commitment to inspire and uplift others in his own ministry.

One of my favorite metaphors used to describe the Convening General Conference went something like this: “a family reunion with family we are meeting for the first time.” I certainly experienced that to be true, as we shared in the joy of joining with new friends from across the globe with a unified spirit and a common vision for the future of our family. The conference also presented a unique and unexpected joy for my wife Emma and I, as I also was able to reunite with a Brazilian pastor that had a significant impact on my life and ministry nearly twenty years ago, and she was able to meet him for the first time. It is a story of God placing someone in my path at an impressionable time in my life and seeing him again made the joy of the Convening General Conference even sweeter for Emma and myself.

In the spring of 2006, I was a recent graduate of the University of Georgia and a first-year intern at the UGA Wesley Foundation. As part of my internship, I led a mission team of students to São Paulo, Brazil for UGA’s spring break, which is how I first met Pastor Wesley Nascimento. I did not know I would meet him on that trip, and in fact we knew very little about what to expect until we arrived. I am a detail person and I want to know as much as possible before going somewhere, but I quickly realized that was not the Brazilian way! We showed up at the São Paulo airport on a Saturday morning with uncertainty of what to expect, but then rejoiced that a well-organized welcome party was awaiting us. In addition to our missionary contacts, the pastor of our partner church, and our translator, there also was this young Brazilian pastor named Wesley who had tagged along because he was in town trying to obtain a visa to visit the United States. He became a quick favorite of our team with his beaming smile, maniacal laugh, and a propensity to joke around about everything.

After meeting everyone we headed to the church we would be serving and realized that the trip was much more organized than we anticipated. They had every single day scheduled well, but from my perspective some details would have really been helpful ahead of time. Here was the big one: as they went over the schedule, they casually mentioned that we would have a worship service with the church that night and again the next morning, and for both of those the instructions included “and one of you will preach.” I cannot begin to describe the heat I felt as every eye on my team burned a hole through me when they said those words. I was hardly a preacher, but I was the closest thing our team had. So, with a healthy fear and a strong dependence on the Holy Spirit, I got to work on writing a sermon in just a couple hours and then that night put together another one on very little sleep.

I know one sermon focused on Peter’s confession of Christ in Matthew 16, and I have no clue about the other one. I do know that both sermons seemed to go over well, which I assumed meant that my translator was better at preaching than me! At a churchwide lunch on Sunday afternoon, we quickly realized that one person enjoyed the sermons more than anyone else, as Pastor Wesley’s praise of my sermons became the running joke of our team for the rest of the trip. Every time he would see me, he would wrap his arm around my shoulders, and yell for all to hear, “Anthony is going to be the next Billy Graham and the next Francis Asbury!” and then would laugh wildly with a smile from ear to ear. Friends, I am only aware of one human being that has ever uttered my name alongside the names of those two legends of the faith, and that one human being is Pastor Wesley Nascimento. On the one hand he loved to laugh and have a good time, and on the other he was and is a tremendous encourager and supporter.

On Monday our team worked on a project and heard the sad news that Wesley’s visa was denied. He would be unable to travel to the United States for a study program, and we would be unable to see our newfound friend in the states. Undeterred by his set back, Wesley traveled back the eight hours to his home and continued to pastor his church faithfully. He also stayed in touch with me, and asked if I could bring a team the next year to his home in Além Paraíba. Only one other member of our team was able to go, but for the next spring break the two of us traveled back to visit our friends in São Paulo for a couple of days and then stayed with Wesley and his family for the rest of the week. At night we would lead revival services at area churches, and during the day I think he took us across every kilometer of his region. We experienced some incredible moments that trip, but one would stand out above them all.

One day he took us to lunch at this outdoor restaurant with amazing grilled fish, and traditional Brazilian rice and beans. As we sat there, he asked when I was going to go to seminary and become a full-time preacher. I politely explained that while I enjoyed serving in campus ministry, I had other vocational plans than preaching. He looked at me sideways and assured me that I would preach. I assured him I preferred the idea of being a professor, playing music, or really anything else. He saw past it. He pulled out a toy brick that he his son had left in his car and placed it in my hand. With full sincerity he looked at me in the eye and said, “this is a building block for a powerful Methodist ministry, and I prophesy that God is going to use you as a mighty preacher.”

I would love to tell you that I accepted this prophetic word and rushed back home to apply to seminaries. The truth is I laughed out loud, thanked him for his encouragement, and changed the subject. In the next couple of years two other pastors would sit down with me and have similar conversations with me. They also looked at me, and said I think God is calling you to this and God can use you in this way. I kept wrestling with my call, and it was not until years later that I looked back and saw that my friend Pastor Wesley saw something in me long before I saw it in myself. He believed in me, and despite my defiance to his prophetic word he kept on believing it.

Wesley and I had talked of reuniting over the years, but it never worked out for us. A few weeks before heading to San Jose though, Wesley reached out to let me know that he was coming to show support and celebrate the formation of the Global Methodist Church at the Convening General Conference, and wanted to know if I was going to be there. Tears welled up in my eyes not just because I knew I would get to see my friend again, but also because Emma had just made a last second plan to attend for a few days. She and I went on our first date a couple of weeks before I visited Wesley’s home in Além Paraíba, and she had known how much he meant to me for as long as we had been together.

The morning General Conference began was quite chaotic. I oversaw onsite registration that morning, and that was the easy part. At one point I received a phone call asking if I could get the plenary room cleared because a generator had caught fire meaning the production team needed to run several tests to get things back online. I also oversaw the Hybrid Liaison Team (the group that facilitated the participation of Zoom delegates), and we were still working out kinks in the minutes leading up to the opening plenary. Amid that chaos, I found a beautiful moment of bliss. Standing at my registration post, I looked up to see my friend Wesley Nascimento with that same smile I saw nearly two decades ago. After a long embrace and him giving me a big kiss on top of my head, he looked at me and said, “you were just a boy, and look at you now – a mighty Global Methodist pastor and leader.” I may question the mighty part, but I have given up on questioning anything he thinks God is doing in me. A few hours later Emma arrived and made our family reunion moment complete.

As the bold witness of our movement continues to grow, I believe we need spiritually attuned people like Wesley to come alongside us with a Barnabas-like spirit of encouragement. Now that I am in a different season of ministry, I long to grow in that spirit myself. In 2023, I was asked to create and launch our Certified Lay Ministry program in South Georgia, which has given me an opportunity to teach and lead dozens of participants from across our conference and neighboring conferences. Most participants fit the primary goal of the program – people serving in their local church with a desire to grow spiritually and be better equipped to serve effectively. While that covers the majority, we also have seen God use the program to identify lay people that God is calling to preach, serve churches without a pastor, and in some cases enter ordained ministry. Joy abounds when I get to sit with that latter group of people and help them see what they cannot see yet. I get to walk alongside them in their journey and say, “God is going to use you as a mighty preacher.” From a pragmatic standpoint, I know we need laborers for the harvest, and we need to encourage them in their journey. For me though, it has even more meaning – it is a chance to give someone a gift that was once given to me, long before I knew I needed it.

The post Rev. Dr. Anthony McPhail first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Methodist Church Calls for Prayers and Support Amid Monkeypox Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 08:30:00 GMT

Bishop Mark Webb, who serves as the Bishop over the DRC, shared his concerns, “This outbreak has gripped communities with fear and uncertainty. In the DRC, healthcare resources are often limited, making it extremely difficult to combat such a pervasive disease. The church has a responsibility to respond compassionately and courageously, offering not just words, but tangible support.”

DRC Conference Superintendent, Bishop Kimba Evariste, expressed, “The people of the Congo are resilient and faith-filled, but we are in dire need of help. The effects of this outbreak are felt in every community, and it is only through unity in faith and shared resources that we can overcome these hardships,” he said. “We are asking our GMC family around the world to pray fervently for protection, healing, and provision as we work to support affected families and our healthcare teams on the ground.”

The impact of Monkeypox extends beyond the immediate health crisis. Families are facing disruptions to daily life, loss of income, and challenges in accessing basic necessities. In response, the GMC has activated its relief channels to assist with resources for healthcare and community support. But the needs are immense, and we are asking for your help.

We urge all members of the GMC to pray for the people of the DRC, for strength and courage for our medical personnel, and for those suffering from this illness. We trust in the power of prayer and know that God’s presence is with the DRC even in these dark times.

For those who feel led to support financially, donations can be made to assist with the ongoing relief efforts. Contributions can be made here . Every dollar given will go toward providing medical aid, support for affected families, and resources to help curb the spread of this disease.

As Bishop Webb reminded us, “This is a moment for us to live out our faith and be the hands and feet of Christ in the world. Together, we can bring hope, healing, and relief to our brothers and sisters in the Congo.”

Let us unite in prayer and support as we walk alongside our GMC family in the DRC through this challenging season.

The post Global Methodist Church Calls for Prayers and Support Amid Monkeypox Outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Molly Williams

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 18:51:00 GMT

Molly Williams, lay delegate from the West Plains Annual Conference, reflects on how God has guided her life and prepared her for leadership in unexpected ways.

My name is Molly Williams, and I was honored to be a lay delegate from the West Plains Annual Conference at the convening General Conference of the Global Methodist Church. I was an unknown person in the West Plains Conference and the fact that I was even elected was remarkable. God has done so much in my life to prepare me for General Conference and I sense that it is just the beginning of what He is doing (both in my life and in the Global Methodist Church).

It has been clear that the Lord has been orchestrating things my entire life. Through the Lord’s provision, I started working at a Christian camp in New Mexico following my graduation from Asbury University. I worked there full-time for nearly nine years in which time my husband, Chad, and I had our four beautiful daughters. Chad was the stay-at-home dad during that time while I worked in the office of the camp. The camp was an hour away from the town we would go to for groceries, church, and doctor’s appointments. While that wasn’t typically a problem for us, it became problematic when I got pregnant with my third daughter and had concerns about my ability to make it to the hospital before she was born. That was early in 2021 and since Covid was still a big deal at the time, staying in town with friends wasn’t an option. The hospital would not allow me to be induced before 39 weeks unless medically necessary, so I just had to wait for the baby to be born and trust that God would take care of us. We spent a few nights in a hotel, but that became old and expensive, so we decided to trust God and go back to camp. I spent many nights in tears praying that God would get me to the hospital on time and that my daughter, Maggie, would be safe and healthy.

God, in His wisdom, answered part, but not all, of that prayer. When I was 38 weeks, I went into labor and left for the hospital within minutes. We were about halfway there when Maggie was born in the car! I praise God that we were both healthy. Because my husband was (understandably) speeding, he was stopped by a policeman who ended up following us. After Maggie was born, the cop was able to get an ambulance to meet us on the side of the road within a few minutes.

When I became pregnant with baby number four, I was determined not to repeat the adventure I had with Maggie. Our pastor, Kelly, and his wife were close friends and agreed to let us stay with them while we waited for the birth of our daughter. My labor with Rebekah ended up being longer than any other labor, but God used the 2.5 weeks we lived with our pastor to deepen our friendship with him and his family and give us some much-needed rest before the baby was born.

A few months after Rebekah was born, we started to feel a call to leave the camp. Many factors played into our decision, but we were ultimately pushed into action by our strong desire to ensure our daughters grew up actively involved in the church. The nature and location of my job at camp meant that we could only attend church every other week at best. I started to resent my job when I had to work in the office on Sunday mornings. My husband has a degree in Youth Ministry, so he decided to apply for the youth director position at our church which had been vacant for a few months.

We prayerfully approached this decision after seeking advice from Kelly and other trusted friends. Chad was offered the job that fall, and he agreed to start part-time in December while I wrapped things up at the camp and then in April, after the church voted to disaffiliate from the UMC and join the GMC, he transitioned to full-time, and we moved to Alamogordo where the church was located.

When all this was happening, I accepted the fact that I would have to put my career on hold so I could support my husband and do what was necessary to raise my children in the church. When Chad first accepted the job, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, but I felt God telling me to wait on Him. Early in this process I learned that the Treasurer of the church was thinking about retiring and she even told Kelly that she would retire the next day if I wanted that job. I initially rejected the idea because the job was only two days a week and I knew I would quickly get bored. I finally decided to apply for the job, but I was brutally honest in my interview about my concerns about my satisfaction in that role. In April I started my part-time job. Just as I anticipated, I was unhappy only working two days a week, but God knows my heart and provided for me. Shortly after I started my new job, the pastor at a GMC church in a neighboring committee asked if I would be willing to be their Financial Secretary one-day a week. And because God is gracious and kind, the current Administrative Assistant at that church is my former boss from the camp and a dear friend. She also happens to be Kelly’s mom!

A few months later I started to get bored again, and I found myself wishing I could work more than two days a week at my main church. I thought I was just being selfish and unhappy with my circumstances,

but when our Music Director quit unexpectedly less than a week later, I realized that the feeling was God preparing my heart for more. Kelly asked if I wanted to increase my hours so I could handle the worship arts administrative tasks, and it was an easy “yes”! I was then working four days a week between the two churches, and I was much more content with my career.

In February of this year, Kelly came into my office and told me he wanted to talk to me about something “church-related, but not job-related”. Unsure of what that meant, I sat down to listen to what he had to say. Kelly encouraged me to put my name forward as a potential delegate to the convening General Conference. I knew about the upcoming conference, and I was very interested in it, but before that moment, I had not considered the possibility of being a delegate. I felt far from qualified and I was fairly unknown within the West Plains Conference. I went home to discuss the possibility with Chad, and with his blessing, I self-nominated for the position. I was shocked when I was elected to be a delegate in April!

Once I started attending delegation meetings, I felt overwhelmed and underqualified. I listened as brilliant people had elegant ideas of what the episcopacy should look like, and I realized how unprepared I was to be in that discussion. I was honored just to be with such incredible people, so I sat quietly and learned as much as possible. I was prepared to go to General Conference and quietly vote my conscience while those around me voiced their opinions. When it came time to give our top three legislative committee choices, I knew I wanted to be on the Finance Committee because of my accounting degree and my experience handling finances for two Global Methodist Churches. Other than that, I was open to any committee except the Episcopacy and Superintendency Committee, as it focused on the role and election of Bishops, an area where I felt others were more qualified. Naturally, I was placed on that very committee, leaving me questioning God’s plan and feeling nervous about my effectiveness in that environment.

Prior to our first committee meeting, our West Plains delegation head, Ron, wisely warned us not to agree to be secretary of our committees because it is a very demanding job. I took that to heart and went into the first meeting determined to elect someone else to that role. As we were electing the chair and vice-chair, I felt a stirring in my heart to be secretary, but I wasn’t confident about it and didn’t particularly want the responsibility. I prayed and told God that if He wanted me to do it, He could make it happen and I would follow, but I was not going to actively pursue that position. Shortly after I finished praying, a complete stranger nominated me to be secretary, and I (reluctantly) agreed. Since I was the only person crazy enough to agree to it, I was unanimously elected. Again, I was left asking God what He was doing.

Upon arriving in Costa Rica, it quickly became evident that God had placed me in that role for a purpose. The work was demanding, just as Ron had warned, but it was the type of work that I am good at, and I enjoyed every moment of it. Listening to everyone else in the committee enriched me, and I now possess a deeper understanding of the episcopacy than I ever imagined. God used my talents to allow me to play a small leadership role in this historic moment of the church. I am still amazed at how everything worked out; when I agreed to be a delegate, I could not have imagined all that the Lord was planning to do through me.

One of the other delegates from the West Plains Conference, Bill, is Kelly’s dad and was the Director of the camp most of the time I was there. He was also placed on the Episcopacy committee, even though it was not one of his top three choices, which ended up being a huge blessing because I had someone to walk back to the hotel with after our late nights. I often felt like he was my “babysitter” because he so patiently waited for me to finish my work each evening. Spending 10 days with him has been an additional blessing from God. God keeps putting that family in my life and I am incredibly grateful for the influence they continue to have on me and my family.

I have sensed a calling to be more involved with the Global Methodist Church for a while now. I have been trying to discern if that means I need to be more involved at the local church, annual conference, or general church level. There were several moments during worship at General Conference where I sensed God asking me to follow Him, wherever He may lead, and I made a commitment to do that. I’ve had multiple people in my life tell me that they believe I will be more of a leader in the Global Methodist Church as time goes on. I’m still unsure about what is ahead of me, but I intend to follow through with the commitment I made to God at General Conference. When my pastor approached me a few weeks ago and asked if I wanted to preach one Sunday in February, my answer was an immediate “no” because that is far outside of my comfort zone. But as I was lying in bed one night, God reminded me of my commitment, and I told my pastor the next morning that I am willing to do it.

I’m still unsure about my future career plans, but I have seen God work things out in my life that didn’t make any sense until I followed for a while and then looked back at all that He had done. I trust that by the time the next General Conference is here, there will be so much more about my life within the GMC to share. I am excited to see what the future holds!

God has been so faithful to me. There have been two different times in my life when a stranger found me and told me that they felt God telling them I was going to do great things in my life. Once was when I was in high school, and the other time was at Annual Conference in 2023. I left both of those encounters wondering if it was true and what I could possibly do that would cause a stranger to tell me that. I still don’t feel like I’ve done great things, but I sense that God is up to something big in my life and in the life of the Global Methodist Church. I am honored to be a part of such a spirit-filled movement!

The post Molly Williams first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

NextGen: Raising Kingdom-Minded Leaders at The Woodlands Methodist Church

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 09:00:00 GMT

By Morgan Howe

If you’ve ever visited The Woodlands Methodist Church in Houston, Texas, it’s evident that students play a vital role in its leadership. This is no accident; it’s part of a larger discipleship initiative called NextGen , which is not your average youth program. It’s a comprehensive, 20-year journey that nurtures spiritual growth and leadership from age three to 23, with a clear vision — If students aren’t leading, they are leaving.

This vision shapes every aspect of NextGen’s philosophy. When young people are given the opportunity to lead, they want to invite their friends, creating a ripple effect of engagement. As a result, those friends often come just to support them but end up staying because they are captivated by the fact that everything they see is student-led. The excitement isn’t just about the message; it’s about seeing peers their age taking the lead in worship and ministry.

“It’s not about hiring the best staff,” said Mark Swayze, Pastor of NextGen Ministries. “I t’s about equipping your most gifted leaders, giving them a platform, and watching how God works through them. When students begin to lead, everything changes.”

The focus at NextGen is intentional: to raise up Christian leaders who will impact both the church and the workplace . Recognizing that many will enter workplace ministry, NextGen connects its students with Kingdom-minded leaders to mentor them and help them find jobs after graduation. The program isn’t about creating events to attend but rather a discipleship process that integrates leadership development into everyday life.

A Holistic Leadership Development Model

In its fifth year, NextGen supports over 120 student leaders across five ministries: teaching, mission, discipleship, hospitality, and media. These “shepherds” are designed to mentor and guide young people in leadership and service.

“Over the summer these leaders had to think about which areas they felt called to for a year commitment,” said Swayze. “Everyone goes through a formal interview, and they have to write out a significant paper and question to describe why they feel called to serve a certain ministry which is not easy.”

One of the most impactful aspects of NextGen is the focus on developing young leaders who are not only spiritually grounded but also mission-minded. Their leadership training often extends beyond the local church. For example, students are deeply involved in mission work, such as the ongoing partnership with a Methodist high school in Costa Rica. Twice a year, high school and college-aged students from NextGen travel to Costa Rica to build relationships, lead worship, and share the gospel. Through this ministry, an entire student-led movement has been born, as young people in Costa Rica are also learning to live Kingdom-minded lives.

“Student leadership at NextGen Ministries allowed me to not only discover the Lord’s calling on my life but also brought many opportunities for me to grow in that calling,” said Timmy Prather, NextGen student. “The people I was surrounded by in high school would not let me settle for a complacent pursuit of Jesus. If the Lord was calling me into something more profound, my community would ensure I listened.”

Leading Through Action and Service

When Hurricane Beryl hit The Woodlands area, leaving many homes without power for days, the NextGen missions’ team was among the first to respond.

“I look out and there are 25 high school and middle school students cutting trees and dragging branches out because they had already been built and established,” said Swayze. “They were ready for anything and they were all already in community, so they jumped right into action and began to serve over that whole week.”

At its heart, NextGen is about creating space for students to lead and discover their gifts early in life. High school students now lead Sunday school for younger children, mentor sixth graders during confirmation, and participate in mission trips and community outreach. These young leaders are not only shaping the next generation of the church but are also having a profound impact on their peers and community.

Spiritual Awakening, the Forge Conference, and Rise-Up Conference

NextGen’s impact extends beyond The Woodlands Methodist Church (TWMC), reaching churches across the Global Methodist Church (GMC). One of the program’s major initiatives is the Forge Conference , held each February, which brings together students from multiple GMC churches for a weekend of worship, teaching, and spiritual formation. What began with just a few churches has now grown to include over 20 churches, gathering around 400 students. This powerful event encourages students to grow in their faith and step into leadership roles within their churches.

In addition to these efforts, the Awakening Project is another key initiative, focusing on spiritual renewal among college students. Led by leaders like David Thomas, Jessica Avery, Austin and Maddie Wofford, the project gathers students at Asbury University and internationally, offering historic insights on prayer and revival. It has grown from 100 participants to 300, with upcoming events in May expected to draw up 300 plus students. This movement inspires young leaders to deepen their faith and embrace the Wesleyan tradition of spiritual formation.

NextGen also partners with summer camps through the Trinity Conference , which had over 750 attendees last year. Plans are already in place to double that number next year with two back-to-back camps called Rise-Up , offering 1,600 spots for young people to encounter God in a powerful way.

A Rebellious Spirit—For the Kingdom

In a culture where teenagers are often seen as rebellious, NextGen seeks to channel that rebellious spirit into something far greater—living a Kingdom-minded life.

“The question for teenagers who are naturally rebellious in nature is, are they going to rebel against their parents, or could they rebel against the culture of being a teenager? Could they live a Kingdom-minded, rebellious life centered on the gospel? We found an enormous number of students who wanted to live that type of rebelliousness,” said Swayze. “So we began to ask, ‘OK, rebel base or a house for rebels?’ A group of students said, ‘Hey, we want to live a rebellious lifestyle that looks like the Kingdom of God in our high schools,’”

There are five ‘Rebel Bases.’ These bases meet regularly for Bible studies, worship, and leadership development, creating safe spaces for students to explore their faith, ask hard questions, and grow in their relationship with Christ.

“NextGen Ministries was incredibly formative for me in my walk with the Lord,” said William Witherspoon, NextGen student. “This ministry made space for me to meet Christ in a real way for the first time and let Him speak into my life and calling. NextGen Ministries helped me grow in the Lord by allowing me to ask questions, serve, lead, and love me as I was. I’m forever grateful for it and Jesus’s impact on my life through this ministry!”

Healing Through Community

NextGen’s influence is also seen in how it addresses the mental health challenges facing today’s teenagers. With rising levels of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation among young people, NextGen provides a place for students to find healing and hope in Christ. Through community, discipleship, and spiritual formation, many students are experiencing transformation.

“Parents tell us all the time, ‘My kid is changing; they’re happier,'” said Swayze. “As they center their lives on Christ and find community, we’re seeing so much healing.”

The combination of leadership development, spiritual formation, and service is what makes NextGen unique. It’s more than just a youth program—it’s a movement raising up the next generation of leaders who will carry the church forward.

The Future of the Church Lies in Their Hands

As the Global Methodist Church continues to grow, programs like NextGen are critical to its future. Swayze and his team at TWMC are passionate about giving young people opportunities to lead, to grow, and to live rebellious lives for the Kingdom of God.

Last year, our church gathered for Vision Night, a time of worship, prayer, and envisioning God’s plans for us as Methodists in the newly formed Global Methodist Church.

“During the closing of Vision Night, a time of worship, prayer, and envisioning God’s plans for us as Methodists in the newly formed Global Methodist Church, Swayze invited the youth to the front, and a student volunteered to pray over the congregation, so the youth extended a hand in prayer for the adults,” Rev. Mark Sorensen, Senior Pastor of TWMC. “In return, the congregation prayed over the youth. It was a powerful moment, symbolizing Timothy praying over Paul and Paul over Timothy. I love to say around TWMC that our students are not the church of tomorrow, they are the church of today.”

With initiatives like the Forge Conference, summer camps, mission trips, and partnerships across the globe, NextGen is positioning itself to be a driving force in raising up the next generation of Christian leaders who will impact the church, the workplace , and the world.

“I look at young adults today and the generation coming behind them, and I think—there’s never been a more prime time to launch a denomination and to raise up young leaders,” said Swayze.

Register for the GMC NextGen Summit, training and fellowship for youth ministry leaders, January 23-24 at The Woodlands Methodist Church.

Morgan Howe is a Communications Specialist for Global Methodist Church.

The post NextGen: Raising Kingdom-Minded Leaders at The Woodlands Methodist Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Heather Grabbs

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 17:14:00 GMT

Heather Grabbs, lay delegate from the North Carolina Annual Conference, shares her powerful experience of unity and global connection at the General Conference.

I had the extreme honor of serving on the constitution legislative committee. While a majority of our delegates were present in the room with global representation, we also had two joining on a zoom video call from Kenya, Africa. It was the middle of the night for them, and minus a few connection interruptions they were present with us each time our committee met. Our general conference leaders made it a point to include those that were unable to obtain Visas in time via zoom, not just for the business, but also during the INCREDIBLE worship! The unity was felt literally while sitting in the airport on a layover for the final flight into to Costa Rica! I’ve never been to conference before, but I haven’t heard the most pleasant things. One thing I know I didn’t hear was them running behind schedule from a worship turned revival with every knee bent in submission and pure awe of His presence among us. Wounds were healed, hearts were full, and prayers have been answered! There was much praise to give.

The most impactful moment was when our committee completed the constitution document in its entirety. Our faithful committee chair had us stand together and pray over the laptop that held the completed document, and in the middle of the night in central Africa we saw our delegates standing with us on Zoom in unity!

In THAT moment I felt my imprint on this GLOBAL movement. Many times before coming to a vote on a petition we would stop and pray discerning the will of the Holy Spirit. One of the most significant parts of the constitution to me says that the ministry of the Global Methodist Church starts primarily through the local church and governed by the Charge Conference. The purpose of the Global Methodist Church is to strengthen and support the work of the local church. This proved to be incredibly empowering.

As we prepared to come home from conference, Hurricane Helene reaped havoc on Western North Carolina. With one of our NC delegates homes located in the affected area, our conference delegates pulled together and had food and fuel trailers prepared for deployment to WNC to be the hands and feet in the midst of devastation within 72 hours. Empowered from the General Conference and knowing that they are in full support of the church at the local level allowed them to spring into immediate action. We had district and circle churches coming together holding donation drives, and serving as distribution sites. We were blown away when our conference leaders began receiving calls from other state conferences across our country reaching out wanting to come help with emergency disaster response, or send monetary donations. They were immediately prepared to come and serve with teams and heavy machinery in tow! The connections made in Christ at General Conference were instrumental!

The post Heather Grabbs first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Episcopacy Committee Announces Bishop Assignments

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 19:42:00 GMT

Recognizing the unique and diverse contexts within the Global Methodist Church, the GEC consulted with bishops, the Transitional Leadership Council, and conference delegations to make assignments. The goal was to embody the church’s global superintendency, ensuring all bishops serve beyond their regions of origin and other existing roles. No bishop has been assigned to their conference of origin, and assignments were made to both existing conferences and emerging areas expected to develop into annual conferences.

We anticipate both the addition of new conferences and the multiplication of existing conferences due to growth. For example, Bishop Evariste, also conference superintendent of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is well prepared to exercise episcopal leadership in new conferences of the DRC as those are defined by expansion plans currently underway. When changes in conference alignment affect the assignment of bishops, the Global Episcopacy Committee will announce those changes.

The GEC thanks the entire church for its support in this prayerful process. Please join us in welcoming our bishops as they lead with conviction and humility into this new season.

Bishop John Pena Auta

Bishop Kimba Evariste

Bishop Jeff Greenway

Bishop Leah Gregory

Bishop Scott Jones

Bishop Kenneth Levingston

Bishop Carolyn Moore

Bishop Mark Webb

The post Global Episcopacy Committee Announces Bishop Assignments first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Methodist Church Receives Over $400,000 in Hurricane Relief Donations

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 08:02:00 GMT

The post Global Methodist Church Receives Over $400,000 in Hurricane Relief Donations first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

VALUES AND PRINCIPLES IN THE INTERIM ASSIGNMENT OF BISHOP

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 20:11:00 GMT

The convening General Conference of the Global Methodist Church (GMC) has instructed the Global Episcopacy Committee (GEC) to assign those elected as bishops to serve the various annual conferences. In a spirit of transparency and good will, the GEC offers this statement to illumine the values and principles that are guiding the process of assigning bishops. The GEC invites the prayers of the global church for wisdom as we seek to honor God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in our work. The following values and principles only apply to the assignment of bishops from 2024–2026. The assignment of bishops in 2026 and beyond will be governed by ¶504 in the Book of Doctrines and Discipline (2024).

The post VALUES AND PRINCIPLES IN THE INTERIM ASSIGNMENT OF BISHOP first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Methodist Church Continues to Pray and Provide Aid to Communities Impacted by Hurricanes Milton and Helene

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 13:51:00 GMT

To date, over $237,000 has been raised to support relief initiatives, and we are continually receiving updates from our conference superintendents in affected regions as well as our partners at Faith Responders. Their courageous, tireless work will be ongoing as they address the needs of these communities, and we invite you to join us in aiding their efforts in any way you can.

If you feel called to assist, here are two ways to make a meaningful impact:

Financial Contributions
Your financial support provides critical resources to sustain recovery efforts. Donations can be made to the Global Methodist Church Disaster Relief Fund through the following options:

Global Methodist Church
P.O. Box 1360
King George, VA 22485

Please include “Helene or Milton Disaster Relief” in the memo line. For online donations exceeding $5,000, kindly email finance@globalmethodist.org to confirm your contribution.

Volunteer Opportunities
Faith Responders is welcoming volunteers of all skill levels to assist in these communities. If you are interested, please fill out an application online at Faith Responders Volunteer Teams .

Together, through prayer, giving, and service, we can provide the support and hope needed by those on the path to recovery. Thank you for your compassionate response during this critical time.

The post Global Methodist Church Continues to Pray and Provide Aid to Communities Impacted by Hurricanes Milton and Helene first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Episcopacy Committee Organizes and Begins Its Essential Work for the Global Methodist Church

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 23:05:28 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Global Episcopacy Committee, appointed by the General Conference, held its inaugural meeting on Wednesday, October 9, convened by Connectional Operations Officer Mike Schafer. At this meeting, Chris Ritter was elected as Chairperson, Jason Burnham as Vice-Chairperson, and Christine Hargrove as Secretary.

Distinct from other global commissions and committees, the Global Episcopacy Committee commenced its work immediately following election. One of its primary tasks is to assign bishops to areas of responsibility, with new episcopal terms set to begin on November 1. Guided by General Conference mandates, the committee is consulting with annual conference delegations, Bishops Jones and Webb, and the Transitional Leadership Council to ensure thoughtful placements. Beyond assignments, the committee will also determine salaries and benefits for episcopal leaders. A comprehensive outline of the committee’s responsibilities will be available in Paragraph 505 of the forthcoming Book of Doctrines and Discipline.

"Please pray for our bishops and the Global Episcopacy Committee members," said Chris Ritter, Chairperson of the committee. "While this new deployment process presents unique challenges, we are blessed with humble, faithful servants of Jesus whose goal is to spread scriptural holiness around the globe."

Committee Members

The committee includes representatives from across the denomination:

Gregg Benefiel (Mid-South)
Don Bourland (Mississippi-West Tennessee)
Jason Burnham (Trinity)
William Floyd (South Carolina)
Lyndol Loyd (West Plains)
Christine Hargrove (North Georgia)
Tyson Heins (Heartland)
Sarah Walters Maher (Allegheny West)
Matt O’Reilly (North Alabama)
Chris Ritter (Great Lakes)
Heather Sims (Trinity)
Joanne Valenzuela (Mega Manila, Philippines)

Additional members may be appointed by the Connectional Council to ensure comprehensive representation and expertise as the committee continues its work.

Moving Forward: The Path Ahead for the Global Methodist Church

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The post Moving Forward: The Path Ahead for the Global Methodist Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Join Us in Supporting Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 15:25:00 GMT

Hurricane Helene has left a trail of devastation across several of our Global Methodist Church communities, severely impacting families and congregations in its path. The destruction is overwhelming, and the need for support is urgent. As we lift up the victims and their communities in prayer, we recognize that immediate financial assistance is crucial for the recovery efforts already underway. While volunteer opportunities will come in time, right now the greatest need is financial support to help rebuild homes, churches, and lives.

We invite you to join us in this critical response by giving financially. Your generosity will directly impact those affected by this heartbreaking disaster. Here’s how you can donate:

Global Methodist Church Disaster Relief Fund:

Make payable to “Global Methodist Church” and send to:

Global Methodist Church

11905 Bowman Drive, Suite 501-A

Fredericksburg, VA 22408

Please include “Helene Disaster Relief” in the memo line.

For donations exceeding $5,000, please email finance@globalmethodist.org to confirm your contribution.

Additional Global Methodist Church-Related Relief Efforts:

Your support, whether in prayer or financial giving, is a beacon of hope to those facing unimaginable loss in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Together, as a Global Methodist Church family, we can make a tangible difference in rebuilding and restoring what has been broken. Thank you for standing with our brothers and sisters in their time of need, and for being the hands and feet of Christ in this time of great challenge.

DONATE TO GMC DISASTER RELIEF FUND NOW

The post Join Us in Supporting Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Parting Words

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 08:00:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

My tenure as Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church draws to a close at the adjournment of the convening General Conference on September 26. The past seven-and-one-half years, first as president of the Wesleyan Covenant Association and then as the leader of the GM Church, have been a daily revelation of the presence of God, His grace, and His providence. I have never felt adequate to the task. Although God has blessed me with gifts and abilities, I always knew I was not up to the task unless my gifts and abilities were accompanied by the work of the Holy Spirit. My desperate daily prayer has been for God to accomplish His purposes in me, through me, and even despite me. And God has answered that prayer every single day. He gets the glory for all that has occurred.

God has blessed me with partners in ministry through a small, but an exceptionally talented and very devoted staff. Their service has been sacrificial. From the beginning, the counsel and work of Walter Fenton and Teresa Marcus has been invaluable. For four-and-half years, the members of the Transitional Leadership Council have guarded the vision God gave us and stewarded the church until we could hold a convening General Conference.

God has raised up leaders globally who, often without compensation and while continuing to perform other responsibilities, have helped form and lead annual conferences. Stirred by our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly , countless clergy and laity navigated significant challenges, leading their churches to become congregations of the Global Methodist Church. Their path was uphill – with mounting financial costs and obstacles erected by others. However, their commitment to be part of a church that proclaims the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ as entrusted to us by the apostles and early church is resolute. We are a coalition of the willing. Each of us has chosen to be Global Methodists.

The GM Church continues to grow. Since beginning operations on May 1, 2022, more than 4,700 local congregations have become members. We now have thirty-six annual conferences serving churches in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. The GM Church just completed the legal registration process in three more countries – Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Additional annual conferences are organizing in Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America. Every annual conference is in the process of planting churches. Daily, God is adding to our numbers all for His glory. Christianity Today has declared that the GM Church is already the sixteenth largest Protestant church in the United States.

In the spring of 2017, I had a clear sense of call to leave the pastorate of a local church to become president of the Wesleyan Covenant Association. In the spring of 2022, I again sensed God’s call to continue the journey to provide leadership for a people who were being led out of a dysfunctional, uncertain, and spiritually oppressive environment, into a new spirit-filled, vibrant expression of the Christian faith. Now it is time for me to pass the mantle to others whom God has raised up.

I have been personally blessed by the leadership of Bishops Mark Webb, Scott Jones, and, more recently, Johnwesley Yohanna, and the encouragement of Bishop Emeriti Young Jin Cho, Robert Hayes, Mike Lowry, and Ed Williamson. They will continue to provide God-empowered episcopal leadership to the church. If the convening General Conference chooses to elect additional persons to the episcopacy, they will join these exceptional leaders. The spiritual vitality of our movement will be in good hands.

The Rev. Mike Schafer will provide overall leadership for the operations of the general church at the global level as our Connectional Operations Officer. Mike is wonderfully equipped to ensure that the general church exists to serve each local church, its members, and its mission field. I have never been more confident in passing the baton of leadership to another individual than I am in doing so with Mike.

Just as I have begun each day seeking the face of God and crying out to Him to do what only He can do, I assure you my prayers will be just as fervent in the days to come as I watch new leaders build on the foundation laid in Jesus Christ.

John Wesley reminds us, “You have nothing to do but to save souls. Therefore spend and be spent in this work.” After Wesley’s new birth at Aldersgate, he encouraged Methodists to be completely devoted to God (worship), to be perfected in love (sanctification), and to proclaim the Gospel boldly (witness) so others would come into a saving relationship with God. May the Global Methodist Church excel in the fulfillment of such a mission.

The Rev. Keith Boyette is the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Connectional Officer – its chief executive and administrative officer – until September 26, 2024.

The post Parting Words first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The Spirit of a New Connection

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 08:30:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton

Since John Wesley and his friends founded the Methodist movement in the middle of the eighteenth century, Methodists, of whatever stripe, have emphasized the importance of connectionalism. As the Rev. Dr. David Watson, Academic Dean and Professor of New Testament at United Theological Seminary (Dayton, Ohio), put it, “ To be Methodist is to be connectional. ”

Wesley’s use of the term was his way of emphasizing what Christians have always believed: living out our faith is done in community. And just as individuals need to be connected, so local churches do as well. We believe connectionalism is rooted in the patterns set forth in the New Testament church.

In our connections, Wesley said, “We are to watch over one another in love.” And love in the Christian context means we are to inspire one another to live faithfully as Christ’s disciples. Love means extending grace to one another as God has extended it to us. Love also means praying for and serving others both inside the connection and beyond it, particularly the hungry, the sick, the defenseless, and even our enemies. And love also means speaking truth to one another as graciously as we can and holding one another accountable to the faith we proclaim.

And the same goes for local churches. They are to encourage one another in the faith, alleviate one another’s burdens, and to join together to serve others. They are also to hold one another accountable to Christianity’s core confessions and those ethical standards derived from Scripture and the teachings of the Church catholic.

Christians have always recognized truly loving others is far easier said than done, and therefore, as individuals and local churches, they would have to be in connection with one another in order to hold each other accountable to such a challenging and high calling. Unfortunately, church history is full of examples of our failure to hold one another accountable in Christian love and so remain in authentic connection.

Wesley was well aware of the many deep disagreements that had divided Christians over the centuries, but that awareness did not diminish his commitment to connectionalism, just the opposite. Divisions demonstrated all the more the necessity of working to repair and strengthen the connection, not to give up on it or acquiesce to a vapid connectionalism with no accountability. He, like many others who went before him, could not conceive of living the Christian life without authentic connection.

As the Global Methodist Church prepares to gather for its convening General Conference in San Jose, Costa Rica, it fully embraces the importance of authentic connectionalism. It warmly invites individuals and local churches who long for such a connection to join it. The GM Church believes authentic connectionalism must be marked by a spirit of freedom. It will be strongest when all its people and local churches are freely committed to its core theological confessions, its ethical standards derived from Scripture and the teachings of the church catholic, and when we all watch over one another in love by supporting each other and holding one another accountable to our high calling.

The thousands of people who have worked and prayed for the formation of the GM Church are well aware – some painfully aware – that when a connected church fails to maintain accountability and yet simultaneously seeks to preserve its power, authentic connectionalism is lost, the seeds of division are sown, and internal strife eventually weakens its ability to fulfill its greater mission. Consequently, the Global Methodist local churches must work together to fulfill the great commission in a spirit of freedom and accountability in love.

As our convening General Conference delegates gather in Costa Rica, now is the time for all GM local churches to pray and work together for a new connection empowered by the Holy Spirit. Now is the time for people and local churches to freely give of their time, talent, and resources to build an authentically connected church. A Church that watches over one another love, that extends grace, serves others, proclaims the truth, and holds one another accountable to its great calling.

Readers can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its general website , they can follow all the details about the convening General Conference by visiting So the World Will Know and can receive exclusive convening General Conference updates by following our Facebook Event page here .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post The Spirit of a New Connection first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Trust the Holy Spirit and Each Other

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 08:35:00 GMT

By Bishop Scott J. Jones and Bishop Mark J. Webb

Three weeks from now several hundred Global Methodist leaders will be gathering in San Jose, Costa Rica, to celebrate what God has already done in the Global Methodist Church. And then through holy conferencing, we will discern the next steps for our movement. Before we get to Costa Rica, there are still many details to be completed. Volunteer committees and our GM Church staff are all working hard to complete essential tasks. Key issues are being debated by legislative committees and in social media. We have witnessed the excitement of this moment and rightly so; we have also noticed anxiety among us.

As bishops we want to speak a word to all Global Methodist people: Trust the Holy Spirit. Trust each other.

We are bathing this General Conference in forty days of prayer (prayer guides can be found at So the World Will Know ). In addition, many of us started praying months ago for a powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit as we gather in Costa Rica.

For almost two years, we have had the privilege and honor to travel across the GM Church connection, presiding at annual conference sessions in many different countries on four continents. We have seen the Holy Spirit working powerfully in many ways in our new church. We are Spirit led! We are confident the Holy Spirit will continue leading us in the weeks to come and during the General Conference. We know that we will be worshipping and praying every hour while we in Costa Rica; we invite all Global Methodists around the world to join our worship online and daily pray for the Conference.

We also urge you to trust each other and to trust the delegates and leaders of the GM Church. As brothers and sisters in Christ, how we walk with one another, respond to one another and seek the unity of the Spirit that comes in our common calling and confession is our greatest witness. When we face anxious times, trust provides a solid foundation upon which we can stand. When we agree, we can do so with trust. When we disagree, we must do so with trust. We have experienced this gift of trust extended from the beginning of the GM Church. May we continue to guard and extend it.

As bishops we have experienced hundreds of wonderful, Spirit-led leaders shaping the Church and making sacrificial contributions. In our experience, all the members of the Transitional Leadership Council, the general church staff, the general church commissions, and annual conference teams have acted with a passion for our mission and with integrity. We have been blessed to serve Christ with such wonderful people. As is natural, and even necessary, there have been disagreements along the way and compromises have been reached. We have missed some opportunities and mishandled others. We have sometimes lacked the time and personnel to do all we would have liked. These realities will be a part of our future. Creating a new church is a messy process. But thankfully, our God is always and mysteriously at work in the midst of our human messiness.

All over the world today people have issues with trust. We both pray and work to be found trustworthy, and we believe all who are providing leadership in the GM Church are trustworthy. We believe trusting each other will allow the Holy Spirit’s empowerment and guidance to be most effective in all we do in Costa Rica and in all we will continue to be as the GM Church.

Bishop Jones will be preaching Sunday morning, September 22, 2024, during the Conference, and he will reference a powerful Charles Wesley hymn. It summarizes our confidence:

By thy unerring Spirit led,
We shall not in the desert stray;
We shall not full direction need,
Or miss our providential way;
As far from danger as from fear,
While love, almighty love is near.

Let’s continue to trust the Holy Spirit. Let’s continue to trust each other.

We are praying for you and for all the sessions of the Global Methodist Church’s convening General Conference!

The post Trust the Holy Spirit and Each Other first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The Challenges and Joys of Sharing the Faith with Children and Teenagers

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 09:32:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton

There is universal agreement in the Global Methodist Church that passing down the good news of Jesus Christ to children and teenagers is one of the Church’s highest responsibilities. And it is also widely acknowledged that the challenges facing it are deep and diverse when it comes to fulfilling that responsibility.

In central and eastern Europe, small GM local churches are trying to build solid foundations after decades of Communist rule when they were nearly driven to extinction. Local churches with diminished resources in rural communities and inner cities in the United States are struggling to attract and retain young families. And in a number of countries in Africa, local churches face heartbreaking decisions as they try to find ways to minister to children and teens in very difficult conditions.

Recently, three regional leaders shared their observations on the immense challenges local churches face as they seek to disciple children and teens, and then a professor in Christian Discipleship offered some practical advice for addressing them.

“The challenges are numerous,” say the Rev. Dr. Henriette Lokoto Okele, the Global Methodist Church’s Presiding Elder for the Kinshasa District in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Provisional Annual Conference. “Severe poverty, political instability, armed conflicts, harsh labor conditions, and internal strife among Christian denominations are just some of the challenges we face.”

Yet despite all the challenges, Lokoto Okele and the local churches she oversees in Kinshasa, persevere in the mission to teach children and teenagers the faith and provide for their physical and emotional needs. She serves in the DRC’s capital city, which is also the country’s largest with over 17 million people. The median age in the country is 15.8 years, making it one of the world’s youngest populations.

“We are churches striving to transmit the faith to children and adolescents through the time-honored ways of Sunday schools and Bible studies adapted to each age group,” she said. “Despite the difficulties, the churches are showing creativity and perseverance, and using new technologies as they become available to us. The commitment of our members, the collaboration between local churches, and innovative ideas to support families are nourishing hope. We believe Christian education must be at the heart of our communities.”

The Rev. Dr. Gabriella Kopas, the president pro tem of the Slovakia Provisional Annual Conference, notes that local churches in her conference do not face challenges like those in the DRC, but it does contend with issues that nearly all faith communities in central and eastern Europe must confront.

Since its founding as part of Czechoslovakia at the close of the World War I, Slovakia has faced significant challenges over the past century. It lost its independence during World War II, regained it briefly, but then succumbed to the domination of the Soviet Union for five decades. It became an independent nation in 1993 when it peacefully separated from the Czech Republic just four years after breaking away from Communist rule during the “Velvet Revolution” of 1989. Consequently, Slovakian Global Methodists, along with other Protestant denominations, are still trying to find their footing in a country that has only experienced religious freedom for 35 years, and where the majority of the population identifies as Roman Catholic.

“Our local churches typically have children participate in worship with everyone else until the sermon, and then their teachers lead them in a time appropriate for their ages,” she said. “Teens tend to stay during the services with the adults and then have a special meeting during the week. Since our churches are scattered around the country we try to organize at least one opportunity for all of our teens to meet in one place, usually during the summer.”

In addition to leading the annual conference, Kopas also serves as the lead pastor of a local church in Bratislava, the country’s capital city. Like many European countries, the fertility rate in Slovakia is below the 2.1 necessary to sustain its current population.

“Some of our churches are completely lacking families with small children, and some will have only one or two children, so they do not have any programs for them,” said Kopas. “However, like local GM churches around the world, we are energized and look forward to finding new ways to share the Gospel with people young and old. It will take time, but I firmly believe we will reach more young families with children and teenagers.”

Some local churches in the GM Church’s Upper Midwest Provisional Conference in the U.S. can relate to the dearth of young families in central and eastern Europe. The conference spreads across a vast geographical area that includes the states of Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, and Wyoming. And while some of the states have seen population increases over the past two decades, most towns and cities remain small and dispersed across the vast northern plains of the U.S.

Many of our local churches face a conundrum when it comes to ministry with children and teenagers,” said the Rev. James Park, the conference’s president pro tem and co-lead pastor with his wife Helen Parks at Marion Methodist in Marion, Iowa. “Local churches sense they need a critical mass of kids to draw in other kids, but how do you get a critical mass, without a critical mass?”

Parks also notes that since most small to mid-size churches do not have a staff person dedicated to children’s ministry, they have to rely on volunteers who are willing, but do not always have the time or energy to build a solid children’s or youth program.

According to Dr. Ellen Marmon, Professor of Christian Discipleship at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, the issues Lokoto Okele, Kopas, and Parks raise are ubiquitous in worldwide denominations.

“So many times we can overwhelm ourselves in small churches by trying to create a big program without the people to sustain it,” she said. “Children and teenagers, at least in the U.S., can get all the entertainment and bells and whistles and fog machines they want in many places, but what they can’t get that a local church can offer is the opportunity to hang around people of all ages. That’s very unique about the church, and we often overlook it.”

Marmon, who served on staff at Centenary United Methodist Church in Lexington, Kentucky for 16 years prior to joining the Asbury faculty full time in 2005, hastened to add that local churches do have to offer something to children and teens. And they should lean into their strengths, and one is being a hospitable, intergenerational community. She notes that this is something people in Europe and the U.S. have less of as families shrink in size. There are fewer older siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents to surround young people. The church, she contends, can and should fill that void.

“There’s really nothing more engaging, no matter where you are or how small your church is, than a welcoming and hospitable community,” said Marmon who has taught discipleship in Kenya and worked with local church leaders in Australia, New Guinea, and India. “And this is where prayer is so important. As predictable as it sounds, it all starts with preparing our hearts in prayer; to make them ready to be the aunts and uncles and the grandmas and grandpas that so many children and teenagers need in their lives.”

Pastors, church leaders, or just people who are passionate about sharing the Gospel with young people can learn about creating multi-generational churches by reading books on the subject. Marmon recommended InterGenerate , a collection of essays edited by Holly Catterton Allen and Reimaging Faith Formation for the 21 ^st Century: Engaging All Ages and Generations by John Roberto. She says both books have good ideas that churches of any size can implement.

“I really think churches can ask children to invite a friend; they all know other children, so half of the challenge is fairly simple,” said Marmon. “But of course they need something to invite their friends to, and that’s where starting simple comes in, like having a monthly or bi-weekly potluck after church where one or two adults sit and eat with groups of four or five young people. It will be awkward at first, but that’s to be expected, just ask their parents. But in time I find people are surprised at how readily children and even teens are willing to talk about themselves, particularly those who are a bit on the margins at school.”

Finally, Marmon emphasized that local churches should remember they are in the work of passing down the faith for the long haul. Pouring one’s life into even one or two young people will yield an increase in time. Followers of Christ should be thankful for every opportunity God gives them to share the gospel with the next generation.

Subscribe to Crossroads to learn more about the Global Methodist Church and to stay abreast of developments regarding its convening General Conference.

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post The Challenges and Joys of Sharing the Faith with Children and Teenagers first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council Looks Forward to Transition

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 08:00:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton

“Don’t get me wrong, it has been a great privilege to serve the Global Methodist Church during its transitional season, but I’ll be very happy when we can retire that word ‘transitional,’” said Cara Nicklas, chairwoman of the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council (TLC). “Of necessity, every council, commission, our governing document, and even some of our staff members, have been called ‘the transitional this’ or ‘the transitional that,’ but praise the Lord, in a matter of months the term will be transitioned out of existence!”

Created in early March 2020, the TLC has served as the GM Church’s general decision-making body prior to and ever since the denomination’s launch on May 1, 2022. Originally intended to function for just six to twelve months, the Covid pandemic and the repeated postponements of The United Methodist Church’s 2020 General Conference kept it in existence far longer than its members ever imagined.

Eleven of the original 17 members are still serving on the Council, which has since expanded to 21. The members continue to meet every Monday morning at 9 am U.S. Eastern Time, largely deliberating and voting on matters forwarded to it by numerous commissions, task forces, provisional annual conferences, and transitional conference advisory teams. TLC leaders believe thousands of people have participated in the formation the GM Church.

If a series of legislative petitions submitted by the TLC are adopted at the GM Church’s convening General Conference in San Jose, Costa Rica, September 20-26, 2024 , the TLC will cease to exist by the close of this year. It would be replaced by a body called the Connectional Council that would serve as the GM Church’s “chief missional and administrative body, providing leadership at the general church level in between General Conferences.” It would also “have full legislative authority with respect to all matters expressly delegated to it by the Book of Doctrines and Discipline or the General Conference as stated in each such delegation.”

“I’m confident GM Church members want a general church that is relatively small, nimble, and flexible,” said Nicklas. “One way we can fulfil that mandate is to convene our necessary, but costly General Conferences every six years rather than every four or five. However, if that is the case, then we need an administrative body that can act authoritatively in between our gatherings. I think the the Connectional Council could do that.”

According to the legislation, the Connectional Council would be composed of not more than 24-members. The delegates to the convening General Conference would directly elect eight members to the Connectional Council, four laity and four clergy. Five connectional commissions responsible for various areas of the Church would each elect two members to the Council, one pastor and one lay person (members of the various commissions would be elected by the General Conference delegates). Also, the Assembly of Bishops would elect two episcopal leaders to serve on the Council, and then the 20 elected members would elect four others to ensure the Council fully represented the global nature of the GM Church.

“GM Church leaders must be about the business of doing all they possibly can to equip, empower, and strengthen the local church,” said the Rev. Mike Schafer , who will serve as the new denomination’s connectional operations officer and therefore will work directly with the Connectional Council. “Consequently, we need a body that represents the whole church, is committed to its health and vitality in all places, and enables its local churches to fulfil our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.”

The new Council would also work alongside the Assembly of Bishops, and the denomination’s annual conferences to implement the strategic vision and initiatives set forth by the GM Church’s General Conferences. The Council’s mandate and authority would, in keeping with Methodist governing traditions, always derive from the duly elected lay and clergy delegates to the Church’s General Conferences. Either directly or indirectly, the General Conference would elect, or empower others to elect, the members of the Connectional Council.

“While the TLC has played an important role over the past four years, now is the time for it to yield to a more permanent body with the full imprimatur of the Church’s General Conference,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the denomination’s transitional connectional officer and the first person to serve as the chair of the TLC. “I’m sure I speak for all the TLC members when I say that our sincere thoughts and prayers go with the men and women, clergy and laity, who would serve on the GM Church’s first Connectional Council. I’m confident the entire Church will support and pray for them every day.”

Launched on May 1, 2022, the GM Church is composed of 4,670 local churches organized into 36 provisional annual conferences around the world. GM Church delegates will meet in San Jose, Costa Rica, for the denomination’s convening General Conference, September 20-26, 2024 .

Subscribe to Crossroads to stay abreast of developments in the Global Methodist Church. And visit the website “So the World Will Know” to learn all about the GM Church’s convening General Conference.

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council Looks Forward to Transition first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

GM Church Welcomes New Chief Financial Officer

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 20:51:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton

Worthington, 38, will join a small administrative staff charged with implementing the denomination’s mission while remaining a resourceful, creative, and missionally minded movement. Launched on May 1, 2022, the GM Church is composed of 4,670 local churches organized into 36 provisional annual conferences around the world. GM Church delegates will meet in San Jose, Costa Rica, for the denomination’s convening General Conference, September 19-26, 2024 .

Born and raised in a secular home in Chile, Worthington came to the United States as an exchange student. With his host family, he began attending Plainview First United Methodist Church in Plainview, Texas (now a GM local church), where he committed his life to Christ.

He remained in the U.S. attending Wayland Baptist University (Plainview), graduating summa cum laude in 2008 with a degree in business administration. Within months of his graduation, he passed all the sections of the challenging CPA exam on his first attempt. While working as a staff accountant, he completed a law degree at Baylor Law School (Waco, Texas), where he graduated magna cum laude . He is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity degree at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky.

In addition to working at companies as an accountant, a CFO, a chief operations officer, and an attorney, Worthington also served as an assistant professor of accounting and law at both Wayland Baptist University and Dallas Baptist University. He is a native Spanish speaker and is fluent in English.

“The opportunity to serve the GM Church brings all my skills and interests together,” said Worthington. “I am thrilled to devote myself to the amazing work God is doing in and through our dramatically growing Church!”

GM Church leaders said they received 32 applications for the CFO position, and interviewed five finalists. The Rev. Keith Boyette, the denomination’s transitional connectional officer, and the Rev. Mike Schafer, the denomination’s incoming connectional operations officer, were members of the search team.

“The people who applied for the CFO position did not make our task easy, many of them were stellar candidates,” said Boyette. “However, we were very impressed with Robert’s combination of skills, gifts, and his passion for our mission. As a new denomination, still in its formative years, we have significant challenges ahead of us. I am confident Robert is going to to help us meet and surmount them as we all dedicate ourselves to fulfilling our God given mission.”

Schafer interviewed Worthington’s personal references, and said they confirmed the search team’s impressions. “People described Robert as ‘a man of integrity;’ as ‘highly intelligent, and yet skilled at explaining accounting and legal matters in terms ordinary people can understand;’ and most importantly, as ‘a man who is humble, and loves God with a servant’s heart.’ Needless, to say, I am looking forward to working with him!”

Worthington is based in Bella Vista, Arkansas, and attends Highlands Church, a GM Church congregation in the Trinity Provisional Annual Conference. He enjoys preparing for and leading an online Bible study on Friday nights. And when he’s not working or studying, he loves riding motorcycles and mountain bikes in beautiful Northwest Arkansas.

“I am excited to work for the GMC because I believe in its mission. I think Global Methodists have something important to offer the world—and the time to offer it is now,” said Worthington. “We emphasize both the very real spiritual connection between God and his people and the importance of holiness. Only through an emphasis on both of these motifs can we share a message that is true, deep, and impactful.”

Worthington assumed his duties on August 12, 2024.

Subscribe to Crossroads to learn more about the Global Methodist Church and to stay abreast of developments regarding its convening General Conference.

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post GM Church Welcomes New Chief Financial Officer first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Methodist Church Welcomes Bishop Johnwesley Yohanna and Recognizes Four Nigerian Conferences as Provisional Annual Conferences

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 08:36:00 GMT

By Dianne Burnett

At its meeting on August 5, the Transitional Leadership Council (TLC) of the Global Methodist Church celebrated the decision of Bishop Johnwesley Yohanna and the four annual conferences in Nigeria to become part of the GM Church. By unanimous vote, the Southern Nigeria, Central Nigeria, Northern Nigeria, and Northeast Nigeria Conferences voted to end their relationship with The United Methodist Church and become members of the GM Church. The four Nigerian annual conferences now join the thirty-two provisional annual conferences previously formed by the GM Church organized around the world.

Bishop Yohanna has been the episcopal leader of the church in Nigeria since his election in 2012. He has provided significant spiritual and moral leadership to the Nigerian church as it has responded to decisions made recently by the General Conference of The United Methodist Church. The TLC has welcomed Bishop Yohanna as an elder and clergy member and recognized him as an active bishop of the GM Church effective July 29, 2024. Along with Bishops Scott J. Jones and Mark J. Webb, Bishop Yohanna serves as a general superintendent of the entire church. He will have continuing responsibilities related to overseeing congregations and clergy in Nigeria. However, the GM Church does not appoint bishops to serve as residential bishops. Bishop Yohanna has announced his intention to become a bishop emeritus once legislation on the episcopacy and superintendency is adopted by the GM Church convening General Conference and implemented.

Nigeria is the latest to join the GM Church network on the continent of Africa, joining the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, the Central African Republic, Kenya-Ethiopia, and South Africa. The GM Church continues to be dedicated to the people of Africa, striving to support and nurture the spiritual growth and development of our congregations across the continent.

The TLC also appointed four Nigerian leaders to serve as presidents pro tempore of the four provisional annual conferences – Rev. Alexander A. Sabo (Central Nigeria), Rev. Shagari Umar (Northeast Nigeria), Rev. Hassan Salama (Northern Nigeria), and Rev. Baziel Yoila Yayuba (Southern Nigeria). Presidents pro tempore provide day-to-day leadership for churches and clergy in their respective annual conferences. These four leaders have served in conference leadership for a number of years and will continue to provide seasoned leadership to the church in Nigeria.

Bishop Yohanna shared his thoughts on this milestone, stating, “This is a momentous occasion for our Nigerian congregations and the GM Church. We are united by our shared faith and mission, and I am confident that this partnership will bring about tremendous growth and spiritual renewal.”

The addition of these Nigerian conferences enriches the diversity and global outreach of the GM Church, and our continued commitment to inclusivity and worldwide ministry. We will continue to work closely with the leadership in Nigeria to foster a strong presence in Nigeria and a deeper connection among Methodists worldwide.

Rev. Keith Boyette, chief executive and administrative officer of the GM Church, expressed his joy and hopes for this new development. “The entire leadership of the GM Church stands with our Nigerian brothers and sisters in these important days of advancing the Gospel in Nigeria and beyond,” Boyette stated. “We count it a privilege for the church in Nigeria to be a vital part of our movement as we worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.”

Readers can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its general website , and they can follow all the details about the convening General Conference by visiting So the World Will Know .

The post Global Methodist Church Welcomes Bishop Johnwesley Yohanna and Recognizes Four Nigerian Conferences as Provisional Annual Conferences first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Why a General Conference?

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 08:30:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

For widely understood reasons, many Global Methodists do not have warm feelings about General Conferences. They conjure up memories of very costly gatherings that were often marked by bitter conflict and bad press. All of which were hard to explain to family and friends and to people genuinely interested in learning about the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Consequently, it is not surprising some Global Methodists ask, “Why a General Conference? By holding them, aren’t we just setting ourselves up for the conflict and heartache we want to leave behind?”

These are legitimate questions, that deserve thoughtful answers. First, a little history is in order.

In one way or another, all Methodist denominations trace their origins back to John Wesley and the early Methodists who routinely “conferenced” together, first informally, and over time, more formally. For our 18 ^th century ancestors, gathering for a conference was a time for prayer, worship, theological reflection, and a corporate and disciplined examination of the body’s effectiveness for fulfilling its shared mission. Conferences were deemed so essential to the vitality and growth of the movement that to this day nearly all Methodist denominations continue to conference together.

Over their long histories, most Methodist denominations’ General Conferences are not typically marked by conflict, bitterness and disunity. Far more often, they are regarded as critical seasons of corporate examination, rededication, and renewal. And sometimes, by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit, General Conferences are times of revival, where whole churches are moved to more passionately witness to and fully live out the gospel of Jesus Christ. This longer and broader view of Methodist conferencing is important to keep in mind as Global Methodists gather in San Jose, Costa Rica, September 20-26, 2024, for their convening General Conference .

There is also a practical, but very important dimension to a General Conference; it is the arena where the people called Methodists gather to discern God’s will for the church. Knowing ourselves as sinners in need of God’s redeeming this seems like an audacious task, and yet we confess and trust that God works through frail and fallible people to fulfill his ends.

So, beginning in every local church, we elect one, two, or maybe more of our brothers and sisters in the faith to represent us as delegates at our annual conferences. And then, from time to time, the people we send to our annual conferences elect delegates (clergy and laity) to represent us at our General Conferences. We aim for openness and fairness in the process, and pray the Holy Spirit will lead and guide as we elect our brothers and sisters. And once elected, we trust the delegates will serve with others from all around the world to faithfully seek God’s will for the Church.

No one claims Methodist conferencing is the perfect model for discerning God’s will, but it is our attempt to honor and hear one another’s voices as we work to fulfill our call to be the church in the world. Ultimately, the fruit of conferencing together depends on God’s grace working in our midst; we trust he does. Our task is to prayerfully participate in the process by listening and discerning together, and then holding one another accountable to God’s leading.

Finally, we can be thankful for all those who have gone before us, who at previous General Conferences bore witness to Methodism’s rootedness in Scripture and its fidelity to the life-giving confessions of the church catholic. May we be faithful in passing down that witness to those who come after us.

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When the Global Methodist Church’s approximately 350 delegates gather in Costa Rica, for the convening General Conference, Bishops Scott J. Jones and Mark J. Webb will preside over most of the plenary sessions. We asked them to answer three questions as all Global Methodists prepare for the Conference.

Why do you think General Conferences are important for “the people called Methodists?”

Bishop Webb : I have always loved that Wesley considered Christian conferencing as a means of grace. These times of gathering provide an opportunity for our individual and corporate spiritual growth, a renewing of our commitment to the mission of the GM Church and an opportunity to witness to the world a common life committed to God, transformed by the presence of Jesus Christ, and equipped by the power of the Holy Spirit. The work and decisions made have eternal consequences.

Bishop Jones : We are one body serving Christ throughout the world, and we need to gather to celebrate all that God is doing through this movement. We want the world to know the gospel of Jesus Christ and God’s love for all of humanity. Plus, we need to be accountable to the people of the GM Church and have key decisions for our life together made by their elected delegates.

Given that you will be presiding at most of the General Conference sessions, what hopes and concerns do you have for the Conference? What advice do you have for the delegates – many of whom have never served in such a capacity before?

Bishop Jones : I am praying daily for a spiritual revival to break out at the General Conference. In all of our annual conferences we have focused primarily on prayer, worship, and teaching with a little bit of business. At General Conference, I hope our worship is passionate and our love is extravagant and that those who see our Conference experience our bold witness. We also need to live into our global nature; I trust delegates and observers will build new relationships across state and national boundaries. I suggest that delegates pray a lot as they prepare for the Conference. It is essential that they read all the material ahead of time so they can ask thoughtful questions and make decisions that follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. And then, they need to be open to what the Spirit might do in our midst.

Bishop Webb : I’m looking forward to representatives from every part of the GM Church being in the same space for the first time. My prayer is that the hunger and passion for what God is doing and desires to do in and through us that I have witnessed in our geographical annual conferences will be on full display in Costa Rica. My hope is that we will continue to build upon our missional identity and make decisions that fuel a movement more than build a denomination. I am praying, and invite others to pray, for spiritual wisdom, love, and trust for one another. And may we all focus on our total dependence upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit in every moment.

Why is it important for the GM Church to hold a convening General Conference at this juncture in its very brief history?

Bishop Webb : I have been amazed by the gifts and commitments so many individuals have made to the launching and beginning days of the GM Church. It is beyond anything most people imagined or dreamt about. It’s time now for the opportunity to celebrate, worship God together, and collectively own our mission and vision. Our convening General Conference will allow us, with one voice, to affirm and deepen the missional culture we have been creating. We will have the opportunity to say yes to one another, to affirm our shared leadership, and give one another the needed encouragement for the next steps. The Conference is going to be historical, but even more, it must be a time of spiritual renewal and revival.

Bishop Jones : So far the decisions shaping the GM Church have been vested in a small group of persons serving as the Transitional Leadership Council. Actually, the Council has consulted widely with people all over the world and included many people in committees, task forces and consultations. But now it is time to validate the plans that have been made and move from transitional to established, and from provisional to actual. We also want to solidify our emerging culture that emphasizes evangelism, church planting, cross-racial ministry, and our global nature. We are a movement, and we want the people of the GM Church to experience the power of the Holy Spirit that is guiding us.

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Why a General Conference? first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Abundant Joy after Loss

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 08:36:00 GMT

By Morgan Howe

Like scores of Global Methodist local churches, Wesley Methodist Church in LaGrange, Georgia, is the result of a failed disaffiliation vote at a United Methodist local church. According to the terms of a since expired disaffiliation provision adopted at the UM Church’s called 2019 General Conference, congregations could disaffiliate from the denomination if two-thirds of its members voted to do so. When the people of First United Methodist Church of LaGrange gathered for such a vote on August 13, 2023, those wanting to exit lost their bid to do so by 13 votes out of 545 casts.

For the 65 percent who voted to disaffiliate, the result came as a gut-punch. Many of them were born into the church, and were baptized, confirmed, married, and raised their families there. They have loved ones inurned in the church’s columbarium, and have purchased niches for themselves.

First UM Church of LaGrange was established in 1828 as the first church in Troup County, Georgia. It is the only 19th-century institution in LaGrange that still occupies its original location. The campus features an impressive 650-seat neo-classical sanctuary, a three-story education building, and a large two-story Methodist Ministries Center, encompassing a total of 80,000 square feet located in the city’s historic downtown area.

“In the five years I was the senior minister, First UM Church of LaGrange grew spiritually, numerically, and financially,” said the Rev. Dr. John Beyers, the church’s senior minister at the time of the vote. “We initiated a church-wide Soul Connections small group ministry, began a modern worship service, expanded our Soup Kitchen mission and Meals on Wheels deliveries, addressed years of deferred maintenance, launched a major media outreach just prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and completed – debt free – a $500,000 renovation of the ministries center, and renovations of the church offices, youth center, welcome center, conference room, Sunday School rooms, and sacristy, and significant work on the pipe organ.”

Stunned and dispirited, the members who voted to disaffiliate wondered how they should respond to their situation. They organized a meeting at the church the night after the vote to consider their options, but were informed they could not meet in the building if starting a new Methodist church was going to be a topic for discussion. They met again on another night at a different location, and faced the hard decision of leaving a church they and their ancestors had helped build over generations.

“It was very hard for most to walk away because of the rich memories that were formed there,” said Beyers. “It was not so much about the brick and mortar, but about the place where important life-moments happened, where the seeds of saving faith were planted and nurtured to grow.”

However, as hard as it was, many did walk away, and Beyers and most of the church’s staff followed. One week after the failed disaffiliation vote they all settled into a roomy gymnasium that a local Baptist church opened to them. On their first Sunday, 235 people were in attendance, and less than two months later, Wesley Methodist Church (a GM Church congregation) was chartered with 331 members and $1 million committed to mission and ministry. Beyers serves as the new congregation’s senior pastor and as a presiding elder in the North Georgia Conference of the GM Church.

The members of Wesley Methodist are making the most of their situation and have embraced their gymnasium worship space. Each Sunday morning, they begin their service by singing “ Surely the Presence of the Lord Is In This Place ,” which members say sets a positive tone for the entire service.

The transition from First UM Church of LaGrange to Wesley Methodist Church came at a very difficult time for Beyers. In June 2023, he was diagnosed with ampullary cancer, a rare form of gastrointestinal cancer located where the liver, pancreas, gall bladder, and small intestine intersect. Fortunately, the large malignant tumor was successfully removed, but the surgery required a Whipple procedure to reconstruct his digestive tract. After undergoing 13 rounds of chemotherapy, Beyers is now cancer-free, 13 months after the initial diagnosis.

“We have gained far more than we lost,” said Beyers. “We’ve gained a spirit of renewal: renewal of personal faith in the risen Lord Jesus Christ, of trust in one another, and of coming together as the body of Christ as we all “contend for the faith” and stand on level ground before the cross.”

The people of the Wesley Methodist Church are excited about the opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ in their growing community. Located at the intersection of Interstates 85 and 185, LaGrange, is in the center of Georgia’s two largest metropolitan areas: Atlanta and Columbus. The city boasts a thriving business and retail base, along with rich visual and performing arts, and LaGrange College, a historic Methodist institution founded in 1831, is a fixture in the town.

“I think we are a much bolder group since we launched Wesley Methodist Church,” said Dr. John Jackson, chairperson of the church council. His family served the former church for five generations, dating back to 1886. “We’re witnessing boldly and there’s no hesitation to invite people to our new church. There’s also a sense of freedom worshipping in the gymnasium. The whole transition has helped us re-align our priorities; we’re a group of people who love each other and love the Lord.”

The congregation is now a member of the GM Church’s North Georgia Provisional Annual Conference. Its lay and clergy delegates attended the convening conference in May 2024 in Norcross, Georgia. During the conference, Beyers was elected a General Conference delegate and will represent North Georgia at the GM Church’s convening General Conference in San Jose, Costa Rica, scheduled for September 20-26, 2024.

“We all share the same vision for the future of the GM Church and where we’re going,” said Bobby Carmichael, the lay leader at Wesley Methodist. “As long as we are unified, we’ll be able to make the right decisions.”

Despite all the challenges of the past year, the people of Wesley Methodist Church firmly believe they are on the right path. On August 18, 2024, Wesley Methodist Church will celebrate its one-year anniversary as a GM Church. Bishop Scott Jones will be in attendance to preach and celebrate with them, and the service will be followed by a luncheon at a local nature conservation center.

“We don’t ask God to come to us, we come into the reality that he is already here,” said Beyers. “He has enabled us to see him, feel him, hear him in a Baptist church gym and to start every Sunday morning with abundant joy.”

Subscribe to Crossroads to learn more about the Global Methodist Church and to stay abreast of developments regarding its convening General Conference.

Morgan Howe is a GM Church communications intern and a recent graduate of Texas Tech University.

The post Abundant Joy after Loss first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

A Family and a Global Methodist Local Church Lose a Faithful Member in Assassination Attempt

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 18:34:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton

Regardless of one’s political perspective, a national tragedy was averted when former President Donald Trump escaped a would be-assassin’s aim to take his life. However, for Corey Comperatore’s family and friends, tragedy was not averted. Last Saturday, he was killed while shielding his wife, Helen, and their two daughters, Allyson and Kaylee, from the gunfire directed at Mr. Trump during the campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Comperatore’s older sister, Dawn, eloquently spoke to her family’s tragedy in a Facebook Post, “The hatred for one man took the life of the one man we loved the most. [Corey’s] wife and girls just lived through the unthinkable and unimaginable. Hatred has no limits and love has no bounds. Pray for my sister-in-law, nieces, my mother, sister, me and his nieces and nephews as this feels like a terrible nightmare but we know it is our painful reality.”

Family members and friends in Sarver, Pennsylvania, where Comperatore lived, have freely told journalists stories of his love for his family, his sense of humor, his courage, and of his faith in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

A longtime member at Cabot Church, a local Global Methodist congregation in Cabot, Pennsylvania, Comperatore joyfully gave of his time, talent, and resources as he joined with church friends to share the gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed.

“Corey’s love for Jesus was clear in the way he lived his life. He served his family, his church, his community, and his country [U.S. Army Reserves], and he did all that with a heart of service to the Lord,” said Rev. Jonathan Fehl, Pastor-in-Charge, at Cabot Church. “Whether it was taking part in a small group or lending his expertise to a building project, he was always helping the people around him.”

In addition to working as an engineer at JSP International (Butler, Pennsylvania), Comperatore was a firefighter at the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company. For three of those years he served as its chief. His friends at the fire station said they were not surprised to learn he died by courageously protecting his family.

“A faithful Bible reader, Corey drew particular strength from Paul’s Letter to the Romans, always telling new Christians they should read that book first,” said Fehl. “His church family is coming alongside his family as we all grieve his shocking loss. But we are so grateful Corey’s faith in God was strong, and there’s no doubt he is enjoying God’s presence now and forever.”

Fehl will preside at private funeral services for Comperatore. People from across the country have been sharing condolences with the family, and friends will have the opportunity to pay their respects and celebrate Comperatore’s life on Thursday, July 18.

“Corey Comperatore lost his life on Saturday evening through a senseless act of violence and hatred, while protecting his family,” said GM Church Bishop Mark Webb. “Everything I have heard about Corey points to a man who loved his family deeply and lived his faith in very significant ways. I know Global Methodists everywhere join me in praying for his wife, daughters, family and friends. We also pray for Pastor Jonathan Fehl and the Cabot congregation. May we all comfort those who mourn and boldly offer the promise of resurrection and new life through Jesus Christ!”

Cabot Church, located 35 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, is a part of the Allegheny West Provisional Annual Conference, a conference that includes western Pennsylvania and the state of Ohio.

“All the pastors and local churches in the Allegheny West Conference are holding Corey’s family, Rev. Fehl, and the people of Cabot Church in our hearts and our prayers,” said the Rev. Dr. Jeff Greenway, the conference’s president pro tem . “We’re committed to provide support for the church and Rev. Fehl as they minister to Corey’s family.”

Fehl responded, “On behalf of Corey’s family and Cabot Church, we are deeply grateful for the prayers and support of our brothers and sisters in Christ from around the world. The outpouring has been incredible to see, both among believers and the rest of the population. Thank you for continuing to lift the family up during this difficult time.”

Memorial donations in Comperatore’s memory can be made online by visiting Cabot Church Memorial Fund ; please enter “Corey Comperatore” in the “In memory” box. Donations can also be sent to Cabot Methodist Church, 707 Winfield Road, Cabot, PA 16023. In the memo line of your check, please write “Corey Comperatore”. Cabot Church is deeply grateful for all donations that will help them memorialize their beloved fellow member, Corey Comperatore.

The post A Family and a Global Methodist Local Church Lose a Faithful Member in Assassination Attempt first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Advance GM Church’s Mission: Nominations for Connectional Commissions Due August 6

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 08:30:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

A core value of the Global Methodist Church is to reduce the institutional footprint of the general church. Such an approach ensures that more financial resources remain at the congregational level, enabling local churches to respond to ministry needs in their mission fields. Additionally, members of local churches are encouraged to have greater ownership and involvement in the ministry and mission of the church globally.

Since late March 2020, when the idea of a Global Methodist Church was first conceived, the nascent denomination has been governed by the Transitional Leadership Council (TLC). The TLC has stewarded the development of the Church during its transitional period; it will continue its role through December 31, 2024.

However, during the GM Church’s convening General Conference in San Jose, Costa Rica, September 20-26, 2024 , the denomination will adopt an entirely new general church organization to become effective by January 1, 2025, and the TLC’s service will come to an end.

Legislation proposed by the TLC would create a Connectional Council to be the chief missional and administrative body between the GM Church’s General Conferences. The Connectional Council would be composed of 24 persons. A small general church staff, serving under the leadership of the Connectional Operations Officer, Rev. Mike Schafer, would support a limited number of general church Connectional Commissions. Members of the Connectional Commissions would not be compensated. The GM Church will have no boards and agencies.

According to the TLC proposal, the Connectional Commissions would be composed of laity and clergy, two-thirds of whom would be elected by the General Conference and one-third elected by the Connectional Council. Provisional annual conferences and individuals may submit names of individuals to be nominated to each of the Connectional Commissions by August 6, by sending an email to info@globalmethodist.org identifying 1) the applicable Connectional Commission, 2) the name, annual conference, phone number, and email address of the person being submitted, and 3) a 100-word biographical sketch setting forth relevant experience and why the person should be nominated. Persons whose names are submitted must be members of the Global Methodist Church and must consent to their nominations.

The Connectional Commissions would establish broad guidelines and promote best practices in each of their areas of responsibility to guide annual conferences and local churches in advancing the GM Church’s mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. The Connectional Commissions would operate under the direction of and be accountable to the Connectional Council. The legislation calls for the establishment of eight Connectional Commissions.

The Connectional Commission on Evangelism, Church Multiplication, Missional Mobilization, and Disaster Response would resource annual conference and local churches by 1) training and equipping individuals and congregations to lead others to know Christ and fostering spiritual renewal across the Church, and including promoting lay and clergy evangelists, 2) providing resources for church planting and multiplication, identifying and training church planters, and encouraging churches to plant churches, 3) deepening biblical understanding and passion in local churches for mission outreach, promoting active mission engagement by local congregations, and fostering holistic mission strategies and gospel-centered community development addressing both spiritual and physical needs, and 4) coordinating the development of disaster response, relief, and recovery ministries.

The Connectional Commission on Discipleship, Doctrine, and Just Ministry would resource annual conference and local churches by 1) encouraging the spiritual growth of individuals through such discipleship programs as classes, bands, and other small groups, including the training of leaders, 2) increasing the understanding of the importance of our doctrine through teaching and preaching ministries and the use of liturgical resources, and 3) enabling individuals and congregations to “do justice” in ways consistent with our social witness and commitments to the sacred worth and equality of all individuals.

The Connectional Commission on Ministry and Higher Education would resource annual conferences and local churches by 1) implementing standards and qualifications for various forms of ministry, certifying educational programs and approving recommended educational institutions for the preparation of persons for ministry, and resourcing annual conference boards of ministry, 2) encouraging a Christian perspective within institutions of higher education and the founding, growth, and vitality of Christian colleges and seminaries with a Wesleyan theological perspective, and 3) establishing and refining criteria and qualifications for non-parish ministry, and supporting persons engaged in such ministry.

The Connectional Commission on Communications would resource annual conferences and local churches by 1) developing and encouraging appropriate communication strategies, and 2) creating print and digital resources that communicate the work of the Church and growing its print and digital communications capability.

The Connectional Commission on Finance, Administration, Pensions, and Benefits would resource annual conference and local churches by 1) overseeing the Church’s financial and fiduciary life, 2) managing the Church’s legal work, 3) maintaining the Church’s historical archives, 4) gathering and reporting statistical information for the Church, and 5) providing oversight of the Church’s pension and benefits programs.

The Connectional Commission on the General Conference would recommend the sites and dates of General Conferences, plan the General Conferences, and oversee the implementation of all aspects of the General Conferences.

The Connectional Commission on Ecumenical Relationships would engage with other Christian bodies, including other Wesleyan denominations and associations. While upholding the doctrines, moral principles, and polity of the GM Church, it would review and recommend membership in Christian councils, networks or associations, and explore potential covenant relationships or unions with other Christian denominations.

The Connectional Commission on Conferences would make recommendations on the creation, organization, or modification of regional and annual conferences of the GM Church. The Commission would identify regions requiring a GM Church conference based on missional opportunity, establish the criteria for launching new conferences, evaluate and recommend the realignment of existing conferences, and evaluate applications for membership where no annual conference presently exists to determine whether such applications are to be granted and how supervision, mentoring, and accountability would be provided.

These eight Connectional Commissions would be instrumental in implementing the mission and vision of the GM Church. God may be calling you to serve on one of these bodies. Prayerfully consider submitting your name or the names of others by August 6. Then pray that God would use these Connectional Commissions to advance His purposes through the GM Church.

Subscribe to Crossroads to learn more about the Global Methodist Church and to stay abreast of developments regarding its convening General Conference.

Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church – its chief executive and administrative officer. To learn more about the Global Methodist Church, visit its website at www.globalmethodist.org .

The post Advance GM Church’s Mission: Nominations for Connectional Commissions Due August 6 first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Hurricane Beryl Leaves Trail of Destruction in Coastal Texas Region

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 19:06:00 GMT

Rev. Jim Welch, the president pro tem in the Trinity Provisional Annual Conference, reported that 150 families in just one local church are contending with downed trees that have crashed through ceilings, walls, and garages, destroyed cars, and made roads impassable.

The Global Methodist Church is working with leaders in the Trinity Provisional Annual Conference to help people recover from the devastation. Please help people in the area by making a generous financial gift. One hundred percent of your gift will allow volunteers and emergency workers to help people and local churches recover from the destruction as soon as possible.

Click here to make a gift to help those in need. Under “Select a Fund,” please click the arrows on the right and select “Disaster Relief – General.” Thank you very much!

The post Hurricane Beryl Leaves Trail of Destruction in Coastal Texas Region first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Celebrating the Mission Statement of the Global Methodist Church

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 06:05:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

Since the announcement of its formation in March of 2022, the Global Methodist Church has proclaimed that its mission is “to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.” In just fourteen words, the challenging and joyful statement is rooted in Scripture, practiced by Christians down through the ages, and grounded in the preaching, teaching, and life of John Wesley and the people called Methodists.

In the Great Commission, Jesus told his followers to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” But what kind of disciples?

The psalmist calls God’s disciples to “ Worship the LORD with gladness,” so our mission calls us to gladly bring our bodies, minds, and souls to the experience of worshipping God passionately! In the Gospels, Jesus calls us to love others extravagantly when he commands us to “ Love [our] enemies, and do good to those who hate [us].” And in the New Testament Church, Peter and Paul, and so many other disciples, courageously proclaimed the Gospel to people from all walks of life, setting an example for us to boldly bear witness to the love of God poured into our hearts and minds by the power of His Holy Spirit!

For centuries great leaders of the Church have, by exhortation and example, reminded Christians of their mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship God, love their neighbors and enemies, and bear witness to the life-giving message of the Gospel. When leaders of the Church of England flagged in their zeal for this mission, the Lord raised up Wesley and the people called Methodists.

When fervent worship was lacking in the churches, Wesley and his followers took the Good News to the masses, preaching in church yards and fields, and inviting people to fervently worship God with thanksgiving and praise! In time, both John and Charles Wesley produced thousands of hymns that have enriched the worship of God for Methodists and millions of other Christians.

When the poor were not cared for and prisoners were treated harshly, Wesley and the Methodists went among them, showing them extravagant love! As Wesley preached, “Love suffers . . . all the malice and wickedness of the children of the world, . . . not only for a time, [or] for a short season, but to the end.” Methodists believe extravagant love is supremely revealed in the way of Christ’s cross.

And when people reviled Wesley and his followers for taking the Gospel message out to the lowly and downtrodden, he and his followers still boldly bore witness to Jesus Christ even as the learned ridiculed them and mobs threatened them with physical harm. Wesley taught us that a bold witness unapologetically puts our faith into action where we bring light to darkness, and where we confront lies with the truth. Indeed, we speak the truth in love to a world in need of hearing the Good News!

Wesley desperately desired that those who were far from God would be brought into a deep, abiding relationship with him through Jesus Christ. Famously, he proclaimed to his followers, “You have nothing to do but to save souls. Therefore spend and be spent in this work.” Wesley and his followers called for complete devotion to God (worship), to our being perfected in love (sanctification), and to the proclamation of the Gospel (witness) so others would come into a saving relationship with God.

Through Wesley’s teaching, preaching, and example, Global Methodists know in their hearts that they are nourished when they gather together for passionate worship. They also know godly worship infuses their hearts and minds with the love of Christ. And so fired by that love, they commit themselves to boldly bear witness to the Gospel so all people might come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Drawing upon the entirety of Scriptural Christianity, Wesley desired that the whole Gospel of grace should be proclaimed around the world. And so the GM Church’s mission statement is a call to action, to engage our bodies, minds, and souls as we worship God, and so love people from all walks of life that we are willing to witness among them to the transforming power of the Gospel.

It has been a great joy of mine to see how our local churches and provisional conferences have organized their work around our mission statement. Rooted in Scripture, embraced by Christian throughout the ages, and fired by a warm-hearted Wesleyan expression of the faith, Global Methodists are eager to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly! All to the glory of God!

Subscribe to Crossroads to learn more about the Global Methodist Church and to stay abreast of developments regarding its convening General Conference.

The post Celebrating the Mission Statement of the Global Methodist Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

A Very Brief History of the Global Methodist Church

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 09:50:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

On February 26, 2019, presiding Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey gaveled to a close The United Methodist Church’s contentious 2019 special General Conference held in St. Louis, Missouri . While the delegates voted to reaffirm the denomination’s teachings on marriage, its sexual ethics, and its ordination standards, many UM Church members were certain the bitter conflict that had roiled the denomination for nearly its entire history would continue .

And so it came as a surprise to people all across the denomination when, just over ten months later, Bishop Harvey and seven of her episcopal colleagues were joined by eight leaders representing major advocacy groups representing centrists, progressives, and traditionalists, to announce a plan calling for the amicable and orderly separation of the UM Church . The plan (named the Protocol for Reconciliation and Grace through Separation ) explicitly called for the creation of a new traditionalist Methodist denomination, that would in time come to be called the Global Methodist Church.

Once United Methodists absorbed the shock of the proposal, it gained wide acceptance as bishops and other leaders promoted its passage at the impending 2020 General Conference. Indeed, given that key members of the Council of Bishops, a diverse collection of advocacy groups, and several annual conferences supported it, many believed the Protocol was headed for an affirmative vote .

That being the case, a group of leaders representing traditionalists across the denomination, met in Atlanta, Georgia, in late March of 2020. The purpose of the meeting was to begin planning for the creation of a new Methodist Church that local churches would – according to the terms of the Protocol – be free to join with all their properties and assets, shortly after the May 2020 General Conference. The Atlanta group called for the formation of a transitional body that would meet for perhaps three to seven months to lay the groundwork for a new traditionalist Church .

In less than a month, the United States and much of the world came to a standstill with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The UM Church was forced to postpone the May 2020 General Conference, and so the vote on the Protocol was put on hold. However, the leaders tapped to prepare the groundwork for the new traditionalist Church convened for their first meeting on March 30, 2020, under the name the Transitional Leadership Council. The members had accepted the invitation to serve on the council in early March, prior to the onset of the pandemic. They believed they were signing on to serve for no more than several months, but events no one could foresee would prove them very wrong.

At the time, United Methodists believed the postponed General Conference would meet in 2021, and the Protocol would pass. Consequently, the Transitional Leadership Council put the intervening time to good use by setting to work on preparing a Transitional Book of Doctrines of Discipline . Initially, the document was created to help expedite the work of the delegates to be elected to the new denomination’s convening General Conference, which many people believed would take place in either late 2021 or early 2022, after the rescheduled UM Church General Conference met in late-August to early-September 2021. However, the UM Church postponed the gathering again , citing travel restrictions related to access to Covid vaccines and an inability to leverage technology for an online or hybrid gathering.

As people around the world were gaining access to vaccines, and organizations of all kinds were holding large gatherings, traditionalist United Methodists expected the UM Church would find a way for the General Conference delegates to meet in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in late summer 2022. And once again they looked forward to a vote approving the Protocol , thereby freeing their local churches to join the newly forming traditionalist Methodist Church.

However, by late 2021 and early 2022, traditionalist leaders across the UM Church were beginning to wonder if the UM Church was truly committed to holding a General Conference in 2022 (the suspicion turned out to be prescient ). After multiple conversations with traditionalist clergy, laity, and advocacy groups across the denomination, the Transitional Leadership Council determined it would have to at least be prepared to call for the launch of a new Methodist Church should the UM Church postpone its 2020 General Conference, yet again.

On March 3, 2022, the UM Church’s Commission on the General Conference did just that , announcing the third postponement of the denomination’s General Conference. And instead of a one-year delay to 2023, it said the Conference would not meet until 2024. The Transitional Leadership Council immediately announced it would launch the Global Methodist Church on May 1, 2022 .

When the GM Church launched on that date, it was composed of approximately two dozen local churches in the Bulgaria Provisional Annual Conference , and a newly forming church plant in the Philippines . However, the TLC knew other local churches around the world would want to join as they had the opportunity. Consequently, it started using the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline as a guide for leading a denomination that would need more time to coalesce given the state of the UM Church.

Local churches interested in exiting the UM Church so they could join the GM Church, were forced to navigate a variety of pathways out of their UM Church annual conferences . They had to contend with vastly different timetables, terms, and financial requirements. Some were allowed to leave under amicable terms, others faced onerous conditions (e.g., paying exorbitant exit fees much higher than in other annual conferences or abandoning property assets), and still others did not receive clear exit terms until very late in the process for disaffiliating from the UM Church (i.e., December 31, 2023).

Still, within several months, over 1,000 small, medium, and large local churches in the United States joined the GM Church . Those who arrived early came from UM annual conferences where disaffiliation terms were amicable and orderly. These conferences tended to be located in the southeast and south-central part of country, though there were notable exceptions (e.g., the North Georgia and Florida Annual Conferences). Many local churches in the northeast, midwest, and the west were confronted with significant obstacles, although some conferences in these regions were willing to offer fair terms (e.g., the Indiana and Western Pennsylvania Annual Conferences).

Whatever the circumstances, the local churches that disaffiliated to join the GM Church had to demonstrate tremendous fortitude throughout the process. Typically, an exit required multiple congregational meetings to consider the options, a church conference where two-thirds of the church’s members had to vote for disaffiliating, and in many cases, the payment of tens of thousands of dollars in exit fees. And where congregational votes fell just short of the two-thirds threshold for exiting, often those in the majority determined to plant new churches and join the GM Church anyway .

Since the disaffiliation terms offered to many in the U.S. were not extended to local churches outside the U.S., the process for exiting one denomination and joining the other has often proven to be a trial. Many UM local churches and entire annual conferences are just now in the process of forging pathways out of the UM Church so they can join the GM Church.

In the long run, what initially looked like it would be a rare, orderly and amicable separation of a major Protestant denomination, ended up taking more time than the authors and many supporters of the Protocol intended. Still, thousands of people persevered amidst the challenges of the Covid pandemic, the serial postponements of the UM Church’s General Conference, and the vagaries of their annual conferences’ conditions for exiting the UM Church. Pastors and rank-and-file members in thousands of local churches organized, informed themselves, voted, and sacrificially gave of their time, talent, and resources to build the Global Methodist Church.

The new denomination is now composed of 4,615 local churches that are organized into 31 provisional annual conferences around the world. It will hold its convening General Conference in San Jose, Costa Rica, September 20 – 26, 2024 . And the Transitional Leadership Council that thought it would only have to meet for several months will finally be able to pass the torch of leadership to others as the GM Church adopts a more fully developed leadership structure.

Readers can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its general website , and now they can follow all the details about the convening General Conference by visiting So the World Will Know .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post A Very Brief History of the Global Methodist Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

GM Church Seeks Qualified Applicants for Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 16:59:00 GMT

The Global Methodist Church is seeking an experienced and dynamic Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer to lead and manage the financial and accounting operations of the Church, guiding its financial strategy, planning and maintaining its fiscal stability in a complex, international environment. As a key member of our leadership team, the chosen candidate will play a pivotal role in shaping the mission and ministry of the Church, ensuring financial viability, accountability, and sound, faith-based decision making.

To learn more about the position and to apply, please review the job description .

All instructions for applying for the position are included at the bottom of the job description. If you have any questions about the application process that are not specified in the job description, kindly communicate by email to info@globalmethodist.org .

Applications are due on Friday, July 12, 2024, by 8 pm U.S. Eastern Time.

The post GM Church Seeks Qualified Applicants for Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Methodist Church Expands with New Conferences in Central Africa, Tanzania, and Panama

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 07:00:00 GMT

By Dianne Burnett

The formation of new provisional annual conferences outside the United States is a complex process. A leadership team in a country must initially be identified to lead the effort. Application must be made to the national government to recognize the Global Methodist Church as a religious entity. Recognition can take months.

Recently, the Global Methodist Church was recognized as a religious organization in three countries – the Central African Republic, Panama, and Tanzania. Immediately, the GM Church began receiving clergy and churches as members in these countries. The Transitional Leadership Council has now announced the formation of provisional annual conferences and appointed presidents pro tem for each country. In addition, each of these new conferences will be represented by delegates at the convening general conference in San Jose, Costa Rica in September 2024.

“Led by dedicated clergy and laity, and fueled by the commitment of congregations aligning with our mission and vision, these developments mark a crucial milestone in our mission to spread the message of faith and community,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Transitional Connectional Officer.

In the Central African Republic, Rev. Lucien Dockpa has been instrumental in spearheading efforts to secure legal recognition for our denomination and will serve as the president pro tem . Similarly, in Tanzania, Reverend Upendo Likondi has been at the forefront of efforts to obtain legal recognition for the GM Church. Reverend Likondi has been named president pro tem of the Tanzania Provisional Annual Conference.

In Panama, Reverend Luciano Pereira Da Silva has worked diligently to obtain governmental recognition for the GM Church while at the same time leading a church planting movement that is sowing seeds for churches to be planted across Central and South America. In recognition of his leadership ability and passion for the Gospel, Rev. Da Silva has been named president pro tem of the Panama Provisional Annual Conference.

“The establishment of new conferences in the Central African Republic, Panama, and Tanzania reflects the vibrancy of the Global Methodist Church as we continue to extend our presence and impact globally,” said Rev. Keith Boyette, Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church. “These developments highlight the dedication and commitment of our clergy and congregations to advancing our shared mission. We are confident that the Central African Republic, Tanzania, and Panama Provisional Annual Conferences will serve as beacons of hope, faith, and community” said Boyette.

Dianne Burnett serves as the Global Methodist Church’s Executive Director of Communications.

The post Global Methodist Church Expands with New Conferences in Central Africa, Tanzania, and Panama first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Creating a Culture of Call to Pastoral Ministry

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 10:00:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton

“It is a huge challenge and a regular topic of conversation at every level of the denomination,” said the Rev. Dr. Leah Hidde-Gregory, president pro tem of the Global Methodist Church’s Mid-Texas Provisional Conference and a member of its Transitional Leadership Council. “Congregational leaders, presiding elders, presidents pro tem , and bishops are eager to find credentialed pastors who are prepared to serve in a significant of number of our local churches.”

Church leaders point to everything from clergy retirements to reticent young seminarians trying to figure out if there is a place for them in the new denomination, and on to host of other vexing reasons they struggle to find pastors for local churches.

At just over two years old, the GM Church has neither had the time nor the staff to amass detailed statistical data on clergy and local churches during its dynamic transitional season where it has gone from a handful of pastors and local churches to over 5,125 and 4,600, respectively. However, anecdotal reports from across the denomination make it clear that a number of pastors served beyond their desired retirement dates to ensure their local churches had safely transitioned from The United Methodist Church to the GM Church before retiring shortly thereafter.

On the other end, seminarians preparing for the ministry are dealing with circumstances unlike any in recent memory. Many started seminary in the UM Church, only to feel called to join or at least explore joining the newly launched GM Church, as their former denomination started to move through a slow-motion separation that is still ongoing. During that period the pandemic disrupted their seminary studies, and if that was not enough, momentous national and international events dramatically impacted their lives and in some instances changed the character of local churches where they might be sent to serve.

“I can’t speak for everyone my age, but I can speak to my own heart and mind, and for some of my friends and acquaintances,” said the Rev. Emily Allen, 26, a student at Asbury Theological Seminary and a recently ordained deacon in the GM Church’s Northeast Provisional Annual Conference. “The deep theological divisions that led to the separation of the UM Church and the not infrequent mingling of strong political convictions with our confessions of faith, make some of us wary of local church ministry. No one wants their first appointment to be in a tense, unforgiving environment where the only options are total theological, political alignment or bitter divisions that undermine church unity and vitality. It’s no exaggeration to say we’re watching developments closely.”

All of this comes on top of the perennial problem of financial challenges facing local churches and people called to ministry. Small congregations are doing all they can to raise the funds necessary to support clergy and their families, particularly recent seminary graduates with young children and educational debts. And people who believe they are called to serve are trying to economize and still pay their bills. Affording health insurance for clergy families remains a particular challenge for congregations of all size, as it does for non-profits and most businesses in general.

“The financial situation is one I had to think and pray about as I discerned my call,” said Pastor Clayton Tovo, 24, a graduate of The Citadel (Charleston, South Carolina), who will begin serving Mount Pleasant Church in Pomaria, South Carolina, this July. “Compared to some call stories I’ve heard, mine is a bit boring. It kind of sneaked up on me as I got plugged into the Wesley Foundation at The Citadel. I went to the school to train to be an officer in the Marine Corps, but by a slow process of being guided by the Lord, I came to believe I was called to serve as a pastor. And that being the case, well, I know the ministry is not a lucrative career path. It’s going to be challenging, and I’m sure there are sacrifices to be made.”

Like many denominations, the GM Church is working hard to identify people who might be called to pastoral ministry and then assist them through a process where they begin to serve. The Transitional Leadership Council has created various credentialing tracks that include everything from the traditional route of securing a master of divinity degree to taking an alternative educational pathway while they work in another vocation or serve in a local church in some capacity.

“At this juncture, finding people to serve in the church is a challenging yet exciting opportunity, especially in some geographical regions,” said Bishop Mark Webb, who as a district superintendent and an episcopal leader in the UM Church and now in the GM Church, has worked for decades to find pastors to fill pulpits. “Despite the struggles we face, I’m confident the God who calls the church will continue to equip the church with leaders for the future.”

Webb talks about the imperative of creating a “culture of call” in the GM Church, where foremost laity and clergy continue to trust and expect God is still calling men and women to pastoral ministry. To foster such a culture, he encourages congregations, Sunday school classes, bible study groups, and individuals to regularly pray for God to call people in their churches, districts, and annual conferences into local church ministry. Then, he says, pastors and lay leaders must create intentional systems that invest in the spiritual growth and leadership development of people of all ages, but specifically in children and youth.

“When we create a culture of call, then situations will arise when we’ll see gifts and fruit for pastoral ministry in young people and in people of all ages,” says Webb. “And when we do, we must ask them, ‘Have you ever thought that God might be calling you to become a pastor?’ And here’s an important hint: you may have to ask that question multiple times. Don’t allow other vocations to receive all the attention. Share the vital work of pastoral ministry as an opportunity and rewarding path to be considered. We have to be daily committed to building a culture of call, and constantly reinforcing it with our words and deeds.”

The Rev. Dr. Jessica LaGrone, Dean of the Chapel at Asbury Theological Seminary and also a member of the TLC, says she resonates with Bishop Webb’s charge for creating a culture of call in the church, particularly the importance of being intentional about it.

“One obstacle to people hearing and answering a call to vocational ministry is the impression that being called into ministry has to look a certain way,” says LaGrone. “There’s an expectation sometimes that every person called is supposed to have a very personal kind of ‘burning bush’ experience, where they have a dramatic encounter with God and hear his voice telling them about his exact expectations for them in ministry. ‘Burning bush’ calls are wonderful, and we can be thankful for them, but surely not every call must be miraculous. If that’s the implicit standard, then we’re going to inadvertently steer some very faithful and gifted young people away from pastoral ministry in the church.”

In working with and advising hundreds of students, LaGrone says she’s come to believe a call to ministry is often, “More subtle and gradual than a single, dramatic encounter. I’ve compared it to a magnet, where we feel pulled in a direction by God. The closer we get to the magnet, the stronger the pull.”

Both Bishop Webb and LaGrone are also quick to acknowledge that financial support is also a key element of building a culture of call. Last year the TLC created the Ministerial Training Fund to financially assist people called to ministry prepare for service in the local church. It also voted to designate all profits the church realizes from sales in the GMC Store for the Ministerial Training Fund. GM Church members can also make gifts directly to the fund by visiting the church’s online giving portal and selecting “Ministerial Training” in the drop down box under “Gift Purpose.”

“There are plenty of stresses young clergy families have to deal without carrying the extra burden of major indebtedness,” said Bishop Webb. “Congregations and annual conferences must take seriously the responsibility to assist with educational costs faced by those responding to a call to pastoral ministry. A simple and immediate opportunity is to patronize the GMC Store and find other ways to grow the Ministerial Training Fund so we can free up pastors to do the ministry God has called them to do.”

Despite the challenges, the GM Church continues to attract young people who believe they are called to local church ministry. For example, Zach Dietz, 24, says he is a testament to the kind of culture of call Bishop Webb says the church must build. Raised nominally Christian, Dietz says he came to Christ at his Roman Catholic High School in Geneva, Illinois, where a faithful priest and cadre of teachers helped him to begin to discern a call to ministry.

“However, I also knew I wanted a family, so for a time I needed to process how a call to ministry and family might go together,” said Dietz. “Perhaps oddly to some people, I ended up attending Charleston Southern University in Charleston, South Carolina, a Southern Baptist school, and it was there that I came to believe I could serve in the church and also have a family.”

It was also at Charleston Southern University that friends encouraged Dietz to join them at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, where the Rev. Erik Grayson was inviting young people to join his congregation and serve people from all walks of life in North Charleston . Dietz said he was captivated by the warm-hearted, Wesleyan expression of the Christian faith and became fully convinced God was calling him to serve as a pastor in the local church, sans family . . . for now.

While he pursues ministerial credentialing via a GM Church approved alternative educational pathway, Dietz is working as the youth ministries director at what is Aldersgate Methodist Church, now a GM Church congregation. Grayson, the congregation’s former pastor, is now the president pro tem of the GM Church’s South Carolina Annual Conference and the lead pastor at Lyman Methodist Church in Lyman, South Carolina.

“I’m a living example of how important it is to have mentors, teachers, pastors, and friends in the church who help you discern a call to ministry,” said Dietz. “Because some Roman Catholics, Baptists, and ultimately Methodists, were all dedicated to creating a culture of call, I’m on my journey to pastoral ministry. I hope and pray we can create that culture for others who come after us.”

Subscribe to Crossroads to learn more about the Global Methodist Church and to stay abreast of developments regarding its convening General Conference.

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Creating a Culture of Call to Pastoral Ministry first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Rev. Mike Schafer Selected as GM Church’s First Connectional Operations Officer

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 09:00:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton

After an extensive search process, the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council confirmed at its Monday, June 3, 2024, meeting that the Rev. Mike Schafer will serve as the denomination’s first Connectional Operations Officer.

Schafer is currently the president pro tem of the West Plains Provisional Annual Conference, a region that includes local churches in west Texas, New Mexico, and the panhandle of Oklahoma.

“The nine-member Connectional Operations Officer Search Committee enthusiastically commended Rev. Schafer to the Transitional Leadership Council,” said Cara Nicklas, Chairwoman of the TLC. “His years of experience as a pastor and leader, his many enthusiastic references, and his very impressive interviews convinced me he is just the person to help lead the GM Church into the next stage of this Holy Spirit inspired movement.”

Raised on the wide-open plains of west Texas, where cattle ranches, oil and gas rigs, and small towns dot the landscape, Schafer’s blend of humility and his can-do attitude are indicative of the region’s spirit. He and his wife, Sandy, live in Lubbock, Texas, where she recently retired as the principal of a Christian elementary school. They have two adult sons, Nathan and Matthew, Tessa, an “amazing” daughter-in-law, and two “awesome” grandchildren, Jerzy and Daxton.

“My passion is for the local church; I strongly believe it is God’s plan to win the world,” said Schafer. “In my opinion, there is no plan B. Church leaders must be about the business of doing all they possibly can do to equip, empower, and strengthen the local church. I believe we should always build relationships and trust with people rather than create another rule or policy to try to resolve a situation.”

A graduate of McMurry University in Abilene, Texas, Schafer went on to Asbury Theological Seminary (Wilmore Kentucky), where he received a master of divinity degree in 1984. For the next 25-years he was a local church pastor, spending 20 of them at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Lubbock, Texas, (now Aldersgate Church, a GMC local church) where he led a young congregation to become a vibrant disciple-making community with a passion for the unchurched.

From there, Schafer accepted an appointment as the chief operational officer of SonScape Retreats in Divide, Colorado. In addition to managing the enterprise, he also leveraged his teaching and counseling skills at weeklong retreats. He and Sandy helped people in full-time ministry to develop healthy self-care practices and to regain their passion for serving in the local church or other ministry settings.

At a critical time in the life of the UM Church’s Northwest Texas Annual Conference, Schafer was tapped to serve as the assistant to Bishop Earl Bledsoe and then Bishop Jimmy Nunn. At the same time, he served as the Conference Director of Mission and Administration. In addition to managing daily operations, he guided the development and implementation of the conference’s disaffiliation plan, ultimately allowing over 160 local churches to join the GM Church. Remarkably, the conference’s local churches received funds from the conference, rather than paying the exorbitant exit fees required of many UM local churches as the price of disaffiliation.

Given his years of experience and his various leadership roles, it was not surprising when the leaders of the GM Church’s newly forming West Plains Provisional Annual Conference recommended the TLC appoint Schafer as the conference’s president pro tem . He was duly appointed, and assumed the leadership post on January 1, 2023.

“As the West Plain PAC’s president pro tem , Mike leads with humility, experience, and wisdom,” said Angela Carter, the conference’s co-lay leader and a recently elected delegate to the GM Church’s convening General Conference. “He exudes all of the qualities of a godly man – integrity, servant leadership, and love. Under his leadership, our conference launched with fervor and hope, and I am confident the general church will experience the same as he helps steward the way forward with Jesus at the center of his leadership.”

The proposed responsibilities and duties for the GM Church’s connectional operations officer make clear Schafer will stay busy in the new role (all organizational proposals from the TLC must be approved by the delegates attending the denomination’s convening General Conference). From its conception, many people believed the new denomination would need an operations officer to see that the mission and vision of its General Conferences’ were fully implemented. As former United Methodists, many believed bishops had been too easily bogged down in or distracted by administrative tasks. They want GM Church bishops to spend the vast majority of their time out among the people of the church to promote, teach, and defend the church’s faith and mission; unite it together through presiding at its annual conferences; and oversee the deployment of pastors in its local churches.

Consequently, the connectional operations officer will “bear responsibility for the accountable functioning of the connectional council, general commissions, and task forces as they work to fulfill the General Conference’s missional mandates between General Conferences.” Composed of laity and clergy representatives from across the denomination and supported by the general church staff, the connectional council will be dedicated to empowering, equipping, and strengthening local congregations as the whole church works to fulfill its God given mission.

“As a president pro tem , who must carefully follow the work of the TLC, I was aware of the COO’s proposed responsibilities and duties,” said Schafer. “I had no plans to apply for the position, but then a number of colleagues from across the connection started to encourage, nudge, and cajole me to to do so. I have the highest respect for them, so after a great deal of prayer and conversations with my wife, Sandy, I did. I took comfort in knowing plenty of high-quality candidates would apply as well, so I figured the likelihood of my actually being selected was pretty low. Well, now I find myself in a familiar place – trusting the Lord to make me a faithful disciple, to keep me grounded, and focused on our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly!”

The TLC formed the COO Search Committee in October of 2023, and it began meeting the following month. Craig Cheyne, a GM Church layman who attends The Woodlands Methodist Church in The Woodlands, Texas, was chosen to serve as the committee’s chairman. The committee was not only tasked with conducting a search for a candidate; it was also directed to prepare legislation for the COO’s selection, a list of qualifications for a chosen candidate, the term(s) of service, an annual performance evaluation process, and the position’s responsibilities and duties.

“Initially, we spent the better part of three months trying to discern the COO’s job in relation to other critical leadership areas in the church,” said Cheyne. “It was a great privilege to work with a faithful team of GM Church lay and clergy leaders. They are all very passionate about the church, and they were not shy about sharing their opinions – which was just what we needed! By the time we were ready to submit our proposal to the TLC, we had prayed, discerned, debated, and considered all the details from every angle.”

In early March the search committee handed its draft legislation to the TLC which voted to receive its work after careful review and the making of modest amendments. The search committee posted the position in late March, and by the latter half of April, it had received 26 applications.

“We had a wonderful pool of candidates,” said Cheyne, “We struggled to reduce the number of applicants to nine for greater scrutiny, and then after a long meeting, we selected our top three for interviews. The top three did not make our work easy – they were stellar candidates, and we thoroughly enjoyed the conversations we had with each of them. After lengthy debriefing sessions, personal reflection and prayer, and then a final hour-long meeting, by consensus we decided to warmly commend Rev. Schafer to the TLC for the COO position.”

Schafer will begin working alongside the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Transitional Connectional Officer, on August 15, 2024. Boyette will step down from his job at the adjournment of the convening General Conference on September 26, 2024, making way for Schafer to immediately assume the new role of Connectional Operations Officer.

Launched on May 1, 2022, the GM Church continues in a state of transition until duly elected delegates from around the world meet in San Jose, Costa Rica, for its convening General Conference, September 19-26, 2024 . The General Conference is the denomination’s principal authoritative body, and it will consider all legislative matters that come before it. In just over two years, 4,598 local churches have joined the GM Church, and 30 provisional conferences have been organized to connect them together.

Read and review the COO’s proposed responsibilities and duties .

Subscribe to Crossroads to learn more about the Global Methodist Church and to stay abreast of developments regarding its convening General Conference.

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connect

The post Rev. Mike Schafer Selected as GM Church’s First Connectional Operations Officer first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Methodist Church Launches “Find-A-Church” Feature on Website

Wed, 29 May 2024 09:07:00 GMT

As the general public learns more about the GM Church and, the “Find-A-Church” function simplifies the process for finding a local congregation and strengthens the sense of belonging within the GM Church community.

The “Find-A-Church” feature will be regularly updated as new churches join the GM Church, ensuring users have access to the most current information.

“Technological resources in the U.S. make it relatively easy to provide this service in the U.S., but it’s more of a challenge to do it in some other countries,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Transitional Connectional Officer. “However, as we grow, we will do all we can to make the resources available everywhere.”

Considering the dynamic nature of church affiliations and locations, the GM Church encourages users to reach out if they notice any discrepancies or errors in the information provided by emailing info@globalmethodist.org . By fostering open communication and collaboration, the GM Church aims to continually enhance the functionality and utility of its online platform, serving the needs of its members and communities worldwide.

For more information about the Global Methodist Church and to explore the new “Find-A-Church” feature, visit www.globalmethodist.org .

The post Global Methodist Church Launches “Find-A-Church” Feature on Website first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Methodist Church Clarifies MinistrySafe Pricing Concerns

Wed, 29 May 2024 09:05:00 GMT

Recently MinistrySafe, a strategic ministry partner of the Global Methodist Church (GM Church) announced an increase in prices charged to entitites using its resources. However, the prices increases do not apply to GM Church conferences and local churches because the GM Church has entered into a long-term agreement for the provision of its services.

The GM Church agreement with MinistrySafe remains unaffected by any recent price adjustments. Under this agreement, the GM Church covers the membership fee and costs of training, while individual churches are responsible solely for the costs related to background checks.

The GM Church strongly encourages its members to leverage the MinistrySafe resources for ensuring safe environments for children, youth and adults within their congregations.

Local congregations wishing to access MinistrySafe resources can sign up at www.ministrysafe.com/gmc and select “Become a MinistrySafe Member.” To gain access, they must enter the Discount Code “GMC2024.” The dashboard provided serves as a central hub for resources, facilitating training tracking and background check orders.

The post Global Methodist Church Clarifies MinistrySafe Pricing Concerns first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Methodist Church Joins Forces with MissionInsite: Strengthening Ministry through Strategic Partnership

Wed, 22 May 2024 09:00:00 GMT

By Dianne Burnett

MissionInsite, powered by ACS Technologies, is a leading provider of demographic and analytical tools for churches, offers a range of resources designed to help congregations better understand their communities, tailor their ministries, and communicate more effectively. Through this partnership, GMC’s conferences and churches will gain access to MissionInsite’s wealth of data and insights, empowering them to make informed decisions and strategically plan for the future. These resources are made available to conferences and local congregations at no cost as the Global Methodist Church has purchased the services using general church connectional funding.

“We are excited to partner with MissionInsite to equip our churches and conferences with the resources they need to thrive in today’s ever-changing landscape,” remarked Keith Boyette, Chief Connectional Officer for the Global Methodist Church. “Using tools provided by MissionInsite, a conference or local church can understand more about the community where they are in ministry learning about the needs, hopes, and dreams of their neighbors.”

Among the resources offered by MissionInsite are up-to-date demographic profiles, market analyses, and community mapping tools, all of which can be tailored to the unique needs and characteristics of individual churches and communities. By leveraging these insights, GM Church congregations will be better positioned to identify opportunities for growth, develop targeted outreach initiatives, and cultivate deeper connections with their surrounding neighborhoods.

“All of us at ACS Technologies and MissionInsite are excited to be a trusted ministry partner with the Global Methodist Church. MissionInsite resources assist church leaders in translating community data into essential knowledge that empowers vital ministries. We have always believed that to love your neighbor, you must know your neighbor. Relationships with neighbors build the Kingdom. We look forward to building relationships with leaders and congregations of the Global Methodist Church,” stated Chuck Salter, Vice President of MissionInsite and Ministry Advancement, ACS Technologies.

As the Global Methodist Church continues to expand its reach and influence, this partnership with MissionInsite will play a crucial role in equipping its churches for success in an increasingly complex and dynamic world. With access to MissionInsite’s tools and resources, GM Church congregations are equipped to embark on a new era of growth, service, and transformation in their communities. This collaborative initiative not only empowers individual conferences and congregations, but also strengthens the overall growth trajectory of our denomination. Through this partnership, the Global Methodist Church reaffirms its commitment to advancing its mission and vision with renewed vigor and effectiveness.

For more information and to explore more of the resources available through the partnership, visit our dedicated Global Methodist Church landing page at https://www.acstechnologies.com/gmc/ . As a conference or congregational leader, you can register to begin using the resources of MissionInsite at no cost by clicking on “Register for the Study” and providing the information requested. By selecting “Download User Registration Guide,” you will be able to access a number of guides that will help you understand how you can use MissionInsite to its greatest advantage. Finally, by selecting “MissionInsite Training Video,” you will access twenty-seven videos that will assist you in using all of the resources included in Mission InSite.

Dianne Burnett is the Global Methodist Church’s Executive Director of Communications.

The post Global Methodist Church Joins Forces with MissionInsite: Strengthening Ministry through Strategic Partnership first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Methodist Church Welcomes Nehemiah Journey as Official Ministry

Wed, 15 May 2024 08:00:00 GMT

By Dianne Burnett

“Three years ago, the Nehemiah Journey embarked under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Leah Hidde-Gregory and the Wesleyan Covenant Association’s Revitalization Task Force to breathe new life into local churches by offering support and empowerment through prayer to our pastors and their congregations,” stated Rev. Jill Jackson-Sears. “We are excited to continue to offer the community through the Global Methodist Church as a safe haven for participants to share their hopes, fears, and current obstacles.”

Throughout its evolution, the Nehemiah Journey has undergone significant changes to cater to the needs of today’s church leaders for the forthcoming 2024-2025 session.

“The new format will address relevant topics such as challenges posed by the pandemic, denominational discourse, and the courageous decisions that many made by aligning with the Global Methodist Church, “stated Rev. Dr. Scott Pattison. “We find strength in community, guidance in prayer, and vision in faith and by embracing this transformative journey we empower pastors and congregations to thrive in the new seasons of Christ-centered ministry.”

Guided by Dr. Sam Rainer’s “Three Knows” framework—know yourself, know your church, and know your community—the journey employs assessment tools developed in collaboration with Dr. Rainer and Church Answers, to aid participants in understanding their congregation’s new lifecycles and facilitate a visioning process. Participants will also be part of regular bi-monthly clergy gatherings aimed to equip pastors to lead their churches with a specific focus each month while nurturing strategic prayer within each congregation.

The upcoming season of the Nehemiah Journey kicks-off on September 4, 2024 , and interested parties can contact nehemiahjourney@globalmethodist.org for additional information and the application link. Applications must be submitted by August 1 .

Dianne Burnett is the Global Methodist Church’s Executive Director of Communications.

The post Global Methodist Church Welcomes Nehemiah Journey as Official Ministry first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Celebrating Mother’s Day with Biblical Mothers: An Ode to Faith, Love, and Sacrifice

Fri, 10 May 2024 10:00:00 GMT

By Dianne Burnett

Sarah: A Portrait of Patience and Promise

Sarah’s journey teaches us the beauty of patience and the fulfillment of God’s promises. Despite facing years of barrenness, Sarah held onto faith, believing in God’s assurance that she would bear a son, Isaac. Her story reminds us that God’s timing is perfect, and His promises never fail.

Hannah: The Power of Persistent Prayer

Hannah’s story demonstrates the power of prayer and the depths of a mother’s longing. Despite enduring years of infertility and heartache, Hannah remained steadfast in her prayers to God. Her fervent plea for a child was answered, showcasing the miraculous ways in which God works in our lives.

Mary: Embracing Humility and Obedience

Mary’s humble obedience to God’s plan sets her apart as a model of virtue and devotion. From the miraculous conception to witnessing her son’s ministry and sacrifice, Mary’s journey is marked by unwavering faith and sacrificial love. Her example inspires us to submit to God’s will with humility and grace.

Jochebed: A Mother’s Fearless Love

Jochebed’s story is a testament to a mother’s fearless love and courage in the face of adversity. Faced with the threat of her son’s life, Jochebed took bold action to save him, trusting in God’s providence. Her bravery ensured the survival of Moses, who would later become a great leader and deliverer of his people.

As we celebrate Mother’s Day, let us reflect on the timeless stories of mothers in the Bible and the profound lessons they impart. From Sarah’s patience to Hannah’s prayers, from Mary’s obedience to Jochebed’s courage, these women embody the virtues of motherhood and the enduring influence of God’s grace. May their stories inspire us to honor and cherish mothers everywhere, cultivating their virtues in our own lives and hearts.

Dianne Burnett is the Global Methodist Church’s Executive Director of Communications.

The post Celebrating Mother’s Day with Biblical Mothers: An Ode to Faith, Love, and Sacrifice first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Filipino Provisional Annual Conferences Flourishing in the Global Methodist Church

Wed, 08 May 2024 08:30:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

“When Bishop Scott [Jones] and his wife Mary Lou [Reece] visited the ministry where I am appointed, I immediately felt a spirit of partnership,” said the Rev. Joanne Valenzuela, the secretary of the Global Methodist Church’s Mega-Manila Provincial Annual Conference and one of three pastors serving Cansinala Christian Church in the Province of Pampanga, Philippines, a community about 35 miles north of Manila, the nation’s capital city. “I believe in my heart that the GM Church is thriving because its laypeople, pastors, conference leaders, and its bishops are being moved by the power of the Holy Spirit to lift up the name of Jesus!”

Valenzuela, one of six children from a small village in Pampanga, was pursuing a degree in business management at the University of the Philippines when God called her to transfer to Harris Memorial College to become a deaconess. After serving as deaconess for six years, she answered the call to ordained ministry and went to Wesley Divinity School (Nueva Ecija, Philippines) where she received a master of divinity degree.” In her twentieth year as a pastor, she is one of the leaders of a provisional annual conference that stretches from the greater Manila area to the Persian Gulf nations of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, where more than 2.1 million Filipino expats live and work, and where three GM Church congregations meet to worship and serve the Lord.

“It’s called the Mega-Manila Provisional Annual Conference for a reason; there’s no other conference quite like it” said GM Church Bishop Jones, who presides over the vast area. “GM Church members, whether in the Luzon, Mindanao, or Visayas regions of the Philippines, or in the Arab cities of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, or Doha, contend with challenges Christians in the United States can hardly imagine. But their faith is of the New Testament type – churches inspired and filled with the Holy Spirit. It will be a joy to see how they all grow in five, ten, or fifty years!”

As part of a 40 day plus trip to countries in Africa, Asia, and the Persian Gulf area, Bishop Jones and his wife, Mary Lou, celebrated the launch of the Mega-Manila Provincial Annual Conference in the Philippines and then in the Middle East. They first met in Manila, February 15-17, 2024, and then joined other conference members in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E, in early March. The new annual conference is the second one to form in the Philippines, joining the Covenant Philippines Provincial Annual Conference which launched in the summer of 2023 .

Like all regions beyond the U.S., United Methodist local churches in the Philippines were not allowed to exercise a UM Church provision to disaffiliate from the denomination. Nevertheless, the Mega-Manila conference has eighteen local churches, ten mission churches, and it is currently reviewing the applications for three more. The largest church, St. John Methodist Church in Quezon City, averages over 150 in worship, while smaller congregations in outlying villages average around 40. The local churches in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates face some governmental restrictions when it comes to building churches; they tend to meet in homes or rent venues for church activities.

Rather fittingly, the Mega-Manila Conference’s president pro tem , the Rev. Dr. Luther Oconer, serves in an extension appointment in the U.S. Born and raised in the Philippines, Oconer is the Associate Professor of Global Wesleyan Theology, at Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Kentucky. Oconer, 52, lives with his wife Marion and their children Ilana and Wesley in Florida. He and other Mega-Manila Conference leaders traveled with Bishop Jones and his wife Mary Lou in the Philippines, Qatar, and the U.A.E. for worship services and times of celebration.

“For a while, it felt like we didn’t have a bishop but that changed when Bishop Jones and Mary Lou came. It was like receiving spiritual parents; we were no longer orphans,” said Oconer. “Bishop Jones was the most tangible representation of our connection to the GM Church, and he demonstrated for us a new kind of Methodist episcopacy that we haven’t witnessed in a long time. As a historian of Methodism in the Philippines, I would say his leadership is akin to the leadership of American bishops who served the Philippines in the beginning of the 20th century and were well-loved by the people. They include Bishops James Thoburn, Francis Warne, William Eveland, and Edwin Lee. Bishop Jones showed us a no-nonsense approach to getting things done. He and Mary Lou are also very approachable and down to earth. They prayed for many people during altar calls. It was clear that they came to serve and not to be served. They won the admiration of people everywhere they went.”

A conference the geographical size of the Mega-Manila Conference poses its challenges for a president pro tem . However, Oconer appreciates that he can reach out to Bishop Jones when necessary, and between annual visits to the Philippines and early morning Zoom meetings with conference leaders, he stays closely connected with other leaders and pastors across the vast areas.

One such leader and pastor is the Rev. Elenor “Lhyn” Malonzo, who co-pastors a congregation in Abu Dhabi with Rev. Tristan Jayme. They planted the church in March 2023 with just less than 30 members, and it has now doubled in a year.

“Whenever I think of how we started as a church, it reminds me of how good and faithful our God is,” said Malonzo, who has lived and worked in the U.A.E. for 17 years. “We’re amazed how the Lord has blessed us: from zero finances, no instruments, and no place to hold our worship service, we’re now a growing church. Our community is one that loves Jesus and seeks the Holy Spirit’s leading. We are not only growing in numbers; more importantly we are growing deeper in our intimate relationship with Jesus as the Lord of the church. People are hungry and thirsty for the Word.”

While Qatar and the U.A.E. are Arab nations, overseas Filipino workers (OFW) make up the majority of the populations in both countries. Eighty-three percent (260,000 people) of Qatar’s population are OFWs, and OFWs constitute 61 percent (700,000) of the U.A.E.’s. They work in a range of industries in the two countries, and join with other ex pat Filipinos to send tens of billions of dollars back to the Philippines.

In addition to her pastoral duties, Malonzo chairs the Mega-Manila Conference’s Middle East Coordinating Committee. Her 15-member team planned and celebrated the Middle East portion of the conference’s launch in Abu Dhabi. During a commissioning and ordination service, Malonzo herself was ordained by Bishop Jones as an elder in the GM Church. Also present for the services and celebrations were conference officers Oconer and Valenzuela, and the Revs. Brad McKenzie, David Sablan Jr., and Sis Celia Mendoza from the Philippines and the U.S.

“The opportunity to give Bishop Jones, Mary Lou, and other leaders a brief tour of the U.A.E. was an honor and a joyful experience,” said Malonzo. “Bishop Scott and Mary Lou blessed us with their humble presence both on and off stage. The Holy Spirit worked through them, confirming the profound connection being formed in the GM Church.”

Covenant Philippines Provisional Annual Conference

Celebrating its second annual conference, the Covenant Philippines Provisional Annual Conference met in Santiago City, February 23-24, 2024. Visiting the region for the second time in eight months, Bishop Jones joined the Rev. Virgilio Olonan, the conference’s president pro tem , to preside at worship services and business sessions.

Local churches in the Covenant Philippines Conference were some of the first to join the GM Church after the denomination’s launch May 1, 2022. The conference covers the northern portion of the country, comprised of 15 provinces with a population of 10.8 million people. The area is composed of a mountainous region and plains where agriculture is the main livelihood for people in the area.

“We currently have seven local churches, and one mission congregation that is preparing to be officially recognized,” said Olonan. “Our local churches range in size from an average worship attendance of 25 in smaller congregations and up to 250 who typically worship at Santiago City Methodist Church.”

Olonan, 65, has served in full-time pastoral ministry for 43 years. His wife, Fe, is a retired social worker who served with World Vision for 41 years. They have two adult children, Virson Tillich, a lawyer, and Virson Hegel, a physician.

In addition to serving as the conference’s president pro tem , Olonan continues to lead Santiago City Methodist Church, a congregation he was appointed to during his years with the UM Church. He serves the congregation on voluntary basis as its pastor emeritus .

“The greatest challenges we face are, as always, soul-winning and church planting. The harvest is great, but the workers are few,” says Olonan. “We are maintaining 21 church planting and children’s ministries initiatives in the conference. And nearly 60 people have pledged financial support to sustain and grow our efforts. We are looking for a sister conference in the U.S. to partner with us so we can continue to expand our reach.”

During the conference’s second gathering, attendees were invigorated by the impassioned testimony of Rev. Kevin Pedrosa, a dynamic 27-year-old circuit rider who has pioneered two churches in Bacolod City in the Province of Negros Occidental. He has also started seeds for potential future GM churches in nearby provinces through four mission points or Bible studies. At the close of the service, Rev. McKenzie, a presiding elder from the Trinity Conference, issued a stirring challenge to all present, urging them to cut pieces of a fishing net to carry back to their respective congregations, serving as a poignant reminder of the imperative to actively engage in church planting.

“We were challenged by the messages from Revs. Pedrosa and McKenzie,” said Olonan, “And it was also a great blessing to have Bishop Jones and his wife Mary Lou join us. Their twice coming to the Covenant Philippines Provisional Annual Conference is a great symbol our connectedness to a greater Global Methodist Church filled with warm-hearted Wesleyan orthodox believers. No matter how small our conference is right now, we are proud to be a part of the GM Church!”

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Filipino Provisional Annual Conferences Flourishing in the Global Methodist Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Kenya Faces Devastating Floods: Urgent Call for Support

Tue, 07 May 2024 20:17:00 GMT

In recent weeks, countries in East Africa have been grappling with a severe flooding crisis, leaving communities across the region in turmoil. From the bustling streets of Nairobi to remote villages across the country, Kenya has faced the brunt of the relentless rains and rising rivers that have caused widespread damage and displacement.

Over 150,000 people across the region have been forced to flee their homes, with the death toll rising as rainfall continues. Kenyan President William Ruto’s recent directive to evacuate homes along rivers underscores the gravity of the situation. Many living in poverty in these areas are particularly vulnerable, with inadequate housing offering little protection against the elements.

“We stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Africa during this challenging time. The GM Church is committed to providing practical support and assistance to those affected by the devastating floods,” stated Pastor Linda Davis, Chair of the Disaster Relief Taskforce of the GM Church. “Together, with our partners and the global community, we will work tirelessly to alleviate suffering and rebuild lives the best we can as part of the mission of the GM Church.”

The urgency of the situation calls for immediate action. The GM Church is rallying support to aid those affected by the floods. Financial contributions are urgently needed to provide shelter, food, and medical assistance to those in need.

Resources donated will be directed to places of greatest need by the Kenya-Ethiopia Provisional Annual Conference Disaster Relief Team.

Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with all those who are suffering as a result of this crisis. To join us in supporting this crucial cause click GIVE NOW below and select, “Disaster Relief – General” under Gift Purpose.

Video and photos provided by Rev. Wilton Odongo, President Pro Tem of the Kenya-Ethiopia Provisional Annual Conference

GIVE NOW

The post Kenya Faces Devastating Floods: Urgent Call for Support first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Statement of the Global Methodist Church Regarding Actions of the United Methodist Church at its General Conference

Wed, 01 May 2024 23:08:45 GMT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Global Methodist Church is aware of recent decisions made by the General Conference of The United Methodist Church with respect to its definition of marriage and its ordination standards. The Global Methodist Church operates independently from The United Methodist Church and therefore, we do not have any affiliation with their decisions, nor do we wish to comment or provide commentary on the actions of other religious organizations.

The Global Methodist Church maintains its steadfast commitment to advancing its mission, which involves proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and serving its community of more than 4,501 churches and congregational members worldwide. Rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the historic confessions of the Christian faith proclaimed over the past two thousand years, The Global Methodist Church remains dedicated to upholding its denomination's strong foundation.

For further inquiries you may contact us at media@globalmethodist.org.

MinistrySafe Partnership Continues to Provide Vital Resources for Global Methodist Churches

Wed, 01 May 2024 10:00:00 GMT

By Dianne Burnett

“By partnering with MinistrySafe, the Global Methodist Church reaffirms its commitment to fostering safe, nurturing environments for all its members,” Rev. Keith Boyette, the Global Methodist Church’s Chief Connectional Officer. “MinistrySafe provides best-in-the-industry resources to assist GM Church annual conferences and local churches with policies vetted by attorneys and training tools to ensure that every employee and volunteer is adequately prepared to maintain the safest environment for the persons to whom we minister.”

Utilization of MinistrySafe affords GM Church congregations access to invaluable resources at no cost. The cost for access has been paid by the general church. These resources include a comprehensive safety system that incorporates awareness training, a library of videos and print resources, policies and procedures, and monitoring and oversight. In addition, conferences and churches have access to background checks performed by an industry leader at reduced prices.

“MinistrySafe provides the tools necessary to reinforce our dedication to safeguarding the vulnerable and upholding the highest standards of accountability and care within our churches.” Boyette said. “I have been heartened by the number of conferences and churches that have already enrolled and are using these important resources. Every conference and local church should take advantage of this benefit of being part of the GM Church.”

One of the key components of this partnership is the awareness training provided by MinistrySafe. Model policies and procedures empower leaders to structure their ministries to provide the greatest safety and security for participants. By providing churches with a comprehensive set of guidelines, the GM Church and MinistrySafe are helping to establish clear expectations and protocols for handling situations related to child safety. This not only helps with prevention, but also ensures that appropriate action is taken if an incident does occur.

Additionally, local church leaders and volunteers are trained to recognize and respond to signs of abuse and misconduct. With this knowledge, congregations can empower their members to be vigilant, prevent abuse by creating a culture of responsibility, and, when necessary, remove and hold abusers accountable for their actions.

By implementing thorough background checks, churches can do all in their power to ensure that only individuals with a clean record and a heart for ministry are allowed to serve in positions working with children, youth, and vulnerable adults. This is a crucial step in creating a safe environment for all.

Finally, by using MinistrySafe, local churches receive regular reports on whether leaders and volunteers are up-to-date in training and renewing background checks. By having MinistrySafe training and background reports, churches can have peace of mind knowing that they are doing everything they can to protect persons served by their ministries.

To take advantage of the resources through MinistrySafe, local congregations can sign-up at www.ministrysafe.com/gmc and select, “Become a MinistrySafe Member.” The Discount Code, “GMC2024,” will need to be entered before access to a dashboard will be granted. The dashboard serves as the hub for resources and allows tracking of training and ordered background checks.

If you have questions about the MinistrySafe partnership, please email your questions to support@ministrysafe.com .

Dianne Burnett is the Global Methodist Church’s Executive Director of Communications.

The post MinistrySafe Partnership Continues to Provide Vital Resources for Global Methodist Churches first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Methodist Church Announces Partnership with Planters Field Training Academy

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 10:00:00 GMT

By Dianne Burnett

“We believe in a future where every community has a thriving local church that lives out the gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed,” said the Rev. Dr. Jeff Olive, Pastor of Church Multiplication at TWMC, and the training academy’s online host. “I think we’re living in a time where the opportunity to plant churches in major cities and their suburbs are wide open. And given all the relocating people did during the pandemic, there’s the possibility, even the necessity, of multiplying congregations in rapidly growing towns and villages across the country. We’re looking forward to partnering with our GM Church brothers and sisters who share our passion for church planting and multiplication.”

Planters Field Training Academy consists of 12 modules focusing on the essentials of church planting. Each module is hosted by an expert in key areas of ministry development and new church starts. And it includes downloadable and printable resources that walk aspiring church planters though the critical steps of planting a new church. A subscription to the program costs $199. The GM Church’s endorsement serves as a testament to its commitment to embrace new opportunities for growth and outreach around the world.

The partnership between the Academy and the GM Church highlights a shared dedication to innovation, growth, and inclusivity in church planting. By embracing new methods and technologies, the GM Church and the Academy are poised to make a significant impact in reaching individuals who may not have access to quality resources for learning to plant and grow healthy and vibrant congregations.

“As a pastor who planted a church 25 years ago, I vividly remember how exciting and frankly intimidating the experience was,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s chief connectional officer. “I have had the opportunity to watch the Planters Field Training Academy’s videos and review many of its resources; the program is excellent. As is so often the case, our friends at TWMC have given loving attention to every detail, produced a program that carefully addresses key steps to planting a church, and they have done it all in a way that is engaging and easy to follow.”

After an introductory session, the program invites participants to assess their character and competencies, build a prayer foundation for church planting, and then it helps participants develop a mission and vision for a church plant. Other modules cover topics like recruiting a team, branding and marketing, legal issues, and preparing a discipleship strategy to initiate right at the launch of a new congregation. The online format offers flexibility for the material to be broken up into easily digested segments, allowing participants to learn at their own pace and revisit key information as needed.

“I never saw myself as a church planter,” said Ms. Cara Nicklas, an attorney and chairwoman of the Transitional Leadership Council. “But like many former United Methodist members, I realized parting ways with the church I had attended for years meant joining with my brothers and sisters and learning about church planting in a hurry. The Planters Field Training Academy is just the kind of guide that will help laity and clergy think and pray though the essential steps of planting a new church.”

The Planters Field Training Academy is the second church planting and multiplying program the GM Church has endorsed and partnered with. Since the late summer of 2022, many GM church laity and clergy have worked with The River Network , a program based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and led by the Rev. Dr. Steve Cordle, the founding pastor of Crossroads Church, also located in Pittsburgh.

“We’re all in this together,” said Olive. “The River Network was right there just as the GM Church launched, and it proved to be a godsend to so many brothers and sisters looking for direction. We’re blessed that Steve agreed to serve as one of the Academy’s presenters, leading our module on church multiplication, a subject that he probably knows more about than any pastor in the GM Church. Our prayer is that the Academy becomes another great resource that helps all of us plant churches and spread the good news of Jesus Christ!”

Launched on May 1, 2022, the GM Church now has 4,501 local churches in Africa, Europe, the Philippines, and the U.S. GM Church leaders believe the partnership with the Academy will help it plant churches and multiply congregations in geographical areas still lacking its presence.

“Planting, multiplying, and growing local churches is one of the GM Church’s top priorities,” said Boyette. “We know it will require a major investment of time, talent, and financial resources, but it is one we must be prepared to support sacrificially. So we will continue to partner with innovative programs like the Academy and the River Network to help fulfill the mission Christ has given us. In the coming years I am confident our annual conferences and local churches will leverage these programs and support laity and pastors called to church planting.”

To learn more about the Planters Field Training Academy and to enroll in the course, visit: www.plantersfield.org . They are offering a GMC discount code for $50 off the subscription. To take advantage of this discount use the code PLANTGMC.

Dianne Burnett is the Global Methodist Church’s Executive Director of Communications.

The post Global Methodist Church Announces Partnership with Planters Field Training Academy first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

2:42 Conference Affirms Hopeful Future of the GMC

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 10:00:00 GMT

By Dianne Burnett

The first ever 2:42 Conference, hosted by the Global Methodist Church, recently took place at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina. Clergy and seminary students 40 and under were invited to attend the conference. Over 125 of them came together for the event, united by their dedication and enthusiasm for sharing the gospel and upholding the traditions of the Methodist Church.

Centered around the theme of Acts 2:42 ( They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ), the three-day event offered time for fellowship, encouragement, learning, and renewal.

During the conference, attendees had the opportunity to attend several plenary and breakout sessions and hear from other young clergy and leaders in the GM Church on a variety of topics relevant in today’s ministry. These sessions included topics such as tips for equipping our next generation by Rev. Mark Swayze of the Trinity Provisional Annual Conference, wisdom on the importance of embracing your church family in your ministry from Rev. Bequi Flores of the Mid Texas Provisional Annual Conference, and tools useful in creating a disciple-making movement from Rev. Jeremy Smith of the Alabama Emerald Coast Provisional Annual Conference. Bishops Scott Jones and Mark Webb spoke on the vision and future of the GM Church and answered questions. These sessions allowed those in attendance to depart with practical skills and knowledge they could apply in their ministries going forward.

The event also served as a time of connection and fellowship for the young clergy and students. United in their devotion for the GM Church, the conference provided a platform for attendees to build relationships, share ideas, and support one another during their current season of ministry.

“Attending a denominational gathering sponsored by our bishops and key leaders that was so anointed and Spirit-filled is very encouraging to me as we begin to learn and experience what this new expression of Methodism in the GM Church will be like,” said Chance Robinson, a student from Asbury Theological Seminary. “From what I have seen, it is a land flowing with milk and honey.”

Many in attendance, witnessing the fervor, commitment, and eagerness displayed by the clergy and seminary attendees, felt the gathering clearly demonstrated a promising future for the GM Church.

“I was moved by the powerful sense of connection and community evident at the conference,” said Rev. Dr. Jessica LaGrone, a member of the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council and a member of the event’s planning committee. “I was filled with hope for the future of our movement as I witnessed the participants worship together and experience healing through the power of prayer and communion, and all the while their children played in the background.”

The idea for the 2:42 Conference originated with Bishops Jones and Webb, and it was organized by a planning team consisting of mainly young clergy from several local churches. The GM Church wishes to express its gratitude to the members of the planning team and the generous donors who made the event possible. It also invites the whole Church to pray for young clergy and seminary students as they continue to grow and serve.

Dianne Burnett is the Global Methodist Church’s Executive Director of Communications

The post 2:42 Conference Affirms Hopeful Future of the GMC first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council Offers Proposals on the Nature of the Episcopacy

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 10:21:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

The Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council is proposing the election of interim bishops to serve the new denomination from 2024 to 2026. The proposal is part of an extensive legislative package that will come before the Church’s convening General Conference in San Jose, Costa Rica, September 20 – 26, 2024 . Launched on May 1, 2022, the GM Church continues in a state of transition until duly elected delegates from around the world meet at the Conference; it is the denomination’s principal authoritative body.

In less than two years, 4,286 local churches have joined the GM Church, and 28 provisional conferences have been organized to connect them together. Working with conference leaders, Bishops Scott J. Jones and Mark J. Webb have been providing episcopal oversight for the whole church.

“It is clear that we need more bishops,” said Cara Nicklas, the chairwoman of the Transitional Leadership Council. “However, the Council has reason to believe a significant number of local churches and pastors from around the world will join the GM Church later this year and in 2025. Given that the denomination will hold another General Conference in 2026, members determined it would be both wise and fair to wait until then to hold a more robust election of episcopal leaders. The delegates to the convening Conference already have a full agenda; debating and adopting episcopal legislation, and then moving to elect bishops all in one conference would take too much time and crowd out other important matters.”

Last year, the Transitional Leadership Council appointed a 15-member task force to consider what the nature of the episcopacy might look like in the GM Church, and then submit a report with its recommendations. The Rev. Dr. Jeff Greenway, a TLC member and president pro tem of the Allegheny West Provisional Conference, was appointed to lead the task force, which met regularly from late October 2023 through early February 2024.

“For a whole host of reasons, the task force was well aware of the sensitivity around the role and responsibilities of bishops, the process for electing them, and their terms of service, including ensuring their accountability,” said Greenway. “The task force included lay and clergy members from Africa, Europe, the Philippines, and the U.S. Often times, we’d arrive at ways around, over, or through obstacles, only to discover our chosen path forced us to confront new ones. To their credit, the task force members continued to rise the challenge; it was a privilege to work with all of them.”

Having received the task force’s report and its legislative recommendations, the TLC dedicated most of it regular weekly meetings in February and March to studying, debating, and refining its work. The TLC has now released its proposed legislative package and a proposed process for electing interim bishops . The proposals are now in the hands of the delegates to the convening General Conference.

The process for electing interim episcopal leaders calls for electing Bishops Jones and Webb by General Conference acclimation, and then moving to elect an additional number of interim bishops as recommended by the TLC. Additional interim bishops elected in 2024 would serve for just two years, not standing for re-election in 2026 unless two-thirds of the delegates voted to include them on the ballot.

“I think it would be premature to move directly to the election of bishops for full terms at the convening General Conference,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Chief Connectional Officer. “The delegates will have achieved more than enough if they can codify the role and responsibilities of bishops, how they will be elected, the duration of their terms, and how the Church will hold them accountable to the high calling of the episcopal office.”

Among other things, the legislative package defines bishops as the Church’s general superintendents, with responsibility for proclaiming and teaching the Christian faith, overseeing the spiritual and temporal affairs of the Church, fixing pastoral appointments in local churches and other ministry settings, and, in partnership with other general Church and annual conference leaders, advancing the Church’s missional priorities as set forth by the General Conference. It proposes that bishops serve for a maximum of two six-year terms.

The package also calls for a General Committee on Episcopacy, composed of at least six clergy and six lay members. Its purpose is to “foster a healthy and effective episcopacy in the Global Methodist Church,” evaluate the work of bishops, and receive and investigate complaints against them, and provide for a trial when necessary.

“With some justification, GM Church members are wary of the episcopal office; I am one with them,” said Nicklas. “However, our convening General Conference delegates are being handed proposals and recommendations that have received the faithful and thoughtful attention of people who want the very best for the Global Methodist Church. Our prayers are with the delegates as they discern, debate, and perfect the work we have done.”

Read the Report of the Task Force on the Nature of the Episcopacy .

Read the TLC’s proposed legislative recommendations .

Read the proposed process for electing interim bishops .

Future Crossroads articles will continue to report on the proposed nature of the episcopacy.

Readers can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website , and now they can follow all the details about the convening General Conference by visiting So the World Will Know , the Conference’s official website.

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council Offers Proposals on the Nature of the Episcopacy first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Convening General Conference Update

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 11:00:00 GMT

The website is currently in its first phase and will continue to expand as more information is solidified by the various General Conference committees. It will include pages for registration, travel information, prayer guides, recognition of sponsors, and more.

The website will serve as the central hub for all information and updates related to the convening general conference. It will provide the latest and most accurate information about the General Conference, making it easy for people to stay informed and involved.

Per the instructions for doing so, all GM Church members and local churches can submit petitions for consideration. The website provides a seamless platform to do so. This makes the process efficient and organized for everyone involved.

Take a moment to visit the website at https://www.sotheworldwillknow.org/ and explore all the features it has to offer. We hope you will find it easy to navigate and informative.

The post Convening General Conference Update first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Celebrating God’s Call to Lead

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 09:30:00 GMT

By Erik Grayson

While I may be 34 years old, I am far from being considered young. Many would classify me as middle aged, but in the pastoral world the ‘mid thirties’ is still deemed young. Churches often seek out young pastors in hopes of attracting families, and denominations look for young seminarians to ensure future leaders. Our church culture values youthfulness for its potential for creativity and innovation in ministry. However, it is important for the church to remember that age does not guarantee effectiveness. Youth is not a virtue, but simply an accident of time. The real challenge is utilizing the age and wisdom we have to serve the cause of Christ.

Throughout my time in ministry, I have actively embraced situations where my age has been brought into question. For a significant period, I dedicated myself to a poverty ministry in the heart of urban North Charleston, South Carolina. To better connect with the local poor, I would dress in a very relaxed manner and engage in conversations with them. Often, they would be unaware that I was a minister. However, upon discovering my role, they would express surprise, exclaiming, “You’re too young!” Instead of being discouraged by this response, I would redirect the conversation by reminding them, “God can use anyone.” My intention was to convey that if God could utilize someone like me, then He could certainly use them as well.

This was a concept that shaped early American Methodism. During the colonial period, Methodism spread Westward across North America with a migrating population. As Methodist lay people expanded into the frontier, they formed Methodist societies in the new communities they were building. Itinerant preachers constantly revised preaching circuits to add new stops to keep up with a spreading movement. This movement was led by a diverse group of individuals, including both men and women, young and old. Many of these leaders lacked formal education, ordination, or qualifications to grow a denomination. However, their passion for Jesus and desire to spread scriptural holiness throughout the land propelled them forward. Despite being unexpected, God used these individuals to build a powerful movement then and continues to do so today.

Across South Carolina I’m encountering people in leadership who don’t fit the standard mold. From the 80-year-old grandmother bravely leading her congregation through separation, to the young business persons who find time to launch a new church, and the seminary bound college student who eagerly guest preaches wherever needed, we’re seeing a revived sense of calling among our people. And this revival is not limited to the laity – even our clergy are experiencing a transformation. Retired clergy are providing pulpit support for new church starts, formerly licensed local pastors are stepping forward once again, and long-serving pastors are igniting a renewed sense of passion. What I’m seeing is the beginning of a movement. It’s not the institutional grind of a bureaucratic denomination, but the movement of the Holy Spirit calling forth all ages, backgrounds, and levels of education to serve His purpose.

When a movement is ignited by the Holy Spirit, there is little concern for conforming to a specific leadership mold. The Spirit has a way of involving individuals who are not typically seen as suitable leaders. Saul, who became an apostle, was an unexpected choice. Even one of Jesus’ own disciples doubted that the Messiah could come from Nazareth. When the prophet Samuel requested to see Jesse’s sons, David was not initially brought forward because he was the youngest. Our natural tendency is to judge who is worthy and who is not based on superficial qualities, but God frequently challenges our assumptions.

If we’re called to lead, we must also be ready to take on this responsibility, no matter your perceived qualifications. The Lord has deemed you qualified.

While others might question your qualifications, they will never question your passion that is fueled by a calling. Lead from a place that points not to yourself, but directly shines a light to Jesus. Everyone is hungry for God’s truth and to be a part of something bigger than themselves. By leading in a manner that directly reflects the gospel, you are showing others how your life is a testament to its message.

When I’ve had my leadership questioned because of my age, I’m usually reminded that there are things I don’t know how to do. I acknowledge that I may not have the same level of leadership and life experiences as others, and that is perfectly acceptable. Inexperience should not be a source of shame if we use it wisely. In fact, it can be a blessing in disguise, allowing us to develop a humble reliance on God, who calls the unqualified and whose strength is most evident in our weaknesses.

Several months ago, I had the privilege of conducting charge conferences across upper South Carolina. At one of the charge conferences, the pastor introduced me to the congregation by saying “…even though he looks like a child.” Yes, it was slightly awkward, but it served as a humorous way to break the ice. The beautiful thing about ministry is if we focus on Jesus, then there’s no time to worry about trivial things such as age. Our mission was to hold a unique charge conference focused on the Lord. The conference continued with the praise band leading a beautiful worship experience and me preaching the gospel and anointing pastors with oil. It was evident the Holy Spirit was alive and moving at that conference. Many attendees shared with me that they had never experienced such a powerful movement during a charge conference. I must confess, it was also a new experience for me as well. Allowing the Lord to overshadow the trivial allowed for an experience unlike anything else that changed us all for the good.

Leadership is never about our age. Age should not be a factor that distracts us from the true leadership we are called to deliver. Leadership is always about Jesus. I’m thrilled that Jesus is calling forth a renewed Methodist movement, and He’s doing so with those answering the call to lead through individuals we may not expect – from wise grandmothers to ambitious college students, from devoted seniors to resilient single moms, from recovering addicts to those on the streets. The possibilities are endless. With God, anyone can be used as a leader.

I leave you with a question to ponder; how will you allow yourself to be used by God in this new Methodist movement?

Rev. Erik Grayson is the presiding elder of the Upper State District of the Global Methodist Church of South Carolina, and the senior pastor at Lyman Methodist Church in Lyman, South Carolina.

The post Celebrating God’s Call to Lead first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

A Stunning Reversal

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 09:00:00 GMT

By Suzanne Nicholson

Broken

An Easter Poem

death has the last word.
We cannot say
Life has won.
Your eyes have opened:
the pain
the suffering
the abuse
ending all
joy

Oxygen in Your lungs
now struggling, depleted, defeated:
The Devil
smiling that knowing smile.
God
help me.
stories of old
floating in my mind,
so many promises
broken and poured out—
It is done.
(Now read the lines from bottom to top.)

***

I wonder what the Devil thought in those last days. Early on, he had unsuccessfully tried to turn Jesus to worldly ways of displaying his power (Luke 4.1-13), and even hordes of the devil’s minions could not defeat Jesus. They were so scared, they begged to enter pigs rather than hear Jesus banish them to the abyss (Luke 8.26-33). Finally, the Devil took the matter in his own hands: he entered Judas and found a way to hand Jesus over to those who wanted to kill him (Luke 22.3). The anger and hostility of the crowd chanting “Crucify him! Crucify him!” must have thrilled the Devil. Killing the Lord’s anointed—Satan must have thought he had finally thwarted God’s plans. How would a son of David reign now, let alone forever (2 Samuel 7.12-13))?

But the Devil was never as smart as he thought he was. Even though he knew Scripture and could twist it when needed (Matthew 4.6), he didn’t seem to understand its import. (We should remember that even the disciples needed the resurrected Jesus to open their minds to the Scriptures; see Luke 24.45). Paul emphasizes the importance of the Spirit for right interpretation: “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2.14)). The Devil simply could not understood that Isaiah’s proclamation — “…by his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53.5) — was about the Messiah. As Paul says, “…we speak God’s wisdom… which none of the rulers of this age understood, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2.7-8).

In God’s most ironic twist, He used the very tool of humanity’s separation to repair the breach between God and humanity. Human sin birthed death, but the death of God’s Righteous One birthed new life for those who believe. The power of sin had been cancelled when Jesus — the only pure, unblemished sacrifice — `made full payment for our debt with his life.

The empty tomb provided the necessary proof that sin had been defeated. If Jesus had stayed dead, then the tyranny of sin remains, the payment was not enough, and death still reigns. As Paul says, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17)).

Every Easter we declare that our faith is not futile. We are no longer chained to our sins. Christ is risen, and nothing will ever be the same. The life of Christ now lives in us, and as we walk in step with the Holy Spirit, we experience new life, both in this world and the next.

Even though disease, famine, war, broken relationships, and death still exist, they are remnants of an old kingdom that is perishing. They are the last futile skirmishes in a battle that has already been decided. We who know that Christ is alive can declare that — whatever happens to us in this life — there is more to come. God’s story is not done.

We cannot say death has the last word.

Rev. Dr. Suzanne Nicholson is Professor of New Testament at Asbury University and an Elder in the MidSouth Provisional Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church.

The post A Stunning Reversal first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Texas Panhandle Fires: Global Methodist Churches Need Your Help

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 09:00:00 GMT

The devastating Texas Panhandle wildfires that began on February 26, have been fully contained. As those living in the affected areas begin to rebuild after the destruction, the outpouring of support from countless individuals has been overwhelming. Donations of essential items like food, clothing, household goods, and water have flooded in, thanks to the generosity of many. The West Plains President Pro Tempore, Mike Schafer, has a message on how we can continue to assist our Global Methodist churches in the affected communities. Click on the image below to open the video in Vimeo.

Local GM churches in the communities of Stinnett, Miami, and Canadian, Texas, have established designated funds to help aid in relief. To make a contribution, please contact these churches directly using the provided information. We ask that you keep those who have been affected, our churches, and their pastors in your prayers as they work towards long-term recovery and continue to assess the needs of the impacted communities.

The post Texas Panhandle Fires: Global Methodist Churches Need Your Help first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

GM Church Seeks Qualified Applicants for Connectional Operations Officer

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT

The Global Methodist Church is seeking an experienced leader to serve as its connectional operations officer. As a key member of the Church’s leadership team, the chosen candidate will play a pivotal role in serving, leading, and directing the new denomination.

To learn more about this position and how to apply, please click here .

All instructions for applying for the position are included at the bottom of the job description. If you have any questions about the application process that are not specified in the job description , kindly reach out via email to info@globalmethodist.org .

Applications are due on Friday, April 25, 2024, by 8 pm, U.S. Eastern Time.

The post GM Church Seeks Qualified Applicants for Connectional Operations Officer first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Boyette Announces Retirement

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 09:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

The Rev. Keith Boyette, the Global Methodist Church’s Chief Connectional Officer, has informed the Transitional Leadership Council he will retire at the adjournment of the new denomination’s convening General Conference in San Jose, Costa Rica, September 20 – 26, 2024.

“Keith’s work ethic, his attention to detail, his many gifts as a leader and legal expert, and above all, his abiding faith in God’s grace and unfailing love, made him the servant leader we needed as we launched the GM Church, and continue to move through this challenging transitional season,” said Ms. Cara Nicklas, chairwoman of the the Transitional Leadership Council. “In every way, he has given sacrificially to the Global Methodist Church.”

Boyette, 71, received his call to a ministry after he had already embarked upon a career as an attorney in Richmond, Virginia.

“I was married to my wife Pamela, with three kids, working as a partner at the law firm Hirschler, Fleischer, Weinberg, Cox, and Allen, and very happily serving as a layman alongside sisters and brothers at River Road UM Church in Richmond,” said Boyette. “Then, in a surprising and amazing way, God called me into the ministry. It was a shock to me, Pamela, and my work colleagues, but it was so profound, there was no way of ignoring it. Within five months we packed our belongings, and headed off to Wilmore, Kentucky, where I attended Asbury Theological Seminary. It was a faith testing transition, and it taught us some important lessons.”

Following his graduation, Boyette ventured back to Virginia where he was officially ordained as both a deacon and an elder in The United Methodist Church’s Virginia Annual Conference. He served one appointment before planting a local UM church in Spotsylvania, Virginia, known as Wilderness Community Church. Beginning with only his immediate family as attendees, over the course of 19 years, he led an ever-growing number of members in building a spirit filled congregation.

Clergy colleagues in Virginia and around the country quickly recognized the skills Boyette brought to ministry in the UM Church. He had already been elected a Southeastern Jurisdictional delegate as a layman in 1992, and then, after his ordination, as a General Conference alternate clergy delegate in 2012 and 2016. Given his strong legal background, the delegates to the 2000 General Conference elected him to serve on the UM Church’s Judicial Council, often referred to as its “Supreme Court.” He served on the Council for eight years, four as the body’s secretary, and he wrote some of the panel’s most important opinions during his tenure.

Shortly after the end of his service on the Judicial Council, in 2009 Boyette joined Good News as a member of its board of directors. Established in 1967, Good News has long been recognized as the leading voice advocating for renewal and reform in the UM Church. The board quickly elected him to serve as its chairman. He held the position while he continued to serve as the lead pastor at Wilderness Community Church.

“When Keith became the chair of our board of directors, Good News was in the middle of a challenging transition,” said the Rev. Rob Renfroe, President and Publisher of Good News Magazine. “I had just been hired to follow Rev. Dr. Jim Heidinger, the organization’s widely respected leader for 26 years. During our transition we found ourselves in the middle of the 2008 to 2009 Great Recession. Right along with most local churches and non-profits, we suffered a significant dip in gift revenue, and I was forced to make some difficult decisions. Keith’s steady leadership of the board helped us navigate those challenges. The staff and board worked so well together that Good News eventually emerged from the recession stronger than ever. As Good News’ president, I appreciated Keith’s strong and faithful support as we charted our way forward. I have been amazed at all he has accomplished as he has led the GM Church.”

During Boyette’s tenure as chairman, Good News convened a meeting of leading laity and clergy leaders in the summer of 2016, shortly after the close of yet another UM Church General Conference filled with disruptive protests and bitter debate. An open breach in the denomination was averted with the decision to create a special commission tasked with finding a way to keep the deeply divided Church united or face the necessity of separation. In the light of the special commission, the leading laity and clergy leaders facilitated the creation of the Wesleyan Covenant Association, an organization dedicated to assisting theologically conservative local churches prepare for whatever lay ahead.

“We sensed many United Methodists were looking for an organization like the WCA,” said the Rev. Dr. Jeff Greenway, lead pastor of Reynoldsburg Community Church (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) and the president pro tem of the GM Church’s Allegheny West Provisional Annual Conference. “But we were overwhelmed by the response when we invited laity and clergy to our first gathering in Chicago, Illinois , in the fall of 2016. I was elected to serve as the chairman of the WCA’s Global Council, and it quickly became apparent we needed to hire a full-time leader sooner than we anticipated. One of the best decisions the WCA’s Global Council made was to hire Keith Boyette as its first president.”

With executive assistant Ms. Teresa Marcus, a co-worker and lay leader at Wilderness Community Church, Boyette plunged into organizing the WCA movement in the spring of 2017. In just over 30 months, the organization chartered over 40 regional chapters, had thousands of dues paying members around the world, held three global gatherings, and convened two WCA legislative assemblies as the organization prepared for whatever might happen at the UM Church’s 2019 special General Conference.

To the surprise of many UM Church leaders the special General Conference rejected the Council of Bishop’s favored plan for resolving the bitter conflict confronting the denomination. It instead reaffirmed the Church’s biblically rooted teachings on marriage and its ordination standards. Some UM bishops and leading clergy castigated the will of their own General Conference , but over time they realized any reasonable way forward would require negotiating with theologically conservative leaders to find an amicable, fair, and orderly way to divide the denomination.

By early fall of 2019, Boyette and Indiana State Senator Patricia Miller, president of the Confessing Movement, were appointed to serve as members of a mediation team alongside UM centrists, progressives, and leading bishops. With world renown attorney Kenneth Feinberg as their mediator, the 16-member mediation team hammered out the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation , a plan to divide the UM Church that the team outlined on January 3, 2020. As president of the WCA and still a practicing attorney, Boyette figured prominently in the negotiations, and joined with UM bishops and centrist and progressive leaders in endorsing the plans passage at the impending May 2020 General Conference.

United Methodist were at first taken aback by the Protocol , having never heard any of its bishops acknowledge that an amicable separation of the UM Church was the necessary and honorable way forward . However, within weeks the plan of separation was met with relief and acceptance. By late January 2020, when many General Conference delegates met in Nashville, Tennessee, for pre-conference information sessions, it was widely believed the Protocol would pass in May, initiating the division of the denomination.

Necessarily, the Covid-19 pandemic forced the postponement of the 2020 General Conference. However, the UM Church’s Commission on General Conference also decided to postpone it in 2021, again in 2022, and then ultimately decided to put it off until 2024, long after large gatherings resumed for other Christian denominations, international non-profit organizations, and major sporting events.

“I am convinced the passage of the Protocol would have spared many UM local churches, annual conferences, and the whole denomination a great deal of grief and heartache,” said Boyette. “Unfortunately, the UM Church proved either unable or unwilling to hold a timely General Conference so delegates could have debated and voted on it. I am confident it would have been approved, since it had the endorsement of leading bishops, centrists, progressives, and traditionalists.”

After the repeated postponements, both the WCA Global Council and the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council believed the time had come – with or without the passage of the Protocol – to launch the Global Methodist Church on May 1, 2022 .

“Keith negotiated for the Protocol in good faith, and then, despite the lack of General Conference action, he made every effort to navigate the separation of the UM Church in the spirit of its amicable and fair terms,” said the Rev. Dr. Carolyn Moore, the WCA’s chairwoman at the time, and the lead pastor at Mosaic Church in Evans, Georgia. “It has been a privilege to work alongside him over the past several years. I am thankful for his leadership, dedication, and faithfulness to God’s call on his life.”

In retirement, Boyette says he and his wife, an educator who retired three years ago, plan to enjoy visiting their growing family, traveling to new destinations and old ones, and of course attending and participating in the life of Wilderness Community Church, now a local GM Church congregation.

“When I accepted the position with the WCA and then the GMC, I never imagined I’d still be serving in 2024,” said Boyette. “Yet what a great privilege it has been to work alongside so many faithful laypeople and clergy who have worked so hard and risked so much to launch a new Church dedicated to the life-giving Gospel of Jesus Christ. I will continue to fervently pray for, support, and serve in the Global Methodist Church, right alongside all my sisters and brothers in the faith.”

The GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council has formed a search committee for a new position with the title, connectional operations office. It intends to post the position with a job description in the coming days.

“The new position will include aspects of the office Keith filled,” said Nicklas. “but I think the differences will be greater than the similarities. Our times demanded a position with a great deal of power and the latitude to exercise it. The GM Church was blessed to have a humble and faithful servant like Keith to fill that critical role.”

For media inquiries, please send a request to media@globalmethodist.org . You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Boyette Announces Retirement first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Constitution for the Global Methodist Church Recommended to Convening General Conference

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 09:30:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

This past Monday, the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council voted to propose a constitution to the denomination’s convening General Conference , scheduled to meet in San Jose, Costa Rica, September 20-26, 2024.

The proposed constitution includes a preamble, a section that address the GM Church’s foundational principles, a section that addresses its organizational structure, and a final section that includes a historical restrictive rule and the manner for amending the document.

Approximately 350 delegates will receive the proposed constitution prior to the GM Church’s convening General Conference. The duly elected delegates from around the world will serve as the final arbiters regarding its order and contents. Their approved version will be included in the GM Church’s Book of Doctrines and Discipline .

During its transitional season, the GM Church has functioned without a constitution. Its transitional leaders believed only a convening General Conference composed of duly elected delegates would have the right to approve such a document, ensuring its legitimacy so that the Church’s members would embrace it and abide by it.

“We want to be clear, the TLC is proposing a constitution for the Church, not imposing one upon it,” said Cara Nicklas, the chairwoman of the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council. “Since the General Conference delegates will have much to accomplish in a short amount of time, the Council believed it was important to provide them with a base document well before they arrive in Costa Rica. With the release of the proposed constitution, General Conference delegates, along with all GM Church members, will now have time to review, consider, and debate what we have proposed.”

Key aspects of the constitution include stating that the GM Church’s doctrinal foundations are rooted in Scripture, the Christian faith’s historic creeds, and Wesleyan teachings and traditions. The document also makes clear the GM Church is a denomination for all people since “all persons are made in God’s image and of sacred worth.” People who repent of their sins, profess faith in Jesus Christ, are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit, and demonstrate a sincere desire to live a holy life are to be joyfully received as members of the denomination’s local churches.

In three succinct articles in section three, the proposed constitution also sets forth a conferencing organizational structure that is familiar to almost all Methodist denominations. It includes a General Conference with “full legislative power over all matters that are distinctly connectional.” It also notes that “annual conferences shall be formed for the purpose of connecting clergy and laity for shared ministry and accountability.” And with General Conference approval it allows for the potential formation of regional conferences. Regional conferences are not mandated and “have no authority to supersede or undermine the decisions of the General Conference.”

“A church constitution has far more to do with our responsibility to God and to one another, than in asserting individual rights,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s chief connectional officer. “In our constitution we remind ourselves we are God’s people, and we are called to fulfill his will in the world. How we go about doing that is very important, and I think our founder John Wesley, summed it well: ‘We are to watch over one another in love’ as we live as the body of Christ in the world.”

Like most Methodist denominations the proposed constitution makes room for bishops who are “entrusted to . . . provide spiritual leadership to the Church . . . and guard the faith, order, unity, liturgy, doctrine, and discipline of the church.” The responsibilities and duties of bishops will be spelled out in another part of the Church’s Book of Doctrines and Discipline . TLC leaders are confident the General Conference delegates will adopt term limits for episcopal leaders and make clear the office is not a lifetime appointment.

“We were blessed with laity and clergy who are experts in law and church history; they helped guide us in drafting and reviewing the proposed constitution,” said Nicklas. “We all expect the document will receive a good deal of discussion and debate over the next several months and at the convening General Conference. We are confident the delegates will modify it; that is as it should be. We offer it to help the GM Church grow and flourish as a healthy branch of the universal church.”

The proposed constitution can be read in approximately 20 minutes. The Transitional Leadership Council encourages Global Methodist Church members to read it alongside part one of the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline and the Church’s “ A Catechism of the Christian Faith and Doctrine in the Wesleyan Tradition .” The Catechism in a booklet format can be ordered from Seedbed Publishing.

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Constitution for the Global Methodist Church Recommended to Convening General Conference first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

GM Church General Conference Delegates Allocated to Provisional Annual Conferences and Districts

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 09:00:00 GMT

By Dianne Burnett

A second allocation of delegates will be announced shortly after June 1, 2024, to ensure fair representation for new provisional annual conferences or districts that join the GM Church between March and June.

“This was a daunting task, so I am very thankful for my sisters and brothers who faithfully and fairly worked together to address it,” said the Rev. Mike Grant, a member of the GM Church’s Transitional Commission on the Convening Conference and the chairman of its Credentialing Committee. “Even though local churches are joining the GMC on almost a weekly basis we knew we’d eventually have to choose a date and apply the formula we created for allocating delegates. But we wanted to wait as long as we could, so we could allocate them as fairly as possible. We hope that making another allocation of approximately 100 more delegates, will create room for those regions still seeking to join the GM Church and attending its convening General Conference.”

Not surprisingly, over 90 percent of the 260 delegates that were allocated in the first wave went to provisional annual conferences and districts in the U.S. Over the past five years local churches in the U.S. were allowed to exercise a provision in the The United Methodist Church’s Book of Discipline , allowing them to disaffiliate from the denomination . Thousands have since joined the GM Church and have worked together to organize 17 provisional annual conferences and three provisional districts in the country.

However, United Methodist local churches in the rest of the world were denied the opportunity to exercise the same provision. Many of them are petitioning the UM Church’s impending General Conference (Charlotte, North Carolina, April 23 – May 3, 2024) for the right to exit the denomination so they too can join the GM Church. Still, 245 local churches in Africa, Europe, and the Philippines have already managed to join the GM Church despite major obstacles to doing so.

“I am sure people all across the GM Church are thankful for the hard work that is being done by dedicated clergy and lay volunteers,” said Cara Nicklas, chairwoman of the Transitional Leadership Council. “These allocations will allow our provisional annual conferences and districts to schedule elections, which will in turn allow duly elected delegates to begin preparing for our convening General Conference.”

According to the formula, every provisional annual conference or district is entitled to at least two delegates, one lay person and one clergy member. Others received delegates based on the number of local churches and full-time equivalent clergy members in their conferences or districts. The Allegheny West Provisional Annual Conference, covering the state of Ohio and the western area of Pennsylvania, was allocated 32 delegates, making it the largest delegation thus far. It is followed by the Trinity Provisional Annual Conference (composed of local churches in Arkansas, Louisiana, and the eastern region of Texas) which was allocated 26, and the North Carolina Provisional Annual Conference which received 24.

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Dianne Burnett is the Global Methodist Church’s Executive Director of Communications.

The post GM Church General Conference Delegates Allocated to Provisional Annual Conferences and Districts first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Critical Document Released for the GM Church’s Convening General Conference

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 09:30:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton

Global Methodists are eagerly anticipating the upcoming General Conference with feelings of joy and gratitude, yet also a hint of apprehension. The main reason many of them left The United Methodist Church stemmed from the increasing bitter debates and the disruptive protests that occurred at its General Conferences, and ultimately the unwillingness or inability of denominational leaders to follow the will of its quadrennial gatherings.

“We are keenly aware how important it is that our convening General Conference be orderly, efficient, and above all, God honoring,” said the Rev. Beth Ann Cook, the chairwoman of the GM Church’s Transitional Commission on the Convening General Conference. “Those important aspects of the conference do not just happen, they require detailed planning and the willingness of delegates, presiding officers, and observers to adhere to a covenant grounded in Christian ethics and principles.”

Given the transitional nature of the Church and the essential matters that must be approved at its initial gathering, organizers are preparing a limited agenda as delegates gather in San Jose, Costa Rica, September 20-26, 2024. High on the list of priorities are ample time for worship, the adoption of a constitution, deliberation over critical legislation, and special times for thanks and praise. While many leaders believe the General Conferences will eventually occur every six years (the decision will be in the hands of duly elected delegates to the convening Conference), they also think the nascent Church will require a special follow-up General Conference in 2026.

“Even a cursory review of the plan of organization and the covenants will help GM Church members understand how much work and preparation has been done for our convening General Conference,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the denomination’s transitional connectional officer. “The plan and covenants are for all members of the GM Church; they explain things like what petitions will be prioritized at the initial gathering based on its limited agenda. The plan carefully spells out which paragraphs in the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline will be open for amending.”

The document further identifies the administrative and legislative committees of the Conference, outlining their duties and responsibilities. To work as efficiently as possible while in Costa Rica, organizers are facilitating pre-Conference virtual meetings of its various committees. At these meetings committee members will elect their officers and begin work related to the petitions and topics assigned to them.

“The nuts-and-bolts of planning a major conference doesn’t necessarily warm our hearts,” said John Lomperis, the convening General Conference’s business manager, “But whether we’re attending a small committee meeting in our local church or a major gathering like General Conference, we can all tell the difference between a well-organized meeting and one going off the rails. Plans and covenants are developed so we wisely use our financial resources, honor everyone’s time, and most importantly, organize the Church so it can most effectively fulfill its mission to make a disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.”

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The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Critical Document Released for the GM Church’s Convening General Conference first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Korean-American Provisional Annual Conference a First for the Global Methodist Church

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 09:10:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton

Earlier this month, the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council authorized the launch of its first non-geographical conference, the Korean-American Provisional Annual Conference. It is set to hold its first official gathering May 6-9, 2024, in Dallas, Texas.

A coalition of Korean American clergy and lay leaders collaborated over the past year to establish the historic provisional annual conference. The group, like others before them, first created a transitional conference advisory team to facilitate the formation process. However, a unique aspect of this advisory team was its focus on exploring the feasibility of a conference organized along ethnic rather than geographical lines. This approach aimed to address the language and cultural needs of the Korean American members. To ensure a diverse representation to oversee the initiative, the advisory team was comprised of men and women from various regions across the United States.

“When we started this journey, we knew there would be questions and challenges,” said the Rev. Kevin Ryoo, the new conference’s chief connectional officer. “Why a conference based on ethnicity? How will local churches thousands of miles apart unite together? And what’s the future for such an entity? Korean American Methodists have actually thought long and hard about these questions well before joining the GM Church.”

Ryoo and the Rev. Dr. Han Seung Koh, the new conference’s president pro tem , explained the biggest drivers for an ethnically based conference were language and cultural issues. Korean clergy and laity, almost all former United Methodists, believed the UM Church’s conference system diminished their influence. While there were over 250 Korean American local churches in the UM Church in 2020, they were scattered around approximately 50 annual conferences. Consequently, they were few in number in any given annual conference and the language barrier only contributed to their sense of isolation. Various attempts were made to address their concerns such as the proposed Korean American Missionary Conference, but it failed to gain approval at the UMC’s 1996 General Conference.

Korean American leaders believe that establishing a dedicated annual conference for their ever-growing community, will strengthen their bonds with one another while fostering closer connections and shared experiences. Leaders hope to amplify their collective voice to allow for greater influence in the GM Church. When the Korean American Provisional Annual Conference gathers in Dallas for its convening annual conference, Ryoo and Koh believe it will embody around 50 local GM churches as member congregations and they anticipate the number will climb to approximately 150 by 2029.

“We are very invested in planting and multiplying local churches,” said Ryoo. “Our community has a strong record of planting and nurturing local churches that grow spiritually and numerically. As we work together and build connection among our existing congregations, we see great opportunities to plant new churches in places like Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia.”

Koh added, “The Korean-American PAC does not exist solely as a network for Korean American churches. We fully intend to work with our GM Church brothers and sisters inside and outside of the KAPAC. I am confident we will sow seeds of hope for the future, and become a conduit of God’s grace, sharing the joy of fulfilling the GM Church’s mission among people all around the world.”

Bishop Mark Webb, who presides over the Korean-American Provisional Annual Conference in addition to other conferences, said, “Our Korean brothers and sisters are widely known for their strong emphasis on prayer. They’ve challenged all of us to go deeper in our prayer lives during the formation of the GM Church. Now, they’re pushing us to think outside the box as they try to find a better way to help the Church fulfill its mission. I am blessed and humbled to be part of it, and look forward to its convening conference and all that will follow in its wake.”

According to a paper by GM Church Bishop Emeritus Young Jin Cho (“The Next Methodism and Korean American Methodists”), Korean American Methodism traces its beginning to the migration of 102 Korean men, women, and children to Hawaii, shortly after the islands became a U.S. territory in 1900. The Koreans worked on sugar plantations, and were followed by over 8,000 more migrants in 1905. Nearly 40 “worship stations” were planted across the islands near the plantations where the people worked. Eventually, some of the workers moved to the U.S. mainland, and took their strong faith with them, planting churches in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco. By the mid 1970s, nearly 30,000 Koreans were immigrating to the U.S. every year. They contributed to the growth of Korean American Methodist local churches, particularly in large metropolitan areas across the country.

“As Bishop Cho explains in his paper, we Korean American Methodists are a persevering people,” said Ryoo. “We’ve suffered through persecutions in our homeland and here in the U.S., but our fidelity to scriptural Christianity, our vital worship services, and our passion for missions, which are all undergirded by powerful prayer ministries, have led to our flourishing.”

Korean American local churches and pastors that have already joined a GM Church geographical conference can transfer to the Korean American Provisional Annual Conference by sending a letter to their current president pro tem notifying them of their intent to make the move.

Koh, the senior pastor at the Vine Church of New Jersey (Englewood), will continue his leadership there while serving as the president pro tem of the Korean American Provisional Annual Conference. He and his wife Ellen have two children.

Ryoo, currently based in Atlanta, Georgia, will serve full-time as the Korean American Provisional Annual Conference’s chief connectional officer. He and his wife Misook have two adult children.

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The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Korean-American Provisional Annual Conference a First for the Global Methodist Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

An Ash Wednesday Invitation: Examining Our Desire Toward God

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 09:30:00 GMT

By Bishop Mark J. Webb

In Matthew 19 we read of the encounter between Jesus and a wealthy young man. The young man approached Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” That young man had a desire to be in a relationship with his God and to know fully the promises offered by Him. This desire led him on a search. A search he thought was about what he had to do. The Lord would quickly reveal the search was about something more.

Jesus responded with a question that literally shook the foundation of that young man’s search. “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good – if you wish to enter into eternal life, keep the commandments.”

The search was still on, but now with a new direction. The young man knew the commandments. He was willing to keep them if that was what it took to have his desire for God fulfilled. “Which Ones?” he replied. Tell me what I must do. Tell me what commandments I must keep and perform. I’ll do it!

We know the response of Jesus. “You shall not commit murder, or adultery, you shall not steal or bear false witness. You shall honor your father and mother and love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man had kept all that Jesus had spoken about. He was a good person with high morals. But could that be it? Could his search for eternal life and right relationship with God be met simply through doing the right things and obeying the law?

It is interesting that after Jesus talks about the commandments and after the young man acknowledges keeping them, he still has a question: “What am I still lacking?” In Matthew’s record of this conversation, Jesus did not say he was lacking anything. The young man in his search somehow knew there was something else. He desired a change. He was searching for a change. But when the opportunity for change came, he was not ready or prepared for its reality. We are told that after Jesus told him what he yet needed, the young man went away with a heavy heart. He was unable to continue his search for a deeper relationship with God and the assurance of God’s promises. What did Jesus say to that young man?

Jesus said, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven, and come, follow Me!

Ash Wednesday and the whole of the Lenten season gives us a great opportunity to examine our desire towards God. To refocus and refine that desire we were created with and for. A desire to know the grace, truth, and nature of God more completely. A desire to experience the fullness of life in Christ.

Too often we come just like that young man who came to Jesus. We want to know what good thing we can or must do? Jesus says keep the commandments. We say we’ve done that, what else? Jesus says, sell your possessions, give to the poor and follow me. Jesus is asking us to offer everything we have. In the response that Jesus made to the young man and to us Jesus reminds us of the greatest commandment. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent is a time for us to remember that our desire for God takes us to that place where we lay down everything that is about us so that we can receive and extend everything that is Jesus Christ.

When I was a kid, it seemed it was only the Roman Catholics that walked around with the black smudges on their foreheads. Thankfully, the receiving of ashes on Ash Wednesday has made it into the wider church, including ours, and it’s a powerful symbol of our desire and God’s promise.

I have used the following over the years but cannot name the source where I first read it:

“The receiving of ashes begins with a capital I placed upon our foreheads. It represents who we are – our strengths and our weaknesses. It represents the good things we do, the ways in which we keep God’s commandments. It also represents the not so good things we do and the times we fail to keep God’s commandments. The capital I represents that God has created and is calling each of us, individually into a relationship with Him; it also represents that standing alone, because of sin, we are separated from God.

The receiving of ashes doesn’t end with a capital I, but rather ends with a horizontal stroke that wipes out and covers up the I. The stroke reminds us of the loving arms of Christ stretched out on the cross so we can be welcomed home, receive the promises offered and know the fullness of God in the way we truly desire.”

Jesus called that young man who was searching for a lifestyle of repentance, denial and laying down of self, so that Christ could become all in all in his life. That same call is given to us.

Our desire to be closer to God is impossible through the things we can do. The I is not enough. Because of God’s gift of Jesus, the I is covered, the cross becomes a reality in our lives, and the impossible becomes very possible. Too often in our desire for God, in our desire to grow in our relationship with God, we become too dependent upon the I. The rich young man found that the promises of God would not be realized through what he could do, but rather by giving everything he had to Jesus and allowing Jesus to do what He desired and promised in his life.

This Ash Wednesday, allow your desire for God to take you to the place of total surrender. Lent is a time of reflection and self-denial; it is a time to give something up. Respectfully, I don’t think God is impressed by our temporary refrain from chocolate, or the other things we deem as Lenten sacrifices; He’s concerned with what’s going on in our hearts. That’s what the prophet Joel was speaking about when he said: “Don’t tear your clothing in your grief; instead tear your hearts.” Our desire for God will be fully realized and satisfied when we respond to God’s desire for us to fully surrender everything to Him.

When I served as a pastor in the local church, I used these words in the imposition of ashes: “Repent and believe that you are loved and covered by the grace of God.” During this season of Lent, let us be people of repentance, people who turn fully toward God because He turned toward us first. Let us be people who offer our lives to the whole work and promise of God’s pursuing, convincing, justifying, and sanctifying grace. If we will be people who approach our God with torn hearts, He will heal us and make us new. We will be people transformed by God, living in such a way that reflects the identity and holiness of God. It will be then that God will use us in ways we cannot imagine so that others may meet their deepest desire and know the love and life only found in Jesus.

Every year, I read “An Invitation to a Holy Lent” from the Book of Common Prayer. I invite you to join me in reading those words. More importantly, I invite you to join me in living the words, allowing God to meet our deepest desire.

“I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word. And, to make a right beginning of repentance, as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer.”

Bishop Mark J. Webb is an episcopal leader in the Global Methodist Church.

The post An Ash Wednesday Invitation: Examining Our Desire Toward God first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Dianne Burnett to serve as GM Church’s First Director of Communications

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 09:35:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

“I am incredibly humbled and filled with excitement as I prepare to join the remarkable team at The Global Methodist Church,” said Dianne Burnett, the GM Church’s recently hired Executive Director of Communications. “I eagerly anticipate witnessing the amazing things that will unfold for God’s glory through our denomination.”

For the past nine years, Burnett worked for Grace Health System in Lubbock, Texas, serving in a variety of roles including Director of Marketing and Communications. She developed their marketing and communications department before transitioning to an operations position where she continued to oversee those efforts in addition to other responsibilities. She received a bachelor’s degree in communications from Texas Tech University (Lubbock) and a master’s degree in business administration from West Texas A & M University (Canyon).

“Nearly 40 people applied for the Executive Director of Communications position, many with stellar qualifications,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Chief Connectional Officer. “Dianne’s educational background and work experience impressed us, but even more than that it was how warmly and enthusiastically her colleagues commended her to us. They spoke to her strong work-ethic, her creativity, and her candor. In her interviews, we appreciated her combination of confidence, curiosity, and passion for connecting with people. The role she is assuming is filled with major challenges, but we all sensed her faith and enthusiasm will help her rise to the occasion!”

As the GM Church’s first Executive Director of Communications, Burnett is charged with developing its communications strategy so it can share its mission with people around the world. As a key member of its leadership team, she will play a pivotal role in helping the church grow and flourish.

A native of Texas, Burnett lives in Lubbock with her husband Keagan, and their two daughters Hadley (9) and Merrytt (6). They attend Aldersgate Church, a GMC congregation in Lubbock, where Burnett serves as a worship co-leader, service leader, and volunteers with the prayer and kids ministry team.

“Methodist churches have played a significant role in shaping my life since I was a young girl,” said Burnett. “And I believe the guiding hand of the Lord has led me to serve His kingdom through this special movement; it is a blessing beyond what I could have ever imagined or asked for in my prayers.”

Burnett assumed her duties on January 30, 2024.

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Dianne Burnett to serve as GM Church’s First Director of Communications first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

GM Church Hires John Lomperis to Serve as General Conference Business Manager

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 09:30:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

The Rev. Keith Boyette, the Global Methodist Church’s Chief Connectional Officer, has announced that John Lomperis has been hired to serve as the GM Church’s General Conference Business Manager. The church is scheduled to hold its convening General Conference in San Jose, Costa Rica, September 20 – 26, 2024 .

“It is an honor to come alongside all the clergy and lay members of the Transitional Commission on the Convening General Conference who are working so faithfully and diligently to plan the GM Church’s initial gathering,” said Lomperis. “I am thrilled to devote myself to the amazing work God is doing in and through our dramatically growing church.”

Lomperis, an event organizer in Methodist circles and a delegate to multiple United Methodist Church General Conferences, will be tasked with executing and managing the logistical details for the GM Church’s convening gathering. He has planned and organized events in multiple countries for diverse audiences.

After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Chicago, Lomperis went on to Harvard Divinity School (Cambridge, Massachusetts), where he graduated with a Master of Divinity degree. He is widely known for his work at the Institute on Religion and Democracy where he has served as the UM Action Program Director.

“John is one of the most detail-oriented people I know,” said the Rev. Beth Ann Cook, Chairwoman of the Transitional Commission on the Convening General Conference and Pastor-in-Charge at St. Paul’s Methodist Church in Poseyville, Indiana. “He is committed to seeing the the church use its resources as wisely as possible for the sake of its greater mission. I am confident he is the person we need to serve as our General Conference Business Manager.”

Based in Newberg, Oregon, Lomperis and his wife are raising three children, ages 8, 6, and 4.

“This is a daunting challenge. We’re a denomination in transition, working with a short timeline, and limited resources,” said Lomperis, “But the enthusiasm and excitement to move forward is inspiring. I covet prayers for myself and all those involved in planning the GM Church’s convening General Conference. I am praying God will fill us with the power of his Holy Spirit as we gather to discern the future he has for the Global Methodist Church.”

Lomperis will assume his position on February 16, 2024.

Subscribe to Crossroads to learn more about the Global Methodist Church and to stay abreast of developments regarding its convening General Conference.

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post GM Church Hires John Lomperis to Serve as General Conference Business Manager first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Making Room for Delegates and Others at the Global Methodist Church’s Convening General Conference

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 09:30:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton

“It might seem odd that we cannot precisely say how many delegates will be at the convening General Conference,” said Cara Nicklas, the council’s chairwoman. “But as a church in transition, with local churches from all parts of the globe joining us every week, we have to show as much flexibility as we can, for as long as we can. Wherever there are Global Methodist local churches in the world, we want them to be represented at our initial gathering. The formula we have adopted allows us to make room for up to 26 additional delegates; it’s also possible we could have two dozen less than 350.”

Nicklas explained that the total range of delegates was arrived at by using a formula recommended by the Credentialing Committee of the Transitional Commission on the General Conference. The 22-member commission, composed of clergy and laity, is charged with developing all the plans for the GM Church’s convening General Conference. It is divided into various committees tasked with discrete responsibilities.

“Data points are moving targets at this juncture,” said the Rev. Mike Grant, chair of the Credentialing Committee and senior pastor at Christ Church in Louisville, Ohio. “The committee decided to allocate delegates based on the number of local churches and the number of persons serving in appointed or assigned pastoral ministry in those churches. During this transitional season, we think it is fair to base our allocation of delegates on these verifiable statistics.”

Presently, 4,495 local churches and 4,504 pastors have joined the GM Church with more joining the Church each week. For now, most of them are organized into over two dozen regional bodies around the world.

“In addition to critical points like the total number of delegates and a fair system for allocating them across the GM Church, we had to factor in more mundane things,” said the Rev. Beth Ann Cook, the commission’s chairwoman and the Pastor at St. Paul’s Methodist Church in Poseyville, Indiana. “We had to think about seating capacity at the convention center in San Jose, Costa Rica, and the expense of travel, housing, and feeding several hundred delegates for a week. In the end, the formula we devised will allow approximately 350 delegates to represent Global Methodists from around the world. We think we have a plan that is fair when it comes to representation and one that is mindful of the GM Church’s financial resources.”

In the coming weeks, plans regarding hotels and seating for observers at the conference will be shared. Hotel contracts to reserve rooms for delegates, church staff, translators, and logistics and operations personnel have been secured. A central reservation system will be deployed with favorable pricing on both lodging and airfare.

Seating capacity at the San Jose Convention Center will only allow for a restricted number of seats for observers at the convening General Conference’s daily sessions. Organizers are strongly encouraging people who want to attend as observers to wait until they can share more definitive information on the daily number of seats available for them.

“While San Jose is Costa Rica’s largest city, and it boasts a wonderful convention center we have realized that we probably won’t have enough room for all who would like to attend,” said Cook. “Because of the historic nature of this conference and the excitement in the Global Methodist Church, I’ve heard many people say, ‘I want to come to San Jose even if I’m not a delegate.’ I’d hate to see people spend money on travel and hotel rooms, only to discover when they arrived, that there was no seating for them to observe the conference. We’re working hard to determine how much extra capacity we’ll have, and we’ll share that information as soon as possible. We will also be releasing information on volunteer opportunities. I suspect we’ll also have more people who want to volunteer than volunteer spaces.”

GM Church delegates to the conference will come from provisional annual conferences in Bulgaria, the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya-Ethiopia, the Philippines, Slovakia, Spain, South Africa, and the United States. And the Church continues to register in other countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas with the hope that other delegates from these areas will be able to participate in the GM Church’s convening General Conference.

“Determining how many delegates should attend the convening General Conference, and how to allocate them was a very challenging task,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Chief Connectional Officer. “Hats off to the Commission on the General Conference, and especially to the Credentialing Committee members for their steadfast and faithful work.”

Subscribe to Crossroads to learn more about the Global Methodist Church and to stay abreast of developments regarding its convening General Conference.

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Making Room for Delegates and Others at the Global Methodist Church’s Convening General Conference first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Plans for GMC’s Convening General Conference Gather Pace in New Year

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 09:30:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton

Ballinger, a pastor in Indiana, is also co-leader of the Prayer Committee of the Transitional Commission on the Convening General Conference. She is just one of many people preparing for the Global Methodist Church’s initial gathering in San Jose, Costa Rica, September 20-26, 2024 . Organizers, who have already completed a number of tasks on a long checklist, said prayer is essential and foundational to their work and they joyfully receive every intercession made on their behalf.

Even though the GM Church already has 4,407 local churches and over two dozen provisional annual conferences and districts around the world, it is still a denomination very much in transition. Church leaders believe there are thousands of local United Methodist congregations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas hoping to join it before its convening General Conference. How to integrate these local churches and the provisional annual conferences and districts they are likely to form in the coming months pose significant challenges to the convening conference’s organizers.

“It is a wonderful challenge to have, but it’s still very much a challenge,” said the Rev. Beth Ann Cook, Chairwoman of the Transitional Commission on the Convening General Conference. “We have two compelling and some what competing tasks before us. For those of us who are already members of the church we are eager to advance its mission at its first gathering, and yet we also want to make sure we leave room at the table so we can include the voices of those who are still trying to join us.”

Former United Methodist congregations account for the vast majority of GM local churches, and 80 to 90 percent of them are located in the United States. The people in these churches availed themselves of a provision in the UM Church’s Book of Discipline that allowed them to vote to disaffiliate from the church. However, congregations in Africa, Europe, and the Philippines were not afforded this opportunity. GM Church leaders are aware of local UM churches in these geographical areas that are in process of exiting the latter and joining the former. They also believe many more would like to do so but are still searching for an orderly way to make the transition.

Since March of 2020, a body known as the Transitional Leadership Council (TLC) has been responsible for the GM Church’s formation and it has led the nascent denomination since its official launch on May 1, 2022. Originally intended as a temporary, transitional body on the heels of the UM Church’s 2020 General Conference, where many people believed the UM Church would approve an amicable and orderly separation, the Covid-19 pandemic and three postponements of that General Conference kept the GM Church’s TLC functioning far longer than its members anticipated.

Early last year the council created and then tasked the commission Cook leads to plan the GM Church’s convening General Conference. She notes that the commission is composed entirely of laity and clergy who are serving as volunteers while they simultaneously holding down day jobs. The GM Church will announce soon the hiring of a full-time business manager to help execute many of the logistical plans for the conference.

“All the commission members are very excited and honored to play a role in helping organize the church’s first General Conference,” she said. “But they’re increasingly aware of the temptation to try to do too much at our initial gathering. Generally speaking, we’ve come to some consensus around critical things we want to accomplish: First, we want to engage in reverent and joyful worship giving God thanks and praise for bringing us to this point. Second, we want to attend closely to the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline , amending it so it becomes the GM Church’s Book of Doctrines and Discipline . It must be a book that clearly states who we are, what our mission is, and how we intend to accomplish it, and it must receive the imprimatur of our duly elected lay and clergy delegates. And finally, we plan to adopt a constitution that guards our life-giving confessions of faith rooted in Scripture and the traditions of the church catholic and brings God honoring order to the church and protects her people.”

GM Church leaders believe the delegates will move to hold General Conferences every six years. However, given that many local churches in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe will continue to join the denomination in 2024 and 2025, and that initial organizational work will remain, it is expected that the delegates will approve the convening of a second General Conference in 2026. It will then begin its six-year cycle by meeting in 2032.

“Planning a convening General Conference that is God honoring and that is as fair and gracious as possible to those who are already GMC members and to those yet to join is an awesome responsibility,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Transitional Connectional Officer. “I pray the Lord will pour out his Holy Spirit on us, making us a humble, patient, and grace-filled people as we take this step into the future he has for us.”

Between General Conferences, the denomination will be led by its bishops, and it is anticipated a duly elected body of clergy and lay people will serve on a Connectional Council. The latter will replace the Transitional Leadership Council.

“While it has been a great privilege to serve on the council, I think I’m speaking for all its members when I say, ‘We’re more than ready to pass the baton to a permanent body elected by the delegates to the convening General Conference,’” said Cara Nicklas, the TLC’s Chairwoman. “Our fervent prayers are with the commission planning the conference, with the annual conferences and districts who will elect delegates, and with our bishops who will preside at our conference sessions. I am confident it will be a time of great thanksgiving and praise.”

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Plans for GMC’s Convening General Conference Gather Pace in New Year first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

GM Church Reveals General Conference Theme

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 09:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

“It is a line taken from Jesus’ great prayer in the Gospel of John, chapter 17,” said Mike Sims, founder and principal of the Winsome Company, a marketing and consulting firm that assisted in developing the theme. “Beginning with the conjunction, ‘so,’ makes the theme a flexible phrase for applying the Gospel message on a worldwide scale: So the world will know . . . God’s love. So the world will know . . . salvation in Christ. So the world will know . . . grace and forgiveness , and so forth. It is an all-encompassing call for Global Methodists to share Christ in a unified witness to the world.”

Launched on May 1, 2022, with just 24 congregations in Bulgaria, the Global Methodist Church now has 4,336 local churches world-wide. Its convening General Conference will be held in San Jose, Costa Rica, September 20 – 26, 2024. The Transitional Leadership Council appointed 22 clergy and laity to serve on the Transitional Commission on the General Conference to develop all the plans for its critical first gathering, including recommending the Conference’s theme.

“We entertained numerous ideas before we landed on So the World Will Know ,” said the Rev. Beth Ann Cook, the Commission’s chairwoman and the Lead Pastor at St. Paul’s Methodist Church in Poseyville, Indiana. “Selecting a theme sounds easy, but when you stop and think how important it is to choose one that reflects our Church’s aspirations, you realize how critical it is to slow down, to pray, to meditate on Scripture, and carefully discern the Holy Spirit’s leading. I am very thankful the Commission members and our consultant were committed to that process.”

A theme is just one of a myriad number of decisions the Commission is tasked with making. It is also charged with making recommendations for the Conference’s daily agenda, collecting and collating petitions for consideration, determining the number of delegates that will attend the gathering, and making sure translation resources are available so all the delegates can fully participate in its deliberations.

“Our theme will begin appearing in English, French, Korean, Spanish, and Swahili, so GMC members all around the world can become familiar with it,” said Cara Nicklas, the chairwoman of the Church’s Transitional Leadership Council. “It is an elegant, simple, and inspiring theme that I am confident will be embraced by the people of the Church. We are thankful for the prayers, and the time and effort the Commission and Winsome Company gave to developing the theme for convening General Conference.”

GM Church delegates to the conference will come from provisional annual conferences in Bulgaria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia-Kenya, the Philippines, Slovakia, Spain, South Africa, and the United States. And the Church continues to register in other countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas with the hope that other delegates from these areas will be able to participate in the GM Church’s convening General Conference.

Subscribe to Crossroads to learn more about the Global Methodist Church and to stay abreast of developments regarding its convening General Conference.

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post GM Church Reveals General Conference Theme first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Why Guidestone?

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 09:16:00 GMT

After careful review, the Global Methodist Church chose GuideStone Financial Resources (Dallas, Texas) as the denomination’s new retirement and insurance plan provider . GuideStone has been dedicated to providing and administering employee benefits for the Christian community since 1918. Their mission is to enhance the financial security of those who serve the Lord. GuideStone provides services to more than 200,000 members, 38,000 churches, and several hundred evangelical ministries.

We are excited about the services and solutions available to Global Methodist local churches, including:

The transition to Guidestone for the administration of retirement plans, health plans, and supplemental insurance services will be completed by July 1, 2024 . Until that date, Wespath will continue to administer Global Methodist Church retirement plans, health plans, and supplemental insurance services.

Our Benefits Team has provided a Frequently Asked Questions document. You are encouraged to consult the FAQs prior to contacting our Benefits Team. If after consulting the FAQs you have questions, email benefits@globalmethodist.org.

At the Global Methodist Church, we are determined to provide our churches with solutions that are intentionally designed to reflect our Christian values with support, guidance, and protection. We look forward to taking this next step together.

Blessings!

The post Why Guidestone? first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Local Global Methodist Churches Spring Up in the Desert Southwest

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 09:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

Taking root and growing in the desert is no easy task, but two new Global Methodist congregations are doing all they can to plant Global Methodist churches in Arizona and Nevada.

“No local church or conference sponsored us,” said the Rev. Gwen Mader, founding pastor of Gracepoint Church in Gilbert, Arizona. “The church began with just my husband Rod and me, and a little bit of cash we had saved as seed money. It is a work of faith.”

Gracepoint was recognized as a GM local church in May of 2023, and then spent several months preparing for its launch worship service which took place on Christmas Eve. It meets in a middle school cafeteria in Gilbert, a community just southeast of Phoenix.

Three hundred miles northwest of Gracepoint, the people of Journey Global Methodist Church meet on Sunday afternoons in southwest Las Vegas.

“When Shana Dobrowski from the The River Network [a GM Church partner in church planting and multiplying] suggested I start a church in Las Vegas, I laughed out loud,” said the Rev. Mark Maddox. “I told her I was too old to start a church. She told me I definitely was not! Well, God had the last laugh on that one!”

Maddox explained that not long after his conversation with Dobrowski, a few people connected with him via Facebook in early 2023 to explore the possibility of starting a local GM church. In April, 12 of them met together to consider how God might use them in their city, and shortly thereafter, they started worshipping in their homes twice a month. By June they were holding Sunday evening worship services in a non-denominational church. “God has blessed us,” said Maddox. “We had 50 people on Christmas Eve, and we believe God continues to move in our midst as we share the Gospel in Las Vegas.”

Both Mader and Maddox are elders in the GM Church with years of experience in ministry.

Mader, a former United Methodist pastor, was ordained in 2013 in the Dakotas Annual Conference, but her service in the church includes decades of lay ministry dating back to the mid-1970s. Among other opportunities, she served as a youth director while attending Scarritt College in Nashville, Tennessee, and at Church of the Resurrection (Leawood, Kansas) as its Director of Worship Ministries in its early formation. She explained it was while serving at the Church of the Resurrection that she began to sense God nudging her into ordained ministry and someday planting a church.

A native of Illinois, Maddox moved to Tucson, Arizona, in 2000 to assist a brother who was recovering from surgery. By 2005, he was pastoring a new UM church startup in the city that grew to 450 in worship. From there, he was appointed to serve a church in Las Vegas, but eventually decided to leave the denomination when it became clear it was heading for a break-up. He could no longer, in good conscience, remain in the UM Church. For a time, he worked as an executive pastor at an Assemblies of God congregation, but with the launch of the GM Church, he believed he should return to the Methodist fold.

The two pastors are quick to acknowledge church planting is not for everyone, especially those without a sponsoring congregation or denominational start-up funds.

“For those who are used to worshipping in a church sanctuary with pews, an organ, and maybe stained-glass windows, it’s not easy to walk into someone’s home or a school cafeteria for weekly worship,” said Mader. “But most find new friends and a warm welcome and feel right at home after they make that first step; then they wonder why they hesitated.”

Attendees at both church plants are a mix of former UM Church members and people from other denominations. Mader and Maddox, also note that most attendees have migrated to Arizona and Nevada from other states, either in the upper Midwest or from California, Oregon, and Washington.

Asked about being the church in Las Vegas, Maddox said, “First, it’s crazy! The city’s famous Strip is full of flash and glitz, and I am sure many tourist enjoy that. But for the people who live here and who visit us, well, they’ll find a congregation that loves God, that is willing to share God’s truth with love and grace, and that joyfully welcomes them to experience the new life in Jesus Christ that they know. They’ll appreciate people who are authentic and friendly.”

The Gracepoint and Journey congregations are part of the emerging Western States Provisional District of the GM Church. The district covers a vast geographical region, stretching from the Rocky Mountains to the West coast and Hawaii, and from Alaska to Arizona. With Ms. Katherine Cosner, a laywoman based in Bremerton, Washington, Maddox is co-leader of the Western States Transitional District Advisory Team, and Mader is one of its 25 team members. The group is very close to petitioning the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership for permission to launch the Provisional District on May 3, 2024.

“I know it’s stereotypical to describe Westerners as rugged, persevering people, but the stereotype fits Global Methodists in the West,” said GM Church Bishop Mark Webb. “They’re busy planting new churches, fervently praying for the Holy Spirit to liberate and revive others, and offering the Good News to people from all walks of life. The re-birth of a vital Methodist movement in the West will have its challenges, but our God delights in multiplying the faithful.”

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Local Global Methodist Churches Spring Up in the Desert Southwest first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

GMC Announces Relationship with GuideStone Financial Resources

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 15:51:00 GMT

Based in Dallas, Texas, GuideStone serves 14 Christian denominations. The Benefits Team and the TLC are confident GuideStone is an excellent fit with the values, lean structure, and business operations of the Global Methodist Church.

The GMC’s Benefits Team will launch a robust information campaign introducing the new benefits plans; it will include a FAQ that will answer many questions clergy, lay employees, and local churches will have about them. Until then, clergy, lay employees, and local churches are encouraged to refrain from making inquiries about the transition to the GMC’s Benefits Team and Wespath so that we can give our full attention to preparing the information campaign, and handling our daily workflow.

The GMC’s Benefits Team looks forward to introducing the new plans, and it appreciates the patience of all the people it serves.

The post GMC Announces Relationship with GuideStone Financial Resources first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Surrendering to God’s Purposes

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 09:00:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

Over my years of ministry, I have marked each new year by participating in Wesley’s Covenant Service. During the service, the congregation is invited to pray:

Lord, make me what you will.
I put myself fully into your hands:
put me to doing, put me to suffering,
let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you,
let me be full, let me be empty,
let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and with a willing heart
give it all to your pleasure and disposal.

Embracing the prayer is always a sobering experience for me. I do desire to be totally submitted to God’s plan, purpose, and will, but the juxtaposition in the prayer is stark. Am I really OK if I suffer, am laid aside, empty, and have nothing? Yet, I still pray the prayer with sincerity, authenticity, and transparency because I am not my own. My life is a gift from God. I belong unequivocally to Him. By God’s grace, I want to be totally surrendered to Him so that He can do with me as He pleases for His glory and the advance of His kingdom.

Over the years, I have found that it is not sufficient to just say the prayer at the new year. It has become part of my regular devotional life. It never loses its power. The prayer has had special meaning and significance to me since we launched the Global Methodist Church on May 1, 2022. I have been acutely aware that the work in which we are engaged does not belong to us and is not brought to fruition by us.

No one can doubt that the powerful hand of our God has been upon the GM Church. Who would have anticipated that as 2023 closed we would have received 4,281 churches with more than 700 additional congregations having applied and awaiting approval or that 4,400 clergy persons would have aligned with the GM Church with more than 800 additional clergy awaiting acceptance? Who would have predicted that we would have established 16 regional bodies in the U.S. and that three more would continue to organize in this new year or that, outside the U.S., we would have established eight regional bodies and be about to launch an additional 15? In the midst of such work, who would have expected that that we would be preparing for our convening General Conference in Costa Rica, September 20-26, 2024? Yet this and so much more has occurred with an incredibly lean general church staff consisting of 12 employees and two bishops. Literally thousands of persons, lay and clergy, have given sacrificially to work in often unseen ways to be instruments of the Holy Spirit to bring all of this to pass.

As much as we celebrate what has already been accomplished, I am energized by what lies ahead in 2024. While we will still receive churches and clergy aligning with the GM Church, our work will focus on turning our attention unreservedly to the new thing God is doing in our midst.

Many faithful people have devoted tremendous resources and energy transitioning into the GM Church. Now is the time to shift our focus to the mission fields into which God has called our congregations. As each congregation unreservedly surrenders to God’s purposes, how will we reach those who have not heard the Gospel or who have not responded to God’s invitation to new life? Will we ensure that our time and financial resources are increasingly expended so that we are blessing those who are just awakening to the possibility of salvation and sanctification?

From our posture of surrender to God, will we embrace the new mission fields and people to which He is calling us? What will we do to advance the mission of the GM Church – to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly? How will we do so in our unique settings? Will we, as leaders and churches, follow Jesus as He leads us to fulfill our missional priorities:

Divisions abound in this world, but God is calling us to be a distinctive people – “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9.

Each new year has the potential to be a new beginning. We shed the old and embrace the new. Join me as we humbly surrender to our God: “ I freely and with a willing heart give it all to your pleasure and disposal.”

The post Surrendering to God’s Purposes first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

A Christmas Season Message from Bishop Scott J. Jones: Turning Points

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 09:00:00 GMT

December 29, 2023

Turning points mark major transitions in our lives. Sometimes they are personal. When I think about my life, key turning points have included graduations, marriage, ordination and moves to new places of service. Most recently, my wife Mary Lou and I have moved to Dallas, Texas and bought a home we hope to live in for many years to come. The meaning and purpose of this turning point was clearly related to my retirement from my previous denomination and my transition to serving as a bishop in the Global Methodist Church. It also brought us closer to children and grandchildren.

Other turning points affect large numbers of people and shape events for centuries. The adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, was a turning point where a new nation was formed, and the history of North America was changed. The meaning and purpose of the founding of The United States of America was encapsulated in the words of the Declaration. They were aspirational because not all people were free right away. Slavery was still a reality and equality for women took many more years, but the pursuit of freedom and equality became a goal that has shaped the last 247 years.

The turning point affecting the entire world was the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem two thousand years ago. It is so significant that human beings measure time by that event. It is now the Year of our Lord ( anno domini ) 2023. We count everything that happened before the first Christmas as occurring Before Christ (BC) and everything after as occurring since that event.

That is why the celebration of Christmas is so important! It marks the turning point in the history of creation. The God who created the world did not abandon it but acted decisively to save it. In Jesus’ birth the very Godhead took on human form. As Charles Wesley said in a hymn:

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris’n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that we no more may die
Born to raise us from the earth
Born to give us second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Christ’s birth, death and resurrection changed the relationship between humanity and God. God acted to create a new way to be reconciled to him and to solve the sinful problems into which we had fallen. Christ came to give us second birth.

My family has been getting ready for this Christmas season ever since Thanksgiving. We have decorated the house, put up a tree, bought presents and made travel plans to gather. But the most important preparation for Christmas is not that kind of material activity. The spiritual preparation for Christmas is the preparation of our hearts to draw closer to Christ. The real question for each of us is this: Will we love God more fully on January 5, the last day of the Christmas season, than we do today? And will we continue to grow in grace as his faithful and obedient disciples every day thereafter?

This holy season is a time to ponder anew what God has done for us in Christ. The second person of the Trinity took on human flesh and lived, died, and rose for us and for our salvation.

What will be our response? He has called us to be disciples who worship passionately, love extravagantly and witness boldly. We in the Global Methodist Church have been blessed with the formation of a new expression of the Methodist movement. God is opening doors for new ministries and new ways of following Jesus. After praying and working for revival for 35 years, I am now living it. I have experienced a turning point.

May this Christmas season mark a turning point in each of our personal lives so that we are more fully devoted followers of Christ because of this holy season and all that it means in our lives.

Bishop Scott J. Jones is an episcopal leader in the Global Methodist Church.

The post A Christmas Season Message from Bishop Scott J. Jones: Turning Points first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

A Christmas Message from Bishop Mark J. Webb: The Right Spot

Sun, 24 Dec 2023 09:07:00 GMT

December 24, 2023

I have such fond memories of the Christmas season in my life as a child. I grew up in a home that practiced many of the traditions and experiences that as a kid, made the preparation and celebration of Christmas a magical time. Together, my dad and I would hang the outdoor Christmas lights. As a family we would make that annual journey into the forest (really it was just a field) in search of the perfect Christmas tree, which we would decorate with ornaments that held such significance. Ornaments that once hung on my great-grandmother’s tree. Ornaments that my sister and I had made. Ornaments that family and friends had given over the years as gifts.

Of course, there was the annual Christmas party at my home church, where Santa would make an appearance and have a gift, candy cane and popcorn ball for every child. When I became older, I realized why my dad always had to work late on the nights of those Christmas parties, you see he was a very special helper to Santa. Once I knew that little secret, one of my great joys of the Christmas season was to travel with my dad, as he went to local nursing homes in that red suit and brought smiles of joy to the residents who filled those places.

I was blessed to be raised in a family that also made this time of preparation, a holy time. I can remember together lighting the advent wreaths that my sister and I had made in Sunday School. Attending special advent services at our church. Sitting together with extended family at the 11:00 p.m. Christmas Eve service, anticipating the opportunity to light a candle, sing Silent Night and experience the stroke of midnight, the arrival of Christmas.

My greatest memory of all however, is the one that involved setting up the crèche – the nativity that sat on top of our television set, every Christmas season. Oh, how I remember carefully unwrapping every figure and placing them in their rightful spot, as we remembered the events of that very first Christmas. My sister and I would always fight about who got to place the baby Jesus in the manger. But no matter who won the fight – we almost always ended up doing it together and making sure that the baby Jesus was placed in the right spot within that nativity scene.

In the 40 th chapter of Isaiah we find these words that have become so familiar to us: “ In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God .” For the Israelites in exile, this invitation, this urging to lay out a miraculous, sacred highway through the wilderness, removing all obstacles so that the glory of the Lord could lead the return of God’s people from a place of confusion, grief, and loss, was an invitation of hope and life. These are words that John the Baptist used as he introduced the ministry of Jesus and called upon the people of his day to repent, turn around and turn toward the fullness of life offered by God through Jesus.

I now realize that I had it wrong as a child. My focus should not have been on making sure that Jesus was in the right spot, but rather being certain that I was. The season s of Advent and Christmas give us an opportunity to examine our lives and the position of our lives in relationship to God. God never changes, God never moves. The Christ of the manger is always in the same spot – right in front of us – beside us – behind us. We are always and forever surrounded by God’s grace. The gift has been given. The promise is secured.

I want to be in the right spot in relationship to God. I know there are aspects of my life that I still hold on to and attempt to control. There are barriers that I place around me that keep me from experiencing the fullness of God’s grace – the reality of God’s gift in Jesus. There are experiences of life that happen and the only thing I have control over is my response to them and the place where I put my trust.

I need to prepare the way; I need to turn around. I need to return to the place where God has called me. Maybe that’s true for you as well. Perhaps this season of Advent and Christmas can be a time where we make certain that we are in the right spot. Fully open, fully willing to let the gift of Jesus be all it is intended to be.

And here’s what I believe, when we are in the right spot, God will then use our lives to help others recognize the amazing grace found in the manager. We will have the opportunity this Christmas and every day , to invite others to move from exile to promise, despair to hope, and uncertainty to absolute confidence that the gift of Jesus belongs to them. We will truly live what we say our mission is in The Global Methodist Church: To make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly and witness boldly.

Friends, live boldly this Christmas season ! Create a sense of urgency everywhere you go. We have good news to experience in a fresh way and we have good news to share with those around us.

“ Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord .” (Luke 2.10-11)

The Christ child in the manger is in the right spot. Are we?

May this Christmas season be the best . A time of living out traditions and creating new experiences. May it be a time unlike any other in our lives because we made a choice to live the promise and open our lives every moment to the grace of God that surrounds us.

Merry Christmas!

Bishop Mark J. Webb is an episcopal leader in the Global Methodist Church.

The post A Christmas Message from Bishop Mark J. Webb: The Right Spot first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

God Makes a Way for Us

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 09:00:00 GMT

By Gabriella Kopas
December 20, 2023

I was not raised in a Christian home. Jesus pursued me and delivered me right before I turned 20. By then I knew a lot of things – at least I thought so – and formulated quite a few opinions I was proud of. One of those was my clear value that I would never give in to some shallow persuasion regarding important matters. I set my mind to investigate and study the things I was invited to give my life, time, and passion to.

The introduction to the gospel, the good news of salvation in Christ, took me by surprise. It seemed undeserved, and quite frankly even unfair. Only later I realized that only the greatest One, the Creator of all things could afford to be so generous. Nevertheless, I treated this good news with the same curiosity and open mind I tried to tend to all things. To my astonishment the gospel (and for that matter all the great teachings of the Christian faith) did not stand on a few scattered claims in the Bible taken out of context. The more I investigated, the clearer it became to me: God seemed to have a plan all along.

As we read in the Book of Genesis, right after the fall of Adam and Eve – the man and woman who were created to bear the image of God on Earth – God declared the first promise about the One who would bring an end to the spiritual calamity they brought upon all humankind: the One will “crush the head” of the enemy. But still, I also saw where all the doubt, the envy, the anger, and the rebellion came from that I experienced within myself and witnessed in all the world.

However, the biggest surprise for me was that God decided to prepare a way for all of us to return to Him. He did not give up on His creation and those made in His image. He had a plan all along – the sent One will defeat God’s enemy and bring his dominion to an end. And this thread of mercy and unceasing love was present everywhere I opened my new Bible, still bearing the smell of a new book. Even though I have grown older, I am still in awe how masterfully intertwined all the promises, truths, and declarations of the Word of God are.

As I read the Old Testament, I could see over and over again the crafty attempts of God’s ultimate enemy to corrupt God’s redemption, to lead His people astray, to destroy those He called, and even to destroy His promised Victor. The ongoing conflict God prophesied in Genesis three kept returning with new ways of deception, creative lies, and temptations hard to resist. But God kept showing me His works in all those whom He has called. There was no need for them to be perfect or super-human. It was all God’s mercy – He was their strength, He became their wisdom, He was the source of their courage.

All of this gave me a rising hope. Every day I faced anything hard in my life I could rely on the same hope that all the great heroes and heroines of faith had: my God knows the way out of my pitiful state. Even better, He became the Way. Yes, even for me.

This Advent I returned to this wonderful verse that contains the first hint of the great promise after the original betrayal. Every year we remember the first coming of our Saviour, the coming seed of Eve mentioned in this verse. He came and fulfilled His mission. We read in the New Testament about Jesus’ birth, ministry, crucifixion, and glorious resurrection to life.

The grand finale, however, is still to come. Every Advent season we remind ourselves of His promise to return, of His reign, and of the new heaven and new earth God promised for those who are in Christ. We eagerly await His return, therefore we are to watch and be ready. Ready to welcome Him, to serve Him, with our hearts clean and obedient to bear His image in the world around us. His return is closer with each new day! Rejoice!

Our mighty Father and merciful Lord, pour out your Holy Spirit upon your children all over the world, so that we might shine your Light. Fill our hearts and mouths with your Word. Let our life overflow with forgiveness and love so the world may know You, the promised One, are coming back in victory and with redemption. Amen.

Rev. Dr. Gabriella Kopas is an elder in the Global Methodist Church; she currently serves as the the Presiding Elder of the Slovakia Provisional District.

The post God Makes a Way for Us first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Herods, Past and Present

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 09:00:00 GMT

By Arturo Cadar
December 13, 2023

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
– Matthew 2.13

I was 10 years old when I heard the news on the radio in July of 1969. Just overnight, without prior warning or public consent, Christmas celebrations were forbidden and suspended indefinitely on the island. The government of Cuba had already imprisoned hundreds of preachers and religious leaders in their effort to do away with Christianity, but forbidding the celebration of Christmas was now a new evil high for the religious oppression initiative of the Communist regime that my family and I left behind 52 years ago.

No Christmas in Cuba? What were they thinking? I was devastated, but in retrospect, I now know that my devastation had nothing to do with the fact that toys were now a thing of the past. Toys, in fact, had already been rationed to three toys per child while supplies lasted, and I always got the same three toys anyway: Chinese metal roller skates, a ball, and a bat. So, it wasn’t about the toys, nor was it about the gifts, nor about how much we would miss decking the halls or getting in line to take our pictures with Santa. Christmas in Cuba was never about these.

A Cuban Christmas was always about celebrating family, friends, and relationships; it was about sharing and spreading the joy of the season, literally from home to home, almost daily, from about mid-December through the day of Epiphany (Three-Kings Day) which is when children received their toys. That’s what I would miss. I would miss the joy of Christmas as it reflected on the faces of my loved ones during our celebrations. That’s what the Cuban people missed out on for almost 20 years. It wasn’t until after Pope John Paul II’s visit to Cuba, in 1998, that the Cuban people were again permitted to celebrate Christmas.

So, just as Herod tried to kill the first Noel more than 2000 years ago, not long ago, another dictator tried to kill the spirit of the living Noel, in Cuba. No government should ever have the right to forbid the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and no family should ever be denied the joy that the Christmas season brings to the world. During this Advent and Christmas season, let us pray for those who live in places where celebrating the Christmas joy, the Joy of the living Christ, is still forbidden.

Prayer: Father, your gifts are irrevocable, and no human being should forbid any other human being the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. Consider those who are religiously oppressed today and liberate them to experience the joy of Christmas freely according to your will. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

The Rev. Arturo Cadar is the Lead Pastor at Revive! Church in Pasadena, Texas, and he is also a member of the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council.

The post Herods, Past and Present first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Advent Hope for a Genuine Methodist Revival

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 09:00:00 GMT

By Luther Oconer
December 6, 2023

I come from a country where anticipation for Christmas begins as early as September 1st, which marks the start of the “ber” months, that is, September, October, November, and December. This is also the time of the year when Christmas lanterns and lights begin adorning the streets and major thoroughfares. In the Christian calendar, however, this sense of expectation for Christmas starts very much later with the season of Advent. While the season signals for us that Christmas is just around the corner, it also encourages us to reflect upon Scripture prophesying not only the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ but also his Second Coming and final victory over sin and death. But what makes this year’s Advent very special for me is that it is also my first Advent as an ordained elder in the Global Methodist Church. The hopeful expectation that the season brings becomes even more real for me because I have so much reason for hope as I follow God’s call in my life through the GMC.

For many years, I have actively prayed for and participated in the renewal of my former denomination as a youth leader and pastor in the Philippines, and in the past decade, as a seminary professor in the U. S., I have had a glimpse of a Methodist revival, first in 1997 when I answered the call to the ministry. I have witnessed it in my local pastorates, among young people, and at one point, even at the highest levels of leadership. Nevertheless, whatever gains we had from those powerful experiences they were short-lived and quickly overshadowed by ambiguities—nominalism, jealousy, intrigues, infighting, and moral failings—that persisted within the denomination. Additionally, liberal theology remained unabated, taking its toll upon our seminaries, pulpits, and pews. As a result, for example in the Philippines, many Methodists left in search of greener spiritual pastures by joining Pentecostal/Charismatic churches or other evangelical groups. In my estimate, a large percentage of the youth leaders I have known have taken the same path. While I rejoice knowing that they continue to bear much fruit in God’s Kingdom in their new spiritual homes, my heart weeps for Methodism for losing good people like them.

This is why for many years I have hoped to see the tide reversed. Eventually, after realizing that there was no longer a way out of the very difficult predicament that had beset us for so many years, I too have recently left the denomination of my birth. But the hope that I thought was lost, has found new life in the GMC. I feel highly optimistic that a Methodist revival, that is all-encompassing and more long-lasting, is now within reach. For Jesus said, “Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved” (Matt. 9:17). I do feel that I am part of a new wineskin, this new way of thinking, of doing, and of being the church. As I participate in the process of charting the course of the GMC in my home country, including the Middle East, and hear about the amazing things God is doing elsewhere in the GMC, I cannot contain my excitement. As I tell my friends, I have never felt like this in ministry in a very long time, and many Filipino Global Methodists share this newfound sense of purpose. We are now witnessing things within the GMC we never thought we’d see happen within organized Methodism and with such scale and frequency. It’s a build-up for greater things to come. We’re headed towards a real Methodist revival!

For genuine revival cannot prosper in old wineskins. The church’s overall culture and institution must be ready to accommodate the fermentation process of the Holy Spirit or else it will have to be content with stale wine. Just like what the Asbury Outpouring early this year has taught us, institutions that persist to remain as new wineskins, like Asbury University, will receive new wine, just as it had experienced several times in its history. Accordingly, Methodism is long due for a rebirth, and this is what I mean when I say, “Methodist revival.” It is less about recovering the prestige of its glory days, but more about becoming once again a movement of the Spirit, just as it always has in different generations. Just like when Wesley and his Holy Club friends fanned out across England and the British Isles after experiencing an outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Fetter Lane Street on New Year’s Eve of 1739. Just like when the young Methodist circuit riders blazed the trail filled with the Spirit to bring the glad tidings of salvation in Jesus to communities in the American frontier in the late 18 ^th and early 19 ^th centuries. Just like when Spirit-baptized Methodist missionaries led powerful revivals in Asia, Africa, and Latin America at the turn of the 20 ^th century.

We are on the cusp of the next rebirth of Methodism. This is why I don’t see the GMC as a mere default destination for those who have made the exodus. I am in the GMC because I believe that God is not yet done with Methodism, otherwise, I would have gone elsewhere. I believe Methodism is not yet a spent movement, or to use the words of Wesley, “a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power.” Methodists still have so much to offer to this unbelieving world that has become more antagonistic to a Christianity that has been marred by scandals and materialism. This is why I believe the Wesleyan vision of the Christian life, especially the doctrine of entire sanctification or holiness, which Wesley called “the grand depositum which God has lodged with the people called Methodists,” is still very much relevant for our time.

But I am under no illusion that this resurgent Methodism will come to us easily. For new wine to happen there will always be a crushing and pressing of the grapes. We too will have to go through a period of crushing and pressing, whether corporately or individually. Perhaps the birth pains—the challenges, frustrations, and persecution—we are experiencing in this season are part of that crushing and pressing. We too had to contend with these in the Philippines and yet I also do know they are necessary if we are to receive new wine! Our task may be difficult, and the road is rough, but let us remain a people of hope as the season of Advent reminds us. As we reflect on the anticipation of the Old Testament prophets for the coming messiah and wait on his Second Coming as the New Testament writers encourage us, let us also thank God for bringing us into the GMC. For he has enabled us to dream big once again for Methodism, renewing our hope for a genuine Methodist revival in our lifetime.

The Rev. Dr. Luther Oconer is Associate Professor of Global Wesleyan Theology at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. Oconer has also served local churches in the Philippines and in the United States.

The post Advent Hope for a Genuine Methodist Revival first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The GMC Store Opens Today

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 14:20:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton
December 4, 2023

“We are excited to offer attractive, high quality, and officially authorized products to all GM Church members, and to begin investing in clergy members who will lead our local churches for years to come,” said Ms. Cara Nicklas, Chairwoman of the GM Church Transitional Leadership Council. “This is just the beginning of a win-win endeavor. I am confident the GMC Store will continue to grow and add many more products that will help us spread our message and support future pastors.”

Working with Tulsa, Oklahoma, based HiCORP Inc., the Church plans to offer everything from pens and note pads to apparel and clothing, and banners and signs. HiCORP Inc. has 55 years of experience helping diverse organizations create products for a variety of markets. Its over 200 clients include large businesses like Phillips 66 Gas Stations and and 7-Eleven Convenience Stores and non-profits like the George Kaiser Family Foundation, an organization supporting early childhood education.

“My father launched our company back in 1968, and while we have experienced tremendous growth, we remain a family-oriented organization that takes great pride in being faithful partners with our clients and investing in our dedicated employees, who have contributed so richly to our success,” said Mr. Brad Camp, HiCORP’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “We look forward to a long and mutually rewarding relationship with the Global Methodist Church.”

Since the denomination’s inception, GM Church leaders have stated that a core operating principle of the church will be creating an organizational structure that is creative, frugal, and nimble. Instead of building numerous agencies and entities owned and operated by the denomination, it hopes to partner with organizations that have proven track records in a variety of fields.

“The GMC Store will allow us to provide products to Global Methodists all around the world without sinking critical financial resources into bricks-and-mortar and hiring managers and employees to do what HiCORP has been doing for years,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Chief Connectional Officer. “We’ll all learn and grow together as we leverage HiCORP’s expertise in product development and delivery. I believe it will assist us in creating resources that help us make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.”

The GMC Store opens today with an initially limited range of products and inventory. HiCORP officials said they will closely monitor the GM Church products customers purchase, will fill orders as quickly as possible, and restock as needed.

“This is truly a partnership,” said Mr. Richard Ekhoff, a HiCORP sales consultant with over 25 years of experience. “Given our history in the business, we can bring many product ideas to an organization’s attention. And of course, we’re always learning from our customers what items they’d like to purchase. I’m confident that as we learn from one another we will build a great GMC Store !”

To go to the GM Store, click HERE .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post The GMC Store Opens Today first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The Time of Advent

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 07:15:00 GMT

By Henriette Lokoto Okele
November 29, 2023

Dear brothers and sisters, in this time of our existence, when we face famine, disease, rumors of war, and the reality of war, only God is our support and in Him alone we place our trust!

As we approach the time of Advent, we recall that the word comes from the Latin “ adventus ” which means “arrival.” In the tradition of the Church, it marks a time in which we prepare for the celebration of Christmas. This year, Advent will start on Sunday, December 3, and end on Sunday, December 24. Note that this year the time is short. We will observe the fourth Sunday of Advent during the morning and the day, and in the evening Christmas Eve will be upon us.

Advent time is waiting time; we wait, we remember, and we anticipate.

This time is the expectation of the eschatological coming of Jesus, his return in the last days, as he himself teaches us in the holy scriptures (Matthew 25.31-46). It is not just about his first coming, it also about his coming (in Greek, the Parousia ) as our Lord to consummate his reign over all creation. Thus the Church, like the ten virgins charged with their lamps, watches while waiting for the bridegroom to arrive and to enter with him into his Kingdom (Luke 25.1-13).

During the season of Advent, the Church remembers the incarnation of the Son of God in the days preceding the great feast of Christmas; we remember his bodily birth. Indeed, the gospel offered on the fourth Sunday tells us the story of the incarnation of Jesus Christ (Luke 1.26-38). It reminds us of the beautiful story of the annunciation made by the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary. Faced with this event, the Church rejoices in God’s decision to become man, to take on our flesh to save us. It is important to know why God became man. Saint Irenaeus says, “God became man, so that man might become similar to God.” Yes, the salvation brought by the Son of God consists in giving us back the image of God that we received at creation (Genesis 1.27), which is the very image of God. This image was tarnished by sin since the time of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3.6-7), but now begins the process of restoration through Jesus Christ.

The readings that our mother Church offers us for this Advent season invite us to watch and prepare ourselves to welcome the Messiah. In the first week, the Lord invites us to keep watch because we do not know when the master of the house will come (Mark 13.33-37); in the second week John the Baptist echoes the Prophet Isaiah as he proclaims to us, “Make straight the paths of the Lord” (Mark 1, 1-8); on the third Sunday, which we call “ Laetare ,” in Latin, the Sunday of joy, the Church experiences the joy of seeing the days of its redemption drawing near. Finally, on the fourth Sunday the gospel presents Mary to us, as a Mother who prepares clothing for her firstborn son, so the Church prepares to celebrate the birth of her Savior. She prepares the nativity scene, she prepares her faithful, and she beautifies her buildings so that Christmas is celebrated with joy!

As we prepare for Advent this year, I like to remember we are accompanied by three people: the prophet Isaiah, John the Baptist, and the Virgin Mary. They remind us that the ways of God are not our ways, there is mystery in the world, there are times we do not fully understand until they are revealed at the right time. They also remind us to be unafraid and bold as we proclaim the coming of our Lord. And finally, they remind us to prepare our bodies so there is room for Jesus in our hearts and our minds.

Full of joy and gratitude in your love, we pray to you, Lord; grant us the grace to prepare ourselves for the approaching Christmas feast so that with your help we may be free and saved. We ask this through Jesus the Christ and our Lord. Amen.

The Rev. Dr. Henriette Lokoto Okele is a Global Methodist Church pastor and presiding elder. She is based in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The post The Time of Advent first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Rev. Angela Pleasants Steps Down from Global Methodist Church Staff

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The Reverend Angela Pleasants has announced her departure from her position as Director of Clergy and Church Relations with the Global Methodist Church as of December 15, 2023. She is taking a leave of absence until that time. Pleasants will be pursuing other ministry opportunities that will enable her to use her gifts and abilities to advance the Gospel and the Kingdom of God.

“On behalf of the Global Methodist Church, I express gratitude for Angela’s service to the Church over the past 19 months, and also her seven months of work with the Wesleyan Covenant Association,” said the Reverend Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Transitional Connectional Officer, “We wish Angela well in her future endeavors.”

Individuals needing to send communications concerning the application process for churches and clergy, or other matters pertaining to the office of clergy and church relations, can direct them to applications@globalmethodist.org .

The post Rev. Angela Pleasants Steps Down from Global Methodist Church Staff first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Rev. Dr. Edward W. Williamson Joins Global Methodist Church and is Designated Bishop Emeritus

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 09:28:00 GMT

November 27, 2023

Launched a year and a half ago, the GM Church has welcomed over 4,000 local churches in Africa, Europe, the Philippines, and the United States. During its transitional season the TLC is guiding the denomination prior to its convening General Conference, scheduled for September 20-26, 2024 . The Council designated Williamson as bishop emeritus in the light of his service as a pastor in The United Methodist Church, a bishop in the Evangelical Methodist Church, and for his steadfast proclamation of the Wesleyan expression of the Christian faith.

“It is a privilege to join faithful brothers and sisters in the Global Methodist Church as we seek to serve our Lord and Savior and fulfill the mission he has given us,” said Williamson. “I am also humbled and honored by the Transitional Leadership Council’s decision to bestow upon me the title of bishop emeritus . The GM Church has great promise, and I look forward to serving alongside laity, clergy, and episcopal colleagues to advance the Kingdom of God.”

Williamson served as UM Church pastor until 1984. During his tenure in the denomination, he was active with the Good News movement. In 1984, he was part of a group of conservative clergy and churches that departed from the UM Church to join the Evangelical Methodist Church.

In 1998, Williamson was elected bishop of the EM Church, and then re-elected every four years thereafter until 2018 when he retired. While an active bishop, he was instrumental in establishing EM Church conferences in Mexico, the Philippines, Myanmar, and among Congolese people in Africa, Canada, and Europe. In his retirement, he assists the staff of Covenant Church of Morgantown, West Virginia. He works as Senior Vice President at Large for One Mission Society and leads Every Community for Christ as Church Multiplication Facilitator for Myanmar. He was also a member of the Wesleyan Covenant Association’s Other Wesleyans Task Force.

“I have worked personally with Bishop Emeritus Williamson for several years now,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Chief Connectional Officer. “His dedication to planting growing healthy local churches, his passion for worldwide missions, and his commitment to cultivating strong ecumenical ties in the Methodist family will serve the GM Church well as it grows and flourishes. The GM Church will be blessed by his presence and his service among us.”

Williamson completed his undergraduate studies at Asbury University (Wilmore, Kentucky), and then received advanced degrees from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Hamilton, Massachusetts) and Asbury Theological Seminary (Wilmore). He earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from Boston University School of Theology.

He currently serves as Founder Emeritus at Covenant Church, a church he planted in 1984. His son, Nathan, is now the congregation’s senior pastor. Covenant Church and its clergy staff recently joined the Global Methodist Church.

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The post Rev. Dr. Edward W. Williamson Joins Global Methodist Church and is Designated Bishop Emeritus first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Let Peace Reign

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 09:30:00 GMT

By Cara Nicklas
November 22, 2023

Like many families, mine does not settle for just one Thanksgiving dinner.

On Thanksgiving Day, my husband’s side of the family comes to our house for a lovely meal. We cook the usual dishes. We all sit at our dining room table. My brother-in law prays. As we pass the many different dishes around the table, it is quiet and calm. After the meal, we wonder if we should eat dessert right away or wait until we are not so full. No one ever waits. The rest of the day is a relaxing day of football, board games, and discussion of Black Friday sales.

The day after Thanksgiving, we drive to my parents’ house a couple hours away. And then on Saturday morning, while the deer hunters are hunting, my mom, my twin sister, and I prepare to feed a small army. We wonder, will we have 20 people this year or 37? It’s anybody’s guess. After the day’s hunt, family members spanning four generations begin to trickle into my parents’ small house set on 30 acres of pastureland. As the hunters and other family members join us, the decibel level slowly rises. But then there is a sacred hush. We gather in one large circle to pray, giving thanks for all the blessings God has poured into our lives through his abundant grace. Then we experience the joy of a great meal together. And with lots of little ones, it becomes loud and chaotic; we would not have it any other way. To be sure, it is a day in stark contrast to my earlier Thanksgiving Day celebration, but I cherish them both equally.

I don’t remember a Thanksgiving with drama or conflict or crisis. And I don’t remember a Thanksgiving that stood out as extra special. Each year is pretty much the same, a precious time of simply being in the peaceful presence of loved ones. We rarely take pictures, but there are snapshots in my mind that I will hold dear for the rest of my life: rocking the newest baby in the family, laughing while peeling potatoes, retelling stories, saying goodbye for thirty minutes before actually getting out the door. All quiet, simple blessings we sometimes take for granted.

The older I get the more I realize the consistency of these family traditions are not merely a matter of routine; the consistency is a powerful tool for building strong family bonds. Regularly engaging in shared activities fosters a sense of belonging and unity. It creates a unique language of shared experiences, jokes, and memories that contribute to the formation of a family identity. And this shared history becomes a source of strength during times of adversity, reinforcing the idea that no matter what challenges arise, the family stands together.

As we launch the new Global Methodist Church, I appreciate the return to an emphasis on our Wesleyan family traditions. This past Sunday, the new church plant I am a part of declared the Apostles’ Creed and experienced the sacredness of Holy Communion. We had a guest preacher because we have no pastor at the moment (nor a name, nor a permanent location, nor a worship leader). There was nothing spectacular about the worship service except that the Holy Spirit was so near in the simplicity of it. There was no drama or conflict or crisis that hovered over the worship experience. There was a sweet, sweet spirit in the place. We are beginning a shared history that will serve as a source of strength and peace during times of loss, grief, and adversity that this family of faith will surely experience later.

I see our Thanksgiving days full of peace because I see the days through the lens of the Prince of Peace. “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful” (Colossians 3.15).

How, when our Creator has given His very life for us, can we not be thankful? How can we not have peace? As believers, we hold Jesus in us. Peace in us. And the peace He gives, we offer to others. Let peace reign. Happy Thanksgiving.

Ms. Cara Nicklas is the Chairwoman of the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council. She lives and works in the Oklahoma City area.

The post Let Peace Reign first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

GM Church Seeks Qualified Applicants for General Conference Business Manager

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 10:00:00 GMT

The Global Methodist Church is seeking an experienced leader to serve as its General Conference Business Manager. The selected applicant will supervise the arrangements for the General Conference and all related meetings. This will include facilitation of the physical arrangements, business expenses, and development of processes in cooperation with the Transitional Commission on the Convening General Conference. This staff member will implement decisions made by the Commission and the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council.

To learn more about this position and how to apply, please click here .

All instructions for applying for the position are included at the bottom of the job description. Please do not email or call the main office. Thank you.

Applications are due on Friday, December 15, 2023, by 8 pm, U.S. Eastern Time.

The post GM Church Seeks Qualified Applicants for General Conference Business Manager first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Provisional GMC Annual Conferences Flourish in 2023

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 09:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton
November 15, 2023

“At the beginning of this year, I never imagined I’d be in the role I am today,” said the Rev. Jordan McFall, the President Pro Tem of the Heartland Provisional Annual Conference in the Global Methodist Church. “It’s been a bracing reminder that as God says in Isaiah, ‘My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.’ But it is a great privilege to serve alongside a connection of Global Methodist members from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and from the southern plains of Nebraska to the Red River who are passionate about sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with their words, their hands, and their hearts!”

McFall, just 36, is one of two dozen leaders elected to lead a regional body of Global Methodist local churches seeking to be connected to one another. Thousands of local churches in the United States have joined the new denomination over the past year, and leaders like McFall have stepped forward to help them find a home in the GM Church.

“It’s not easy for a congregation to find its way to the Global Methodist Church,” said Ms. Cara Nicklas, Chairwoman of the new denomination’s Transitional Leadership Council. “The congregation has to really want to join us!”

Nicklas was reflecting on the dramatic growth of the GM Church in 2023, despite the challenges local churches face in joining it. She noted that nearly all the congregations that have joined in the past 20 months are former United Methodist local churches or remnants from those churches. They have formed discernment teams that led their congregations through difficult conversations about disaffiliating. Then two-thirds of its members voted for disaffiliation (or not), with many knowing a successful outcome would result in the payment of large exit fees to the UM Church. Or, if the vote failed, even by a few ballots, members had to accept the loss of the church’s property and assets. And finally, the congregations spent additional weeks or months making the decision to affiliate with the GM Church.

“So yes, what has transpired in just 20 months is a testament to the convictions and the tenacity of GM Church members,” said Nicklas. “The Church now has over 4,000 local churches operating in 17 provisional annual conferences, two provisional districts, and in other regions that are well on their way to provisional conference or district status. What I have learned is that Global Methodist members have no time for self-pity; they want to move forward and focus on our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.”

The GM Church commenced operations on May 1, 2022, with 24 local churches in Bulgaria. The former UM congregations voted en masse at their UM annual conference to leave the denomination and join the GM Church.

“It was a little lonely at first,” said the Rev. Dr. Daniel Topalski, now the President Pro Tem of the GM Church’s Bulgaria Provisional Annual Conference and a member of the denomination’s Transitional Leadership Council. “But we knew many more local churches and provisional annual conferences would join us. Every Monday, for the past year and a half, the TLC has approved local church applications to the GMC. At first it was a trickle of local churches applying, but then the trickle turned into a stream, and then the stream into a river.”

With Bishop Mark J. Webb presiding, the Bulgarian congregations gathered for their convening annual conference in May of this year . Their conference followed those held in the Mid-Texas, the West Plains, and the East Texas Provisional Annual Conferences in late January and early February of 2023. Combined, the gatherings recognized the formation of annual conferences connecting nearly a thousand new GM local churches and celebrated the ordinations of hundreds of deacons and elders into the new Church.

In the meantime, local churches and other provisional annual conferences around the world were preparing to join them. In July, Bishop Scott J. Jones presided at the Covenant Philippines Convening Annual Conference in Manila, Philippines . And since that gathering, nine additional regions in the United States have held convening annual conferences (South Georgia, North Alabama, Alabama-Emerald Coast, MidSouth, North Carolina, Allegheny West, Great Lakes, Heartland, and the Upper Midwest). Also, the Slovakia Provisional District launched in 2022 and the South Carolina Provisional District celebrated the commencement of operations at an August gathering this year.

“We are exceedingly grateful for all the time and sacrifice that so many GMC members have given to move the Church forward this year,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the denomination’s Chief Connectional Officer. “And we’re looking forward to 2024 when the Florida, the Korean-American, the Mississippi-West Tennessee, and the Northeast Provisional Annual Conferences will each hold their convening gatherings. We’ll also see provisional districts in Virginia and the Western States District commence operations.”

While growth in the U.S. has soared, GM Church leaders remain hopeful that thousands of local UM churches in Africa will join the denomination in 2024. To date, congregations in African countries have been denied the opportunity to exercise the disaffiliation pathway that so many local churches in the U.S. have used to exit the UM Church.

“There’s no doubt in my mind, that had local UM churches in Africa and in a minority of annual conferences in the U.S. had fair and amicable ways to exit the UM Church, thousands of other local churches would have joined the GM Church this year,” said Boyette. “But what we are discovering is that one way or another people find their way to the GM Church, despite the obstacles put in their way.”

Currently, the Democratic Republic of the Congo Provisional Annual Conference and the Kenya-Ethiopia Annual Conference are the only operational GM Church conferences in Africa, but in December they will be joined by the South Africa Provisional Annual Conference. Early next year, additional provisional annual conferences will commence operations in three areas of Africa. And depending on developments at the UM Church’s 2024 General Conference, GM Church leaders believe another half dozen or more GM Church provisional annual conferences will take root there before the end of next year.

Also in 2024, GM Church leaders are planning for the launch of provisional annual conferences in Mexico and Panama, and a second conference in the Philippines, to be named the Mega Manila Philippines Provisional Annual Conference. Discussions are underway with additional regions in Asia, Latin America, and Europe.

“When we gather in San Jose, Costa Rica, in September 2024, for the GM Church Convening General Conference , we will have much to give thanks for,” said Boyette. “It is a joy to see what can happen when faithful, like-minded, and warm-hearted Methodists unite around the great core confessions of the Christian faith. The GM Church is a forward-looking body of believes eager to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed!”

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Provisional GMC Annual Conferences Flourish in 2023 first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

GM Church Seeks Qualified Applicants for Executive Communications Director

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 16:38:00 GMT

The Global Methodist Church is seeking an experienced and dynamic Executive Communications Director to lead and manage our communications and marketing efforts. As a key member of our leadership team, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the public image, brand, and messaging of the church.

To learn more about this position and how to apply, please click here .

All instructions for applying for the position are included at the bottom of the job description. Please do not email or call the main office. Thank you.

Applications are due on Friday, December 1, 2023, by 8 pm, U.S. Eastern Time.

The post GM Church Seeks Qualified Applicants for Executive Communications Director first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Sharing the Good News in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 08:30:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton
November 08, 2023

“We have over 300 local churches in the country meeting under trees or tents, or at schools and homes, and a few church buildings are now under construction, thanks to Crosspoint Church [a Global Methodist congregation in Niceville, Florida],” said the Rev. Dr. Kimba Evariste, President Pro Tem of the Global Methodist Church’s Provisional Annual Conference in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “People are very excited to join the GM Church. They believe it is rooted in Scriptural teachings and that is built on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Launched one year ago, the provisional annual conference’s growing list of churches are located primarily in the central and northern sections of the country. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, located in the center of Africa, is the second largest country on the continent both in land mass and population. While it is rich in natural resources, the country has faced economic and social challenges since gaining its independence from Belgium in 1960. The median income is $1,509 U.S. dollars.

“Unemployment is too high and some of our people struggle to survive; it’s hard for our members to contribute and respond to church needs,” said Evariste. “However, politically the country is stable as we approach general elections next month. We all hope the country will continue to move forward, and as the people of the church, we are praying and working for peace and prosperity for our brothers and sisters.”

Fifteen presiding elders work alongside Evariste, sometimes traveling nearly two thousand miles by multiple means of transportation to visit pastors and their congregations. Beyond its major cities, like Kinshasa, the DRC’s capital city, travel is difficult all across the country. Infrastructure is limited or in poor condition, so GM Church leaders are often forced to use a combination of roads, rail, rivers, and sometimes air travel.

But despite all of these challenges, Evariste is remarkably upbeat and passionate about fulfilling the GM Church’s mission in the DRC. A former UM pastor, General Conference delegate, and a leader in the influential Africa Initiative movement, Evariste moved to the GM Church shortly after its launch in May 2022, and also became a member of its Transitional Leadership Council.

“Kimba and the team of leaders he has assembled are inspiration to all of us,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, Transitional Connectional Officer for the GM Church. “I’ve known him for a number of years, and he is a dedicated and persevering leader. Instead of fixating on obstacles in his way, he is always focused on finding a way around them or over them. It is wonderful to witness how God is using him and the growing number of Global Methodists in the DRC to fulfill his mission.”

One of three African leaders on the GM Church’s 21-member Transitional Leadership Council, Evariste’s fluency in a number of languages, his experience in various ministries beyond the local church, and his personal connections across the continent, have served the Council well as it welcomes many Africans to the GM Church. In time, Church leaders believe countries in Africa will be home to the majority of GM Church members.

“In a country like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, you really need to take to heart Jesus’ admonition to be ‘wise as serpents and gentle as doves,’” said Ms. Cara Nicklas, Chairwoman of the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council. “We are blessed to have Kimba as our president pro tem in the DRC. He sets an example for what it means to live by faith in a country with incredible challenges.”

Nicklas, a lawyer who lives and practices law in Oklahoma, has traveled to the DRC twice to attend the Justice Conference. The conference is a biennial gathering of international lawyers doing what they can to assist Congolese attorneys in the ethical practice of the law. Unfortunately, the conference was cancelled in 2019 due to an outbreak of the Ebola virus, and then again in 2021 due to the Covid pandemic. Still, Nicklas says she’s gained some appreciation of the challenges the GM Church members in the DRC must navigate on almost a daily basis.

“It’s almost impossible for people in the U.S. to understand the problems our brothers and sisters in the DRC face,” she said. “So you cannot help to be humbled and inspired by their faith and perseverance.”

Recently, the GM Church’s Alabama Emerald Coast Provisional Conference formed a partnership with the DRC Provisional Annual Conference. The former conference began operations in May 2023 and held its convening annual conference in September. During that gathering, conference members warmly endorsed joining forces with the DRC Conference to do ministry together.

“We are excited about this partnership,” said Evariste. “We can teach our brothers and sisters in Alabama and Florida how to share and live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ in difficult circumstances. And they can help us carry the Good News to places that are hard to reach in our country.”

With great joy and thanksgiving, the DRC Provisional Annual Conference just received 15 motorcycles from the Alabama Emerald Coast Provisional Conference, one for each presiding elder in the conference.

“The motorcycles might seem like a small thing to some people, but to us, they make it possible for us to get up on a high hill, as the Prophet Isaiah says, and proclaim the Good News,” said Evariste. “We’re very grateful our GM Church partner conference is joining with us to tell people that Jesus Christ is alive, that he breaks the chains of sin and shame, and liberates us to be his joyful and obedient disciples.”

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Sharing the Good News in the Democratic Republic of the Congo first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The Woodlands Methodist Church to Offer Online Training for Church Planters and Multipliers

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 08:30:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton
November 1, 2023

“It is worth remembering that this church started from nothing,” said the Rev. Dr. Edmund Robb, III, Pastor Emeritus at The Woodlands Methodist Church (TWMC) in The Woodlands, Texas. “Never underestimate what God will do when you say, ‘Here I am Lord, send me.”

The church Robb and others planted in 1978 is now the largest one in the Global Methodist Church, and beginning in January 2024 it will offer an online church planters training program for the denomination’s clergy and laity. Consisting of 12 modules, the program will cover critical topics from mission and vision to discipleship development and on to multiplying new congregations.

“We’re investing our dollars where our hearts are,” said the Rev. Dr. Jeff Olive, TWMC’s Executive Pastor of Church Multiplication and the director of the church planters training program in its final stages of development. “TWMC is pouring significant energy and resources into this effort; we believe the program will enrich and empower church planters to fulfill a mission we share with Global Methodists all around the world: to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.”

In a recent meeting with the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council, Olive outlined the program and answered council member’s questions. He explained that each video module would include approximately 20 minutes of content divided into four segments.

“This program is intended to be a master class on church planting and multiplication,” he said. “We’ve recruited experts in each of the areas the course covers, so clergy and laity will hear from accomplished leaders with extensive experience. We of course draw from our leadership team here at TWMC, but people will also hear from church planters like the Rev. Dr. Carolyn Moore (founding pastor of Mosaic Church, in Evans, Georgia) and the Rev. Dr. Steve Cordle (founding pastor of Crossroads Church and Executive Director of the River Network in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania).”

Since the launch of the GM Church in May 2022, denominational leaders believed church planting had to be one of its highest priorities. Many new church plants are the result of congregations that have come into existence after disaffiliation votes from The United Methodist Church. For a local church to exit from the denomination, two-thirds of its members must vote for disaffiliation. Not surprisingly, some come up short, leaving a majority or a large minority of members wanting to start a new church .

“Yes, we have situations where we have ‘orphan congregations’ seeking guidance on planting a new church, and many looking for a pastor to lead them,” said Ms. Cara Nicklas, Chairwoman of the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council. “I am part of such a church plant myself in Oklahoma City (Oklahoma). We just had our first service, and immediately learned we have one of those ‘good problems’ many GM church plants are having – more people in attendance than our temporary space can accommodate! We’re excited, but we know we have much to learn in the coming months and years. The GM Church wants to start a church planting movement, where those churches that take root turn and nourish new church plants! Programs, like the one The Woodlands Methodist Church is creating, are going to pay dividends for years to come.”

Planted 45 years ago, The Woodlands Methodist Church has planted and nourished other congregations. Under Robb’s leadership, it planted The Church at Woodforest in a community 14 miles north of its main campus. And earlier this year, the church welcomed a Spanish speaking congregation into its midst and formed a partnership with The Church at Montgomery, which now serves as a TWMC campus 30 miles northwest of its central location.

“When we decided to affiliate with the Global Methodist Church, we thought of it as a great partnership, a connection, with brothers and sisters all around the world,” said the Rev. Mark Sorensen, Senior Pastor at TWMC, “We believed our affiliation provided us with the very best opportunity to advance and to multiply efforts to reach people for Jesus Christ. We count it a great privilege to humbly offer the church planters program to the whole Church.”

The GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council has already given preliminary endorsement to the TWMC program, and it looks forward to a final review later this year. Upon full endorsement, the program would become the second church planting and multiplication partnership the denomination has formed. It also works with The River Network , which has led numerous church planting workshops and coached many GM Church clergy and new congregations.

“Despite the huge challenges, Global Methodists everywhere are excited about planting new churches,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the denomination’s Chief Connectional Officer. “I am confident the planting and multiplication resource The Woodlands Methodist Church is producing will help the GM Church grow and flourish for many years to come, and most importantly, fulfill the great commission Christ has given us!”

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website , and subscribe to Crossroads .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post The Woodlands Methodist Church to Offer Online Training for Church Planters and Multipliers first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

GM Church Continues Preparing for Its Convening General Conference

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 08:30:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton
October 25, 2023

The GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council has announced that petitions for consideration at the Conference must be received by May 23, 2024. GM Church members, whether clergy or lay, can submit petitions, but their individual petitions must be signed by at least ten other lay or clergy members. (To learn more about submitting a petition see paragraph 607.1-6 in the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline . )

“We are trying to allow as much time as possible for members and groups to submit petitions,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Chief Connectional Officer. “However, we must allow time to have them collated, translated into five or six languages, printed, and then made available to all the delegates elected to the Conference. We want to give the delegates ample opportunity to study and consider all of them before they arrive in Costa Rica.”

Launched on May 1, 2022, with a Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline , GM Church leaders believe the delegates to the convening Conference will concentrate on high priority matters and leave other issues for future General Conferences.

Top agenda items for the convening Conference will be adopting a constitution for the Church, making numerous changes to the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline so it becomes The Book of Doctrines and Discipline , and replacing the Transitional Leadership Council and the Transitional Connectional Officer. The delegates will determine the nature of the episcopacy, organize essential commissions for the day-to-day work of the Church, and adopt a budget for the denomination. To facilitate consideration of these matters, the Transitional Leadership Council, working with the Transitional Commission on the Convening General Conference, will submit petitions addressing all of them.

“While the convening Conference will make many decisions, it is anticipated the GM Church will have to hold another General Conference in 2026 to deal with matters not addressed in 2024,” said Cara Nicklas, the Transitional Leadership Council’s Chairwoman. “As Methodists, we want to be deliberate and methodical as we move forward; we don’t want to rush ourselves into making hasty decisions. We also want to leave space for those we know will be joining us in the not-too-distant future. In the long run, we anticipate holding General Conferences every six years.”

To help facilitate the organization of the convening General Conference, the Transitional Leadership Council has approved the following legislative committees: Constitution, Conferences, Episcopacy, Judicial Administration, Connectional Organization, Financial Administration, and Ministry. As petitions are received they will be sorted and distributed to the respective committees. The Council is exploring the possibility of having legislative committees meet virtually prior to the opening day of the convening General Conference. Once elected, delegates will be assigned to legislative committees according to a method to be adopted by the Council.

“We want to create a Church that is open and fair to all its people, and most importantly enables us to fulfill its mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly,” said Boyette. “As Methodists, we place a high value on connectionalism. We truly believe God works through us when, as sisters and brothers, we humbly seek his will for the Church. To be sure, it can be messy sometimes because we are frail and fallible, but thanks be to God we are redeemed and called forth to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ!”

To stay informed about the GM Church’s 2024 convening General Conference, subscribe to Crossroads . You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University Recognized as Recommended Educational Institution

The Transitional Leadership Council is pleased to announce that Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University (Marion, Indiana) has been approved as a recommended Educational Institution of the Global Methodist Church.

The Seminary was founded in 2009 by the Wesleyan Church and Indiana Wesleyan University. Among several degrees, students can pursue a Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Ministry. Current enrollment is approximately 550 students.

The GM Church requires candidates for ordination as deacons and elders to fulfill basic educational requirements prior to ordination. Candidates can complete the required classes through a course of study program, a bachelor’s degree program in ministry (for those residing in a majority-world context – outside the United States), a joint Bachelor of Arts and Master of Divinity program, a program for a Master of Arts or equivalent degree in the practice of ministry, or a Master of Divinity degree program.

Candidates may complete their educational requirements at any accredited educational institution. However, they are strongly encouraged to choose to complete their educational requirements at a school listed on the GM Church’s recommended educational institutions list.

GM Church recommended educational institutions are evaluated on a number of criteria, including: institutional integrity (whether an institution’s missions, values, and policies are consistent with and supportive of the mission, doctrine, and practice of the GM Church); financial health; and, alignment with the theological and ethical principles of the GM Church (i.e., an institution demonstrates it is supportive of and invested in sound preparation of clergy to serve in the GM Church; offers courses in Wesleyan doctrine, history, and discipline; and evidences a high commitment to Christian orthodoxy and the theological and ethical principles of the GM Church).

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post GM Church Continues Preparing for Its Convening General Conference first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The Journey to the GM Church’s Convening General Conference

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 08:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton
October 18, 2023

“Honestly, planning the Church’s first General Conference is like being the first people to ride a very long rollercoaster with huge highs, big drops, and lots of twists and turns. It’s very exciting and a joy to ride it sometimes, but then there are other moments when you wonder why you volunteered to be the first to climb aboard,” said the Rev. Beth Ann Cook, the Chairwoman of the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Commission on the Convening General Conference and Lead Pastor at St. Paul’s Methodist Church in Poseyville, Indiana.

Cook leads the 21-member Commission with a tall task: plan the GM Church’s first General Conference while the denomination is growing rapidly, still organizing in places all around the world, and do it on a short time schedule.

Formed earlier this year by the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council, the Commission includes members from Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Slovakia, the United States, and Zimbabwe. Bishop Mark Webb serves on the Commission as the episcopal representative.

Recently, the Commission’s work allowed the TLC, the body governing the GM Church while it is in transition, to announce that San Jose, Costa Rica, will serve as the host city for the denomination’s convening General Conference that will run from September 20 – 26, 2024.

A specially designated sub-committee of the Commission has selected a number of hotels near the convention center in San Jose to house Conference delegates and a host of others who will serve in various ways at the gathering. The TLC has entered into contracts with the hotels and will provide information about booking the blocks of rooms it has secured as the Conference grows closer. The TLC will also share with all Global Methodist members ways they can attend the Conference in person or watch it online.

“Most of us don’t plan multi-day events for hundreds of people from all over the world,” said Ms. Cara Nicklas, the TLC’s Chairwoman and an attorney based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. “It’s a testament to the Commission members’ diligence and hard work that in a matter of months they secured a location in a wonderful city with a national government willing to help us expeditiously secure travel visas for all the Conference’s delegates.”

But securing a location and dates are just two of the many steps the Commission must take as it leads the Church to Costa Rica. Cook shared a long list of details still ahead. Among other things, the Commission must recommend to the TLC an agenda, a budget, a legislative process, a means of allocating delegates, and provision for all Conference materials to be available in several different languages. Professional translators will be onsite so all delegates can fully participate in the proceedings.

“We have eight committees assigned to specific tasks, and they’re all making good progress,” said Cook. “But of course everything has to come together when we get to Costa Rica, so we convene a meeting of all the Commission members every other week. Given that we’re all volunteers and live in at least a dozen different time zones, it’s amazing what has been accomplished so far. Members are honored to serve, but we all know we have much more to do.”

For more than two centuries Methodist denominations of various stripes (and there are many ) have held general conferences. For Methodists, a general conference is not just a gathering, it is a critical time of Christian discernment set in the context of prayer, worship, and the frequent celebration of Holy Communion. The conferences are often referred to as holy conferencing , where faithful, but frail and fallible church members gather to discern God’s will for a church.

Typically, annual conferences (subsidiary bodies of a Methodist denomination) elect delegates to represent their regions at a general conference. When the terms “general” and “conference” are connected with a particular Methodist denomination, they are always capitalized, hence the General Conference of the Global Methodist Church. Composed of an equal number of clergy and laity delegates, representing Church members from around the world, the GM Church’s General Conference is the only body empowered to speak authoritatively on its behalf with respect to its core confessions of faith and its governing structure.

“We’re all sinners in need of God’s redeeming, and I’m confident the delegates that will be elected to the GM Church’s convening General Church know that,” said Bishop Mark J. Webb, who, with Bishop Scott J. Jones, will preside at Conference sessions and lead in worship. “General Conferences, at their best, are a wonderful act of the Church’s faith. We believe that despite our sinful natures, God still chooses to work through us, to inspire us, and then equip us to go forth and fulfill the mission of His Church. I believe the GM Church’s convening General Conference will be a holy and hopeful time as sisters and brothers from around the world pray and discern together God’s will for this new Methodist movement.”

To stay informed about the GM Church’s 2024 convening General Conference, subscribe to Crossroads . You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post The Journey to the GM Church’s Convening General Conference first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

GM Church Chaplaincy Ministry Gains Momentum

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 08:00:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton
October 11, 2023

The Global Methodist Church’s Endorsement Ministry continues to grow and gain momentum. The ministry is responsible for assisting applicants who are interested in a variety of chaplaincy ministries, vetting potential candidates, and then endorsing them. While chaplains serve in particular settings beyond the local church, they are also members of one of the GM Church’s provisional annual conferences.

Effective January 23, 2023, the United States Department of Defense officially recognized the Global Methodist Church as a religious organization, allowing the Church’s clergy to join the various branches of the armed forces as military chaplains.

“We were pleasantly surprised by the U.S. DoD’s expeditious approval of the GM Church,” said the Rev. Gary Clore, the denomination’s Endorsement Director. “We did have an experienced team of leaders in place who had spent months preparing our application. Their work clearly paid off when the DoD’s recognition came less than nine months after the Church was launched. The DoD’s approval paved the way for other organizations to recognize the Church, particularly the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons.”

Clore, a retired Captain in the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps, works with the GM Church’s nine-member Ecclesiastical Endorsing Board and he also has the support of Ms. Stephanie Sturdivant, who serves as the Administrative Assistant for Endorsement Ministry. The GM Church now has endorsed chaplains serving as pastoral counselors, in hospitals, alongside police officers, firefighters and other first responders, and in a variety of other settings (see the pie chart nearby).

“One of the fastest growing areas of pastoral need is chaplaincy,” said the Rev. Dr. Bob Phillips, Chairman of the Ecclesiastical Endorsing Board and also a retired Captain in the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps. “Whether its military personnel, first responders, or people facing a host of difficult or even traumatic situations, chaplains are a source of solace and spiritual guidance. This is illustrated by the fact that 140 seminaries in the U.S. have a chaplaincy course or a full chaplaincy program.”

Appointed by the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council, the Ecclesiastical Endorsing Board, meets monthly to consider policy, approve applicants for endorsement, and consider its missional directives based on the GM Church’s Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline . Through its endorsement ministry, the Church is committed to providing trained and vetted clergy to serve in non-parish settings.

“The GM Church’s endorsement ministry allows the denomination to reach people where they work and serve,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the Church’s Chief Connectional Officer. “The Ecclesiastical Endorsing Board accomplishes two critical tasks. First, it identifies, assesses, and then affirms those clergy candidates who believe they are called by God to serve in non-parish settings. And then it plays an important role in connecting the candidates to the organizations where they can be deployed to the ministry to which God has called them. The Endorsing Board’s work makes it possible for GM Church clergy to serve in settings where they believe God would have them minister.”

During this season of separations and transitions, the GM Church’s Ecclesiastical Endorsing Board is maintaining cordial and collegial relationships with the leadership of The United Methodist Church’s Endorsing Agency. Clergy who serve under appointment and endorsement by the UM Church Endorsing Agency but seek to align with the GM Church are encouraged to retain active UM endorsement until the GM Church officially recognizes their clergy status by transfer. The endorsement is normally done in tandem with the transfer of clergy membership.

“The UM Church Endorsing Agency continues its longstanding policy of ongoing endorsement of chaplains who continue with gracious interactions, mutual transparency, and a shared desire for win-win outcomes for the sake of the Kingdom,” said Clore. “Those of us on the GM Church chaplaincy team are grateful for this spirit of mutual trust and constructive conversations, as leaders in both expressions are united in support of the critical ministry of chaplaincy.”

Those not currently under endorsement but interested in exploring such ministry are invited to contact the GM Church Endorsing Ministries by emailing, Clore ( gclore@globalmethodist.org ) or Phillips ( soulfxr@hotmail.com ) . For general inquiries and applications for endorsement, email endorsement@globalmethodist.org . To review a “FAQ” on Endorsement Ministries, please click HERE .

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post GM Church Chaplaincy Ministry Gains Momentum first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Methodist Church’s Convening General Conference Set for San Jose, Costa Rica

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 08:00:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton
October 4, 2023

The Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council has announced that the new denomination’s convening General Conference will be held in San Jose, Costa Rica, September 20 – 26, 2024.

Launched on May 1, 2022, with just 24 local churches in Bulgaria, the GM Church has rapidly grown to 3,800 congregations world-wide.

“It has been an incredible journey to reach this point,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Chief Connectional Officer. “With a willing spirit and steadfast faith, thousands of people from around the world have joined together to give shape to the denomination. And in less than 12-months, duly elected delegates from Africa, Europe, the Philippines, and the United States will gather in a Central American country to discern the future God has for the Global Methodist Church. The Transitional Leadership Council is confident the Conference will serve as a great milestone as the Church continues to press forward.”

Meeting weekly for three and half years, the Council first laid the groundwork for the GM Church and then guided it into existence. Earlier this year it enlisted 22 clergy and laity from around the world to serve on the GM Church’s Transitional Commission on the Convening General Conference, and it asked the Rev. Beth Ann Cook, Lead Pastor at St. Paul’s Methodist Church in Poseyville, Indiana, to serve as its chairwoman.

“The Commission recognized that finding the right location was critical; many logistical details flow from when and where the conference will be held,” said Cook. “We still have a lot to accomplish to be ready, but we also have dedicated and talented people on the Commission. We have also recruited a wide variety of people from across the Church serving on various task teams. I am incredibly grateful, honored, and humbled to serve with these leaders from around the world.”

“All the TLC members are very thankful for the men and women serving on the Commission on the General Conference,” said Ms. Cara Nicklas, Chairwoman of the Council. “The tasks we assigned them are monumental and ongoing. We’re excited with what they have already accomplished, and we will continue to support them as they address the numerous challenges still ahead. We call on all GM Church members to pray daily for the Commission members and for the GM Church’s convening General Conference.”

Some of the major decisions the Commission must still make include establishing the official languages for the Conference, preparing the daily agenda for the gathering, making additional logistical arrangements to support the work of the gathering, and organizing the delegates to craft the final legislation that they will consider. It also needs to determine the number and allocation of delegates to regions all around the world. That decision is made more complicated by the fact that the GM Church continues to add local churches almost daily.

“Relatively speaking, congregations in the U.S. have had easier pathways to join the GM Church than those in other parts of the world, particularly in Africa,” said the Rev. Charles Savage, II, Lead Pastor at Sardis Methodist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, and leader of the Commission’s Logistics Team. “We are truly in a transitional season, so the Commission members know many more congregations will join the GM Church over the next year, and it’s very likely the majority will come from Africa. This is great news, but when it comes to the allocation of delegates it will require flexibility on the part of the Commission and all the provisional annual conferences and districts that have already formed. As we work through this challenge and many others, we’ll need to show one another a good deal of patience and grace.”

GM Church leaders report that that provisional annual conferences outside the U.S. are operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Spain, and the Philippines. In the coming months it is expected that new conferences will form in Angola, Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. They will add hundreds of new congregations to the denomination. Leaders also believe it is possible several more African provisional annual conferences will take shape between May and August of 2024. In addition to the growth in Africa, the GM Church is currently working with representatives in Central and South America, Asia, and Europe to receive local churches and organize the new denomination in those parts of the world.

“Interest in the Global Methodist Church is certainly spreading across the continent of Africa,” said the Rev. Dr. Kimba Evariste, a TLC member, and the president pro tem of the Provisional Annual Conference in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “I know the Commission considered holding the GM Church’s convening Conference in Africa. However, I have talked with many Methodist leaders across the continent and the consensus was Africa was not prepared to host in 2024. We are pleased that securing a travel visa to Costa Rica is fairly straightforward, so African delegates will be happy to join their Global Methodist sisters and brothers in Central America.”

While there are no GM local congregations in the Central American country, the Evangelical Methodist Church of Costa Rica has agreed to warmly welcome Global Methodists to their nation. The Evangelical Methodist Church has approximately 100 local churches spread across Costa Rica, with a membership of 10,000, and average worship attendance over 13,000. Bishop Luis F. Palomo leads the denomination.

“I cannot begin to express the absolute joy I have sensed that San Jose, Costa Rica, will be the site for the first and historic convening General Conference of the Global Methodist Church,” said Palomo. “As the GM Church advances the proclamation of Jesus our Savior around the world, the members of the Evangelical Methodist Church will be honored participants in such an event and ready to assist in any way.”

San Jose is Costa Rica’s capital city. It is located in the mid-west region of the Central Valley with a population of 350,000, the nation’s largest. The country’s population is 5.2 million. Large rainforests, dramatic volcanoes, and beautiful coastlines along both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean draw tourists from around the world to the country. The GM Church is contracting guest rooms in several San Jose hotels and will advise all people planning to attend the conference which hotels are official, and how to secure GM Church preferred rate reservations. The GM Church strongly encourages people planning to attend the conference to await further instructions before attempting to reserve any hotel rooms.

“The GMC is resolutely committed to being a global church,” said Bishop Scott J. Jones, one of the two bishops providing episcopal oversight during the denomination’s transitional period. “It will be a joyful celebration to see and hear the diversity of God’s people joining together for this convening General Conference. I am confident John Wesley would be overjoyed to know that Global Methodists are enthusiastically embracing his maxim, ‘The world is [our] parish!’”

Jones and Bishop Mark J. Webb will preside over the General Conference sessions, assist in leading worship, and serve as the celebrants at Holy Communion services. Over the past several months, the two bishops have traveled around the world to preside over convening annual conferences and lead at regional gatherings. Collectively, they have ordained over a thousand deacons and elders to serve in the new denomination.

“It is an honor to serve this marvelous Church in ‘such a time as this,’” said Webb. “Day in and day out, I have the privilege of working with clergy and laity who are pouring themselves into its formation and faithfully making disciples of Jesus Christ through its missions and ministries. It will be a great day for all Global Methodists when we gather in person and in spirit for our convening General Conference!”

Subscribe to Crossroads for regular updates on the Global Methodist Church’s Convening General Conference in San Jose, Costa Rica.

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Global Methodist Church’s Convening General Conference Set for San Jose, Costa Rica first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

A Church Rising:

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 08:30:00 GMT

First Global Methodist Church Dallas

By Walter Fenton
September 27, 2023

“God is giving us a great opportunity to start a new church – that goes as much for the whole Global Methodist Church as it does for a new church plant like the one I’m serving,” said the Rev. Jill Jackson Sears, the pastor of the First GMC Dallas. “We’ve been given the gift to ask ourselves two key questions, ‘What does God want for his church?’ And then, ‘How are we going to start living into it?’”

After 29 years of service in the North Texas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, Jackson Sears acknowledges the pain of what has been lost while she simultaneously embraces what she regards as a gift given to her and the First GMC Dallas. The pastor at Lake Highlands UMC for nine years, she accepted an invitation from former members to pastor a church plant on the northside of Dallas.

Earlier this year, after 48 percent of Lake Highland’s members voted to disaffiliate from the UM Church, those who knew they could no longer remain in the denomination began exploring whether to start a new church. By March 20, 2023, they launched First GMC Dallas, and then invited Jackson Sears to serve as their pastor. She started on April 1. Her appointment was affirmed by the Transitional Leadership Council and by Bishop Scott Jones, the bishop providing episcopal oversight for her area.

“I did not want people to follow me,” Jackson Sears said, “I wanted them to feel called by God to start a new church. And they did! When you’ve got a church full of people that have made a bold step of faith, you can do a lot!”

Raised in the UM Church, Jackson Sears followed her father into the ministry. She attended the University of Texas in Austin and then headed to Duke Divinity School where she received her Master of Divinity degree. Her clergy colleagues twice elected her to serve as a General Conference delegate in 2012 and 2016. By virtue of her second election, she also represented the North Texas Annual Conference at the special called 2019 General Conference in St. Louis, Missouri.

Jackson Sears believed the 2019 General Conference made it abundantly clear that UM Church needed to find a way to amicably divide the denomination. She was relieved when the leading bishops of the UM Church, along with others, offered the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation .

“I was so pleased that bishops like Cynthia Harvey, Thomas Bickerton, and Ken Carter had negotiated a plan for separation, and were warmly encouraging delegates to support it,” she said. “And given that nearly all the advocacy groups, including centrists, progressives, and traditionalists, supported it, I continue to believe that had the General Conference met in May 2020, the Protocol would’ve passed, and an amicable and orderly separation would have followed.”

As a recognized traditionalist leader, Jackson Sears joined nearly 30 leading United Methodist in Atlanta, Georgia, in early March 2020, to prepare for the organization and launch of a theologically conservative Methodist denomination. She also accepted roles in the North Texas Wesleyan Covenant Association focused on the organization of a new denomination, and how to help revitalize congregations as they navigated their way through a major transition.

“I wanted as peaceable a separation as possible,” she said. “So, along with many of my colleagues, I started working for the health and vitality of local churches that I knew would want to join a theologically conservative Methodist denomination.”

However, with the repeated postponements of the 2020 General Conference, and the launch of the Global Methodist Church in May 2022, Jackson Sears believed the members of Lake Highlands UM Church had the right to enter a discernment process and then decide for themselves whether to remain United Methodist or join the GM Church.

“When people realized the church’s vote was essentially split, the news was devastating,” she said. “Some knew they would have to leave and leaving meant giving up the security of a building and the resources necessary for ministry. But as odd as it is to say, they’re now grateful for what happened and how it happened. They’ve all had to dig deep, and ask themselves, ‘What do I believe, and am I willing to stand up for what I believe?’ People who ask and answer those questions can do amazing things through the power of the Holy Spirit!”

The growing congregation currently meets on Sunday afternoons at Fellowship Church on the northside of Dallas as it actively looks for a more permanent location.

“We have all the typical challenges of new church plants, like having enough space, and what’s the best time to meet,” said Jackson Sears. “But what we’re really focused on is creating a new culture. We are committed to being a high expectations church. We worship a God that allows us to have high expectations of him. God is going to change us by his grace, so we have to put ourselves in places where that is going to happen. We expect that members will be involved in worship, in service, in prayer, and that we will all give and fully participate in the life of the church.”

In addition to leading First GMC Dallas, Jackson Sears serves as a presiding elder in the Mid-Texas Provisional Annual Conference with oversight of eight local churches. She and her husband Clay of 24 years are also very involved in the lives of their two daughters who are in college, and a son who is in high school.

“Jill is smart, energetic, passionate, and most importantly, she is a woman of faithful perseverance,” said the Rev. Dr. Leah Hidde-Gregory, the president pro tem of the GM Church’s Mid-Texas Provisional Annual Conference. “And the people at First GMC Dallas are clearly bold believers. Twenty, fifty, and a hundred years from now, people will look back on this congregation and its pastor and give thanks for their faithfulness!”

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post A Church Rising: first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Embracing Our God-Sized Mission

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 14:15:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette
September 20, 2023

The Global Methodist Church exists to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. Recently as I was praying into this mission statement, I realized that the components of the declaration are vitally interrelated and that there is a progression to those components, one feeding another. Living into the progression and the interrelatedness is essential for us as Global Methodists. You are not fully a disciple of Jesus Christ until you are engaged in worshiping passionately, loving extravagantly, and witnessing boldly all the time, with all your being.

In 2 Chronicles 16:9, the seer Hanani declares, “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” Fully committed disciples worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly continually as they move through each day. God is searching the whole earth for such persons so He can strengthen them. They are anointed or filled by the Holy Spirit. They are used by God to accomplish that which will glorify God and which far exceeds their human capacity. In John Wesley’s words, when we are so deployed, we are engaged in spreading scriptural holiness across the land. As these words increasingly describe who we are, we are being sanctified by God’s grace – we grow in holiness – Godlikeness.

But some of us struggle with one or more of the components of our mission statement. We believe in Jesus as our Savior and Lord. We have repented of our sins, received God’s forgiveness, and been blessed with new life. The old self has been crucified with Christ, and we have been born again to a living hope. However, we seem paralyzed when it comes to witnessing let alone witnessing boldly. Others of us struggle to love, let alone love extravagantly. Still others would confess that worship is an afterthought, and passionate worship makes us uncomfortable. If our lives were weighed in the balance, little evidence might be found to support a verdict that we are indeed disciples of Jesus Christ.

We do not want to be anemic or lukewarm followers of Jesus. What then are we to do? The Apostle Paul resolutely answers, “The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25). If you are to love extravagantly and witness boldly, the journey begins with your worship life which places you at the feet of Jesus. I submit you cannot consistently love extravagantly or witness boldly until you worship passionately. Worship is the fuel that ushers us into the presence of God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – where we are embraced by the One who created us and sustains our lives. Far too many ascribe worship to what they might do once a week for approximately one hour in a building during a “worship service.”

As Global Methodists we are called to worship in spirit and truth in every moment. Worship is the core orientation of our lives. Worship is how we engage every moment of every day. We were made to worship – to dwell in the presence of our Living God, have intimacy with Him, and be continually renewed. You and I are worshiping someone or something in every moment of our day and, if we are honest, we would confess that too often the focus of our worship is on everything else but God. When the focus of our worship becomes God exclusively, we develop a deeper intimacy with God. We begin to receive His good gifts. He takes up residence in our lives. Jesus becomes not a historical figure, but an ever-present part of every moment. The passionate worship of God results from our bringing our whole self into the presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in worship so that all of who we are is focused on all of whom God is. Such an orientation results in praise and gratitude for who God is and what God is doing in our lives and around us in His creation. Passionate worship is experienced when we see Jesus – only Jesus – as we move through our days wherever we are and whatever we are doing.

Passionate worship reveals to us the character and activity of God. We experience God’s loving embrace. We know His affirmation of each of us. We experience the depths of our forgiveness and healing. The image of Isaiah in the temple of God in Isaiah 6 beautifully illustrates this place of passionate worship. As we worship God passionately, we are enveloped by His love and this love compels our response.

Experiencing the depth of that love changes the orientation of our lives from ourselves to others. When we realize the depth of His love for us, we cannot help but cry out in the words of Isaiah, “Here am I, Lord! Send me! (Isaiah 6:8).” Once again, the Apostle John captures the moment, “We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).”

Passionate worship leads to loving extravagantly. When we consider the extravagant love God has showered on us through the life and death of Jesus Christ, our lives are transformed to love others with all of who we are – an extravagant love. If you have a love deficit, the solution is to engage in more worship and to do so with all of who we are – to do so passionately.

Extravagant love leads to witnessing boldly. Humans are constitutionally incapable of keeping love to themselves. If they try to do so, it leads to mental illness, stagnation, or breakdown, and ultimately to death. We must share that love if we are to be fully alive. Realizing who God is and discovering His agenda (passionate worship) leads to the realization of what God has done for us – in saving and sanctifying us – which inevitably leads to us wanting to be more loving ourselves – loving God and loving our neighbor (loving extravagantly). Loving extravagantly leads to witnessing boldly as we tell others the good news of this God who has loved us in spite of our rebellion and forgiven us, restoring us to His Kingdom. We cannot keep such love to ourselves – we must share it in word and deed. And we must introduce others to the source of such love.

If you are struggling to witness boldly, then you need to rediscover the extravagant love of God. The path to rediscovering that extravagant love is found in our passionate worship. As we worship God passionately, our lives are filled with His presence, good gifts, and power moving us into loving extravagantly and witnessing boldly.

You and I are on a mission to be fully committed disciples of Jesus and to make disciples for Him. God is searching His creation for those like you and me who are fully committed to Him so that He can strengthen us. He strengthens us through our worshiping passionately, loving extravagantly, and witnessing boldly. He has called us to make disciples of Jesus Christ who do the same. Praise God for entrusting us with a God-sized mission. Are you all in? I am!

The Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer for the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer. To learn more about the Global Methodist Church, visit our website, www.globalmethodist.org .

The post Embracing Our God-Sized Mission first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Methodist Church Now Operating or Organizing in All Fifty U.S. States

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 08:37:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton
September 13, 2023

With the recent authorizations of a transitional district advisory team (TDAT) in Virginia and one covering nine western states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington), the Global Methodist Church is now operating or organizing in all 50 states in the U.S.

Transitional district advisory teams and transitional advisory conferences teams (TCATs) are composed of clergy and laity who work together to create provisional districts and provisional annual conferences that connect GM local churches in their regions. In the U.S., the GM Church now has 12 operating provisional annual conferences and one provisional district . Over the next several months the Church plans to celebrate the launch of four more provisional annual conferences and two provisional districts in the country.

Clergy and Laity in the heart of Texas were among some of the first groups to move from the status of a TCAT to becoming an official provisional annual conference of the GM Church. After several months of organizing, the Mid-Texas Provisional Annual Conference commenced operations on November 1, 2022, and then in January of this year held its convening annual conference in Waco, Texas

“Creating an annual conference was not something any of us had done before. It was simultaneously exciting, challenging, and frustrating,” said the Rev. Dr. Leah Hidde-Gregory, the President Pro Tem of the Mid-Texas Conference, and a member of the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council. “Working with the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council we had to figure out everything from onboarding local churches and pastors to properly incorporating the conference in the state of Texas. What helped us move forward was the cooperation we received from The United Methodist Church’s Central Texas Annual Conference. The conference created two opportunities for local churches to disaffiliate under fair and reasonable terms.”

Where UM Church disaffiliation or withdrawal terms were reasonable, TCATs or TDATs were able to gather enough local churches together to help launch provisional conferences or districts. Many of these were initially in the south central and southeastern parts of the U.S. where UM bishops and annual conferences adopted an amicable and orderly process for leaving the denomination.

“I feel bad for sisters and brothers in some other UM Church annual conferences where exiting the denomination is nearly impossible,” said Hidde-Gregory. “The terms are unduly onerous and expensive, particularly in much of the northeastern and western parts of the country. Given the circumstances, it’s no surprise standing-up a GM Church provisional conference or district is taking more time in those areas.”

The GM Church has made it a priority to work with local leaders in the U.S. and around the world to create provisional conferences or districts as soon as possible. Over 3,200 local churches have already joined the fledgling denomination, and Church leaders believe more will do so before the end of the year. They believe it is critical to get local churches connected with other congregations and introduced them to local leaders who can answer questions and help them navigate challenges.

Six of the twelve U.S. provisional annual conferences have held convening conferences, complete with ordination services. Most of the other conferences have held large gatherings with worship and workshops as they plan for their own convening annual conferences. According to local and general GM Church leaders attendance at the conferences and gatherings has been strong and enthusiastic.

“The joy I have witnessed at GM Church convening annual conferences, ordination services, and other gatherings have been among the most Holy Spirit filled events I have ever had the privilege of being a part of in all my years of ministry,” said Bishop Scott J. Jones.

Jones, along, with Bishop Mark J. Webb, are the GM Church’s two active bishops. They currently share the responsibility of presiding at all annual conferences in the U.S. and around the world, and they work closely with provisional annual conference leaders, and the TCATs and TDATs that are in the process of organizing conferences and districts.

“Our DNA as Methodists is connectional,” said Webb. “It has its practical dimensions, but far more importantly it binds us together as the body of Christ. It celebrates and gives life to the way congregations work together to support one another, share resources, and carry out mission and ministry. Despite all the challenges we have faced, I am finding that GM local churches long for authentic connectionalism. They want to be part of an annual conference or a provisional district, so we’re doing all we can to get them connected as soon as possible.”

Undoubtedly, the most challenging region for organizing is in the Western U.S. For decades, the UM Church’s Western Jurisdiction has experienced steady decline, and it is widely regarded as the denomination’s most progressive region. Over the years, many conservative UM members left the denomination taking a toll on the number of traditionalist local churches in the jurisdiction. Many of those remaining are now seeking to disaffiliate from the UM Church but are confronting some of most difficult disaffiliation terms in the denomination.

The Rev. Mark Maddox, Lead Pastor at Journey Global Methodist Church in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Ms. Kathy Cosner at Silverdale Community Church, in Bremerton, Washington, are co-leaders of the 24-member Western States Transitional District Advisory Team. Stretching from Alaska to Arizona, and Utah to Hawaii, the region is easily the largest and most challenging area where the GM Church is currently organizing.

“Creating a GM Church connectional structure in the West poses unique problems,” said Maddox. “But we’re approaching it like climbing one of our great mountains – one step at a time. We have a great team that is realistic about the challenges, but we are also very passionate about seeing the Global Methodist Church flourish in the Western States.”

The team meets regularly by video calls, and it has created various sub-committees to complete the necessary work to stand-up a provisional district. Working closely with Bishop Webb, the team’s first goal is to gather at least 30 local churches so it can seek approval to launch a provisional district. Generally, the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council requires a minimum of 30 local churches to launch a district and 120 to start a provisional annual conference.

“We want to help local churches and small groups meeting in houses get connected as soon possible, so we’re aiming for provisional district status first,” said Cosner. “We all know the challenges we face, but we also know Jesus’s Great Commission. The Western States are wide open for growth, and we intend to help local churches disaffiliate and join the GMC, plant new ones, and just multiply churches from there. We are confident our brothers and sisters around the country will partner with us as we reintroduce a warm-hearted, Wesleyan expression of the Christian faith in the West!”

To connect with a provisional annual conference or district, click here . And to contact a TCAT or TDAT leader in your area, click here .

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Global Methodist Church Now Operating or Organizing in All Fifty U.S. States first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Kenyan Congregations Join Global Methodist Church

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 08:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton
September 6, 2023

Fifty-eight local United Methodist congregations in Kenya voted to withdraw from The United Methodist Church and then announced they would align with the Global Methodist Church. The congregations made their decision at the UM Church’s Kenya–Ethiopia Annual Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya, on August 24, 2023.

“Our exit stemmed from major differences between ourselves and Bishop Daniel Wandabula [leader of the UM Church’s East Africa Episcopal Area] and a UM Church that appears increasingly dominated by progressives based in the U.S.,” said the Rev. Wilton Odongo, the Kenya–Ethiopia Annual Conference’s Secretary and the Superintendent of its Nairobi District. “Even though our faith convictions, beliefs, practices, and ethics remain consistent with the UMC’s Book of Discipline , they are out of step with where Bishop Wandabula and progressive UMC leaders in the U.S. are apparently determined to take the denomination . Since we have been Methodists traditionally, we still wanted to be within the Methodist family, so we decided it is good for us to join the GMC.”

In addition to the 58 local churches planning to join the GM Church, Odongo said 16 other local churches planted in the past year have also indicated they will join the GM Church as well. He believes other local UM churches in Kenya and also Ethiopia will make the transition to the new denomination as their learn more about their options.

“We of course regret division in the Church,” said Ms. Cara Nicklas, the Chairwoman of the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council, “however, we are thankful the laypeople and clergy of these local churches in Kenya are putting conflict behind them and choosing to unite with brothers and sisters who share their core Christian convictions. We will joyfully welcome them to the Global Methodist Church!”

A provision passed at the UM Church’s special called 2019 General Conference has allowed approximately six thousand local congregations in the U.S. to disaffiliate from the denomination. The UM Church’s Council of Bishops decreed that the disaffiliation provision was only applicable to U.S. churches. Consequently, members in Africa, Europe , and the Philippines have, like the clergy and lay leaders in Kenya, used other methods for extracting their local churches from the UM denomination.

“We desire our local churches to grow,” said Odongo, “We want our churches to be rooted in a Wesleyan expression of the Christian faith, in its history, doctrines, and theology, and also in Methodist polity and liturgy. Our hope is that as many Kenyan clergy as are aligned with the GMC will be afforded the opportunity to register for theological training and acquire leadership principles so the church in Kenya will grow and flourish. We pray God will provide funds for scholarships for our GMC pastors so they can enroll in formal theological training.”

Odongo noted that a wide circle of clergy and lay leaders made it possible for the 58 local churches to exit, but he specifically cited the efforts of Rev. Kephas Otieno Oloo, Superintendent of the Nyanza District; and Rev. Rosemary Iserene Wandera, Superintendent of the Busia District, and lay leaders Dr. Ken Mollo, Mr. Chrispinus Wafula Mugwanga, and Deacon Alice Wasilwa.

In a sign that the separation will be an amicable one, the Kenya–Ethiopia Annual Conference leaders appointed an ad hoc committee composed of an equal number of persons representing departing churches and those remaining to develop a plan for handling the disposition of conference property. The ad hoc committee is to deliver its plan by October 31, 2023, to a special session of the annual conference where the plan will be considered and voted upon.

“I am grateful for the bold, principled leadership of our Kenyan brothers and sisters,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, Chief Connectional Officer of the GM Church. “Denied justice by their bishop in the ruling that there was no pathway for them to make their own decision about their future, they courageously made their decision and acted on their convictions. The GM Church is eager to work closely with them to organize the churches and clergy in Kenya in advancing the gospel unencumbered by the conflict they previously encountered.”

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Kenyan Congregations Join Global Methodist Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Laborers for the Harvest: The Importance, Meaning, and Joy of Clergy Ordinations

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 08:00:00 GMT

By Bishop Scott J. Jones
August 30, 2023

Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38).

God is doing a new thing in the Methodist movement by forming the Global Methodist Church. God is calling men and women to serve as laborers in the mission field. We know that disciples who follow Jesus need to belong to a local church. And we know that local churches need preachers who will proclaim the gospel, administer the sacraments, teach the faith and order the life of the church.

The apostle Paul put it clearly in Romans 10:14-15 saying, “But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’”

God is raising up and sending a new generation of clergy to participate in this Wesleyan movement. Praise the Lord!

In just eight months, I have participated in sixteen different provisional annual conference sessions this year, including the preliminary gatherings that were preparations for the formation of provisional annual conferences. Most of them have included services of ordination, and as of August 24, I have ordained or assisted in ordaining 440 women and men. And I have four more ordination services scheduled between now and the end of the year! A recent photograph from the North Alabama Annual Conference included the 68 persons I ordained and those who had transferred in from other denominations. Seeing such a crowd gives one confidence about the future leadership of the Global Methodist Church.

Each of these ordinations is special to the person being ordained and their family. Some of these persons are recent graduates of seminary. Others have served as licensed local pastors for decades. Some were qualified as elders but rejected as too conservative for their former denomination. Others were deacons who now feel called to be elders in addition to being deacons.

For each of these persons I would have preferred the opportunity to get to know them and their story better than I do. But one in particular stands out. Josh Groce was called into ministry as a second career. He was still a young man. He received his call while he, his wife, Alicia, and their two children were members of Hernando United Methodist Church in Hernando, Mississippi. He attended Asbury Theological Seminary and joined the staff of his church. Given the turmoil within his denomination, he delayed ordination until his church voted to disaffiliate. He then applied and was approved for ordination in the Global Methodist Church. Tragically, Alicia was diagnosed with rapidly advancing ALS syndrome. Earlier this year it became clear that she would not have long to live. But she had supported her husband through his call to ministry and his theological education and she wanted to see him ordained. The Mississippi–West Tennessee Transitional Conference Advisory Team asked if I would ordain Josh in a special worship service. So on April 18, with members of the TCAT and the Hernando Methodist Church present, I ordained Josh as both deacon and elder. Alicia and their children were present. She died August 5 at the age 35.

Despite major challenges, both personal and corporate, God is raising up clergy for the Wesleyan movement in general and the Global Methodist Church in particular. It is a great privilege to be part of that process in which the Holy Spirit is working!

Three points about clergy leadership should be emphasized. Like other Wesleyan denominations, the GM Church believes in education, certification, and ordination for its clergy.

While John Wesley described himself as homo unius libri , a man of one book, he also insisted that his clergy should read many books and study to improve their preaching and leadership. For many years Methodist preachers followed a course of study. With the founding of seminaries, a system of formal education was established for clergy. The GM Church continues to value educated pastors, so it requires those who hear a call to ministry to pursue a formal education by attending seminary or availing themselves of other pathways the denomination has approved.

In addition to the educational requirements, each candidate must past through a certification process. That process begins at the local church level, then involves critical engagement with an annual conference board of ministry, and culminates in a vote of approval for ordination by an annual conference’s clergy session.

Finally, the GM Church, like most Methodist denominations, has an episcopal form of church governance. Therefore a bishop (the title comes from the New Testament Greek word, episkopos ) has the solemn duty and honor of ordaining approved clergy candidates for service in the church. The GM Church’s ordination liturgy involves the bishop examining the candidates in front of the whole conference. The bishop speaks about leadership in God’s church and the specific tasks of deacons and elders. He also asks the ordinands for their commitments to preach the gospel and maintain the church’s faith. Then the bishop lays hands on each person’s head and prays that the Holy Spirit might be poured out on him or her for the office and work of their new status. And in the case of an elder, the bishop invites the ordinand to take authority to preach the gospel, administer the sacraments, and order the life of the church. That episcopal ordination connects the newly ordained clergyperson back to John Wesley through the chain of bishops ordained by him in 1784.

It is a joyful and awesome experience for the whole church to participate in ordination services. Men and women come forward believing God has called them to serve as clergy. Mentors have walked alongside them as they continued to discern that call. Teachers have enriched, challenged, and tested them as they have grown in faith and wisdom. And boards of ministry affirmed their calls through close examination and prayer. It is no wonder ordinands and bishops approach the altar with fear and trembling and often tears of joy at ordination services. It is a mighty thing to be ordained by a bishop and then sent forth as a humble laborer in God’s great work to redeem the world through his Son, Jesus Christ.

Learn more about the Global Methodist Church , a movement dedicated to making disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.

Bishop Scott J. Jones is an episcopal leader in the Global Methodist Church.

The post Laborers for the Harvest: The Importance, Meaning, and Joy of Clergy Ordinations first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The Rise of the GM Church in the U.S. Northeast: A Conversation with Rev. Steven Taylor

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 08:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

In just 15 months the Global Methodist Church has welcomed 3,150 local congregations, launched 13 provisional annual conferences, and established two provisional districts. In the U.S., it is likely to launch four more provisional annual conferences and another provisional district by the Spring of 2024 as the total number of local churches climbs to 4,000.

Many people are excited about the GM Church’s growth and want to be a part of it, but are disappointed they cannot find a church in their area. “Why,” they ask, “if so many churches are joining the new denomination, can we not find one within a 100, 200, or even 500 mile radius of our homes?”

Those most inclined to ask the question live in U.S. Western states or in the Northeast area of the country. Crossroads visited with the Rev. Steven Taylor about this and several other questions concerning the growing denomination. Taylor is the lead pastor at Panama Methodist Church in Panama, New York, a community 80 miles south of Buffalo. He also serves as the leader of the Northeast Transitional Conference Advisory Team (TCAT), a group of laity and clergy working to create a provisional annual conference covering a vast geographical area in the Northeast.

What are the most challenging obstacles local churches and the Northeast TCAT are facing as they work to form a GM Church provisional annual conference in the region?

The growth of the GMC in the Northeast has been steady but slow, mostly due to The United Methodist Church’s disaffiliation process and the costs local churches in the Northeast must pay when disaffiliating. We span nine UM Church annual conferences in 13 states, plus Washington, D.C. Each annual conference has different requirements for disaffiliation from the UM Church ranging from fairly amicable to some of the most onerous and expensive terms in the denomination [e.g., according to a recent Christianity Today article , 299 local churches were approved for disaffiliation in the UMC’s Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference, while only eight local churches have managed to disaffiliate from its Greater New Jersey Annual Conference]. The requirements are so stiff in some UM annual conferences that dozens of local churches have turned to the civil courts for relief . Our TCAT is working hard to encourage Northeast churches disaffiliating from the UM Church to consider aligning with the GM Church. We are confident that over the next two to three years people will begin to see more and more GM local churches in the area. We will grow as former UM local churches affiliate with the GM Church, and by planting and multiplication.

How did the Northeast TCAT come into existence?

It was born from several meetings among leaders in the area, especially leaders of the Wesleyan Covenant Association’s regional chapters in the Northeast. In the summer of 2022, a group of eight leaders began to discuss how the GM Church could most effectively create connection and organization for local churches wanting to affiliate with the new denomination. Early in 2023, the decision was made to create one large provisional conference in the Northeast, with the understanding that a time would come when we would need to multiply into two or more conferences. The GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council approved the Northeast TCAT on April 15, 2023, and it was formally launched on May 1, 2023.

In general, how would you describe the members of the Northeast TCAT?

The TCAT is a diverse gathering of 31 people from across the region, from every church size, ethnicity, male and female, young and old, lay and clergy, active and retired, and with an incredible set of spiritual gifts and experience to lead.

Approximately how many local churches have indicated they want to be part of the Northeast Provisional Annual Conference? Given all that has transpired, why do they want to join another denomination, specifically the GM Church?

To date, approximately 120 congregations in the area have made the decision to align with the GM Church. Many more are in the disaffiliation and discernment process, with final disaffiliation dates still unknown. However, we are confident that by the end of 2023, close to 200 local churches will apply to join the GM Church. Much of the timing depends on the UM annual conference special sessions and the submission of all required documents for disaffiliation. Thankfully, the process for aligning with the GM Church is simple and there are no application costs or initiation fees. We are finding that many local churches are eager to align with the GM Church because of its commitment to Wesleyan-Methodist doctrine, a strong stand on the authority of Scripture, clear accountability standards for bishops and clergy, lower connectional funding rates compared to the UM Church’s apportionments, and a desire to be connected to like-minded Methodists who are building a new movement around the world.

Given the vast geographical boundaries, what are ways you are trying to create connection and community?

Connections thrive in relationship. The more we know one another, the more connection we create. Since its inception, the Northeast TCAT has been a movement grounded in prayer. We hold a monthly online prayer gathering hosted by our Northeast Prayer Steering Team, led by Rev. Dr. Leo Park. During that gathering, we worship and pray. Technology has allowed us to be connected across the miles and has been a blessing for us. In July, over 200 people attended a one day Summit in Halifax, Pennsylvania, for worship and connection. Bishop Mark Webb was the preacher for the day, and TCAT members held a panel discussion to answer questions from people present and online. Whether a local church has already joined the GM Church or is still considering affiliation our media team is keeping them all informed and connected.

What are the joys and surprises the TCAT has experienced so far? When do you anticipate the launch of the Northeast Provisional Annual Conference and the date of its convening annual conference?

The biggest joy is getting to know laity and clergy throughout the diverse Northeast region. We have been surprised by the number of local churches joining the GM Church and the pace at which they are doing so. At the end of August, the Northeast TCAT will be meeting in-person for the first time, to continue laying the groundwork for the Northeast Provisional Annual Conference. While we don’t have a target launch date, we are hoping to finish the work needed to stand up an annual conference by the end of the year, and to hold our convening annual conference in the Spring of 2024. To connect with the Northeast TCAT, please send an email to Rev. Taylor at: staylor.netcat@gmail.com .

Crossroads will continue to feature Global Methodists organizations around the world that are committed to making disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post The Rise of the GM Church in the U.S. Northeast: A Conversation with Rev. Steven Taylor first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Disaster Relief for Fire in Maui

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 15:49:00 GMT

According to news reports, almost the entire city of Lahaina, Hawaii, on the island of Maui, was destroyed by fire. To date, the death toll is 96, and is likely to exceed 100 as search teams continue their grim work.

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The post Disaster Relief for Fire in Maui first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

First Things First: Part One of the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 08:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

In just 16 pages, near the very front of its Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline , the Global Methodist Church states those things that are of first order to its very being. GM Church members and friends will find there what the Church considers are its core confessions and its distinctive Wesleyan expression of the Christian faith. These are matters all members should read, study, and regularly discuss with their sisters and brothers in the faith. They are intended to teach us who we are as God’s people, and shape the way we live and bear witness to the transforming power of God’s grace and love in our lives. It is no exaggeration to state that the health and vitality of the GM Church, indeed its very existence, depends on its people knowing and proclaiming what is contained in Part One of the Book of Doctrines and Discipline .

Today, we live in a world with thousands of Christian denominations; Global Methodists must know the basics of their history and be able to winsomely articulate it to others. In less than 750 words, the Book of Doctrines and Discipline succinctly summarizes our history in a section entitled “Our Heritage of Faith.” It clarifies our rootedness in the New Testament Church’s claim that Jesus Christ is the Son of the God who is revealed in the Old Testament, and that Jesus is our Savior, and is the one Lord of the Church universal. The section teaches that we confess the Christian faith stated in the great creeds of the church catholic (or universal), the confessions Christians have proclaimed for nearly 2,000 years. From there, the opening section closes with a summation of Christian history and our place in it.

Since its founding, the Methodist movement emphasized that the gift of God’s grace is available to all people. And the movement’s founders, John and Charles Wesley, clarified how God’s grace works in our lives. So moved by God’s grace, the former preached thousands of sermons, and the latter penned as many hymns testifying to the unfolding of that grace in a Christian’s life. Their profound exposition of grace is commonly called the “Wesleyan Way of Salvation.” A brief section warmly captures this essential teaching of our faith.

Under the heading, “Principles of Our Life Together,” Part One also sets forth eight markers of what it means to be the Church in the world. Among other things, we are to be “rooted and grounded in the scriptures and the historic teachings of the Christian faith,” be “committed to carry out the Great Commission . . . to make disciples of Christ teaching and baptizing in His name,” to “model the love of God . . . with our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves,” and to “display a ‘catholic spirit’ to the church universal, cherishing our place within the greater Body of Christ.” Knowing ourselves as sinners in need of God’s redeeming, we live out our faith together, guided by these and other principles.

And to remind us of the source of these principles, the Doctrines and Discipline dedicates a section of Part One to “Holy Scripture.” It clearly states that the Bible is “the primary rule and authority for faith, morals, and service, against which all other authorities must be measured.” This short section makes clear the Global Methodist Church’s high regard for God’s word.

Following on its strong statement about Scripture, Part One includes three “Foundational Documents for Our Doctrinal Standards.” The Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds and the Definition of Chalcedon are printed so it is clear the Global Methodist Church is rooted in the classical confessions of Christian orthodoxy. Its members are to regularly affirm the faith that Christ followers have proclaimed down through ages.

With other Christian denominations the Methodist movement traces its theological heritage all the way back to the New Testament. In a section called “Constitutive Standards,” the Book of Doctrines and Discipline includes the Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church and the Confession of Faith of the Evangelical United Brethren Church, expressions of our theological heritage as Methodists. These documents clarify those teachings the Global Methodist Church shares with all orthodox Christians, and includes beliefs that demonstrate its close association with the Church of England of the 1700s, the communion in which Methodism had its origins.

Sections seven and eight of Part One are uniquely Methodist. The former is entitled “Normative Wesleyan Standards” citing key sermons by John Wesley, and the latter is named the “General Rules of the United Societies,” a key document Wesley first created in 1738, and that was “subsequently adopted by the Methodist Episcopal Church [in America] in 1785,” one year after the Church’s founding. These sections of Part One are historical documents and rich in wisdom and direction for the people called Methodists.

Finally, Part One closes with the short, but all important “Restrictive Rule.” This rule states that “the governing body of the Global Methodist Church shall not revoke, alter, or change our Articles of Religion or Confession of Faith, or establish any new standards of rules and doctrine contrary to our present existing and established standards of doctrine.” The rule essentially fences off Scripture, the great teachings of the Church universal, and our Wesleyan expression of the Christian faith from any changes or modifications.

Part One of the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline makes for a good companion to the Global Methodist Church’s “ A Catechism of the Christian Faith and Doctrine in the Wesleyan Tradition .” The Catechism can be ordered from Seedbed Publishing here or by downloading it as a PDF here .

To read and search the online version of the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline or to download a copy of it, click here .

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post First Things First: Part One of the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Seven Ways To Reintroduce Your Global Methodist Church Congregation to Your Community

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 08:00:00 GMT

By Chassity Neckers

“We are excited you are here!” This is something I say to a new person every Sunday morning, and on behalf of the people of the Global Methodist Church, I am saying it here to you as well!

In July, the Global Methodist Church celebrated that 3,100 local churches have joined the new denomination with more joining every week. We give thanks for those who have joined, and we continue to pray for those who are doing all they can to affiliate with us. We look forward to welcoming them.

Choosing to become part of the Global Methodist Church movement is a decision bathed in prayer, discussion, and discernment. It is also a time of great excitement as many local church members ask, “We’ve joined the Global Methodist Church, now what?”

This is a good time for local GM churches to reintroduce themselves to their communities, displaying, in word and deed, the warm and grace filled Methodist expression of the Christian faith. As you begin your journey as a Global Methodist congregation, here are seven ways you can share the news.

Place an announcement in the newspaper

Your local newspaper is an excellent resource for sharing the news of your congregation’s new name and affiliation. If there is a specific contact for your local paper to submit stories, send them an announcement. While you will want to joyfully share your church’s new name, reassure the community the congregation is as committed as ever to its mission. If your church has ministries that serve the community, assure your readers those ministries will continue uninterrupted. And if you have an upcoming ministry opportunity, mention that as well.

As you put together your own announcement, here is a recommendation to get you started:

[CHURCH NAME] is pleased to announce it is now [CHURCH NAME] Global Methodist Church (or a congregation of the Global Methodist Church). The Global Methodist Church is a new and growing denomination rooted in the Wesleyan tradition. As a local expression of the Global Methodist Church, we are excited to continue to partner with God’s mission in our community and around the world as we make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. To learn more about the Global Methodist Church visit www.globalmethodist.org .

Place the announcement in your church newsletter

Leverage your church’s newsletter to make sure all your church members and attendees are aware of your new affiliation and name. While the information will be similar to the newspaper announcement, your church newsletter is a great place to briefly explain the congregation’s passion for fulfilling its mission in the community and around the world.

Share the news on your social media channels and website

As you prepare to share the news with your congregation and your community, social media and your church website are great avenues that allow you to communicate with both. Update your church’s website and social media profiles to reflect the new name, logo, and branding. Share posts and updates about the name change, highlighting the positive aspects and the significance of the new name and affiliation. Be sure to monitor social media channels so the focus remains on your local church’s dedication to fulfilling its mission in word and deed.

Bonus: You can create a paid social media post or “boosted” Facebook post inviting your community to join you for worship. This will allow you to reach more people with the news.

Create a video

Becoming a part of the Global Methodist Church is big news! It is also a big change. Seeing a familiar face can humanize the change and allow people to connect on a personal level. One way to accomplish this is by sharing the news via a brief video. A video does not require the multi-camera production of yesterday; you can film a simple video on your phone. A few recommendations: choose a clean, non-distracting background, stand near a window for natural light, and speak clearly. Also, keep the announcement brief; a one to two minute video is best.

This video can be shared in a communication to your congregation and on your social media channels. Get creative – include multiple voices within your church community or leadership!

Mail a card or brief letter to the people in your community

Yes, snail mail is still relevant! You can send out a postcard or printed letter announcing your news and inviting the community to join you for worship. Tools like Every Door Direct Mail can be great for this type of outreach.

Visit the places your church ministers to and share the news

The people beyond the walls of your church have a vested interest in its health and vitality. It is essential to make them feel valued and cared for during this transition. Set aside time to have the pastor or a church representative meet with leaders in your schools, community organizations, retirement centers, nursing homes, etc. to share the news. This will assure that your partnerships in the community will continue while also allowing people to ask questions and seek clarity around the news.

Host a celebration or open house for the community

As faithful followers of Jesus, it is not enough to tell people what you are about, you have to show them as well. Global Methodist are committed to seeing lives transformed by Jesus through the power of His Holy Spirit – worshipping passionately, loving extravagantly, and witnessing boldly! A new name on a sign does not replace grace-filled and earnest evangelism. Take this opportunity to invite those who have never stepped through your doors and to reconnect with those who stepped away. Invite them to experience your warm-hearted and vital church community. Host an open house event where people can come and learn about your church’s history and mission, and its connection to thousands of other Global Methodist churches. You can offer tours, refreshments, interactive displays – and maybe add in a couple of bounce houses for the littlest visitors.

Lastly, the greatest way to reintroduce your Global Methodist church to your community is to reflect the heart of Jesus. This is the time to boldly step out in faith and reach out with grace and love for the community where God has planted you.

Here are a few extra links as you get started:

Chassity Neckers is a freelance writer and communications and marketing expert who lives in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. She is also a member of the Great Lakes Global Methodist Church Leadership Council.

The post Seven Ways To Reintroduce Your Global Methodist Church Congregation to Your Community first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

A Book for Every Member

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 08:10:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

“Pastor, I’m honored you’d ask . . .,” and then the word every pastor of a small congregation dreads: but .

It was nominations season at a church I served, and I was looking for a chairperson to lead the pastor-parish relations committee. The woman I called was faithful, had extensive professional experience in human resources, and had the respect of other church members. But , she said, “I’ve never served on the pastor-parish relations committee, let alone served as the chairperson of any church committee, and [there’s often an “and,” too] I worry about the time commitment – church committee meetings seem to last forever.”

I had good answers to allay her concerns. My confidence stemmed from my familiarity with The United Methodist Church’s Book of Discipline . A dedicated seminary professor and pastor who loved teaching, respected the Discipline , and wanted the best for the future pastors in his charge taught my UM Church polity course. He helped us understand that the Discipline was, in some sense, a tool, and if we used it wisely, it would facilitate the good order of the local churches we would serve.

Fortunately, at that juncture, I had just enough experience using it that I could respond to the reticent PPRC nominee, “Given your experience and the guidance of our Book of Discipline , I think you’ll do a great job. The book clearly outlines for you the chairperson’s duties and the committee’s responsibilities. If you follow it, you’ll discover that only on rare occasions will a meeting need to exceed an hour.” After mulling things over for a day or two, she accepted the position. And as those of us on the nominations committee believed she would, she became an excellent PPRC chairperson. She owned her own copy of the Discipline , and while she was never officious in her use of it, she used it skillfully and wisely.

One of the casualties of the late dissension among Methodists has been a wary regard and, in some pockets, even an outright disdain and disregard for church books with the word “discipline” in their titles. Given all that has transpired, we can certainly understand the reasons for the wariness, but we Global Methodists need such a book now more than ever. And thankfully we do have one, the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline .

In the Methodist tradition a discipline’s great purpose is for the good order of the church. It’s a multifaceted book setting forth our core confessions of faith and our shared understanding of what it means to be the church. And then it spells out “methodical” and practical ways we are to organize ourselves to fulfill the church’s mission. If we are to be a healthy and vibrant branch of Christ’s Church, a discipline deserves our respect, our regular study, and even our allegiance.

But no, it’s not our Bible. It’s not infallible, and it’s certainly not a closed canon of church discipline never to be added to or subtracted from (although fittingly, some parts of it having to do with the Bible and the core confessions of our faith are purposefully very hard to change). By and large, it’s always a work in progress, a necessarily adaptable document so it remains serviceable to fulfilling the mission of the church in all times and places. And when changes are made, they are made according to fair and open procedures outlined in the discipline. The process calls duly elected delegates to a time of prayerful discernment as they deliberate and cast votes.

Like all Methodist disciplines at their best (and most Methodist denominations do have some kind of “book of discipline”), the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline is an invitation to all its members to fully participate in the life of the church, serving alongside others and so sharing the responsibility and the joy of being the church in the world.

And to do that well, we need good order, which among other things implies at least the following: gratefully holding to time honored ways of doing things so we don’t get bogged down reinventing the wheel; practicing habits and routines that are respectful of one another’s time, talent, and resources; and, adhering to fair procedures that give all our brothers and sisters the opportunity to offer ideas, freely comment on others, and so discern and decide together how the church should fulfill its mission.

When the people of the church adhere to a shared discipline, and do so with grace, humility and patience, they are engaging in the great work of being the body of Christ in the world. It’s not showy, glamorous work; in fact, as Bishop Mark Webb said in a recent Eucharist devotion, being the church is often messy . It is the daily discipline of sinners in need of God’s redeeming, asking themselves, “How can we most effectively, most lovingly and graciously, share the Truth and grace that transformed our sorry souls, with those who also need the hope of the Light that always shines in the darkness?” That’s one of the main questions a good discipline is always trying to answer.

All the people who have had a hand in the creation of the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline – and in one way or another, thousands have had a hand in it – know the best parts of the book are an inheritance, graciously handed on to us. It will serve the church best to the extent it creates the conditions for the worship of God, the proclamation of Gospel, the celebration of the sacraments, and the shaping of a people who are dedicated to making disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.

No local church member needs to be an expert in all parts of the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline , but all members should read and study at least Parts One through Three, and then other sections as he or she assume various roles in the life of the church. To read and search the online version of the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline or to download a copy of it click here .

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post A Book for Every Member first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Truett Seminary’s Alternative Educational Pathway Approved

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 08:00:00 GMT

The Transitional Leadership Council of the Global Methodist Church has approved Truett Seminary’s Pastoral Studies Program as an alternative educational pathway through which candidates for ordination in the GM Church can fulfill the educational requirements for ordination as either a deacon or an elder. The George W. Truett Theological Seminary of Baylor University in Waco, Texas, was previously approved as a recommended educational institution of the GM Church.

More information about Truett’s Pastoral Studies Program may be obtained through a brochure accessible here or by visiting Truett’s website . Truett’s Pastoral Studies Program is a non-degree program and is open to anyone, regardless of age, academic background, or denominational affiliation.

Paragraph 407.1 of the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline of the GM Church provides that persons pursuing GM Church ordination may complete the educational requirements set forth in ¶ 407.3 at any approved alternative educational pathway or in a bachelor’s degree program in ministry (for persons residing other than in the United States and Western Europe), a joint Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Divinity program, a program for a Master of Arts or equivalent degree in the practice of ministry or a Master of Divinity degree program at any accredited educational institution.

The post Truett Seminary’s Alternative Educational Pathway Approved first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Watch Us Grow

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 10:23:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

Fifteen months from its launch, the Global Methodist Church continues to grow and mature. Much has occurred in this 15-month period, fueled by an army of dedicated, passionate, committed Christ followers. And we are only just beginning! The numbers only tell part of the story. We now have 3,100 congregations and 3,400 clergy aligned with the GM Church with more added weekly.

In the past fifteen months, we have organized regional bodies in Alabama-Emerald Coast, Allegheny West, Bulgaria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eastern Texas, the Great Lakes, Mid-Texas, North Alabama, North Carolina, the Philippines, Slovakia, South Carolina, South Georgia, Spain, and West Plains. Soon additional regional bodies will begin operating in Florida, the Heartland, the Mid-South, Mississippi-West Tennessee, the Northeast, the Upper Midwest, Virginia, and the West. Discussions and organizing efforts are underway in a number of countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, Mexico, and South America.

A key missional priority for the GM Church is a commitment to multiplication. We celebrate the more than 100 new GM churches that are being planted around the world. Most are entirely new churches while a few have occurred as the result of local churches not reaching the required vote to disaffiliate. New churches have been planted in the Middle East, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Canada, the Philippines and throughout the United States. Plans are underway to plant new congregations in Chicago and Los Angeles as well as in countless communities across the U.S. Some of these new churches have received assessment, training, and coaching through our partnership with The River Network . Grants for some of the new GM Church plants are now available through the GM Church’s partnership with Asbury Theological Seminary. Asbury made a $500,000 matching gift to fund such grants, and donors to the GM Church have contributed $280,000 thus far in matching funds. Additionally, a fourth group of church multipliers will begin a journey as a Multipliers Learning Community (MLC) cohort in partnership with Exponential this fall designed to equip persons to fulfill our missional priority of being a multiplying movement. There is still room for additional participants in the MLC cohort. Email me if you are interested.

Multiplication does not happen without visionary, spirit-filled leadership. The GM Church has partnered with the International Leadership Institute to provide training in eight core values that are at the heart of being a multiplying movement – intimacy with God, passion for the harvest, visionary leadership, culturally relevant evangelism, multiplication of leaders, family priority, faithful stewardship, and integrity. The GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council and most of the presidents pro tem of our provisional annual conference will participate in a week of training addressing these core values in September. Our goal is to see such training offered in each of our regional bodies. Allegheny West and North Alabama have already committed to offer such training in their areas.

Our commitment to enhanced biblical teaching and preaching has resulted in the release of our Catechism which has already sold over 16,000 copies as many congregations are using it in transformational small groups, bible studies, and new member classes.

The GM Church is committed to maintaining a small general church footprint, striving to keep bureaucracy and institution to a minimum. We have a small general church staff, which is only growing to the extent that circumstances demand. We recently added a Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer, Jeff Pospisil , and two full-time employees in our Benefits Office .

Consequently, general church connectional funding is only one percent of a local church’s operating income. We are grateful for the many churches that are currently remitting such funds, enabling significant ministry to occur worldwide. Yet the amount churches are contributing to fund general church operations is significantly less than churches expended before aligning with the GM Church. The general church is providing services for the benefit of local churches that include managing and processing health, life, and disability insurance, retirement benefits, and a GM Church-wide child safety and protection program , MinistrySafe.

Annual conference connectional funding is also significantly less than churches paid previously and range between one and five percent of a local church’s operating income. Yet, our provisional annual conferences are committed to global partnerships linking conferences in one part of the world with conferences elsewhere. Recently, the Bulgaria Provisional Annual Conference committed to a plan to be self-sufficient in five years, and the Mid-Texas Provisional Annual Conference partnered with them to provide funds to undergird this effort as Bulgaria makes this transition. In addition to the financial commitment, the two provisional annual conferences will explore significant ways in which they can be involved in one another’s ministries and build personal relationships among their churches, clergy, and laity.

Work is underway to hold the GM Church’s convening General Conference in the later summer or fall of 2024.

The most significant ministry occurs daily in the communities served by GM churches around the world. Please join me in praying that every local church, every clergy person, and every lay person will be filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit so that we will be fully equipped to introduce our neighbors to Jesus and help them become His fully devoted disciples. Give thanks for what God has already done in a very short time in the GM Church.

The Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer for the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

The post Watch Us Grow first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

“Break Camp . . . Go Forward”

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 08:00:00 GMT

The post “Break Camp . . . Go Forward” first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

New Resource Offered to Enhance Safety and Protection of Children, Youth, and Vulnerable Adults

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 08:00:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

The church must be a safe place for persons of all ages to experience the presence and love of God, to grow in faith, and to experience healthy community. Every congregation strives to provide such an environment. However, we have learned such environments must be cultivated and cared for with great intentionality. The development of sound policies and practices to enhance the safety and protection of children, youth, and vulnerable adults must be a top priority for every congregation of the Global Methodist Church.

The GM Church is pleased to announce the launch of a new partnership with MinistrySafe, a leading organization in helping meet the needs of churches and ministries to create preventative measures tailored to enhance the safety and protection of children, youth, and vulnerable adults. Every congregational member of the GM Church can access the resources of MinistrySafe without expense to ensure the highest standards are followed in their ministries. The GM Church has paid the costs associated with providing local churches and their ministries access to these resources. The goal is to ensure that every Global Methodist congregation and ministry is a MinistrySafe member and uses all of the resources provided.

MinistrySafe provides a five-part safety system at no cost to local churches. First, awareness training is available through informative videos to equip persons with a better understanding of behaviors and practices that endanger persons involved in our ministries. Second, skillful screening techniques and policies equip leaders to identify high-risk responses and risk indicators in the vetting process of persons who will represent and minister on behalf of the church and in the implementation of policies adopted. MinistrySafe provides sample applications for employees and volunteers in ministries of the church, interview forms, and reference forms. Third, thorough policies and procedures are available that have been implemented and tested in many settings. MinistrySafe provides sample policies for children’s ministries, youth ministries, youth sports programs, daycare and other educational settings, camps, and child services programs. Leaders learn the “why” behind policies and procedures so they can be effectively implemented.

Fourth, MinistrySafe offers a variety of levels of background checks. Training to understand what level is best for each ministry setting and how to administer a background check system is provided at no cost. GM Church congregations and members are able to have background checks performed at substantial discounts over what would be charged generally for such a service. Fifth, a monitoring and oversight system ensures that all aspects of the MinistrySafe offerings are being effectively deployed to maximize the protection and safety for those who participate in the ministries, programs, and gatherings of a local church.

Participating congregations are provided with access to a MinistrySafe Control Panel. Through this dashboard, leaders can monitor the status of every staff person or volunteer serving in the ministries and programs of the local church to ensure that all aspect of the five-part safety system are being deployed to maximum effect.

If each local congregation of the Global Methodist Church signed up separately to participate in the MinistrySafe offerings, they would pay an annual fee of $250 plus a $5 fee for each staff person or volunteer to participate in the basic portion of awareness training. Additional fees would have to be paid for more advanced awareness training. However, because of the agreement between the GM Church and MinistrySafe, all of this is available at no cost for each GM local church. This is one way the general church connectional funding provides a benefit to local churches. The only cost a congregation pays is for background checks when ordered and that cost is significantly discounted. Local church leaders can view the different levels of background checks available and their discounted pricing here . You can learn more about background checks generally here .

The GM Church wants to be a movement that goes the extra mile to ensure every person is protected and experiences a safe environment when he or she participates in the ministries of local churches. The denomination strongly encourages every local church to sign up for MinistrySafe now. To sign up, go to www.ministrysafe.com/gmc . Click on “Become a MinistrySafe Member.” Complete the online form provided and enter the Discount Code “GMC2023.” Becoming a MinistrySafe member will enable local church leaders to access the full library of 70+ documents, forms and resources offered by MinistrySafe immediately. You can learn more about all that is offered by MinistrySafe by visiting the organization’s general site , but only sign up through www.ministrysafe.com/gmc in order to benefit from the special arrangement with the GM Church which avoids any membership fee for your local church.

If you have questions about the MinistrySafe partnership, please email your questions to info@globalmethodist.org . You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website . You can subscribe to our weekly e-newletter, Crossroads , here .

The Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

The post New Resource Offered to Enhance Safety and Protection of Children, Youth, and Vulnerable Adults first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Rev. Dr. Young Jin Cho Joins Global Methodist Church and is Designated Bishop Emeritus

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 08:01:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

At its June 19, 2023, weekly meeting, the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council (TLC) received the Rev. Young Jin Cho as a clergy member in the new denomination and then immediately voted to confer upon him the title bishop emeritus , effective July 1, 2023. Cho joins Bishop Emerita Robert Hayes, Jr. and Mike Lowry as the other bishops granted that status.

The GM Church, just over a year old, has welcomed nearly 3,000 local churches and received over 3,200 clergy members. During its transitional season the TLC is guiding the denomination prior to its convening General Conference, slated for the fall of 2024. The Council designated Cho as bishop emeritus in the light of his service as a pastor, district superintendent, and bishop in The United Methodist Church, and for his steadfast proclamation of the Wesleyan expression of the Christian faith.

“I love what E. M. Bounds says in his book, Power through Prayer ,” said Cho. “‘The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men and women.’ What the church needs is not more or better machinery, not new organizations or more novel methods. It needs men and women the Holy Spirit can use; men and women of prayer, who are mighty in prayer. I hope the GMC tackles a deeper issue of many mainline churches today – lack of spiritual vitality. We must become a spirit led movement!”

Born in Onyang, South Korea, Cho earned Bachelor and Master of Theology degrees from Methodist Theological Seminary in Seoul, Korea, and was then ordained in the East Annual Conference of the Korean Methodist Church in 1977. He came to the United States in 1979 and earned Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. Cho then transferred to The United Methodist Church’s Virginia Annual Conference in 1983.

“People need to remember that the GMC launched just 14 months ago, so during this uncertain period we need to show one another a lot of patience and grace,” said Cho. “Disaffiliation has been and continues to be a difficult process for many of our sisters and brothers, so it’s important we allow people time to grieve and heal. Prayer is more important than ever as we all find our way forward.”

Cho’s first appointment was to the Korean United Methodist Church in McClean, Virginia, and it would be his only appointment in the conference. He served the congregation for a 22 years, and during his tenure it became the largest church in the conference measured by worship attendance. From there, Cho was tapped to serve as a district superintendent and then in 2012 the delegates to the UM Church’s Southeastern Jurisdiction Conference elected him to the episcopal office.

“Bishop Emeritus Cho’s gentle spirit and his modeling of servant leadership will be great gifts to the Global Methodist Church,” said Ms. Cara Nicklas, the TLC’s chairwoman and an attorney based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. “His emphasis on the importance of personal and corporate prayer enriched the church he served, the district he led, and many of the local churches in the Virginia episcopal area. The GMC’s Transitional Leadership Council enthusiastically granted him bishop emeritus status and looks forward to the ways he can advise and counsel the GM Church in its early days.”

In retirement Bishop Emeritus Cho remains engaged in ministry and mission around the world. He is involved with Durihana Mission, which works with North Korean refugees in the United States. He also serves as a co-mentor of the Bishop Cho Scholars at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. And he serves the Madang Program helping Korean-American pastors who are serving in cross-cultural ministries.

“Bishop Emeritus Cho is a follower of Jesus Christ with a depth of spirituality that I have always admired. Every aspect of his life is rooted in the discipline of prayer,” said GM Church Bishop Mark J. Webb. “The leadership he offers to all he encounters is shaped by a pastoral heart and a passion for the Church to fully live into its purpose and mission. I am privileged to call him a colleague and friend. He will be a blessing to the Global Methodist Church.”

Bishop Emeritus Cho has been married to Kiok Cho for 46 years. They have three adult children, and two grandchildren. Bishop Emeritus Cho and Kiok live in Centreville, Virginia.

“It will be a real challenge for the GMC to become and remain a biblical and authentic church which truly honors the Lordship of Christ in our mission and ministries,” said Cho. “But I’ve learned to never underestimate the power of daily and fervent prayer.”

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Rev. Dr. Young Jin Cho Joins Global Methodist Church and is Designated Bishop Emeritus first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Sowing in Tears, Reaping in Joy

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

According to a recent Christianity Today article nearly 6,000 local churches have disaffiliated from The United Methodist Church since 2019. And as the article makes clear, many more would as well save for the often costly and complicated process required to do so. The bar for disaffiliations has been set so high in some annual conferences, that local churches have joined together to petition civil courts to mandate that annual conferences allow them to exit the denomination. In some states judges have ruled against them , while others have ruled in their favor .

However, some congregations, which do have the freedom to hold disaffiliation votes, come to discover a minority of their members can block the majority’s will to exit the UM Church. The high bar of 67 percent of a congregation’s membership must vote in favor of disaffiliation.

What happens when local churches come up just short?

“Many of our people were just heartbroken,” said the Rev. David Lindwall, the former pastor of Montgomery United Methodist Church, in Montgomery, Texas, a community about an hour north of Houston. In early September 2022, Lindwall explained, “Fifty-eight percent of the congregation’s members voted to disaffiliate from the denomination, and of course, many of them attended the church for years. They had poured their time, talent, and resources into it missions and ministries, and loving cared for its facilities; they were very faithful members.”

Lindwall, who served Montgomery UM Church for 12 years, and whose family had formed strong bonds in the congregation and community, acknowledged his disappointment with the outcome. And as Rev. Cabe Matthews, his associate pastor wryly put it, “We had a bad week at the office.”

Layman John David Peeples, of Collierville United Methodist in Collierville, Tennessee, a suburb on the eastside of Memphis, could commiserate with Lindwall and Matthews. Earlier this year, on a Sunday in late February, 495 members (64 percent) of the Collierville congregation voted to disaffiliate from the UM Church, but 278 (36 percent) voted to remain. The majority fell 12 votes short of the 67 percent required for disaffiliation.

Peeples, who co-led a committee that helped the church move through a long discernment process regarding disaffiliation, was deeply disappointed and exhausted. “Frankly, it was good that the very next morning I needed to leave town to attend to family matters for several days; I needed to be away. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do when I got back home; I guess I figured I would just start looking for a new church to attend.”

In Montgomery, Lindwall, Matthews, and leading laity decided they wanted to make sure members who had voted to disaffiliate did not have to go looking elsewhere. They immediately started making plans to plant a new church, and two months later, in early November 2022, Christ the King Global Methodist Church held its first worship service in a local junior high school.

“It’s as if we traded a building for a mission, and for a much deeper faith,” said Matthews. “While we have an immense amount of work to do, there is an easiness to it, a lightness I have never known before in my life in ministry. In a way, we are just having fun! When we gather, there is a deep joy that we all feel. We know who we are and what we are about, and we know the Lord is with us!”

For the members who decided to leave Collierville UM Church, the pathway to something new was different, but the results are remarkably similar. The majority of the members of the church’s largest Sunday School class had voted for disaffiliation, and they decided they still wanted to meet together on Sundays. Its leaders started searching for a location the day after the vote; they found space at a funeral home. The idea was to meet for Sunday School, and then dismiss people so they could go looking for new churches to attend for worship.

As other Collierville UM Church members learned about the class gathering and where it planned to meet, they asked if they could join them. The requests kept coming all week, so by Sunday, instead of a class meeting, 350 people crammed into a space for 150, and held a worship service.

“People stood against the walls, stood in aisles, and in the foyers,” said Peeples. “There was no plan to hold a worship service or start a new church, but apparently the Holy Spirit did have a plan. We’ve been worshipping at the funeral home ever since, and given the interest and enthusiasm, we decided to plant a church. We are now known as First Methodist Church Collierville.”

The fledgling congregation eventually hired the Rev. Eddie Bromley to serve as its pastor. Bromley, a former associate pastor at the Collierville UM Church, felt called to lead the new church plant.

“My wife and I planted a church 20 years ago; it was in a small rural community.” Said Bromley. “We had 40 people, and we all had about 18 months to plan, train and launch. Over almost a decade the church almost got to the size of 200 people, which was fantastic. But this time, rather than 40 people and a pastor starting a church, the Holy Spirit started a church, welcomed 350 people, and then a few weeks later invited a pastor to come and be a part of it. So, I get the joy of pretending to be the leader of this, as if I were smart enough to make any of this happen.”

While Bromley is a Global Methodist Church pastor, the new congregation has not made an affiliation decision. He is currently in the midst of a sermon series exploring Wesleyan distinctives, and notes that the people forming the new church appreciate their Methodist heritage and do not want to lose it.

“We’re trying to lay some good groundwork so when we do begin talking about denominational alignment, or at least the possibility of it, we’re not just sharing ignorance,” said Bromley. “We don’t want to make an alignment decision for just pragmatic reasons. I mean, there are some pragmatic reasons for being aligned with a denomination, including where do they get their next pastor when I’m gone, but I think there are deeper, more important reasons for alignment, and we want to carefully consider them.”

For the people who planted Christ the King in Montgomery, they decided fairly quickly to affiliate with the Global Methodist Church. And both Lindwall and Matthews, who were named the co-pastors of the new church, are GM Church clergy. The congregation has the distinction of being the first GM Church plant in the Eastern Texas Provisional Annual Conference.

“The lay people who stepped up to plant the church are highly committed, very generous, and very, very faithful,” said Lindwall. “They realize they’re on board a mission that is bigger than themselves. They’re interested in building a legacy church that will be in this community for years to come. It’s a challenging and exciting venture!”

Recently, the congregation unanimously voted to merge with The Woodlands Methodist Church, just 25 miles southeast of Montgomery. The Woodlands, also a Global Methodist Church, already has other local church sites in the area. The congregation’s new name will be The Church at Montgomery.

“We’re just honored that The Woodlands approached us,” said Lindwall. “We of course are theologically aligned and share the same passion for reaching people for Jesus, discipling them in faith, and helping people in need. This merger propels our mission forward, and will make it possible to accomplish some of our goals much sooner than we anticipated.”

The majority of the nearly 3,000 local churches that have joined the Global Methodist Church did so through successful disaffiliation votes, and so they came with their property and assets intact. But like the Church at Montgomery, others are the result of people and pastors who have walked away from cherished sanctuaries and chapels, and in faith did something they never imagined doing – planting a church.

“We’re so busy just helping local churches and pastors transition into the GM Church that we’ve not had the time to determine how many of them are church plants, or how many of those planted churches are the result of people who lost a disaffiliation vote, and then boldly decided to plant a new church,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the denomination’s chief connectional officer. “But whatever the case, so many of the stories are an inspiration and testament to people’s fidelity to God’s call on their lives. And we’re confident a number of church plants that are still considering an alignment decision will ultimately join the GM Church.”

For the past year the Global Methodist Church has been partnering with the River Network to assist laity and clergy who would like to plant a church. Just recently the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council approved an additional 13 church planters and authorized them to plant churches from Concord, North Carolina to Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California, and places in between.

If you would like to learn more about planting a church, read Church Planting, the GMC, and You .

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Sowing in Tears, Reaping in Joy first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The Global Methodist Church in Central and Eastern Europe

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 08:00:00 GMT

By Bishop Mark J. Webb

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1.3-6

The words of the Apostle Paul to the believers at the Church of Philippi represent my heart as I reflect upon my recent time with brothers and sisters of the Global Methodist Church in Slovakia and Bulgaria. It was an absolute joy and blessing to spend ten days with these passionate Christ followers who are seeking to be the church and live out our mission of “making disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly and witness boldly.”

The leaders and congregations of Bulgaria and Slovakia were some of the very first to join the movement of the Global Methodist Church as it launched on May 1, 2022. With conviction, faith, and courage they stepped into the future they believed God was calling them to. Currently there are 24 congregations and 19 pastors in Bulgaria, while Slovakia has 11 congregations and 12 pastors.

During my visit, I was treated with radical hospitality, experienced passionate worship, and witnessed a people who are serious about being the church and taking the gospel of Jesus Christ into the lives of those around them. With every visit of a local congregation and every conversation with clergy and laity I heard about the ways in which God is at work in, among and through them. But even more, I heard the dreams of what they believe is yet to be. Their commitment to the gospel, to being the body of Christ and the hope they have in what God has in store for them in the days ahead is inspiring.

One of the highlights for me was the opportunity to be a part of the ordination of three deacons in Slovakia and eight deacons in Bulgaria.

The leadership of Rev. Dr. Gabi Kopas, presiding elder of the Slovak Provisional District, and the Rev. Dr. Daniel Topalski, presiding elder of the Bulgaria Provisional Conference, is a blessing within the Global Methodist Church. Their commitment to the clergy and congregations with which they partner was evident, and the gifts they share will equip leaders and congregations well for the future as they seek to be the church of Jesus Christ in their respective countries.

In a Pew research article several years ago, it was noted that “roughly a quarter of a century after the fall of the Iron Curtain and subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union, religion has reasserted itself as an important part of individual and national identity in many of the Central and Eastern European countries where communist regimes once repressed religious worship and promoted atheism.”

In Slovakia, according to the latest census data, 69 percent of the population identify as Christian, with the majority related to the Roman Catholic Church, while in Bulgaria 65 percent of the population identify as Christian with the majority related to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Like most parts of the world, these numbers continue to decrease and there is a significant gap between identification and active involvement in the life of a faith community. The opportunity to invite people into a transforming relationship with Jesus Christ and a vibrant connection to the community of faith is rich.

The future of the Global Methodist Church in Bulgaria and Slovakia is filled with opportunity and potential, but also presents very real challenges. As these congregations and leaders live into the commitments of the Global Methodist Church that include transformational discipleship, a culture of multiplication and a zeal for evangelism, the work of leadership development (both clergy and lay), church planting and financial sustainability are vital areas of focus. Perhaps unknown to some is the fact that when our brothers and sisters in Bulgaria made the decision to leave the United Methodist Church, they did so knowing they were sacrificing 70 percent of their existing funding for pastoral support and ministry.

As the Global Methodist Church continues to grow and mature, our sisters and brothers in Bulgaria and Slovakia are demonstrating a boldness and commitment to the mission and purpose of the Church. They are providing leadership that is shaping our movement. I believe they have much to teach us about being the church. They yearn to be global partners in the mission we share.

A value of the Global Methodist Church movement is to see congregations, districts, and annual conferences within and outside the United States connected in true partnerships, sharing mission and ministry in relevant and practical ways. May we live out the truth that we can learn from one another and grow together. Local churches in the U.S. can be strengthened by what brothers and sisters in places like Bulgaria and Slovakia can offer them. The impact on churches in places like Bulgaria and Slovakia will be significant when brothers and sisters in the U.S. take seriously the truth that the “world is our parish.”

As the Global Methodist Church continues to form and build the necessary systems for maximum missional impact, my prayer is that we will truly live out our values and take seriously our commitment to be a global church. I pray we in the U.S. will back-up our words with actions. God is calling us as individuals and local congregations to be true partners with those in other parts of the world who are faithfully seeking to be the body of Christ and boldly offer Jesus to the world. I trust we will joyfully respond to that challenge.

I give thanks to God for the people of the Global Methodist Church in Slovakia and Bulgaria. I am blessed to call them brothers and sisters in Christ and partners in the work of the gospel. In just ten short days, they impacted my life and I know that God has great plans to give them “a future and a hope” and to use them to increase the kingdom of God.

Forward Crossroads to your church friends and encourage them to subscribe . Thank you.

Learn more about the Global Methodist Church .

Bishop Mark J. Webb is an episcopal leader in the Global Methodist Church.

The post The Global Methodist Church in Central and Eastern Europe first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The Importance of Connectionalism for Methodists

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 08:00:00 GMT

By Bishop Mark J. Webb

My mother-in-law loved to do jigsaw puzzles. I did not share that love, because of my deficit in an aspect of the fruit of the spirit – patience. As she began a puzzle, she would spread all the pieces out on a table, place the cover that displayed the picture of what would be in front of her, and (from my viewpoint), painstakingly begin to connect one piece to the next. With each connection she would get closer to the vision that sat before her. It brought her joy!

As Methodist followers of Jesus Christ connection is critical to our vision of the Church God calls us to be. From the beginning of the Methodist movement, connection has been a key value. Connectionalism is the theological and practical understanding of Methodist ecclesiastical polity and is practiced in the Methodist Church in Britain , Methodist Church in Ireland , United Methodist Church , Free Methodist Church , African Methodist Episcopal Church , African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church , Bible Methodist Connection of Churches , Christian Methodist Episcopal Church , Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas , The Wesleyan Church , and the Global Methodist Church . It celebrates and gives life to the way congregations work together to support one another, share resources, and carry out mission and ministry.

For John Wesley connection was non-negotiable. His teaching on social holiness called us to the necessity of connection to one another. In 1739 he penned the words, “The gospel of Christ knows of no religion but social; no holiness but social holiness.” For Wesley, a privatized notion of Christian faith was nonsense and unfaithful. Wesley believed that holiness is realized within Christian community as we pray together, worship together, study scripture together, care for one another, confess our sins to one another and serve the world together with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In addition, for Wesley, this understanding of connection was crucial to the mission of the Church, shared by each congregation. He recognized the need for an organized system of communication and accountability and developed what he called the “connexion,” which was an interlocking system of classes, societies, and annual conferences. Congregations become stronger. Our mission has greater impact because of and through connection.

Over the last few months, I have been visiting with leaders and congregations who are discerning how they will live out God’s call and the Church’s mission in the days ahead. Some have expressed hesitancy about “hitching their wagon” to another denomination. While I respect and honor these wonderings, I have joined other voices in sharing the conviction that to “go it alone” as a congregation may bear fruit for the kingdom of God, but it is not the Methodist way.

Our DNA as Methodists is connectional. We are stronger in our holiness together and we are stronger in our mission together. I don’t blame congregations and leaders for being hesitant about stepping from one connection into another, yet I believe we have a chance to experience unity of mission, doctrine and discipline in a way God calls and we yearn for. Of course, it will only be a reality if we practice in a serious manner a shared covenant and accountability to the way of Christ. Our inability to experience the genius of connection in the past should not preclude us from striving for it in the future.

I know there are risks from trusting a connection again, but I believe the rewards far outweigh those risks. Being a part of a connection continues the unique DNA of being Methodist. It provides a standard of doctrine and theological alignment founded on the tenets of the Christian faith in the Wesleyan tradition. Connection provides a collective missional impact and coordination of ministry to the world that no one church could accomplish alone. A connection allows us to share with one another practical strategies and resources gleaned from our successes as well as our mistakes, to strengthen God’s call upon our lives and further the purpose of the Church. A connection can discover, develop, and deploy Christ-following leaders for the marketplace and the Church that will strengthen local churches, including providing consistency in the pastoral leadership congregations so deeply desire.

Being a part of a connectional church creates an opportunity to partner with, invest in and encourage followers of Jesus Christ around the world, who seek to live the call of the Apostle Paul as shared with the Church at Philippi: “Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose” (Philippians 2.1-2).

Last year, as the Global Methodist Church began, the Rev. Walter Fenton, Deputy Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church, shared some words worth repeating :

“The Global Methodist Church fully embraces the importance of authentic connectionalism, and so it warmly invites individuals and local churches who long for such a connection to join it. Now is the time for people and local churches to pray and work together for a new connection empowered by the Holy Spirit. Now is the time for people and local churches to give of their time, talent, and resources to build an authentically connected church. A church that watches over one another in love, that extends grace, serves others, proclaims the truth, and holds one another accountable to its great calling.”

My mother-in-law believed that spending hours connecting one piece to another in a jigsaw puzzle was worth it. It brought her joy! I believe that being connected to others in the mission and ministry of the Church is worth it. It’s the Methodist way! It’s the DNA upon which the Global Methodist Church is being formed. It can bring us joy!

I pray that we will not abandon the power of connection. I believe God will bless our desire to be a part of a connection and use it to keep us connected to Christ, and one another so that God might use us together to take the light and truth of Jesus into a world where God yearns to move people from darkness to light, from lies to truth, from death to life. I invite you to join us!

Forward Crossroads to your church friends and encourage them to subscribe . Thank you.

Learn more about the Global Methodist Church .

The post The Importance of Connectionalism for Methodists first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

An Essential Source for a Growing Church

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 08:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

“The inspiration for the name of the Global Methodist Church’s e-newsletter – Crossroads – came from our dear friend, the Rev. Dr. Jerry Kulah,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Chief Connectional Officer. “Jerry preached a powerful sermon based on Jeremiah 6:16, where the Lord says, ‘Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.’ Many of us remembered that sermon and its text; as we prepared to launch the GM Church, the image of the ‘crossroads’ seemed a good fit for a denomination and an e-newsletter launched in challenging and exciting times.”

In less than 18 months, Crossroads has logged over 11,000 subscribers and is growing rapidly. The free weekly e-newsletter is principally dedicated to sharing news and important information about the GM Church that helps local church members and clergy connect to the new denomination. Crossroads’ articles also explore the core confessional beliefs of the GM Church and how they shape the way Global Methodists bear witness to a Wesleyan expression of the Christian faith. Readers can subscribe by clicking here .

“I think every member of a Global Methodist congregation should subscribe to Crossroads ,” said Ms. Cara Nicklas, Chairwoman of the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council. “In this transitional period, clergy and laity justifiably have a long list of questions about the new denomination. The great thing about receiving Crossroads is that the answers to many of their questions are addressed in detail. Whether it’s a question about planting a new church, exploring John Wesley’s emphasis on connectionalism, or something in between, a Crossroads article is likely to have addressed it in one way or another.”

All the articles that have appeared in Crossroads are available on the GM Church’s website, and are easily searchable and accessible. A language tool in the lower right corner of the webpage allows readers to convert the articles into Spanish, French, Portuguese, Korean, and Kiswahili.

“We are happy to do whatever we can to answer people’s questions when they call,” said Ms. Teresa Marcus, a GM Church staff member. “However, given the flood of phone calls and emails we receive, many people have to leave messages, and it often takes us a few days to respond. Subscribing to Crossroads and also thoroughly reviewing the Church’s website will typically yield an answer to a person’s question faster than we can respond to it. We are doing everything we can to make information as accessible as possible to our members, and Crossroads is a critical way we can keep people informed and help them get connected.”

To subscribe to Crossroads , please click HERE .

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post An Essential Source for a Growing Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Rev. Dr. Robert Hayes Joins Global Methodist Church and is Designated Bishop Emeritus

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 08:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

At its May 22, 2023, weekly meeting, The Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council (TLC) received the Rev. Dr. Robert Hayes, Jr. as a clergy member in the new denomination and then immediately voted to confer upon him the title bishop emeritus . Hayes joins Bishop Emeritus Mike Lowry as the only other bishop granted that status.

The GM Church, just over a year old, has welcomed over 2,500 local churches and received over 2,750 clergy members. During its transitional season the TLC is guiding the denomination prior to its convening General Conference, slated for the fall of 2024. The Council designated Hayes as bishop emeritus in the light of his many years of service as a bishop in The United Methodist Church and his fidelity to the Wesleyan expression of the Christian faith.

“My greatest hope for the Global Methodist Church is that this new expression of Methodism will find deep roots and flourish in the decades and centuries to come,” said Hayes. “I pray it will feed the souls and spirits of people who have long been in search of a faith that is true to the Word of God, and without fear or reservation will preach a Gospel that is not ‘tossed to and fro’ by the winds of a society that has lost its direction and purpose. My hope is that the Church will honor the Wesleyan tradition in unique ways, and foster a spirit of hope, goodwill, and provide a place where all ‘whose hearts are as our hearts’ can be a part of this new and exciting opportunity to serve God and advance His Kingdom.”

Hayes will continue to serve as bishop-in-residence at The Woodlands Methodist Church (The Woodlands, Texas), a congregation that recently voted to join the GM Church. In addition to serving as the lead preaching pastor at TWMC’s chapel and traditional services, Hayes serves as a mentor and chaplain to the church’s staff, and is integrally involved in the church community.

“My greatest joy serving at TWMC is being ‘re-introduced’ to the joy of parish ministry!” said Hayes. “It is my very first love, going back to the very beginning. Serving with so many people in this large and yet intimate congregation has given me a ‘second wind’ of excitement and pleasure.”

Prior to his service at TWMC, Hayes served for 12 years as the Bishop of the Oklahoma Area of the UM Church, and before his tenure as an episcopal leader, he had an illustrious career serving local churches, as a college professor and chaplain, and as a district superintendent in the UM Church’s Texas Annual Conference. Delegates to the UM Church’s South Central Jurisdictional Conference elected him a bishop in 2004.

“I am overjoyed that my former bishop, Bishop Robert Hayes, has joined the GM Church and this movement to reclaim the historic Wesleyan understanding of the Christian faith,” said Ms. Cara Nicklas, the TLC’s chairwoman and an attorney based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. “He brings wisdom and a commitment to keep us grounded in sound doctrine. As a beloved former bishop in Oklahoma, Bishop Hayes is known for his sound teaching, his spiritual leadership to pastors, his eloquent prayers, his love of hymns, and his warm-heartedness.”

After graduating from Huston-Tillotson College in Austin, Texas, Hayes earned a Master of Theology degree at Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology and a Doctor of Ministry degree at Drew University in Madison, N.J. He is a third generation Methodist pastor. Both his grandfather and father served churches in Texas, and his father worked alongside the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s.

“It is a great joy to welcome Bishop Emeritus Robert Hayes as the second ‘bishop emeritus’ in the Global Methodist Church; he is a true servant of Christ,” said GM Church Bishop Emeritus Lowry, a current member of the TLC. “Bishop Emeritus Hayes brings to the Global Methodist Church the highest level of personal and professional integrity! During his ministry as a highly effective local church pastor, annual conference executive, and bishop, he has repeatedly demonstrated a winsome ability to reach across boundaries with an inclusive ministry sharing the love of Christ by word and deed! His deep commitment to ‘making disciples of Jesus Christ’ is the hallmark of a lifetime of stellar service to the Lord and Christ’s church.”

Widely known for his genial manner, his ability to defuse confrontations, and to help people understand current events in the long history of the Christian faith, Hayes will serve as an advisor and rich resource of wisdom and counsel for the GM Church.

“I see one of the greatest challenges the GM Church will face will come in convincing people that it will take time to make the changes we seek. Everyone wants things to happen right away. In this ‘instant gratification’ society of ours, we want immediate results,” said Hayes. “I would remind people that it didn’t take a year for us to get into this situation, and it will take a lot longer than a year for us to get our house in order. It takes time to accomplish a monumental task, and it is my prayer that the people and churches who are joining us will give us the grace and time to establish a denomination that will stand the test of time.”

In addition to his service at TWMC, Hayes is a much sought after speaker and preacher. He is also the author of Strength for the Journey , a collection of devotionals published in 2007.

“While Bishop Emeritus Hayes will continue to enrich The Woodlands Methodist Church with his eloquent and profound sermons, the entire denomination will benefit from his years of experience,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Chief Connectional Officer. “Bishop Emeritus Hayes courageously stepped forward to serve as one of the TLC’s original members back in March 2020. His stature in the UM Church and the respect he commanded in the denomination, conferred legitimacy upon the fledgling efforts to create a theologically orthodox denomination in light of the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation .”

To listen to a recent sermon by Bishop Emeritus Hayes, click HERE .

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Rev. Dr. Robert Hayes Joins Global Methodist Church and is Designated Bishop Emeritus first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Methodist Church’s Catechism Now in Print

Wed, 24 May 2023 08:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

A Wesleyan Covenant Association task force began work on the catechism in December 2020 . Originally drafted by Dr. Phil Tallon, Dean of the Houston Baptist University School of Christian Thought and Associate Professor of Theology (Houston, Texas) and the Rev. Teddy Ray, a third year student at Yale University Law School (New Haven, Connecticut), the catechism was edited and refined by the task force which was led by the Dr. Jason Vickers, the inaugural holder of the William J. Abraham Chair of Wesleyan Studies at Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University (Waco, Texas).

The task force then delivered its draft to the Wesleyan Covenant Association’s 37-member Global Council for its study and review. After reading and engaging in robust discussions about it, council members approved it and directed its Doctrine and Practice Committee to evaluate it for consistency and to add Bible citations supporting all the major teachings addressed in the catechism.

Once the Scripture passages were added, the catechism was sent to the 250 plus delegates at the WCA’s 2022 Legislative Assembly. The body voted overwhelmingly to commend it to the GM Church for its consideration and adoption. After further edits and changes, the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council accepted and approved the catechism on August 1, 2022.

“I trust every congregation that joins the Global Methodist Church will use this new, attractive version of the catechism,” said Ms. Cara Nicklas, the TLC’s chairwoman and an attorney based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. “If we are to be the church we aspire to be, it is essential that laypeople understand the faith we confess, joyfully and obediently live it out in their daily lives, and also know how to warmly and winsomely share it with others. The new catechism will help all of us do just that!”

When it adopted the catechism, the TLC members encouraged the new denomination’s local churches to regularly use it to guide children in the faith, as a resource for confirmation classes, and with adults as they prepare to be received as new members in the Global Methodist Church. Some said they would strongly encourage local churches to walk all their members through the catechism as a way uniting the people of the new Church in its transitional season.

“A foundational catechism for a denominational family is not only a good idea; it’s essential,” said the Rev. Dr. Jessica LaGrone, a TLC member and Dean of the Chapel at Asbury Theological Seminary. “For us to start out from the beginning in the Global Methodist Church in agreement around our most basic beliefs sets our feet together on the right path. One of my favorite lines in the introduction of our catechesis proclaims that its purpose is to help those in our connection to ‘understand, recall, profess, and enjoy the church’s essential teachings.’ The proclamation that right doctrine is something that we enjoy is a powerful one, and one that is to be celebrated.”

To order the catechism in various quantities, please click HERE .

The TLC recommends the following resources for use with the catechism, particularly for pastors, teachers, and leaders guiding people through it. The resources are available through Seedbed:

“The Absolute Basics of the Christian Faith” by Phil Tallon

“The Absolute Basics of the Wesleyan Way” by Phil Tallon and Justus Hunter

“Foundations of the Christian Faith” by Timothy C. Tennent

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Global Methodist Church’s Catechism Now in Print first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Connectional Funding – Keeping The Focus on the Ministry of the Local Church

Wed, 17 May 2023 07:30:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

An overarching goal for the Global Methodist Church is to ensure that as much of the tithes and offerings given in the local church remain in the local church to advance its ministry in its mission field. Its mission field certainly includes the community in which it is located but extends to the ends of the earth. The GM Church intends for each local church to have a role in fulfilling the Great Commission around the world.

In the GM Church, connectional funding is structured to keep our focus on the ministry occurring in and through the local church.

When I pastored Wilderness Community Church in Spotsylvania, Virginia, our church knew we were to advance the Gospel and make disciples in our region, but we also sensed God was calling us to focus on one distant region of the world. After much prayer and study, we discerned God calling us to invest in fulfilling the Great Commission in the Ayacucho region of Peru among the Quechua, descendants of the Incas. For 15 years, the church annually sent three to four teams to that region to train pastors, build churches, provide medical care, and offer vacation Bible schools for children.

My prayer is that every Global Methodist church will, with thanksgiving and generosity, deploy financial resources for advancing the Great Commission in their given mission fields. And of course, I hope their commitments will also involve the personal offering of their individual members’ gifts and skills.

In addition to the work of each local church, our connectional funding shares represent the way GM Church congregations band together to provide resources for the work of the general church and the annual conferences to which they belong. Connectional funding is established as a percentage of a local church’s operating income. Rather than establishing a budget at the general church level and apportioning that budget to all local churches, the amount paid in connectional funding is determined by the local church. And what the local church pays in connectional funding determines the budget of the general church and the various annual conferences. The system encourages grass roots initiative, investment, and innovation.

Connectional funding is addressed in ¶ 349 of the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline . All local churches are asked to contribute one percent of their operating income to the funding of the general church. Among a number of things, these funds are used to cover the costs required for organizing the church, to recruit and train its leaders, to incubate and support its growth in challenging locations all around the world, and to invest in planting new churches and revitalizing existing ones. In one way or another, the funds are to support the entire connection in fulfilling the Global Methodist Church’s mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.

Where provisional annual conferences are not yet operating, local churches are also asked to pay an additional one percent of their operating income to underwrite the formation of annual conferences in their regions. Where a provisional annual conference has been established, the connectional funding rate is established by the initial conference leadership and then ratified at a convening annual conference meeting. At subsequent annual conference gatherings, lay and clergy delegates representing local churches will set the connectional funding share amount between one to five percent of a congregation’s operating income. These resources are for annual conference operations.

You can read more about connectional funding in the Global Methodist Church in two articles: Connectional Funding in the Global Methodist Church and Preparing the Way: Baptisms, Connectional Funding, and Benefits .

Connectional funding is the Global Methodist way of partnering together to accomplish the larger vision and mission of the church. During this season of transition a small number of churches have asked for and been granted relief from the payment of connectional funding due to the significant financial strains of disaffiliating from one denomination in order to join the GM Church. These requests for relief are perfectly appropriate in this transitional season.

Other churches, not facing such onerous conditions, are going above and beyond the percentages mentioned above. Recently, a congregation sent two percent for its general church connectional funding share and six percent for its annual conference funding. It did so as a way of expressing its thanks for God’s blessing and as a sign of its commitment to the GM Church – not because they were required to do so.

Another church shared their story of having more resources to do ministry in its local community and beyond. Having aligned with the Global Methodist Church, the finance committee calculated its connectional funding for both the general church and annual conference. Its connectional funding amount was just 27 percent of the amount it had paid previously in apportionments. This meant the church had a considerable additional sum it could use to advance the Gospel in its community and beyond. Such circumstances exist because Global Methodist Church members are staunchly committed to creating innovative, nimble, and modest general church and annual conference structures.

It’s a new way and philosophy of ministry where God given resources are directed to telling the story of Jesus: his amazing love and sacrifice, the miracles he is still working in our midst, and the transformation he is bringing into lives near and far through the ministry of his disciples.

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

The post Connectional Funding – Keeping The Focus on the Ministry of the Local Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Connecting Local Churches Together

Wed, 10 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

“We’re looking forward to making connections with other local Global Methodist churches in our area and around the world,” said Ms. Joy Austin, a member of Aldersgate Methodist Church in Jackson, Tennessee. Austin, the chairwoman of the church’s staff-parish relations committee, recently joined 95 percent of her fellow members in voting to align with the GM Church. “We’re Methodists, so we believe it’s essential to be connected with other local Methodist churches who proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and are committed to sharing the gospel and biblical teachings with people from all walks of life!”

Currently, a group of clergy and laity in Mississippi and western Tennessee are busy working to connect Aldersgate Methodist Church with other local churches in a regional body called a provisional annual conference. The conference system is at the heart of Methodism, harkening back to its origins in the first half of the 18 ^th century. John Wesley and his companions gathered for times of “holy conferencing,” where they engaged in collective discernment and decision-making for the sake of their nascent movement and its mission. Nearly all Methodist denominations that trace their roots to Wesley continue to use the conference system to connect local churches together for the sake of worship, prayer, discernment, and rededication to their mission statements.

“We have a great team of clergy and laity who are helping us move towards the formation of a provisional annual conference in our region,” said Ms. Lee Ann Williamson, the leader of the Mississippi – West Tennessee Transitional Conference Advisory Team. “Our goal is to hold a convening annual conference later this year or early next. And that will be a great day for Global Methodist churches in the Mississippi – West Tennessee area. We long for connection as we unite to fulfill the GM Church’s mission!”

Within a year, the Global Methodist Church has witnessed the formation of eight provisional annual conferences in the U.S. and one each in Bulgaria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Philippines. The North Alabama Provisional Annual Conference and the Alabama-Emerald Coast Provisional Annual Conference are the newest, commencing operations in May. The conferences are called “provisional” during the GM Church’s formational season prior to its convening General Conference. At that conference, scheduled for the fall of 2024, delegates from the provisional annual conferences around the world will gather to worship, pray, celebrate the adoption of a constitution for the new church, and to organize further for the fulfillment of its mission.

Over the next two months, hundreds of local churches plan to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church in the U.S., and many are planning to join the Global Methodist Church. In addition to the existing provisional annual conferences, GM Church leaders believe at least four or five additional conferences will be launched before the end of the year.

The GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council has outlined the parameters for what it believes a healthy and vital provisional annual conference should look like. Typically, it requires a minimum of 120 local churches to band together before it will authorize the creation of a conference. Also, transitional conference advisory teams (TCAT) must submit extensive documentation demonstrating that a proposed conference is organized according to the denomination’s Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline , and that it will be able to serve and resource the local churches within its geographical boundaries. Clergy and lay members of transitional conferences advisory teams spend anywhere from four to six months laying the groundwork for the formation of a provisional annual conference.

“It took us several months from the formation of our Mid-Texas TCAT to the celebration of our convening annual conference,” said Rev. Dr. Leah Hidde-Gregory, the president pro tem of the Mid-Texas Provisional Annual Conference and a member of the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council. “Thankfully, many former UM local churches in our region had already been approved for disaffiliation and joined the GM Church by the fall of 2022. That allowed us to celebrate our convening conference in early 2023. It’s a much bigger challenge for TCATs that are attempting to integrate former UM local churches from wider geographical regions, especially when many of those local churches are facing major obstacles as they to try disaffiliate from the UM Church and make their way to the GM Church. We are praying for them, and eager to welcome them when arrive!”

Launched just one year ago, the GM Church has already welcomed over 2,000 local churches into the new denomination. Helping all of them get connected to other local churches is one the denomination’s highest priorities in its transitional season.

“I count it a great privilege to work alongside laypeople and clergy who are forming our provisional annual conferences,” said GM Church Bishop Scott Jones. “I’ve also had the joy of being present at several of our convening annual conference sessions. These gatherings have been the most Spirit-filled, inspirational, worshipful official Methodist meetings I have ever attended.”

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Connecting Local Churches Together first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Beyond These Walls Conference Propels Missions

Wed, 03 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT

By Paul Lawler

The Global Methodist Church recently served as the primary sponsor of the Beyond These Walls Conference , drawing over 600 participants from the United States, Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa to the campus of The Woodlands Methodist Church in the Houston, Texas metroplex.

The conference featured speakers, Dr. Jerry Kulah, Dean of the Graduate Program at the United Methodist University in Liberia, Rev. Dr. David Platt, Senior Pastor of McClean Bible Church in Washington D.C., and the popular author and communicator, Danielle Strickland. Mark Swayze and a dynamic team of musicians and vocalists led worship.

The conference included a series of TED style talks wed with workshops in evangelism, church planting, discipleship, and gospel-centered community development from many of the finest practitioners from around the world.

“The conference was just a taste of what the Global Methodist Church aspires to be,” said Ms. Cara Nicklas, Chairwoman of the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council. “The blend of different languages, cultures, and the challenging speakers made this one of those conferences that will continue to pierce our hearts and fire our imaginations for years to come.”

As the conference reached its conclusion on Saturday, the Global Missional Partnership Team of the Global Methodist Church announced it is in the process of building a web-based missions portal called the Wesleyan Network for Global Mission. The portal will serve to equip local churches on a global level in fulfilling the Great Commission through identifying apostolic leaders, equipping in best practices, and aiding local churches in becoming Great Commission congregations by fanning the flame of Scripture informed, Christ-exalting, worship-based prayer.

The portal will serve as the entry point for mission organizations and ministries to apply to become official partners of the Global Methodist Church, will operate in the heart language of respective cultures, and will eventually serve as an active archive of “best practices” in evangelism, discipleship, church planting and mission in respective regions of the world.

Mission organizations and ministries that become designated “global strategic partners” will be fully vetted and meet the criteria for partnerships with local churches that seek to engage in mission throughout the world. The Global Methodist Church has made the conscious choice of not building a top-heavy hierarchical denominational structure for world mission. Thus, the establishment of global strategic partners will maximize the optimization of resources reaching the front lines in regions of great need throughout the world.

While the Wesleyan Network for Global Mission portal is a work of the new, Global Methodist Church, the information and resources it provides will be made available in order to serve the entire pan-Wesleyan movement.

“The passion for global missions was palpable throughout the conference,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Chief Connectional Officer. “We go from strength to strength as new local churches join us to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.”

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

Rev. Paul Lawler is the senior pastor at Christ Church in Memphis, Tennessee.

The post Beyond These Walls Conference Propels Missions first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The GM Church Beyond the U.S.

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 07:30:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

As the Global Methodist Church prepares to observe its first anniversary on May 1, 2023, it is pleased to announce that nearly 2,000 local churches and 2,400 clergy have joined it. The vast majority of those churches and pastors are from the U.S., causing some to ask, “What’s happening beyond its borders?”

First, it is important to note that many congregations all around the world have already joined the GM Church. Just as it launched last year, all the local United Methodist churches in Bulgaria announced they had withdrawn from the denomination to align with the GM Church. Five months later, all the UM congregations in Slovakia followed their Bulgarian sisters and brothers into the new Church. And this May, GM Church ordination services will be conducted in both countries.

More recently, the four annual conferences in the UM Church’s Eurasia Episcopal Area and the Estonia Annual Conference in the Nordic-Baltic Episcopal Area announced they have initiated the process of separating from the denomination. The GM Church anticipates receiving clergy and churches from these five annual conferences in the coming months. Other Methodist churches and clergy across Europe are considering joining the GM Church. Leaders are courageously navigating an often confusing separation process that slows their local churches transitions.

In the Philippines, a group of UM churches withdrew from the denomination prior to the launch of the GM Church. As soon as the GM Church began operations, the congregations immediately joined it, forming the Covenant Philippines Provisional Annual Conference. More recently, all the Filipino expat churches in the Middle East, and the clergy serving them, joined the GM Church. In addition, a broad-based group of clergy and lay persons from across the Philippines have now formed a Transitional Conference Advisory Team to develop an organizational structure for the GM Church in additional areas in the Philippines.

And in Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo Provisional Annual Conference (DRC PAC) began operations in late 2022. Formed by the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council at the request of local leaders, the DRC PAC has already planted forty-six new local churches. The provisional annual conference has conducted church multiplication training for its members and is busy constructing new church buildings in partnership with Crosspoint Church in Niceville, Florida, a future GM congregation.

Still, too many local UM churches in Africa that want to join the GM Church must overcome significant obstacles, or they are being told they cannot disaffiliate at all. Unlike churches in the U.S., they are not permitted to disaffiliate using a procedure adopted in 2019 by the UM Church, commonly known as a ¶ 2553 disaffiliation. Bishop Thomas Bickerton, president of the UM Church’s Council of Bishops, declared that disaffiliation process was not available to churches outside the U.S. despite the clear wording of the provision not limiting its geographical application. Consequently, many bishops outside the US have refused to let congregations decide whether or not they want to disaffiliate from the UM Church.

However, leadership groups on the continent are at work helping congregations and clergy prepare to exit the denomination and align with the GM Church. Many plan to make their decisions sometime in 2024, when the UM Church’s often postponed 2020 General Conference is finally held.

Whether in Africa, Asia, Europe, or the U.S., too many local churches find themselves locked in the UM Church because their bishops and annual conferences are not acting on their disaffiliation requests or the terms offered them are so onerous and financially prohibitive it makes an exit – with their property and assets –nearly impossible . Nevertheless, they continue to prayerfully persevere as they explore every possible pathway to the Global Methodist Church. Their sisters and brothers look forward to warmly welcoming them when they finally arrive where they want to be.

This week, clergy and lay leaders from around the world are gathering in Houston, Texas, for Beyond These Walls , an international missions conference; the GM Church is the lead sponsor. The Book of Revelation shares the apostle John’s vision of “a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb,” worshiping, loving, and serving God (Revelation 7:9). The GM Church longs for that day, and is dedicated to its vision.

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

The post The GM Church Beyond the U.S. first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The Ministry of Building a New Connection

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 07:30:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

“I am sold out and all in for the Global Methodist Church,” said Ms. Katherine Reiley, a 22-year-old, first year student at Asbury Theological Seminary. Reiley joined over 300 people in Wilmore, Kentucky, on Saturday, April 15, 2023, for a service of Healing and Hope sponsored by leaders of a Global Methodist Church Transitional Conference Advisory Team (TCAT). The team is one of nine TCATs tasked with the formation of provisional annual conferences in the U.S. In less than a year, the GM Church has nine operational conferences (six in the U.S., and one each in Bulgaria, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Philippines), and one provisional district (Slovakia). In addition, the GM Church is working with a number of teams outside the United States in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe leading toward the formation of provisional annual conferences in those regions.

Clergy and lay leaders from Kentucky, Eastern and Middle Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and Southern West Virginia converged on Wilmore for their initial TCAT meeting and the service of Healing and Hope that Reiley and others across the quad-states region attended. At its April 14, Friday night meeting, the TCAT began to lay the groundwork for a provisional annual conference that would connect local churches throughout the region. Its goal is to hold a convening annual conference later this year or early next.

“We have TCATs that are at the very beginning of forming provisional annual conferences, a few on the cusp of becoming operational conferences, and a number somewhere in between,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Chief Connectional Officer. “Depending on the circumstances, it takes a TCAT four to six months of detailed planning before it can petition the Church’s Transitional Leadership Council for authorization to launch a provisional annual conference. The 20 to 30 lay people and clergy who compose a TCAT have to give hours of their time, talent, and resources to demonstrate to the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council that a proposed annual conference would be healthy, sustainable, and able to provide the basic services local churches would expect of it.”

Since John Wesley and his friends founded the Methodist movement in the middle of the eighteenth century, Methodists, of whatever stripe, have emphasized the importance of connectionalism. As the Rev. Dr. David Watson, Academic Dean at United Theological Seminary (Dayton, Ohio) and a Transitional Leadership Council member, put it, “ To be Methodist is to be connectional. ”

Wesley’s use of the term was his way of emphasizing what Christians have always believed: living out our faith is done in community, in local churches. And just as individuals need to be connected, so local churches do as well. Methodists believe connectionalism is rooted in the patterns set forth in the New Testament church.

Approximately 1,700 local churches have joined the GM Church in the past year, but over half of them are not yet connected to a provisional annual conference. Depending on several factors (e.g., region of the country, average size of local congregations), the Church believes approximately 120 local churches are necessary to form a viable and sustainable annual conference. TCATs are essential to building connection and bringing local churches together. Many, like the team that met in Wilmore this past weekend, have sponsored gatherings so members from GM local churches in a given area can meet with one another and experience the joy of connectionalism.

“I sensed from the very beginning this was a movement God was in,” said the Rev. Sue Eaton, a member of the TCAT that met in Wilmore. “Before retirement, my last appointment was as a prison chaplain; it was such a blessing to work where the fields are ripe for harvest. It was a very fulfilling ministry for me, and I assumed it was the end of my formal service. But then I was very excited and humbled to be asked to be a part of this TCAT. It was something I never expected to be doing at 76 years of age. It’s such a blessing for God to still have a way for me to serve, and it is a joy to be used by him to help build this new Church!”

TCAT members are responsible for the day-to-day work of preparing the way for a provisional annual conference, but they also work closely with GM Church Bishops Scott Jones and Mark Webb, the Transitional Leadership Council, and general Church staff members. As provisional annual conferences are taking shape, TCAT members find themselves filling important gaps during the GM Church’s transitional period. Some local churches turn to them for assistance finding a pastor, pastors look to them for potential appointments, and groups of lay people and clergy seek their guidance for planting and multiplying new churches.

“It’s exciting to serve on a TCAT,” said the Rev. Jordan McFall, 36, who serves The Goddard Church in Goddard, Kansas. McFall is a member of a TCAT that includes Southeast Colorado, Kansas, Southern Missouri, and Oklahoma. “It is a privilege to take part in this fresh move of God in the Wesleyan expression of the faith. I am excited to join together with other like-minded sisters and brothers in Christ to pray and press into the leading of the Holy Spirit as we discern the next steps for our area of the Global Methodist Church. God is on the move, and I am just excited to be a part of it, no matter how big or small.”

Recently, the GM Church’s 22 member Transitional Leadership Council announced it plans to hold its convening General Conference sometime in the late summer or fall of 2024. By that time, it believes over 90 percent of GM local churches in the U.S. will be connected to a provisional annual conference. And while some GM local churches in other countries are already connected to conferences, it anticipates many more will join the new Church in late 2024 and throughout 2025 as pathways are opened to them to vote for affiliation with it.

In opening remarks at the Healing and Hope Service in Wilmore, the Rev. Mike Powers, the leader of the TCAT in the region, shared that after decades of ministry he was just easing into the joy of retirement when a call came asking him to help form a GM Church provisional annual conference. Initially, he was not interested, but then he said he started to think about “his children’s children’s children,” and so felt called to help build a church for them and for many other people’s children.

As if in reply, Reiley, the first year seminarian, said, “The more I have learned about the Global Methodist Church, the more encouraged I am about its future, I see a place for my generation; I’m excited for it; and so I am grateful to be on the receiving end of a lot of work that has gone into a Church where I get to spend my lifetime in ministry!”

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post The Ministry of Building a New Connection first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Congregational and Clergy Applications Move Online

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 07:05:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

Since the online system was launched, more than 500 churches and clergy have completed applications and are in the process of being reviewed by a team of persons under the supervision of the Rev. Angela Pleasants, the GM Church’s Clergy and Church Relations Director. Prior to the launch of the online system, more than 1,550 churches and more than 2,150 clergy had submitted applications manually via email and been approved. Applications submitted manually before March 20 continue to be processed; however, the online system has improved the accuracy and speed with which applications are being processed.

Both applications require information to be gathered before an applicant begins to complete the forms online. For example, prior to beginning the church application, a congregational meeting must be held at which the following motion is adopted:

“I move that _____________ Church become a member congregation of the Global Methodist Church, that it affirms and endorses the doctrinal standards (Part One), Social Witness (Part Two), and church governance of the Global Methodist Church as set forth in its Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline, and agrees to be accountable to such standards, witness, and governance. Our leadership and trustees are authorized to take all actions necessary to implement this motion.”

The minutes of the congregational meeting must then be uploaded as part of completing the church application.

Persons completing the church application also need to be ready to enter the church’s physical and mailing address, the prior year’s average in-person and online worship attendance, and the prior year’s annual operating income. Additionally, the church application requires the names of the current pastor, the lay leadership (lay leader, leadership body chair, SPRC chair, Trustees chair, Finance chair, financial administrator, and lay delegate to annual conference) along with their email addresses and phone numbers.

For the clergy application, applicants need to upload photos or documents and provide background details that need to be assembled before starting the application process. Clergy will want to have gathered information about their educational degrees and dates, appointments and ministry experience, ordination certificate or ministerial license, diplomas, certificates for completing classes in the course of study, and transcripts of courses completed. Clergy applicants initiate their background check as part of completing and submitting the application.

The applications have fields that are required to be completed and applications cannot be submitted unless the fields contain the requested information. This requirement has significantly reduced the number of incomplete applications being submitted. Applications cannot be saved as incomplete documents which is why it is necessary to have information and documents available when you start the process. However, answers are retained as long as your browser is not closed.

Once an application is submitted, an email is immediately sent to the applicant acknowledging receipt of the application. Generally speaking, applicants next hear from the GM Church once the Transitional Leadership Council (TLC) has acted upon the recommendation of the review team. Once the TLC approves the application, the applicant is informed by email of the TLC’s action. Applications are generally presented to the TLC within two to four weeks of submission. The processing of each application is unique.

Presently, the online application process is only available in English. Applicants whose primary language is not English continue to submit their applications manually on forms prepared in their language.

Applicants can apply prior to disaffiliation or withdrawal from The United Methodist Church. The applicant declares the date on which approval is to be effective permitting applicants to know where they stand with the GM Church before they disaffiliate or withdraw. The GM Church is now in the midst of processing a wave of church and clergy applications as a result of special annual conferences held in the first third of 2023. Another wave will occur during the regular meetings of UM Church annual conferences. Additional waves of applications are anticipated throughout 2023 and even into 2024 and beyond.

The provision permitting churches to disaffiliate from the UM Church with relief from the trust clause expires on December 31, 2023. If a church intends to disaffiliate, now is the time to act. Each UM Church annual conference has different procedures governing the disaffiliation process so churches should pay particular attention to the rules of the annual conference from which it is disaffiliating.

There is no cost associated with becoming a congregational or clergy member of the GM Church. Churches are approved regardless of size or financial capacity. Clergy are approved based on their current status, with licensed local pastors being approved to be ordained as elders, deacons, or transitional local pastors depending on their progress in meeting the educational requirements outlined in ¶ 407 of the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline.

If you have questions about the application process, please email applications@globalmethodist.org . If you would like to learn more about the GM Church, visit our website at www.globalmethodist.org .

Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

The post Congregational and Clergy Applications Move Online first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Mid-America Christian University Approved as Recommended Educational Institution

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT

Keith Boyette

MACU is an endorsed agency of the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana), which upholds Christian belief in the same Wesleyan theological stream as the Global Methodist Church. Formed in 1953 for the purpose of training leaders for ministry, MACU offers 158 degree and program options, including the Bachelor of Science degrees in Christian Ministries and in Ministry Leadership. MACU’s president, Phil Greenwald, is a deacon in the Global Methodist Church.

Persons pursuing ordination in the GM Church, who reside outside the United States and western Europe, may complete their educational requirements for ordination in a bachelor’s degree program in ministry. MACU offers such degree programs, along with undergraduate and graduate degrees in business, psychology, education, biology, and many others from a Wesleyan perspective. MACU courses are offered in both residential and virtual formats. It is the first educational institution recommended by the GM Church for persons pursuing ordination who reside outside the United States and western Europe. Undergraduate courses offered by MACU do not currently satisfy the GM Church educational requirements for ordination for persons residing in the United States or western Europe.

The GM Church looks forward to adding additional educational institutions to its recommended list. For information about other educational institutions that have been approved as recommended educational institutions, read the articles here and here .

Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

The post Mid-America Christian University Approved as Recommended Educational Institution first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Hosanna in the Midst of Holy Week

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 07:35:00 GMT

By Bishop Mark J. Webb

“Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!” (Mark 11.9b-10)

Around the world, Holy Week began with shouts of hosanna! I remember as a child one of my favorite moments each year in church was receiving my palm branch on Palm Sunday and being allowed to wave it wildly and yell as loud as I could, “Hosanna!” I also remember struggling with how the very same people in Jesus’ day who shouted Hosanna could just a few days later join in the cries of “crucify him!”

What does it mean to shout hosanna? Hosanna is often thought of and used as a declaration of praise, like hallelujah , but it is actually a plea for salvation. The Hebrew root words are found in Psalm 118.25 which says, “ Save us, we pray, O L ORD ! ” The Hebrew words yasha (“deliver, save”) and anna (“beg, beseech”) combine to form the word that, in English, is “hosanna.” Literally, hosanna means “I beg you to save!” or “please deliver us!” Hosanna is a word used to demonstrate praise and adoration. Hosanna is also a deep cry to be saved.

The crowds on that first Palm Sunday greeted Jesus with shouts of hosanna to welcome their hero, their Messiah, the one they believed would be their king. The echoes of hosanna faded and were replaced with cries of “crucify Him” because they expected Jesus to rescue them from their enemies. Their emphasis was on Jesus fixing the world around them and changing others, by assuming political power. When it became apparent that Jesus was not going to live out their view of a hero or deliverer, the hosannas stopped.

In Romans 7.24 the Apostle Paul declared these words: “ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? ” Paul cried out, Hosanna! Save me! He recognized that the work and promise of Jesus Christ was to change his inner self, to move him from a life dominated by the flesh and sin to a life redeemed and set free – a life that knew the fullness of grace resulting in the work of justification and sanctification.

As we travel through these days of Holy Week what is our intent in shouting hosanna! Are we looking for God to change our enemies, to transform our external circumstances so we will find the significance and life we desire? Please don’t misunderstand me, God is interested in our circumstances, but God’s purpose is to rescue us from the wages of sin and usher us into the abundant and eternal life offered through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God’s purpose is to save us and transform us, so that in our living we may reflect the character of Christ. When we, one by one are rescued by, saved by Jesus, we are changed and when we are changed, the world is changed. Light pierces darkness, truth defeats lies, hope destroys hopelessness, and the way of God’s kingdom is known and experienced.

As we once again experience the events of Holy Week, may we shout hosanna as we draw nearer to Jesus and embrace the unconditional love offered to us by God. Let’s shout hosanna recognizing we need a Savior and surrender anew to Jesus as Lord. Shout hosanna as you invite Jesus to continue the refining work in you so that you may die to self and live for Christ. Cry out in a new way, inviting Jesus to give you a new nature, a new perspective, a deeper trust, a greater passion for living God’s way.

As we experience this Holy Week, be intentional about inviting others to meet the Jesus you have encountered, urge them to travel with you into the events of this week that demonstrate the extraordinary steps God took to offer them life, so that they too may shout hosanna and invite Jesus to save them.

Shouting hosanna matters! It is in that shout that we open ourselves to the saving work of God in Jesus Christ. It is the shout of hosanna that leads me to and allows me to know the fullness of new life that is encountered on Easter morning – sin no longer has power; death no longer has victory. Because I have been saved by God, I now know the amazing life found in Jesus Christ, a life of purpose, an abundant life, a life forever in the presence of my God!

Bishop Mark J. Webb is an episcopal leader in the Global Methodist Church.

The post Hosanna in the Midst of Holy Week first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Serving a Missionary God

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 08:00:00 GMT

By Bishop Scott J. Jones

Methodism has been a missionary movement since its very beginning. One of the earliest description of Methodism’s purpose was in John Wesley’s “Large Minutes,” the earliest version of the Methodist Book of Doctrines and Discipline:

“Q: What may we reasonably believe to be God’s design in raising up the Preachers called ‘Methodists’?
A. To reform the nation and in particular the Church, to spread scriptural holiness over the land.”

I believe that Wesley captured the New Testament’s vision of the Church. We serve a missionary God who intends to save the world. That God has chosen first a people (the Jews) and then the church (followers of Jesus) to accomplish that purpose.

In two places the New Testament gives a cogent description of the mission. Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” In Acts 1:8 Jesus tells his followers, “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The church of Jesus Christ is a missionary organization whose purpose is to follow these commandments. We are to “make disciples” and be Christ’s witnesses to the ends of the earth.

In my experience vital, growing congregations are those who have a high level of clarity about their mission. This fits in with the best leadership advice being given to all organizations today. Patrick Lencioni in his book The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business says that clarity is crucial, and the first point of clarity is to know why the organization exists. Clarity of purpose leads to vitality and success. That is especially true of the church.

We in the Global Methodist Church are seeking to focus on our mission. The statement we have adopted in this transitional time has four parts: to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.

We are going to focus on making disciples of Jesus Christ. We are Jesus followers who want to help all persons make the commitment to follow Jesus. John Wesley said that the general theme of the whole Bible is the way of salvation.

That discipleship process starts with prevenient grace—the unmerited love of God for each human being and the whole of creation that comes before we are even aware of it. We know that the world is broken and sinful. But we have the good news that God is love and has not given up on his creation.

Convincing grace is that action of God that teaches us how broken we are and how much we need a savior. Justifying grace is the love of God that restores us to a right relationship with the Lord. It is offered to us without price and becomes effective if we receive it by faith.

Sanctifying grace is the life-changing process of making us more and more holy and empowering us to love God and love our neighbor more and more. The God who saves us just as we are never leaves us just as we were. By the grace of God we are empowered to live an abundant life of service to others. We can become the men and women God intended us to be.

The way of salvation depends on the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. While there are several means of grace (including prayer, Bible Study, holy communion, small groups and works of mercy) weekly worship is a primary way of connecting with God. When we gather for worship, we believe that the Holy Spirit is present, and our passionate worship allows God to shape our hearts and minds. In the Global Methodist meetings I have attended, participants have powerfully felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. God is shaping us through worship! In such times we learn once again who we are and whose we are.

The goal of the Christian life is sanctification. That means we are becoming more and more like Jesus who was “love divine” come down to earth. We are thus called to love extravagantly. Christ commanded that we love God with every part of our being and love our neighbors as ourselves. We need to actively seek justice, to feed the hungry, to heal the sick, to visit the lonely, and to care for God’s creation. The world has a lot of needs, and Jesus’ followers should be at the forefront of fixing the problems plaguing humankind.

It is God’s purpose that all humanity should come to acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. God’s plan for accomplishing that is to have Jesus’ disciples be witnesses. We are not the saviors of the world—that is Jesus. But we are witnesses to the goodness and power of God to change lives and heal the problems we have created for ourselves. We can use the words of the contemporary gospel song “ All my life You have been faithful/And all my life You have been so, so good/With every breath that I am able/ Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God. ” Our witness must be faithful to the truth of the gospel and offered to those who do not yet follow Jesus as his disciples.

Years ago I quit praying “God, please bless what I am doing.” Instead I now pray every day, “God, help me be a part of what you are blessing.” God is in the business of saving the world, and I am blessed to be a part of what his Holy Spirit is doing in that mission. The Global Methodist Church is focused on our mission.

Bishop Scott J. Jones is an episcopal leader in the Global Methodist Church.

The post Serving a Missionary God first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

GM Church Launches New Online Application Process for Clergy and Local Churches

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 07:02:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

Local churches and clergy wanting to join the Global Methodist Church will now complete and submit their applications online. Applications will immediately be routed through the GM Church’s review process. As a result, the Church will be able to track the status of applications more efficiently, and the time to review and approve them should be significantly reduced.

The digital clergy application may be accessed here , and the digital church application may be accessed here . Online applications will save time and reduce errors as applicants type information rather than submit handwritten versions that inevitably introduce errors and delays. Applicants will also be able to upload relevant documents in support of their applications, and they will receive immediate notification that it has been successfully submitted. Overall the process will be smoother, quicker, and more reliable.

Prior to completing the online church application , a congregational meeting must be held at which the following motion is adopted by a simple majority or more of the professing members present and voting:

Minutes of the congregational meeting must be uploaded as part of completing the online application. Once the local church application is submitted, the church will have accomplished all it must do to become a congregational member of the GM Church. The denomination’s Transitional Leadership Council then votes to approve the application and welcomes the congregation to the new connection.

To date, more than 1,350 churches have been approved as congregational members of the Global Methodist Church.

Clergy will upload relevant documents in support of their membership when they complete their online clergy application . They will want to have a copy of their ministerial credentials, diplomas, and transcripts available. And those who have completed or are working in a course of study program, will want to have their relevant records available. A required background check for all clergy applicants will be initiated as part of the application process.

To date, the Global Methodist Church has approved more than 1,900 clergy as clergy members of the new denomination.

Church and clergy applications pending as of March 20 will continue to be processed without the necessity of completing the relevant online application. However, all applications submitted after March 20 must be submitted through the online system.

If you have questions about the application process, you can email them to applications@globalmethodist.org .

The post GM Church Launches New Online Application Process for Clergy and Local Churches first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Second Alternative Educational Pathway Approved

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

The Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council has approved United Theological Seminary’s (Dayton, Ohio) Certificate in Theology and Ministry (CTM) and its Advanced Certificate in Theology and Ministry (ACTM) as alternative pathways toward completing the educational requirements for ordained ministry. A candidate who completes the courses necessary to receive the CTM could be ordained a deacon under ¶ 407.3 of the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline . And one who completes the courses necessary to receive the ACTM could be ordained an elder per ¶ 407.4. Both programs are offered completely online, and neither a bachelor’s nor master’s degree is a prerequisite to participate in them.

Candidates for ministry in the GM Church in the U.S. can complete their educational requirements through a joint Bachelor of Arts and Master of Divinity program, a program for a Master of Arts or equivalent degree in the practice of ministry, or a Master of Divinity degree program. However, the GM Church recognizes alternative pathways for completion of educational requirements outside of a graduate degree program. United’s CTM and ACTM programs are such alternative pathways.

Typically, the CTM can be completed in three years and the ACTM can be completed in an additional two years. Additionally, students in the CTM or the ACTM programs can receive college credit offered by Dakota Wesleyan University and be awarded an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in either Nonprofit Administration or Organizational Leadership.

United Theological Seminary certificate programs join the program offered by Wesley Biblical Seminary (Jackson, Mississippi) as alternative pathways. Additional alternative pathways are being developed by other educational institutions and will be added to those currently approved once they are reviewed by the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council.

The post Second Alternative Educational Pathway Approved first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Inspire – the Webinar of the Global Methodist Church

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

The first episode of Inspire will be livestreamed on Monday, March 20, 2023, at 8:00 p.m. EDT . Ms. Cara Nicklas, J.D., the chair of the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council, will host t he inaugural episode. Participants will include Rev. Keith Boyette, Transitional Connectional Officer (the GM Church’s chief executive and administrative officer) and Bishops Mark J. Webb and Scott J. Jones. They will explore the relationships and roles of the Transitional Leadership Council, the bishops, and the GM Church’s staff as the whole church joins together in making disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionate ly , love extravagantly, and witness boldly.

Viewers will have the opportunity to get to know the first two active bishops of the Global Methodist Church and hear their vision for bishops in the church, their priorities in this season, and how they are relating to local churches, clergy, and provisional annual conferences.

Questions may be submitted prior to the livestream by emailing inspire@globalmethodist.org .

Join us on Monday, March 20, 2023, at 8:00 pm on Facebook or YouTube .

The post Inspire – the Webinar of the Global Methodist Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Recommended Educational Institutions and First Course of Study Program Announced by the Global Methodist Church

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 08:00:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

The Global Methodist Church is pleased to announce that Asbury Theological Seminary , Ashland Theological Seminary , Beeson Divinity School at Samford University , Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University , United Theological Seminary , and Wesley Biblical Seminary are the first schools to be approved as Recommended Educational Institutions of the GM Church for the completion of educational requirements by candidates for ordination.

Additionally, the course of study program offered by Wesley Biblical Seminary has been approved. Its program will be offered in online, hybrid, and in-person formats making it widely available to candidates for ordination whose personal circumstances do not permit them to enroll in degree programs. Course of study programs provide candidates with some flexibility as they seek to fulfill educational requirements for ordination; however, the work required in a GM Church approved program is equivalent to those enrolled in degree programs.

The GM Church’s Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline , in ¶ 407.1 requires candidates for ordination as deacons and elders to fulfill basic educational requirements prior to ordination. Candidates can complete the required classes through a course of study program, a bachelor’s degree program in ministry (for those residing in a majority-world context – outside the United States), a joint Bachelor of Arts and Master of Divinity program, a program for a Master of Arts or equivalent degree in the practice of ministry, or a Master of Divinity degree program. The specific classes to be completed to be ordained a deacon or an elder are set forth in ¶ 407.3-4.

Candidates may complete their educational requirements at any accredited educational institution. However, candidates are strongly encouraged to choose to complete their educational requirements at a school listed on the GM Church’s recommended educational institutions list. Paragraphs 409.1 (ordination of deacons) and 410.1(d) (ordination of elders) require annual conference boards of ministry to ensure a candidate’s courses and preparation meet the GM Church’s standards for persons who do not complete their educational requirements at a recommended educational institution.

GM Church recommended educational institutions were evaluated on a number of criteria, including:

The GM Church has received submissions from other schools to be added to the recommended educational institutions list and those applications are currently being evaluated.

The course of study program at Wesley Biblical Seminary is the first such program approved by the GM Church. Other schools are also developing programs that will be evaluated for approval in the near future.

The GM Church is also evaluating relationships with schools that will enable persons in a majority-world context to complete the educational requirements with offerings easily accessible to them wherever they live.

The GM Church is committed to developing clergy who are fully equipped and vetted to ensure adherence to its doctrinal and ethical principles. Completion of educational requirements is but one aspect of this process. Prior to ordination as a deacon or an elder, candidates, in addition to completing educational requirements, must pass an examination in doctrine, history, discipline, and the Bible, and be interviewed and recommended by an annual conference board of ministry.

The necessity of learning is not completed with ordination. The GM Church encourages its clergy to daily grow in faith and learning, and to complete graduate and advanced degrees as they serve and lead in a church committed to making disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

The In-Between

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

By Bishop Mark J. Webb

Recently I was in an airport with some time to kill and found myself perusing books on a store shelf. There was one book that got my attention. The title is The In-Between: Embracing the Tension Between Now and the Next Big Thing , by Jeff Goins. While I didn’t purchase the book, (so I’m not making a recommendation) I “googled” and found this summary:

“Moments of breakthrough are not where life’s greatest transformation happens; the stuff that God uses to shape us often lies in the in-between. It is the bus stops and layovers and DMV lines and moments of unintentional pause that force us to become better people. That’s not to say there aren’t moments of epiphany. There are. It’s just that most of us find ourselves living somewhere in the in-between. Learning to live in this tension, to be content in these moments of waiting, may be our greatest struggle – and our greatest opportunity to grow.”

There is another book I strongly recommend that has a lot to say about living in “the in-between.” In the Bible we read the accounts of God’s people experiencing seasons of wandering, waiting, and wondering. Sometimes these in-between times led to confusion, fear, wallowing in self-pity, and murmuring against God, while other times they created a spirit of expectation and a season of preparation. No matter the response, every in-between time led to a new movement of God in the lives of those willing to surrender in faith and follow.

Many faithful United Methodist Christians and congregations reading this article have been through a time of spiritual discernment and have made the decision to disaffiliate from the UM Church. You have chosen or are prayerfully discerning your next faithful step. You are ready to move into God’s future, yet instead you are experiencing “the in-between.” The reasons for this are varied and some are very unfair. I know it is resulting in frustration, uncertainty, impatience, and discouragement. This is a difficult season, but I believe it is a season of forming and transforming us. There is hope for “the in-between!”

How might we position ourselves for what God will do now and, in the days, ahead? Let me offer just a few things for your consideration.

First, don’t forget your purpose. The communities we serve, the people who are our neighbors need the good news of Jesus Christ. We need to continue to find ways to move beyond our walls and serve the least, the last and the lost. The ministry God has called you to has not changed – if anything the opportunities and the possibilities grow greater every day. Keep looking for ways to be the Church going boldly into the world and offering Jesus! Meet people where they are with the hands and feet of Christ. Use this time to recommit being a church that keeps the main thing the main thing.

Second, tend to your spiritual life, individually and as a congregation. Worship passionately. Gather in small groups to study God’s word, encourage one another in the faith and hold one another accountable to following the way of Christ. Practice the spiritual disciplines individually and together – go deeper with God than you ever have before.

Third, be people of prayer. Pray unceasingly – pray in small groups, hold prayer services, conduct prayer vigils. Pray for God to shape you and reveal His plan for the future of your congregation. Pray for your community. Pray for God to give you His eyes and heart for those around you. Pray for opportunities to meet needs and share your faith in Christ with others. As you encounter barriers to the path forward you believe God has for you, are you boldly and expectantly praying for those barriers to be removed?

Fourth, prepare for the next movement of God in and through you. Talk together about what you do well as a church and ask God to show you how to increase it. Discover what is missing for you to be the church God desires you to be and ask God to equip you with the necessary gifts to accomplish it. Be honest about the things you need to let go of and stop doing so that you will be fully intent on doing only what is necessary for at least one more person to know the love of God through Jesus Christ and become a disciple.

I’m excited to be a part of the Global Methodist Church. Many around the world have already become a part of this movement. The Global Methodist Church offers a Wesleyan expression of following Jesus that is at the core of who we long to be and want to be. The Global Methodist Church is committed to the core tenets of the Christian faith, submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, guided by the primacy and authority of Scripture, and dependent upon the leading and power of the Holy Spirit. As a denomination, the Global Methodist Church is a connection of laity, clergy and congregations who understand the need for one another, to encourage and equip, as together we live more deeply into following Jesus Christ and carry out more effectively our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly and witness boldly.

I’m praying that God will lead you to be a part of the Global Methodist Church and I will be blessed to walk alongside you. No matter your ultimate discernment, I encourage you to trust anew the faithfulness of your God and trust the path He will ultimately provide.

In some ways, I grieve this season in which we find ourselves, but I am trusting the God who works in “the in-between.” As the disaffiliation process continues to play out in the UM Church, let’s keep praying that all involved in conversations and decisions will be gracious and seek to help one another move into the next faithful season of ministry and mission. May we always be witnesses to the grace of God through Jesus Christ in all our actions and conversations.

Let’s encourage one another every day and remind one another that we serve a God who proclaims. “ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future ” (Jeremiah 29.11).

I’m praying for you!

Bishop Mark J. Webb is an episcopal leader in the Global Methodist Church.

The post The In-Between first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Laity Inspired Beyond These Walls Conference Set for The Woodlands Methodist Church

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 07:00:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton

The Woodlands Methodist Church (The Woodlands, Texas) is the host for the Beyond These Walls 2023 Conference scheduled for April 27-29. The 14,000 member congregation with a robust and far flung mission s program of its own, offers a multi-campus setting for the conference. The church is located near several hotels and numerous restaurants, making it easy people to walk to and from the venue. Registration remains open for the conference.

“ I’m excited about this Beyond These Walls because it’s an outstanding opportunity for the larger Wesleyan Methodist family to receive badly needed equipping in mission and evangelism ,” said the Rev. Dr. Kim berly Reisman , Director of World Methodist Evangelism and one of the conference’s organizers. “ Our world is in desperate need for a compassionate witness to the good news of Jesus Christ and I believe B eyond T hese W alls will be a great source of encouragement and inspiration for that work. ”

The keynote speakers for the conference are the Rev. Dr. Jerry Kulah, the Rev. Dr. David Platt, and Ms. Danielle Strickland.

Kulah, a widely known speaker and organizer, is the Dean of the Bishop Innis Graduate School of Theology, and Vice President for Graduate and Professional Studies at T he United Methodist University, Monrovia, Liberia. He is also the director of Africa Initiative, a coalition of clergy and laity advocating for the renewal and reform of the UM Church across the continent of Africa and around the world. He is currently a Ph . D . Student at the Angelia Ruskin University, Cambridge Theological Federation, in the U nited K ingdom . He is also a John Wesley Fellow.

T he founder of Radical, a ministry that exists to equip Christians to be on mission , Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of R adical , Radical Together , Follow Me , Counter Culture , Something Needs to Change , and Before You Vote . He is also the author of several volumes in the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.

From establishing justice departments and church plants, to launching global anti-trafficking initiatives, and to creating new initiatives to mobilize people towards transformational spiritual life , Strickland trains, advocates, and inspires people to live differently through initiatives like Amplify Peace, Brave Global, and the Women Speakers Collective. Her latest book , released in 2020, is Better Together: How Women and Men Can Heal the Divide and Work Together to Transform the Future , her podcast is listened to by thousands globally.

In addition to the three keynote speakers, nearly three dozen other presenters with give talks and lead workshops.

“ We are laboring for persons to experience a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit, wed with practical equipping in discipleship and mission ,” said the Rev. Paul Lawler, Senior Pastor at Christ Church ( Memphis , Tennessee). “ We long to see the evangelical Wesleyan expression of Christ freshly equipped and inspired to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. We will also be unveiling a new web-based equipping engine developed by the Global Methodist Church to foster equipping of local churches on every continent of the world. ”

Along with the Global Methodist Church, the lead sponsor for the conference, 16 additional organizations and educational institutions are serving as event sponsors .

“The Global Methodist Church believes the Beyond These Walls C onference will exemplify its vis ion to join God in a journey of bringing new life , reconciliation, and the presence of Christ to all people,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the new Church’s Chief Connectional Officer. “ The conference will be a great opportunity for Global Methodists from around the world to worship, to pray, l earn , and celebrate together on the cusp of the Church’s first anniversary .”

Jernigan , Reisman, Lawler, and the Rev. Dr. Wes Griffin, President of the International Leadership Institute , serve as the Beyond These Walls Steering Committee. All four have joined with brothers and sisters around the world to learn from missional partners and to help others grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.

“ This is an opportunity for many of us to experience what I would call the ‘ Great Inversion , ’ ” said Lawler. “ We want to leave an outdated paradigm of the local church existing to fund a denomination, and step into a new and exciting day of minimal church structures that exist to fuel the development of dynamic local churches equipped for effective evangelism, discipleship, and global missions.”

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

Rev. Walter Fenton is the Deputy Connectional Officer for the Global Methodist Church .

The post Laity Inspired Beyond These Walls Conference Set for The Woodlands Methodist Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Revival!

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 07:00:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton

“When I first entered the balcony, I had a moment where I couldn’t breathe—there was a weight in the room, like a barometric pressure difference. It took a moment to adjust,” writes a professor and pastor about the widely reported revival at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky. “We so often forget that our physical bodies are not separate from our spiritual selves. When God appears in powerful ways, we are physically affected by what is happening in our spirits.”

In a stirring and thoughtful essay published in Firebrand Magazine , the Rev. Dr. Suzanne Nicholson, a Professor of New Testament at the school, shares her thoughts about the revival sweeping her campus and spreading to others around the U.S. Nicholson is just the latest of many to offer a firsthand account of the revival. It has also garnered the attention of national newspapers and major broadcast networks.

Nicholson confesses she was not sure what to make of the reports of revival breaking out in the auditorium just above her office. But then she writes, “On the second day of the revival I went up to the balcony of Hughes Auditorium to let God do the soul work I so desperately needed. As I sat and listened to the worship, I wept as God lifted my burdens, and I rejoiced at the sweet, gentle Spirit of the Lord. This was not what I had expected when I heard students running down the hallway the day before proclaiming, ‘There’s a revival going on upstairs!’ Stereotypes of big personalities and manufactured power had filled my mind earlier, but this was so very different. This was a tender and beautiful outpouring of the Spirit.”

This is not the first time a revival has broken out at the non-denominational Christian school just south of Lexington, Kentucky, and right across the street from Asbury Theological Seminary. Among other revivals on the university’s campus, the “Great Revival” of February 1970 happened in the same auditorium and lasted for eight days.

However, unlike the 1970 revival, people all over the world learned about the present one within hours as students shared testimonies and bore witness to what was happening via social media. Within days, people were traveling to the school to join with the students or simply to witness such a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Earlier this week, police officers were politely turning away all but residents of Wilmore; the small town, with just two stop lights and a handful of restaurants, was filled to overflowing.

“We celebrate the movement of God at Asbury University which has spread to so many other places around the world. As I have read testimonies, viewed videos, and watched the livestream, I have been filled with great joy, praising God for what He does through a simple gathering of God’s people,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the Global Methodist Church’s Chief Connectional Officer. “Our fervent prayer is that this Divine Moment will result in millions of encounters with the God who sets captives free, and energizes fresh moves of God in our homes, churches, the streets of our communities, and throughout the world.”

The school’s leadership has responded to the revival with support for its students and as much hospitality as possible for the thousands wanting to join them in an auditorium that can only accommodate approximately 1,500 people. Administrators have encouraged professors to be flexible with students regarding classroom attendance and assignments. It has also set-up portable bathrooms for campus visitors waiting to gain entrance to the auditorium. And everyone at Asbury University has welcomed the assistance it has received from people throughout the community: from the seminary across the street, to the churches in the area, and on to the town’s civic and business leaders.

Nicholson believes the revival “is meant to revive us for a purpose.” She calls attention to the devastating earthquakes in Syria and Turkey, where the loss of life nears 50,000, and hundreds of thousands are now homeless. And she notes that is just one tragedy where people are suffering and are in great need.

“God calls us to perfect love of both God and neighbor,” she writes. “If we keep this refreshing Spirit to ourselves, then we have missed the point. God has given us shalom —wholeness and healing and flourishing—so that we can bring the love of God to others. If we proclaim the love of Jesus but do not demonstrate God’s love by helping the poor and destitute, then we are nothing but a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal (1 Corinthians 13:1). God forbid that we turn these songs of praise into nothing more than a noisy interruption.”

Rev. Walter Fenton is the Deputy Connectional Officer for the Global Methodist Church.

The post Revival! first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

God is Doing a New Thing: Three U.S. Global Methodist Church Annual Conferences Begin

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 12:01:00 GMT

By Chassity Neckers

As Global Methodists, it is our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. Our annual conferences are designed to be an extension of that mission. In the GM Church the real work of the annual conference begins when we come together for worship and prayer – crying out for revival and seeking God’s healing in our lives and commitment to our shared ministry.

Though the Global Methodist Church has only existed for nine months, hundreds of clergy and laypersons are already coming together and forming this new expression of Methodism so that more people may come to know Jesus.

In Texas, our first U.S. provisional annual conferences held convening meetings and are paving the way for many others to follow them. Provisional annual conferences are created during this transitional period before the GM Church’s convening General Conference to organize our work globally.

How does a Provisional Annual Conference emerge in the Global Methodist Church?

The Global Methodist Church structure dates back to the beginning of Methodism with John and Charles Wesley. The early pioneers of Methodism believed in “social holiness” – that the Christian life was best lived within community. The principal expression of connectionalism within Methodism has historically been within its conference system.

The GM Church’s Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline states: “The Transitional Leadership Council or the convening General Conference may establish regional conferences for the purposes of coordinating and conducting the mission of the Church around the world.” Those purposes consist of vital actions like the ordination of clergy and discerning God’s will together through conversation and the casting of votes that help unite the connection.

More importantly, in the GM Church we believe that personal faith formation, shaped in accountable disciple groups, is essential to authentic connection. It is in moments of prayer, worship, and Bible study where the church is strengthened for its outward mission. When hundreds of Global Methodists joined together in January and early February these were the core convictions of their gatherings.

Prayer, Worship, Awakening: Global Methodist Church Provisional Annual Conferences in the United States

In Waco, Texas, the Mid-Texas Provisional Annual Conference’s first gathering was a time set aside for awakening. The conference was described by many as a breakaway from the well-known annual conference structure. The attendees were provided opportunities to make space for the Holy Spirit to work throughout the two-day gathering, having only a one-hour voting session to approve budgets and various annual conference positions.

The historic conference celebrated the 90 congregations located in its region and ordained 28 men and women for service in the church. Mid-Texas President pro tem , Rev. Dr. Leah Hidde- Gregory described the ordination service as “spirit-filled,” with the sanctuary erupting in applause and excitement that God is doing a new thing through his people.

That new thing continued as two other provisional annual conferences were launched in late January and early February.

In Lubbock, Texas, hundreds of clergy and laypersons gathered together for the convening conference of the West Plains Provisional Annual Conference. The gathering was a moment of surrender centered around Christ, with many coming forward and kneeling in prayer, seeking Jesus as people gathered together.

The Rev. Dr. Jessica LaGrone, Dean of the Chapel, at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky and a member of the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council, spoke during the two-day event.

“We love Jesus, we love his church, and we believe that God isn’t done with the people called Methodist and that the best years of the Christian movement begun by the Wesley [brothers] are still, in fact, ahead of us,” LaGrone said.

In College Station, Texas, the East Texas Provisional Annual Conference continued with that same note of hopefulness.

The new provisional annual conference ordained 90 clergypersons and welcomed 254 Global Methodist congregations in its region. Like the Mid-Texas Conference gathering, the East Texas Annual Conference held a limited business session, providing additional time throughout the two-day gathering for worship, prayer, and connection.

The East Texas Provisional Annual Conference also made space for learning with a variety of workshops. The workshops included sessions on evangelism, small group discipleship, the new GM Church catechism, social witness, and worship.

The three annual conferences provided a moment to focus on where Global Methodists are headed as the Church as it is covered in prayer and holding on to God’s power, provision, and help.

While the Global Methodist Church is deeply rooted in the history of Methodism, our provisional annual conferences have embraced the Church’s mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. Our denominational structures exist to help and support congregations as they reach the world for Jesus.

The convening of GM Church provisional annual conferences is a joyous and historical moment for the fledgling denomination. For the first time, people in these areas gathered to celebrate and begin a journey together as Global Methodists. The three Texas provisional annual conferences join two others in the United States – North Carolina and South Georgia – and four provisional bodies outside the United States in Bulgaria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Philippines, and Slovakia. More are sure to come!

Chassity Neckers is a freelance writer who lives in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. She is also a member of the Global Methodist Church’s Indiana Transitional Conference Advisory Team.

The post God is Doing a New Thing: Three U.S. Global Methodist Church Annual Conferences Begin first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

GM Church Officially Recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense as Religious Organization

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 07:00:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton

“This is an important and encouraging announcement for clergy who want to serve in the U.S. armed forces as Global Methodist Church chaplains,” said the Rev. Gary Clore, the GM Church’s Director of Endorsing Ministries. “Endorsement authority from the U.S. Department of Defense allows chaplains currently endorsed under other faith groups to make a seamless transfer to the GM Church if that is a better theological and spiritual fit for them. This avoids any threat of disruption in status or service by that chaplain, reservist or seminarian in a chaplaincy program.”

Clore, who served 31 years in the U.S. Navy and 28 of them as a Navy chaplain, said he started working with colleagues about four years ago, preparing for the possibility of division in The United Methodist Church. A small group of retired military chaplains recognized that a number of UM Church clergy would want to transition to a new theologically conservative Methodist denomination and still continue their service as military chaplains.

“We were ready and working on May 1, 2022, when the Global Methodist Church was launched,” said Clore. “We were pleasantly surprised by how quickly the DoD recognized the Church as an endorsing body. Securing the DoD’s recognition could have easily been a year or two-year long process. But with so many military chaplains seeking transfer to the GM Church, the Armed Forces Chaplain Board (a DoD level organization representing the Army, Air Force, and Navy) decided to approve the GM Church as an endorsing body just nine months after the Church’s official formation.”

During his long career, Clore served in a variety settings. He was deployed with Marines out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to support them in their combat mission in Iraq. He served as the command chaplain of two ships, the USS Mount Hood that did a deployment to the western Pacific, and later aboard the USS Peleliu , during a deployment to the Persian Gulf. He also served at the U.S. Naval Academy for one year as a resident fellow at the Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership. His service took him to many locations around the world and across the U.S.

“Chaplain Clore and his team are to be commended for their diligent work on behalf of clergy persons who are called to serve as military chaplains,” said Cara Nicklas, Chairwoman of the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council. “We are very thankful for all the men and women who serve in the U.S. military, and we praise God for the many chaplains who serve right alongside them in circumstances most of us can hardly imagine.”

Clergy have served as military chaplains in America since at least the Revolutionary War. Initially they volunteered with local militias and so were often well known by the soldiers they served alongside. Over time the role of a military chaplain was formalized, and they were officially integrated into the Army, Navy, and Air Force (the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Coast Guard are served by the Navy Chaplains Corps). Thousands of Methodists clergy have served as military chaplains over the past 250 years.

“Serving as a military chaplain is a total immersion in ministry to Gen X and Gen Z, groups sadly rare in most local churches; ministry among the ‘nones’ is a given,” said the Rev. Bob Phillips, a retired Navy Chaplain who worked closely with Clore to secure endorsing status for the GM Church. “Chaplains are the front line in crisis ministry, whether in relationships, or in ministry in times of trauma arising from death or injury to troops and families. There are also good times: lots of marriage preparation, regular connection to troops where they work, deploying with them, sleepless with them, and running with them – the biblical term is ‘incarnational.’ It is lived ministry, where truly the world is your parish.”

For more information about endorsement for service as a chaplain, readers can contact Rev. Clore at gclore@globalmethodist.org .

Rev. Walter Fenton is the Deputy Connectional Officer for the Global Methodist Church.

The post GM Church Officially Recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense as Religious Organization first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Called for A Purpose

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 07:00:00 GMT

By Bishop Mark J. Webb

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” – John 15.16

Just a few weeks before the COVID pandemic shut down the world, my wife, Jodi, and I traveled with a group to England for a Wesley Heritage Tour. Some of the individuals on that trip had also traveled with us to the Holy Land just a few years prior. As I was preparing teaching and devotional times for that England trip, I must admit I was doubting I would experience that same “pilgrimage” experience that I did in the Holy Land. That all changed the day we went to Epworth and visited the rectory where the Wesley family lived.

As we toured that home, I came face to face spiritually with perhaps the most significant event that occurred in that home. On February 9, 1709, an angry mob (that’s a topic for another time) set fire to the rectory where the Wesley family lived. Everyone got out of the house safely, except for five-year-old John. Just as the whole house was about to be consumed by fire, John was rescued through a window by a man standing on the shoulders of another. After the fire, John’s mother, Susanna, believing God saved her young son for a reason, often used the words of Zechariah 3.2 to refer to John – “Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”

On that February day in Epworth, England, I was reminded of God’s call upon my life in a significant way. The spiritual pilgrimage God had for me was to trust anew the truth that God has chosen and called me for a purpose. God has chosen me to be loved and transformed by Him. God has chosen me to offer my life in response to His love by choosing His way, bearing fruit, and giving witness to the good news of Jesus Christ.

The mission of the Global Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. Mission statements can be dangerous, because too often we only print the words instead of radically living into them. As the Global Methodist Church continues to move forward, it will be blessed by God when I, you and everyone who joins this movement understands clearly that we have been called by God for a purpose.

When we trust more fully the depth, width, height, and length of God’s love for us and then go deeper, wider, higher, and longer in our love for God, we become disciples who worship passionately. When we encounter the fullness of God’s redemptive work in Jesus Christ, the undeserved favor of God’s grace bestowed on us, transforming us, we become disciples who love extravagantly. When we experience the fullness of God at work, plucking us from the fire, transforming our lives and offering us new and abundant life, we have no choice but to witness boldly, so that one more person may know that Jesus offers that same reality to them.

We live amid a culture where darkness seems to be winning. The ways of our world are crushing and filled with deceit. People are looking for hope, significance, and truth. Let’s be people who love God deeply, have God’s heart for the least, the last and the lost, and look for every opportunity to be the hands, feet, and voice of Christ within the world. We must be people who proclaim and demonstrate that there’s a different way, a better way.

There is a light that overcomes darkness, there is a truth that defeats lies, and there is a person who offers healing, hope, peace, significance, and life – His name is Jesus! Let’s meet the world with the love of Jesus. Let’s offer the world the hope of Jesus!

I’m humbled to begin this journey with the Global Methodist Church. God is at work. John Wesley was used by God to renew a church, spark a revival, and spread scriptural holiness across the land. He was “plucked from the fire” for a purpose. My prayer is, “Do it again God! Do it again in me and through me. Do it again in us and through us.”

For those who desire to be a part of the Global Methodist Church but have not yet been able, don’t allow Satan to create doubt and discouragement as you navigate what seem to be impossible barriers. Ask and trust God to do the work of changing hearts and destroying barriers. Don’t be afraid of the fire of your circumstances because our God is a God who rescues us from that fire. In every action and encounter do nothing but demonstrate a heart changed and formed by the grace of God. God has called you for a purpose. Live it boldly and fully every moment of every day – invite others to do the same. Watch God move!

One last thing – don’t forget that Wesley was saved from that fire because one person was willing to let another stand on their shoulders. Thanks be to God for the saints upon whose shoulders we stand in the birthing of this new movement. Let’s invite and welcome others by allowing them to stand on our shoulders. We need each other if we are going to live the mission and be the people God has called for a purpose. We need each other if we are going to be the people of the Global Methodist Church who partner with God to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.

I’m grateful to be on this journey with you. I’m praying for you!

Bishop Mark J. Webb is an episcopal leader in the Global Methodist Church.

The post Called for A Purpose first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Witnessing Boldly

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 07:00:00 GMT

By Bishop Scott Jones

Years ago, I quit praying, “God, please bless what I am doing.” Instead, I have prayed daily, “God, help me be a part of what you are blessing.” That re-orients me to look around and to discern where God is actively pursuing God’s purposes, and then to ask how I can be used by him to accomplish his goals.

Scripture is clear that God desires the whole world to be saved. The hymn in Philippians 2:10-11 casts the vision of the day when “at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” God is working that purpose out and has called into being a church to be a vehicle for that mission.

That is the big picture which describes why Christians are called to be God’s witnesses “in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). We are called to reach out to anyone who does not know Christ as Lord and Savior and help them to experience the love of God so they become disciples of Jesus. Every Christian is called to be an evangelist—a witness to the good news that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Unfortunately, most local churches in America and in some other parts of the world have drifted away from this mission. Rather than asking how they can be part of God’s gracious invitation to abundant life for each person, they have become clubs which exist for the benefit of its members. Instead of being fishers of men and women, these congregations have become keepers of an aquarium.

I am excited that the Global Methodist Church has committed to making disciples who witness boldly. Yet this will not be easy because we have all accumulated some bad habits over the last 50 years. Our commitment to this part of the denomination’s purpose needs sustained reflection about the role each clergy and lay person should play in the Church’s mission.

For many years I was a leader in evangelism in my annual conference and then I became a professor of evangelism. Over three decades, I have preached and taught that every Christian should be an evangelist. When I say that, I usually get a very puzzled reaction. Most American Christians cannot imagine themselves as being evangelists. They think, “I cannot preach like Billy Graham.” Or they think, “I have seen so-called evangelists being abusive. I don’t want to do that.” I fear that when people hear our new commitment to “witness boldly” they might have a similar reaction saying, “that is someone else’s job.”

I suggest it is your job, and that we all need to get a larger understanding of what it looks like to be a witness for Christ. Witnessing boldly for Christ can take many forms. Consider the following ways to be part of your congregation’s evangelistic ministry. You could:

Yes, some people are called to preach in front of large crowds like Billy Graham. But that kind of evangelism is only one of many different forms. Our goal is for each Christian to use her or his gifts to help our local churches witness boldly.

When I was pastor of a church in a small community, I visited a faithful woman who was bed-ridden because of a stroke. She lamented that she could not do anything for the church. That day the Holy Spirit gave me the right thing to say to her. I replied, “You can pray.” She said, “What should I pray for?” I said, “Pray that some people come to church.” A month later when I visited her in the nursing home, the first thing she said to me was, “Did it work?” It took me a minute to remember our previous conversation and finally I realized that for four weeks she had been praying as I suggested. I then told her two new families had joined that church since I had last visited with her. I thanked her for her faithful witness for Christ.

We need more people like her.

I am excited to be part of a church that will witness boldly. Yet, this new beginning that is the Global Methodist Church requires self-discipline. We have all accumulated some bad habits of how to do church—that is, how to follow Jesus in community. We need to use our time, our money, our ideas and our activities to prioritize witnessing for Christ so that the Church can reach more people in more places. God is doing a new thing, and I am glad to be a part of it.

Bishop Scott Jones is an episcopal leader in the Global Methodist Church.

The post Witnessing Boldly first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The Early Growth of the Global Methodist Church

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 07:00:00 GMT

A Report from Rev. Keith Boyette, Transitional Connectional Officer

I sometimes hear people say: “The Global Methodist Church (GM Church) is nothing more than a website .” With all due respect, people who make this claim are either ill-informed or engaged in wishful thinking.

The GM Church began operations on May 1, 2022. In its brief life, it has welcomed more than 1,200 persons as clergy members and officially welcomed 1,100 local churches that applied to align with it. These clergy and churches are from Angola, Bulgaria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, England, Panama, the Philippines, Slovakia, and the United States.

And hundreds of additional clergy and local churches are on the cusp of completing the process of disaffiliation from The United Methodist Church (UM Church) in order to align with the GM Church. Also, more than 50 new churches have been launched globally with more being added each month. And the truth is, many more would have already joined the GM Church, or be well on the way to doing so, were it not for the obstacles UM Church bishops and conferences have placed in their way.

The GM Church’s primary focus is on its mission – to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. It is a Church that intentionally empowers local congregations to have maximum discretion in the way they organize and deploy resources for ministry. The denomination maintains a small institutional footprint to ensure local churches have the resources to support the ministry to which they are called. The GM Church exists to empower local churches; to serve, not to be served.

Considerable time has been devoted to organizing for ministry in the various regions of the world. The GM Church currently has nine provisional annual conferences and districts around the world. These conferences and districts have presidents pro tem and presiding elders appointed to serve. Some have already held convening conferences. Others are holding such conferences soon. It also has ten transitional conference advisory teams preparing for the launch of additional provisional conferences and districts in the coming months with more being organized monthly.

The process of organizing the church internationally involves registering the GM Church with the government of each country. It has completed this process in Bulgaria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Philippines, and Slovakia. Registration is underway in a number of countries around the world. Ultimately, the GM Church will be registered in nearly all of the countries of Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. The denomination is in discussions with clergy and churches around the world, many of whom are steeped in Methodist heritage and traditions. For them, the GM Church offers an opportunity to join a new, vibrant movement grounded in the warm hearted Wesleyan expression of the Christian faith.

Navigating such a dynamic environment requires exceptional sensitivity to and dependence on the work of the Holy Spirit. The GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council (TLC) is diverse, globally representative, and composed of exceptional leaders. Recently, Bishops Mark Webb and Scott Jones have joined the TLC, along with new members Rev. Arturo Cadar (Eastern Texas, Deacon), Rev. Dr. David Watson (Allegheny West, Elder), and Rev. Bazel Yoila Yayuba (Nigeria, Elder). The TLC will continue to guide the GM Church through it critical transitional period even as it joyfully looks forward to the new denomination’s convening General Conference.

Of course, starting a new denomination requires significant financial resources. Thanks to hundreds of gifts from faithful Methodists from all around the world, at its inception, the GM Church received $1,000,000 from the Wesleyan Covenant Association’s Next Methodism Fund. In addition to this gift, individuals, local churches, and other entities have continued to generously support the Church in its transitional season. Through December 31, 2022, it has received $210,000 in direct contributions, enabling it to fulfill its calling in its early days.

And as local churches join the denomination they are now supporting the ministries of their provisional annual conferences and the general church through connectional funding . The TLC, when requested, has granted relief from connectional funding for congregations that have incurred substantial financial burdens as part of withdrawing from the UM Church.

The GM Church is also equipping and encouraging congregations to fulfill its calling to be a global missional partner with Christian movements around the world. It is a platinum sponsor of the Beyond These Walls conference that will be held at The Woodlands Methodist Church from April 27-29, 2023. It will gather Christian leaders from around the world, many of whom will be GMC clergy and laity, and will challenge us to share the good news of Jesus Christ with all people.

In this space, I can only focus on a few highlights, but all the people of the GM Church celebrate the way in which God is at work in our midst. We have much for which we give thanks. We have only just begun. We will keep our focus primarily upon our mission – to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. God expects great things from us. By God’s Spirit, we strive to accomplish great things for God, all so that Jesus will be glorified.

By the way, the GM Church does have a website with a wealth of information. The Church encourages you to visit it to learn about its mission, purpose, core confessions, organization, and find answers to a variety of questions.

The Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

The post The Early Growth of the Global Methodist Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Bishop Scott Jones Joins Global Methodist Church

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 07:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

As Jones shared the news of his decision to align with the GM Church, its Transitional Leadership Council (TLC) announced it has appointed him as a bishop in the new denomination. Its Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline provides that UM Church bishops may be received as bishops in the GM Church to serve until the latter’s convening General Conference; Bishop Jones has been received in this capacity. Initially, he will serve as one of the general superintendents of the GM Church and will not be appointed to a specific residential area. He joins Bishop Mark Webb and Bishop Emeritus Mike Lowry as the denomination’s third episcopal leader.

“The Global Methodist Church represents traditional Methodism with a strong focus on reaching new people for the gospel,” Jones said about the growing denomination. “It is a new start that will help clergy and congregations move past the disputes of the last several years and focus on our mission. I am excited about forming disciples who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.”

Beginning in September 2004 Jones served as the resident bishop of the Kansas Episcopal Area, and then in September 2012 he became the first bishop of the newly formed Great Plains Episcopal Area comprising the Kansas East, Kansas West and Nebraska Annual Conferences. From there he assumed leadership of the Texas Annual Conference in 2016. Prior to his 18 years as bishop, he pastored local churches in the North Texas Annual Conference and was a faculty member at Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology (Dallas, Texas).

“Bishop Scott Jones has stood strong for the faith,” said Cara Nicklas, Chairwoman of the TLC. “With grace and clarity he has modeled and proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ, and he has given his life to making disciples of Jesus Christ. With great joy and hope for the future, the TLC warmly welcomes him to the GM Church.”

Jones received degrees from the University of Kansas (B.A. in Philosophy), Perkins School of Theology (Master of Theology) and Southern Methodist University (Ph.D. in Religious Studies). His dissertation research focused on Wesley Studies and the History of Biblical Interpretation.

“Bishop Jones’s remarkable leadership has been a blessing to so many pastors and churches over the years. He has an incredible gift for casting vision and keeping those under his leadership focused on loving God and making disciples of Jesus Christ as the main thing,” said the Rev. Dr. Jessica LaGrone, Dean of the Chapel at Asbury Theological Seminary (Wilmore, Kentucky), a TLC member, and a former member in the UM Church’s Texas Annual Conference. “I’m grateful for the bright future ahead for the Global Methodist Church with his wisdom and guidance leading the way.”

A prolific author, Jones has written numerous articles and published several books. His most recent titles are Scripture and the Wesleyan Way: A Bible Study on Real Christianity (2018), The Once and Future Wesleyan Movement (2016), Ask: Faith Questions in a Skeptical Age (2014), and The Wesleyan Way: A Faith that Matters (2014). Earlier books include The Evangelistic Love of God and Neighbor: A Theology of Discipleship and Witness (2003), and United Methodist Doctrine: The Extreme Center (2002), all from Abingdon Press.

“We are rejoicing over God’s good grace to us,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Transitional Connectional Officer. “In the span of two weeks we have received two faithful, innovative, and passionate leaders in Bishop Mark Webb and now Bishop Scott Jones. Theological conservatives around the world have greatly appreciated Bishop Jones’ witness to the warm hearted Wesleyan expression of the Christian faith, and his fidelity to faith’s life-giving teachings rooted in Scripture and the great confessions of the Church universal. He will be a tremendous blessing to the GM Church as it grows and flourishes.”

Just launched on May 1, 2022, hundreds of local churches in Africa, Europe, the Philippines, and the United States have already aligned with the Global Methodist Church, and many more are hoping to do so over the next few years.

“I hope we succeed as a church in aligning our resources for evangelism, church planting and increasing diversity in our membership while addressing key issues of social justice,” said Bishop Jones. “It is hard to let go of non-essential but time-consuming practices and to focus on keeping the main thing the main thing. In order to be a healthy and vibrant church, we’ll need to address the challenges of raising up a new generation of lay and clergy leaders who are deeply formed in the Wesleyan way of following Jesus.”

Bishop Jones lives in Dallas, Texas, and is married to Mary Lou Reece. They have three adult children, Jameson, Arthur, and Marynell.

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Bishop Scott Jones Joins Global Methodist Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Bishop Mark Webb Joins Global Methodist Church

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 07:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

The GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council (TLC) announced it has hired Webb as a bishop in the GM Church. Its Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline provides that UM Church bishops may be received as bishops in the GM Church to serve until the latter’s convening General Conference; Bishop Webb has been received in this capacity. Initially, he will serve as one of the general superintendents of the GM Church and will not be appointed to a specific residential area.

“I am humbled to be a part of a fresh expression of Methodism that seeks to capture and live the fullness of our Wesleyan DNA and equip individuals and congregations to boldly and urgently live out God’s call to offer the good news of Jesus Christ to a desperate world,” said Webb regarding his new role with the GM Church. “I’m also grateful for the leadership and gifts faithfully offered by so many in the formation of this movement and look forward to becoming a part of all that God is doing and will do in and through the Global Methodist Church.”

Webb served as the bishop of the Upper New York Annual Conference of the UM Church for over 10 years. Prior to his role as a bishop, he pastored three local churches and served as a district superintendent in Pennsylvania for 23 years. His clergy colleagues elected him as a delegate to General and Jurisdictional Conferences in 2004, 2008, and 2012. He received the Harry Denman Evangelism Award in 2002, and in 2018 he was named as one of the top 100 leaders by the John C. Maxwell Transformational Leadership Award.

“We are honored to have Bishop Webb join us and to immediately assume leadership responsibilities in the Global Methodist Church,” said Cara Nicklas, Chairwoman of the TLC. “His humble spirit, his courageous witness, and above all, his fidelity to the core confessions of the Wesleyan expression of the Christian faith are inspiring. I am confident his creative leadership will contribute to the growing health and vitality of our Church.”

A graduate of Shippensburg University (Shippensburg, Pennsylvania) with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Bishop Webb also holds a M. Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary (Wilmore, Kentucky) and a graduate certificate in nonprofit management from the University of Connecticut (Storrs, Connecticut). He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of United Theological Seminary (Dayton, Ohio).

“What has impressed me most serving under and alongside Bishop Webb has been his keen ability to use his gifts of leadership and discernment to cast vision and work with others to implement that vision in often complicated situations,” said the Rev. Steven Taylor, Lead Pastor of Panama UM Church (Panama, New York). “He unapologetically proclaims that hope and salvation are found only in Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible and through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.”

Former United Methodists who have already transitioned to the GM Church and United Methodist hoping to follow them have long regarded Bishop Webb as a courageous and gracious leader, willing to speak up on their behalf. He was very warmly received at the Wesleyan Covenant Association’s 2022 Global Gathering in Indiana, where he offered the closing devotion and served as the celebrant for Holy Communion.

“The entire staff is excited to welcome Bishop Webb to the team and is looking forward to working with him,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Transitional Connectional Officer. “His experience, and the gifts and graces he brings to us will bless and increase the GM Church for years to come. We praise and thank God for his willingness to serve among us during the denomination’s critical transitional period.”

“Many people are coming to the Global Methodist Church with a passion to follow Jesus and be the Church, but also with a deep weariness and pain from past experiences and struggles. We are a broken and wounded people, called to offer Jesus to a broken and wounded world. We will need to help one another heal,” said Bishop Webb. “We must choose to trust and encourage one another, while fully depending upon the power of God’s Spirit in this new journey. I strive to give thanks for the formation my past provides, but I also know that the Gospel message invites me to lay the past behind and focus on the vision and hope God is birthing today. The battles of yesterday are no longer our battles. There will be new struggles, but I know God will be faithful, and I trust that God has already equipped us to be faithful to the glory of God and for the increase of His Kingdom.”

Bishop Webb lives in Lititz, Pennsylvania and is married to Jodi. They have two sons, Tyler, who is married to Lyndsay and Benjamin, who is married to Mary.

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Bishop Mark Webb Joins Global Methodist Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

How Beautiful Upon the Mountains

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

Fortunately, other than sore muscles and bruised egos, we returned safely to the lodge after an overnight hiking trip on a Colorado mountain one April day, many years ago. Two boys from the flatlands of Illinois, we were confident we could climb the 11,000 foot plus snow covered peak in two stages: a late afternoon hike half-way to the top, and then after a few hours of rest, we’d rise in the darkness to take the summit and watch the sun rise over the vast plains to the east!

Things started well but faltered by sunset. The snow under the tall pines was deeper than we anticipated, slowing our progress; we set up camp short of half-way. The fire we thought we could build with leaves, twigs, and fallen branches was a hopeless endeavor. We burned every piece of paper we had with us – including our map – in a failed attempt to stay warm. We shivered in our sleeping bags under a cold black sky, and we did not get the early start we had planned.

Still, we trudged on, reaching the summit by mid-afternoon, not sunrise. And instead of feeling prideful about our accomplishment, we just wanted to get back down that mountain and in front of one of the lodge’s roaring fireplaces. Looking back on our journey, we realized we were unprepared to the point of foolishness.

In the Book of Isaiah there are multiple references to mountains, and also to valleys and deserts. And God is often depicted as making a way for his people over, through, and around these obstacles. “Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low,” says the prophet. “The uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain” (40:4). Along that path called “the Holy Way . . . no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray” (35:8).

Soaring words of consolation and hope for ancient exiles held captive in a foreign land continue to inspire us. We too are a people in need of consolation and hope. This year ends as so many have down through the ages: the ravages and burdens of natural disasters and diseases, social and economic strife, and in the worst cases violence, war, and terrible atrocities. Humankind and the whole creation groan for the day the world is ultimately delivered from the curse of sin that threatens to sink us in the darkness of despair and destruction.

Despite our foolishness, our hubris, and even our wickedness, we continue to have faith with the prophet that God is making a way for us. It is not mere wishful thinking on our part. It is made manifest in the Christ who entered the world as an infant and suffered death on a cross for our sins. It is confirmed by the daily and countless acts of human kindness, grace, and even sacrifice inspired by Christ the Lord who makes a way for us over, through and around all obstacles.

Perhaps most remarkable, is that the God who does not need our help invites us and makes a way for us to participate in proclaiming the good news of redemption and liberation. “Get you up to a high mountain (40.9),” he says to the foolish, the prideful, to all sinners who know they are in need of God’s redeeming. Embrace the privilege of being a joyful and obedient messenger of the Gospel that has delivered you from exile and captivity. And so know “how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation” (52.7)!

May all the people of the Global Methodist Church fully embrace the invitation to participate in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed. Let us “Go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere!”

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post How Beautiful Upon the Mountains first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Immanuel – God With Us: A Meditation on Isaiah 7:14

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

The incarnation is a linchpin of the Christian faith. Orthodox Christianity, as confessed in the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, asserts that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. God the Son entered human time and space in a particular person, Jesus, in a particular place, Bethlehem, at a particular time, during the reign of the Roman emperor, Augustus.

We confess that Jesus is both fully divine and fully human – a mystery but a reality nonetheless. The birth of Jesus fulfilled many messianic prophecies, chief among them the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 – “The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).”

Reflecting on this prophecy, the Apostle John boldly proclaims in John 1:14, “So the Word became human and made his home among us” (NLT). I also love the Message paraphrase, “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, true from start to finish.”

While God continues to be high and lifted up, appearing to those who believe in pillars of cloud and fire, speaking to specially chosen individuals from mountaintops, revealing Himself in a whisper, and engaging His creation as the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, He is also present in a deeply personal and intimate way in Jesus. In the weakness and vulnerability of an infant, in the ordinariness of a carpenter, in the actions of one who is moved with compassion at seeing people without a shepherd, in conversation with tax collectors and other disreputable sinners, in confronting hypocritical pharisees, in raising a close friend (Lazarus) from the dead, and in healing countless others from dreaded conditions, Jesus demonstrated that the presence of God does not dwell only in a Temple in Jerusalem, but God is truly with each of us. He is Immanuel.

Jesus uniquely fulfills the promises of God to visit humanity at the right time to save us from our sins – our alienation from God. Jesus accomplished for us what we could never accomplish for ourselves. Jesus – God with us – alone saves! Forevermore, we know that God has seen our journey from our perspective. He “understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15). He lives forever to intercede with God on our behalf. Because Jesus lives throughout eternity, there is never a moment when we are alone. Jesus Immanuel is with us in our joys and our sorrows – in our living and dying – as he ushers us into eternal communion and rest with him. Because of Jesus Immanuel we can live each day in confident hope that God faithfully delivers on each and every one of his promises.

In the aftermath of Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, Paul joyfully proclaimed this “great mystery of our faith” when he wrote to Timothy, God “was revealed in a human body and vindicated by the Spirit. He was seen by angels and announced to the nations. He was believed in throughout the world and taken to heaven in glory” (1 Timothy 3:16).

In Advent, we celebrate not only the fulfillment of the prophesy in Isaiah 7:14 in Jesus’ first coming, but we anticipate its continued fulfillment when he returns at the culmination of human history. Immanuel will once again be with us in a deep and personal way. He has promised to return to restore creation to God’s ultimate design – when the new heaven and new earth will be established and the old heaven and old earth will have disappeared. On that day, Jesus assures us we “will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world – from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven” (Matthew 24:30-31). Our mission in this season is to be the vanguard of such an in-gathering.

John’s vision of Immanuel’s return in Jesus’ second coming assures us that God will be with us in yet another unique way as a shout from the throne of God declares, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever” (Revelation 21:3-4). Our earnest longing for the arrival of that day compels us to pray, “Come, Lord Jesus!”

Our personal relationship with Jesus assures us that there will never be a day when we are separated from His presence. Indeed, He is Immanuel – God with us! Our prayer for you has been for you to experience a blessed Advent, Christmas, and New Year full of the presence of Immanuel.

The Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer for the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

The post Immanuel – God With Us: A Meditation on Isaiah 7:14 first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The Imperative of Prayer

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 07:00:00 GMT

A Message from the Global Methodist Church Prayer Steering Committee

Recently Rev. Dr. Terry Teykl challenged and inspired some Global Methodist Church (GM Church) leaders by the prayerful example of our Methodist founding father, John Wesley. He pointed out that the birthplace of early Methodism was at Wesley’s prayer kneeler. He told the leaders:

“While in London I visited Wesley’s home. Off from his bedroom was his prayer room with table and Bible and a kneeler. Every morning he knelt there at 4 am. Instantly I knew I was looking at the birthplace of Methodism. I asked the guide if I could kneel there. As I knelt, I asked God to let his mantle of prayer to fall on me. I believe something happened and I was overwhelmed. My passion for prayer was ignited.

“There was a small fireplace next to the kneeler where he built a fire to stay warm for the hours of prayer. I can only imagine that the fires of Methodism spread from that room of prayer.

“If that is where it started, may we pray for his mantle of prayer to fall on the Global Methodist Church!

Indeed, if we are to follow in the footsteps of John Wesley, then prayer needs to be foundational.

The following three focal points of prayer will help pave the way as we establish a foundation of prayer:

God invites leaders to be mighty in prayer. In Jeremiah 33:3 God says, ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know’ (NKJV). I believe the Lord is inviting us to call to Him in prayer so that He can answer our prayers when they are in step with His great purposes for us. And as leaders pioneering new pathways, we have access through prayer to the Lord who graciously imparts needed guidance and wisdom as we navigate uncharted territory.

In the New Testament Jesus quoted the phrase “house of prayer” from Isaiah 56:7: “For My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations” (NIV). Churches in the GM Church need to be thoroughly saturated in prayer.

The Prayer Steering Committee is currently building a network of intercessory prayer teams from among emerging provisional annual conferences.

Interceding for others is a high and holy calling that is near and dear to the heart of our missional God, who calls us to love himself and our neighbor as ourselves. The Bible says in Romans 15:30: “Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit” (NLT).

Intercession connects us to the heart of God and His people. Also serving on the Prayer Steering Committee, Dr. Stephen Seamands, professor emeritus of Asbury Theological Seminary, explains intercession in this way:

“It means that ultimately the burden of intercession is not ours, but his. We are therefore never called to bear the burden of intercession alone, but to “piggyback” on Christ’s intercession, to be co-laborers with him, through the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:26-27) in his on-going intercession in heaven.

“Realizing that my intercession is a participation in Christ’s intercession, I find myself simply inviting Jesus to pray in and through me for that particular person or situation. I also invite the Holy Spirit to join me to Christ and to come as the spirit of intercession to show me how to pray for others and to pray in me on their behalf (Rom 8:26-27). And he does! As Paul reminds us, “the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words” (Romans 8:26).

Dr. Seamands reminds us that as Christ followers we are privileged to join Christ in His ministry of intercession and pray the prayers that Christ Himself is praying.

To help us intercede on behalf of the GM Church, we invite you to subscribe to our monthly prayer guides beginning this January written from a distinctly Methodist/Wesleyan perspective and distributed through email. These guides feature teachings from a variety of inspiring authors including Rev. Dr. Terry Teykl, Rev. Dr. Stephen Seamands, Rev. Dr. Carolyn Moore, and others.

Inspired by John Wesley’s original standard sermons, Rev. Moore envisioned the overarching theme of these guides: The Way to the Kingdom. This prayer guide series offers daily prayer prompts to intercede for kingdom purposes and for the GM Church. These guides can equip and empower us to join Jesus as He intercedes for his church. In order to receive these prayer guides, you must specifically sign up for the Prayer Guide email here .

Will we follow in the footsteps of John Wesley regarding prayer as crucial to this modern-day movement? Then let us kneel together at the throne of grace and call to him so that he will show us great and mighty things in our day. Then we can expectantly hope to see a powerful movement of God for His glory. Will you join us in prayer?

The GM Church Prayer Steering Committee can be reached for prayer resources or questions at prayer@globalmethodist.org .

The GM Church’s Prayer Steering Committee Members

Pastor Laura Ballinger, chairwoman

Pastor Susan Innes

Rev. Leo Park

Rev. Dr. Steve Seamands

Rev. Dr. Terry Teykl

The post The Imperative of Prayer first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The Way Home: A Meditation on Isaiah 35:1-10

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Nako Kellum

Many people go home for the holidays. Before the Covid-19 Pandemic, I used to go back to Japan after Christmas to see my father. However, during the pandemic, Japan has made it very difficult for overseas visitors to enter the country, relaxing those requirements only a few months ago. If I were to go home, I would have had to get a visa; I would have had to use a travel agency instead of planning my own trip; I would have had to quarantine myself in a hotel for 10 days, and I could not take any public transportation. It is not easy to go home anyway, because it is so far and expensive, but the pandemic made it almost impossible for me to go home.

For some people, going home is difficult, not because it is too far, or too expensive, but because of their relationships with their family members. There may be some deep wounds between them; there may be family members they cannot get along with, or perhaps they had arguments with someone the last time they went home. It is those relationships that make it hard to go home. In a similar way, it is difficult for us to go “home” to our heavenly Father because of our broken relationship with Him.

Until we go home however, we cannot find true peace and joy. Saint Augustine said it well, when he wrote, “ You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”

The story of the people of Israel shows us how it is without a true home. For example, the people of Israel had to live in Egypt, a foreign country for a long time, not even as residents, but as slaves, until God used Moses to set them free. Even after they left Egypt, they had to wander in wilderness before they entered their God-given home—the Promised Land.

Another example is the Babylonian Exile. The people of Judah were taken into exile to Babylonia and became captives in a foreign land. They had to leave behind their own land, the city of Jerusalem, and a Temple ruined and blackened by fire. That was their home, but now, they were far away from their home and could not go back.

When we are away from our “home”, we are like the Israelites, too. We wander around, looking for a home, where we can find peace or joy or love. Often, we look for the wrong things or the wrong places to satisfy our longings. We get restless, wandering and looking everywhere for that fulfillment only God can give us.

Or we may be “captives,” not to a foreign country, but to our own sins. Just like the people of Israel, we cannot escape on our own, and it strains our relationship with God. We have this strong longing for home, a strong longing to be with the Father, but we do not know how to go back. That is why Jesus came, just as God promised: “Your God will come…he will come to save you (Isaiah 35:4). ” Just as God made a way home for the Israelites, so for us, he makes a way home through Christ’s cross and resurrection.

It is impossible for us to go back home through our own strength or our own righteousness. We are sinful. We are not holy like God is holy. Ultimately, it only became possible for us to go home through Jesus—God, now in flesh appearing. He died for us by bearing our sins. He was the perfect sacrifice without any blemish, once and for all. That is why Christmas is a miracle. What seemed impossible, God made possible in Jesus. He made Jesus our highway back home.

There are times when we feel we are in a desert. Sometimes, the prevalence of evil in the world, in our lives, and even in the church seems like it will overwhelm us. There are times when we do not feel that God is with us. But our God always makes a highway in a desert. It is a way of redemption, salvation, and renewal through Jesus Christ.

That is why we will not lose hope. God says, “Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come’” (Isaiah 35:3-4). God has promised us that Jesus will ultimately—in the New Jerusalem—bring home to us. Until that day, we keep walking the way of holiness with Jesus, offering ourselves to Him, so He can make us to be more like Him as we participate in the work of building for the Kingdom of God.

The Rev. Nako Kellum is an elder in the Global Methodist Church. She presently serves as a GM Church organizer in Florida.

The post The Way Home: A Meditation on Isaiah 35:1-10 first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

A Changed Nature: A Meditation on Isaiah 11:1-10

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Suzanne Nicholson

A modern fairy tale describes a scorpion asking a frog to give him a ride across a river. The frog, understandably skeptical about his safety, balks at the idea. The scorpion reminds the frog that if he stings the frog, they will both drown; it’s in the scorpion’s interest to treat the frog well. The frog finally agrees to carry the scorpion on his back across the river. Halfway through, however, the scorpion stings the frog. In pain and terror, the frog cries out, “Why have you done this? You’ve killed us both!” The scorpion, just before sinking under the waves, admits, “I could do no other; it’s in my nature.”

When we look across the world today and see the consequences of our sinful human nature—war in the Ukraine, mass shootings in schools, children experiencing poverty and hunger—it can be all too easy to despair that nothing will ever change. But the prophet Isaiah gives us hope for a different kind of world, a place where the wolf will lie down with the lamb and no harm shall come.

In Isaiah 11:1-10, the prophet describes a time after the judgment upon Israel when God will bring a Messiah to restore the Davidic dynasty—once great, but now nothing more than a stump. Although human eyes may see a bleak picture, God prepares roots to burst forth in a new shoot of hope.

This new Davidic messiah will be empowered by the Spirit of the Lord, and Isaiah offers three pairs of descriptions of this new ruler. He will have wisdom and understanding; in other words, he can discern the truth of a matter and offer judgments accordingly. He will also have counsel and might; that is, he will know what to do and will have the power to carry out those plans. Finally, he will have the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. This kind of knowing comes from being in covenant relationship with Yahweh; one who has experienced the goodness of the Lord will naturally offer awe and reverence to the one true God. As a result, this Messiah will be the ideal ruler.

This new ruler will also have an ideal reign. God has always been concerned for the poor, the orphan, the widow, and the foreigner, as anyone reading through the Old Testament will quickly discover. Yet these most vulnerable in society are often the ones whom others overlook or overpower. But the messiah of God will set things right by judging equitably. Just as God did not judge by the outward appearance when he chose the youngest of Jesse’s sons to be king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:7), so too the new Davidic king will not be deceived by outward appearances when he rebukes the oppressor and lifts up the poor. Wearing righteousness and faithfulness as the identity markers of his reign, this Messiah will put all things right.

The results of this ideal reign by the ideal ruler affect the entire world and create an ideal realm. Isaiah uses the contrast between wild and domestic animals—predator and prey—to show that peace will transform the world. We are meant to be shocked and surprised to hear that wolves and bears lie down with sheep and cows, feeding on plants together. They form one flock, one new family. It’s not just the nature of the wolves that has been changed from powerful oppressor to peaceful herd member, for the prey, too, are changed. No longer do lambs and calves run away at the first sight of the wolf or bear. No longer do weaker nations tremble at the approach of powerful foreign armies. Fear is no longer the reigning attitude of the weak and vulnerable. In a world where all are cared for, no one need fear a hungry marauder.

This peaceful realm is only possible when the knowledge of the Lord fills the earth. In that day, all the nations will gather around the banner of Messiah, the root of Jesse.

The book of Isaiah does not end its messianic proclamation here, but picks up similar themes in 61:1-2a, where the messianic speaker declares,

“The spirit of the Lord God is upon me
because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and release to the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor…”

Of course, Jesus emphasizes this theme when he reads from the Isaiah scroll in the synagogue in Nazareth on the sabbath, declaring that he has fulfilled the prophet’s promise (Luke 4:16-21). Jesus’ ministry bears out this proclamation. He heals the sick, casts out demons, and forgives the sinner. Jesus ignores the social distinctions of his age, proclaiming the good news to Samaritans (John 4:1-42), healing Gentiles (Mark 7:24-30), teaching women (Luke 10:38-42), and ministering to both rich (Luke 19:1-10) and poor (Luke 8:43-48) alike. He rebuked the powerful for their lack of justice (Matthew 23:23) and their failure to care for the poor (Luke 16:19-31). Jesus’ own choice of disciples demonstrated that the wolf and the lamb could live together in peace: you couldn’t get more politically incorrect than asking a tax collector (Matthew) and a zealot (Simon the Zealot, Luke 6:15) to work together. Tax collectors worked for the Romans, and the Zealots advocated armed rebellion against Rome and its collaborators. But somehow the messianic king brought peace among his diverse followers. When this king declared at the Last Supper that he was making a new covenant, pouring out his blood for many for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:28), he did not limit this covenant to Jews or men or the elite of society. Rather, as the church later came to understand, all people could receive this sacrifice of atonement through faith (Romans 3:21-31).

After his death and resurrection, Jesus’ followers—now empowered by the same Spirit of the Lord—carry on the work of the messiah in the world. The church itself, drawing in both Gentiles and Jews, demonstrate that the wolf and the lamb can lie down together in peace. For those who “once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us, abolishing the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it” (Ephesians 2:13-16).

The apostle Paul draws upon Isaiah 11 when he brings together key themes from Romans in chapter 15, urging harmony between Jew and Gentile “so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (15:6).

Advent season calls us to look ahead to the return of Christ, remembering the promises and the power of God to establish justice, transform lives, and bring peace where we thought it impossible. In a season where we remember the miracle of the eternal One taking on finite flesh, we also look ahead to the miracle of the wolf lying down with the lamb. And we keep the hope that perhaps the scorpion and the frog can make it across the river together after all.

For all of us in this community of believers, our call is to make the body of Christ a foretaste of what is to come. We who are Republicans and Democrats, we who are partakers of community food shelves or providers for it, we who are high school dropouts or PhDs, we are to stand together, with one voice, our transformed lives signaling to the world that the root of Jesse is returning soon.

The Rev. Dr. Suzanne Nicholson is Professor of New Testament at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky, a deacon in The United Methodist Church, and Assistant Lead Editor for Firebrand magazine, a free online Wesleyan magazine. She is also a member of the Wesleyan Covenant Association Global Council.

The post A Changed Nature: A Meditation on Isaiah 11:1-10 first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Remembering the Future: An Advent Meditation on Isaiah 2:1-4

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Daniel G. Topalski

The Advent season starts with a prophetic reminder of the last days – the days to come. In that way, our preparations for Christmas are put in the proper perspective. As we look back to the accounts of Jesus’ birth, we always look forward to what is to come. We don’t just remember the past ; we don’t just harbor in our hearts and minds the amazing works God did for humankind and each of us. We remember the future – what he will do for us. This is precisely the meaning of our constant repetition of the “Mystery of Faith” during the Eucharistic prayer, “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.” For Christians, the past and the future continually meet in the present, making us part of God’s great work of salvation for all the people and the entire creation.

The words of the prophet in Isaiah 2:1-4 are directed to Judah and Jerusalem, but they go far beyond the Jews and the city of peace. In the turbulent times of wars and threats, Isaiah speaks about a new and unknown reality – the universal reign of God over all nations, a reign characterized by righteousness and peace. Mount Zion is a symbol of God’s rule, and it derives its significance not because of its height but because the temple of YHWH is situated on it. That is why Zion has become a focal point of humankind. All nations will stream to God’s high mountain, moved by the desire for peace. The nations are viewed as flowing like water uphill to Mount Zion. So powerful is the pull of God’s presence that the natural flow of the waters is turned in the opposite direction. The principles of God’s universal reign are radically different from anything we know.

The nations will learn a new way of living from God himself. This knowledge is a gift of God through his law. We must remind ourselves that the law of God is not like modern-day laws. Torah is, above all, an instruction of the authentic way of righteousness and peace, a powerful expression of his transforming and life-giving grace. The new order of life is not developed out of the achievements of human progress. It is a new creation, the ultimate fulfillment of what God initiated through the incarnation of his Son.

Despite all the transgressions, errors, apostasies, and falls, the hope of salvation remains alive because there is permanence, unchanging permanence in God’s ways. This is the proper foundation for salvation. Not human perseverance, but God’s perseverance is the ground of our hope. It is not our righteousness but God’s righteousness that gives us the right to hope at all.

This perseverance will fulfill God’s goal for humans and all creation. Even amid extreme hardship and chaos, shattered illusions and dreams, amid the ruins of what we have built with hard work and hope, meaning is not lost because of the permanence of God’s ways.

In the last days, that which was sown in the incarnation, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ will bring forth its fruit: ” For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, says the LORD; so shall your descendants and your name remain. From new moon to new moon, and from sabbath to sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, says the LORD” (Isaiah 66:23 NRSV).

Such is the new creation we await. But the world we live in is entirely different. We are constantly tempted to embrace the idea of unending human progress. Still, the endless human conflicts, wars, and suffering show us, again and again, the truth of what man has become in his rebellion against God. At the beginning of the 20th century, humanity was filled with optimism for a future in which bloodshed would cease, and nations would seek only a peaceful resolution of their contradictions. But the first half of the century scorched all hopes of peaceful coexistence. The first and second world wars showed that people could engage in extermination on an industrial scale. It was indeed unprecedented progress, but not of righteousness and peace, but of hatred and evil.

The end of communism and the fall of the Iron Curtain gave rise to new hopes and dreams for a peaceful future for humanity. We thought the military conflicts in Europe were over once and for all. The war in the former Yugoslavia and the current war in Ukraine have shown that Europe is also vulnerable and has difficulty resolving its conflicts peacefully. International law, international and European institutions, and military-political alliances are now unable to deal with the bloodshed in a European country, or for that matter anywhere else in the world.

Peace is a gift from God. The biblical understanding of peace does not equate with the absence of war and conflict. It goes far beyond this limited notion. The Hebrew word shalom means wholeness, completeness, health, safety, harmony, and prosperity. Shalom is complete well-being. That is why the nations in Isaiah 2:4 “shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.” This is not simply an end to every conflict but a complete dedication and involvement in the well-being of every aspect of human life.

Our God is the God of shalom , and his Son Jesus Christ is the Prince of peace. There is no other source of permanent peace available to us. Here and now, we are challenged to be peacemakers in our daily lives and to reflect the image of the Prince of peace in our relationships with others. On the night of Jesus’ birth, angels announced, “ shalom on Earth, goodwill to humanity” (Luke 2:14). This shalom was brought to us through the Son of God, but its complete fulfillment is yet to come. We are living in this reality of productive tension between already and not yet . We must always remember the future and live in the perspective of a new creation characterized by permanent and unshakable shalom .

Remembering the future – this is the lesson we must learn in anticipation of Christmas. To remember what God has promised, what He has done in the past, what He continues to do today – all of this will be crowned in fullness and culminate in the age to come. To remember the future is also to cherish every moment of the present given to us so that we are not just spectators of what God is doing but co-workers with Him in our present.

Remembering the future is what the apostle means when he counsels the Ephesians to redeem the time (5:16), that is, to put everything that happens in its rightful place in God’s work of salvation, to give meaning to every moment because it is part of salvation history that will be crowned by the new heaven and the new earth in which righteousness will reign.

Remembering the future is to understand that our present life is a preparation for God’s future, not a self-satisfaction, but a total commitment to a new way of life, a life of righteousness and peace.

The Rev. Dr. Daniel G. Topalski is the Presiding Elder of the Bulgaria Provisional Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church. He resides in Varna, Bulgaria.

The post Remembering the Future: An Advent Meditation on Isaiah 2:1-4 first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Giving Thanks

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

With grateful hearts, we pause to give thanks to and praise God for his extraordinary acts in our lives. I have just returned from the Philippines where I celebrated thanksgiving on Sunday with brothers and sisters at Buenavista Covenant Methodist Church , a Global Methodist congregation . In most countries around the world, at some point in the ir harvest season, people gather to gether to give thanks. Thanksgiving is a profound sign of our spiritual health and an essential discipline for any person growing in their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

John Wesley determined an attitude of gratitude was so important he intentionally scheduled thanksgiving into every day. He conducted a thanksgiving service at 5:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and then at the close of day. Because Wesley moved from place to place throughout the day, he would conduct this service wherever he found himself and with whomever would attend. For Wesley, thanksgiving kept him properly oriented in the midst of the circumstances of life.

The Global Methodist Church is now eight months old. Even before the church formally began operations, we saw the hand of God knitting together this part of the body of Christ. We give thanks for leaders, lay and clergy, moved by the Holy Spirit, who have given sacrificially to the work of preparation and new beginnings . Despite personal risk and criticism, they have , in word and deed , boldy proclaimed their faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And w e give thanks for the staff God has provided. We are small in number but dedicated to the great work God has given us. We give thanks!

When we discerned God’s release and call for us to launch this new church, we were blessed to see God’s provision as clergy and churches globally began to move toward membership. We praise God for our brothers and sisters in Christ in Bulgaria who were the first to join the GM Church. Internationally, they have been joined by clergy and churches in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Recently, we celebrated the unanimous decision of the clergy and churches in Slovakia to become members. Earlier this month, t he Democratic Republic of Congo Provisional Annual Conference of the GM Church completed the regist ration process in their country and began operations. Our hearts are filled with gratitude as we witness this new beginning for those committed to the historic Christian faith in the Wesleyan tradition . We give thanks!

In mid-summer, some key leaders in the United States stepped forward to become GM C hurch organizers in their regions. This has led to the formation of Transitional Conference Advisory Teams (TCATs) in twelve geographic regions. God continues to add to the number of organizers and TCATs. We now have provisional annual conferences operating in Bulgaria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mid-Texas, the Philippines, and South Georgia. By the end of the year, a number of additional provisional conferences will begin operations. Hundreds of churches have already joined and hundreds more are in the pipeline to join the GM Church before the end of the year . We give thanks!

God has provided for the GM Church to offer a full range of benefits for clergy and lay employees of local churches, including retirement benefits , and health , life, and disability insurance . We give thanks for the work that has occurred for the GM Church to be an endorser for military chaplains , and we are confident the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Board will grant such status . This will enable us to receive military chaplains into the GM Church and to endorse new chaplain candidates. We give thanks!

We are grateful for a number of strategic alliances and partnerships into which we have entered. In alliance with The River Network , more than 50 individuals attended a training event to explore planting new Global Methodist churches. The GM Church already has a number of new church plants, some being entirely new churches and others gathering theologically conservative Methodists who have withdrawn from churches that have chosen to remain United Methodist. A nd a third cohort of pastors is participating in a multipliers learning community with Exponential , an organization widely known for promot ing an ethos of local church multiplication . We rejoice that God is opening doors for us to live into our missional priority of being multipliers. We give thanks!

Through your generosity, we are a platinum sponsor of an exciting new global mission conference, “ Beyond These Walls ,” which will be held in The Woodlands, Texas , from April 27 to 29. This conference will gather people from around the word to explore new and creative way s for accelerating the advance of the Gospel across geographical boundaries. We give thanks!

When Hurricane Ian left a wake of damage in Florida, the GM Church responded immediately to provide financial support for churches and communities that needed emergency assistance. Global Methodist congregations have given generously to our disaster relief fund. One hundred percent of the funds received have been deployed immediately to assist churches and communities . We give thanks !

God has abundantly provided the financial resources needed in these early months of the GM Church’s operation s . We were blessed by the significant support received from the Wesleyan Covenant Association ’s Next Methodism Fund. Many members, friends , and local churches made very generous gifts , allowing the GM Church to move forward with confidence and thanksgiving . And now m any new Global Methodist congregations are sending their connectional funding shares to joyfully support the general church and our growing provisional annual conference s . We give thanks!

And u ndergirding all that has transpired so quickly , a faithful and growing team of intercessors is praying daily for the GM Church’s leadership, staff, regional bodies, and local churches. We give thanks!

Jesus once observed, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few” ( Matthew 9: 37 , NLT) . In this harvest season, we joyfully pause to give thanks to our God for the amazing grace he has extended to us and for the bountiful blessings he has bestowed upon us.

We take seriously Paul’s admonition to “let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives . Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father” ( Colossians 3:16-17 ) .

Let us ensure that we are thankful people not just at Thanksgiving, but in every moment of everyday. May our lives overflow with thanksgiving.

The Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

The post Giving Thanks first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

A Reflection on Psalm 133

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

How very good and pleasant it is
when kindred live together in unity!
Psalm 133.1

As the seventh of eight children, conversations at the Thanksgiving dinner table could, to put it charitable, become a little contentious. And, to my shame, I sometimes served as an instigator or abettor. With embarrassment and shame, I wonder why, in a close family like mine, full of warm embraces at the beginning of a blessed holiday, I sometimes contributed to a day that descended into anger and tears by its end. It was Thanksgiving for heaven’s sake!

Perhaps one saving grace was that the arguments were seldom over trivial things; almost invariably, they were about politics (Democrat or Republican?), economics (capitalism or socialism?) and the theological differences among Methodists, and Baptists. We were keenly interested in one another and what we thought about things that really mattered to us. And oh, how they mattered sometimes!

With the passing years, a little wisdom, and good deal of maturity, we learned to avoid topics where opinions were fixed around deeply held political positions or theological convictions. Without pretending our differences were superfluous, we found unity and commonality where we could. And most importantly, we accepted we were a family. We were not a political party, or a denomination called together to hammer out a political platform or a doctrinal confession. We came to allow plenty of room for people to be passionate Democrats or Republicans, or dedicated Baptists or Methodists, and still enjoy – greatly enjoy – our family unity. Our unity, we recognized, was grounded in our love and grace for one another, not in our political or denominational convictions, however important those convictions might be for each of us.

I am finding that those of us joining the Global Methodist Church can resonate with my family and theirs . Acknowledging we are frail and fallible people, we are under no illusion we will ever have, in this life, perfect unity on all matters. We take it for granted we will have disagreements, and that we will be passionate as we contend for this or that side of an argument. To a certain extent, this is necessary, since debates help us clarify how we should move forward together. Done well, they help us discern God’s will for the church, and so make it stronger and more resilient in the days ahead.

At their best, engaging in debates with our brothers or sisters in the faith is a sign of the respect and love we have for them. We want to be united with them, so we want to hear and understand their opinions, and of course, we want them to hear and understand ours. We want this even when we sense there is friction between us. Indeed, the friction kindles our interest in one another’s opinions, and the possibility of learning and growing together. I am convinced when we initially engage with one another, we most often to do so with the belief, however naïve, that we will finish more united than we began.

Only people with malign intentions begin debates looking to belittle and embarrass others. Only people with malign intentions refuse to apologize for intemperate and hurtful words. And only people with malign intentions set out to sow discord and so sever the bonds of unity. They are not interested in unity, but in conquest.

I am thankful the Global Methodist Church is rooted in Scripture, the core confessions of the church catholic, and a warm hearted Wesleyan expression of the Christian faith. GM Church members know these things bind us together, so we hold to them tenaciously. Paradoxically, we believe the exclusive confessions and convictions of our faith not only unite us, but also instill within us a passion for the whole world. What unites us, opens us to others, to welcoming them into the loving embrace of God’s grace and forgiveness.

As we enter this season of Thanksgiving, let us resolve to be thankful for one another. Let us engage in conversation and debate that is healthy and respectful, openly acknowledging our differences but doing so in a spirit of love and charity. In our genuine efforts to understand one another and to learn and grow together, may we gain a foretaste of how very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post A Reflection on Psalm 133 first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Leaning Into Our Mission

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

The mission of the Global Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. Our mission is centered on Jesus. He is the head of the church. We are his servants, his followers, his disciples. All that we do is oriented toward him. Unless we advance the cause of Christ in the world, we are just another human institution destined for the waste bin of history. But if we are alive in Christ, if all that we do lifts Jesus high, if people enter into a life-changing relationship with Jesus, then we count for Christ and God can use us to advance his kingdom here on earth.

The GM Church is now six months old. We are leaning into the mission God has entrusted to us. We are committed to five missional priorities. As you read each priority, I challenge you to ask two questions: First, how am I personally engaging this missional priority? And two, how is the church I attend advancing our mission in this area?

First, we are a church that is committed to biblical teaching . God has made available to us his whole counsel in the words of Scripture. The primary task of our clergy and our lay leadership is to ensure that our people both know about and know God’s word as revealed in the Bible. Sermons are to be biblically grounded. Disciples of Jesus need to know the core beliefs of our faith. To that end, the GM Church has adopted a catechism setting forth what we believe about our faith. Persons who have professed their faith in Jesus and who are members of our congregations should be intimately committed to these core beliefs. Biblical principles must guide all our decisions. We have no other authority than that given to us by our Sovereign God.

Second, we wholeheartedly embrace transformational discipleship . We are intentional about making, developing, nurturing, and deploying disciples of Jesus Christ through small groups where each person is invited, challenged, supported, and held accountable in living lives that reflect the character and mission of Christ. Our goal is to have 100% participation in the small group ministries of each of our churches. We long to see each person increasingly reflect the mind and character of Jesus. The discipleship to which we are committed is both joyful and accountable. We believe Jesus is the Truth and as his disciples, we have a deep desire to know the truth, and to devote ourselves to it wholeheartedly. From its beginning, the Methodist movement embraced the importance and power of small groups where people lovingly urged one another to submit to Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Third, God calls us to multiplication . We are singularly focused on the spread of the kingdom of God. We are genuinely interested in those who do not have a life-giving relationship with Jesus discovering his great love for them. Fueled by Jesus’ love and forgiveness, every disciple should be making disciples of others. This is not the work of some. It is the calling of every disciple of Jesus. God majors in multiplication. We will equip disciples to make disciples who in turn make more disciples. We will plant churches that in turn plant new ones that in turn plant still more. Every one of us has a role in fulfilling this missional priority.

Fourth, the work God has entrusted to us is ministry to all people . We are called to serve others so they may know the grace and love of Jesus in their lives. We see the hurts that break the heart of God. Our hearts are broken too. We desire to be poured out so others can experience the presence and power of God in their lives. Each day we are to search for those who are lost, alienated from God, rejected by others, and isolated from community. Then we are to offer them our love and God’s love as we share with them God’s design for a life that flourishes. We have a ministry of reconciliation. With all humility, we join God in his work of redemption and restoration.

Finally, we are engaging global partnerships . We are a global church recognizing and deploying the gifts and contributions of each part of the church, working as partners in the Gospel with equal voice and leadership. We are intentionally connecting churches from different regions of the world who develop mutually rewarding relationships to share the Gospel and to grow God’s kingdom globally. Our approach to global partnerships is personal, not institutional. We long to see every church intimately connected to at least one other church elsewhere in the world so that we develop deep personal relationships, learn from being followers of Christ in different cultures, and share in one another’s ministries, supporting one another in prayer, and combining the gifts entrusted to us by God as we watch God use ordinary people to do his extraordinary work.

These five missional priorities define the Global Methodist Church. We do not exist to be an institution. We exist to be the body of Christ poured out even as Jesus sacrificially gave of himself so that we might have life in all its fullness.

Let’s pray for one another and spur one another on to more faithful lives spent for the cause of Jesus alone.

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

The post Leaning Into Our Mission first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council Elects New Leader

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

A widely known laywoman and sought after speaker in The United Methodist Church and now the GM Church, Nicklas has served in various capacities over the past two decades. Elected a General Conference delegate in 2015, she attended both the 2016 General Conference and the special conference in 2019. She also served on the Wesleyan Covenant Association’s Global Council and was an original member of the GM Church’s TLC.

“The quality of clergy the GM Church is attracting is solid, but what has excited me more is the caliber of laity who are stepping into significant leadership roles,” said the Rev. Jay Hanson, Lead Pastor at The Chapel in the Brunswick, Georgia, and the TLC member who nominated Nicklas to serve as the new chairperson. “Cara is a perfect example of the exceptional lay leadership emerging in the GM Church. She has been a great member of the TLC and will be an outstanding chairwoman. I am honored to serve with her and to be a part of a movement that empowers the laity.”

The 17 member TLC includes members from around the world, and it has been meeting regularly since its formation in March of 2020. It spent much of its first year creating the new church’s Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline , the document guiding the church until its convening General Conference. Since the GM Church’s launch earlier this year, much of the TLC’s time and energy has been given to reviewing and approving applications from local churches and clergy seeking to join the new denomination.

Reflecting on the many twists and turn over the past several years, Nicklas said, “I have met faithful Methodists from all over the world who exhibited integrity and grace in the midst of conflict and criticism. I attended WCA Global Gatherings where I witnessed true connectionalism as we worshipped the Triune God in unity. As a member of the GM Church’s TLC, I have a renewed sense of hope for the future of Methodism, and I am blessed to serve with incredible people who seek to move away from denominational conflict in order to focus our attention on making disciples of Jesus Christ.”

“I am very excited to step into this new role,” said Hidde-Gregory. “The local churches, laity, and clergy in the Mid-Texas Provisional Annual Conference have a burning passion for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed. I am humbled to serve as their leader in this exciting time. We have been given the opportunity to build a Christ centered culture that emphasizes equipping local churches to make disciples of Jesus Christ!”

For now, the Mid-Texas Provisional Annual Conference includes 76 Global Methodist congregations with 18,000 members, located in the heart of central Texas. It anticipates many more local churches will join the conference in 2023 as they complete the disaffiliation process from the UM Church and align with the GM Church. The new conference will hold its convening annual conference session January 20-21, 2023.

“The Rev. Dr. Leah Hidde-Gregory has provided stellar service to the work of the Global Methodist Church as she has led the TLC in a critical season,” said TLC member and GM Church Bishop Emeritus Mike Lowry. “She has offered wise counsel, faithful insight, genuine integrity, and all stirred with her assiduity of purpose. We’ve been blessed by Leah’s leadership, and I am confident we will be blessed by Cara’s as well!”

In the coming months, the TLC will continue working closely with its designated GM Church Organizers around the world as they meet with pastors and local churches considering a move to the new denomination. It will also continue to stand-up Transitional Conference Advisory Teams that will explore the possibilities of creating provisional annual conferences. And it also looks forward to the launch of new provisional annual conferences throughout the coming year.

“We have much to do as the GM Church continues to grow and gain momentum,” said Krystl Gauld, TLC member and president of the WCA Regional Chapter in Eastern Pennsylvania. “Cara is an incredible leader, very professional, and possesses the poise necessary for her new role. It’s encouraging to know a woman of deep faith and maturity will guide us forward.”

The Rev. Keith Boyette, Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer, will continue to lead the new denomination’s staff and serve as a TLC member.

“It has been a privilege to work closely with Leah and Cara over the years,” said Boyette. “I am delighted our sisters and brothers in Mid-Texas are gaining a motivated and inspiring leader like Leah, and I know the TLC will have a gracious and steady chairwoman in Cara. Whether clergy or laity, we are all dedicated to fulfilling the GM Church’s mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly .”

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council Elects New Leader first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The Church, Millennials and Connection

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

Just when many local churches in the United States despaired of ever attracting Millennials (26 – 41 year olds) to their worship services, a recent survey released by Barna Group revealed a surprise: since 2019, the percentage of Millennials reporting weekly church attendance has increased from 21 percent to 39.

To be sure, the ability to “attend” worship services online has played a role in driving Millennial increase, but not dramatically more than other age groups.

“Despite all of the disruptions of 2020, the opportunity of online worship actually helped to boost attendance across all generations,” said Daniel Copeland, Associate Vice President of Research at Barna Group. “However, in 2021, the novelty seemed to have worn off and people’s church attendance declined significantly. Now, in 2022, younger generations especially are re-engaging in church, a shift that might potentially mark a new chapter in church attendance.”

Not surprisingly, when people were asked where they attend church, “digital options accounted for more than ever before. Millennial churched adults are most likely to have embraced hybrid options, with one in three attending both online and in person.”

The Barna Group’s study lends some credence to what Ms. Elizabeth Fink is discovering among her peers. Fink, 34, finds herself right in the middle of the Millennial demographic. Raised as a “preacher’s kid” for as long as she can remember, she’s currently a student at Asbury Theological Seminary pursing a master’s in ministry.

“I believe what Millennials and young adults really want is a church community that is authentic, honest, and makes personal connections,” she said. “We want to know that our presence matters, our gifts and skills can be used, and more than anything we want to be discipled and mentored.”

Fink recently launched the Young Adult Methodist Connection (YAMC), which presently consists of approximately 200 members from around the world who meet as a Facebook group. It’s mission, she says, is to “help connect clergy and laity who are under the age of 40, interested in joining the Global Methodist Church, and who crave a deep relationship with the living Christ.”

No stranger to the conflict in The United Methodist Church, she attended both the 2016 General Conference and the 2019 special General Conference in St. Louis as a delegate from the Arkansas Annual Conference. And since the denomination’s 2020 General Conference has been postponed three times, she will represent her conference again at the South Central Jurisdictional Conference next week when it elects three new bishops.

However, Fink longs to put the divisions engendered by irreconcilable differences behind her so she can join with other Millennials and young adult who are “motivated to spread scriptural holiness throughout the land.”

Over the past few years, Fink has been a member of the Wesleyan Covenant Association’s Global Council, serving as its secretary. The experience has given her the opportunity to connect with Millennials and young adults all around the world. At Seedbed’s recent New Room Conference, she convened a lunch meeting connecting 20 clergy and laity together who share her passion for helping young adults and Millennials get connected to local churches and become a lively witness for Gospel.

“Right now, we are continuing to make connections, gather names, and having conversations about what we all would want to see from a young adult ministry,” she said. “We are also working to connect young adults not just in the U.S., but we have begun connecting with those in Africa as well. it is critical that the church have a global perspective. We want to feel connected to our brothers and sisters around the world and have opportunities to develop relationships where we support one another, learn from one another, and pray together. Our global connections give us hope and breed an excitement amongst local congregations.”

Echoing the recent Barna survey, Fink believes young adult and Millennials are seeking a church community, discipleship, and vibrant worship. And she advises local churches to accept that there is no “one plan fits all” when it comes to welcoming and integrating them into their congregations.

“Some Millennials and young adults want long messages with shorter praise and worship, and then others want 20 minute sermons with a lot of music. Some prefer traditional and liturgical worship, and some contemporary,” she said. “This is good news for churches! They do not need to try so hard to tailor worship to attract us. We’re tired of celebrity church culture, shallow teaching, and getting caught up in the politics of a denomination. We want to learn and grow in our relationship with Christ, and to be challenged within a community we trust. We just want to be a part of a multigenerational community where all ages learn and grow together in the faith.”

The latest Barna report reminds pastors and local churches that “Millennials are not the ‘up and coming’ generation anymore. They currently make up the majority of the adult population and workforce. [And] They are also the most racially, socially and culturally diverse generation in modern history.”

And according to Fink, “Many are starved for personal connections with others, and hungry for discipleship. In the age of the internet and social media, many are missing opportunities to connect in a deeper way. The Global Methodist can offer that if it speaks the Truth, shows grace, and helps people understand what it means to be obedient and a joyful disciples of Jesus Christ!”

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post The Church, Millennials and Connection first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Big Challenges and Big Faith in Bulgaria

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

“We never believed we’d be living in a time like this,” said the Rev. Tsvetan Iliev, the lead pastor of a local Global Methodist Church located in Sofia, Bulgaria, the country’s capital city. “Our country is not right next to Ukraine, but we are, so to speak, very much in the same neighborhood. Our church has hosted and is still hosting war refugees in its guest rooms. We also keep in touch with the people that stayed with us and decided to go back to Ukraine. We are trying to help in any way needed.”

Iliev serves the Dr. Albert Long Global Methodist Church, a congregation with a storied history in Bulgaria. Long, a Methodist missionary from the United States, spent much of his adult life in Bulgaria and the Balkans in the nineteenth century when the region was ruled by the Islamic Ottoman Empire. He was instrumental in the founding of the Evangelical Methodist Episcopal Church in Bulgaria, and he was also a lead translator of the first edition of the Bible in the modern Bulgarian language.

Despite the great legacy of its namesake, Iliev says the Dr. Albert Long GM Church congregation faces many of the same challenges local churches confront all around the world. The congregation’s average worship attendance is between 30 to 40 people with most attendees north of 60. The major difference is that its challenges are greatly complicated by the war in Ukraine. While serving refugees, the congregation is still emerging from the Covid pandemic and is now contending with high inflation and serious concerns about enough energy resources to heat homes and buildings as winter approaches.

“Tsvetan Iliev is a young and enthusiastic pastor,” said the Rev. Dr. Daniel Topalski, who is the presiding leader of the Bulgaria Provisional Annual Conference during the GM Church’s transitional period. “He has very good potential, and he serves a congregation that is a very good steward of its resources. Despite the significant challenges it faces, it is prepared to invest in new and successful ministries.”

Like many Bulgarians his age (38), Iliev was born into a country that was still under the grip of Communism. He was a raised as a traditional Orthodox Christian, but only nominally so. He says he became serious about the Christian faith and the “Triune God” when he was 17 years old, and that he became a Methodist when he was 23.

Reflecting on his call to ministry, Iliev said, “I was terrified when my pastor said to me, ‘You should seriously consider a call to ministry.’ I had a great job and a good standard of living – I didn’t want to lose those things. But a year and half later I was ready to embark on that adventure. And – oh, what an adventure it is!” He was ordained an elder in 2019 in The United Methodist Church, and along with his colleagues and all 24 of the local churches in Bulgaria, he moved to the GM Church earlier this year.

Appointed in 2020, to what is now the Dr. Albert Long GM Church, Iliev, his wife Ivaneta, and their two year old son Michael, were forced to try and acquaint themselves with their parishioners just as the pandemic hit.

“As the pandemic recedes, we are getting ourselves ready for evangelism,” he said. “We know we need to attract young people, and there is a clear understanding among our members that things have to change in our ministry, so we are able to evangelize our city.”

Topalski explained that the church is in downtown Sofia, very close to the nation’s parliament and government buildings. On the one hand, the church’s location gives it the opportunity to advance important evangelical causes in dialogue with other institutions. But on the other hand, it is not in an area where younger people live. He believes Iliev and the congregation can rise to the challenges they face.

“As a part of the Global Methodist Church,” Iliev said, “I believe we are holding to the historically traditional beliefs of the Methodist movement. I believe we will be able to extend our mission to reach the unreached. I am thankful that in our GM Church family people want to pray for each other. Our biggest prayer request is for God to show us ways we can serve the society we are put in, and to give us grace so we can witness to our neighbors and friends the love of God we experience in our personal and corporate lives. Let us pray for the members of the Church in Bulgaria not to get discouraged by the hardships of the time we live in and to lean on God as our only help and hope for the future!”

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Big Challenges and Big Faith in Bulgaria first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Hurricane Ian Disaster Relief Efforts Continue

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 10:43:00 GMT

Within a day of Hurricane Ian making landfall in Florida, disaster relief provided through the generosity of donors to the Disaster Relief Fund of the Global Methodist Church flowed into impacted areas. Working with churches aligned with us, resources were provided to purchase generators, buy fuel, and provide food and water through churches in the communities which suffered significant damage. To date, $14,308.16 has been received and disbursed. One hundred percent of these donations have been distributed for immediate relief.

You can contribute to disaster relief through the Global Methodist Church’s website . When donating, select “Disaster Relief” as the gift purpose. Donations may also be mailed to 11905 Bowman Drive, Suite 501A, Fredericksburg, VA, 22408. Please place “Disaster Relief” on the check memo line.

Thank you for your generosity in responding to this need.

The post Hurricane Ian Disaster Relief Efforts Continue first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

In Appreciation of Our Clergy

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

Gratitude – thankfulness – is a wonderful attitude. Gratitude means someone or something has been seen, acknowledged, and celebrated. One of my favorite scriptures is Philippians 4:6 (NLT): “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything, and thank Him for all he has done.” Worry is evidence of lack of faith. Prayer is a declaration of faith. Thankfulness is an acknowledgment that God is already at work in the situation. As we give thanks to God, we see what He is already doing, we acknowledge it, and our faith increases.

Our observance of the Lord’s Supper is part celebration of the God who is present, part remembering God’s mighty acts in and through Jesus Christ, and part thanksgiving. We pause to reflect, to give ourselves in surrender to God, to invite Him to become present anew in our lives, and to receive a fresh outpouring of His grace in our lives. The Eucharist is, in part, an act of appreciation.

We have much to be thankful for in this season even amidst the turmoil, dis-ease, and conflict of our times. October is celebrated globally as clergy appreciation month. While we did not always have a particular day or month to celebrate those called to love and serve God as clergy, appreciation for those who serve is an ancient practice.

Some would point to Paul’s admonition in 1 Timothy 5:17 (NRSV) to “let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching” as an early expression of appreciation for those deployed as clergy. Paul writes to the Christians in Thessalonica, “Honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work” (1Thessalonians 5:12-13, NLT).

To accomplish God’s will, the body of Christ needs each of its members to be fully deployed and engaged in advancing the Kingdom of God. We are called to celebrate God’s abundant outpouring of His gifts upon individual members of the church. Nevertheless, clergy are set apart for an important responsibility – “to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12-13).

Others have written about the stress and discouragement that seems acutely a part of the lives of clergy in this season. Serving as a pastor is not for the faint of heart and is definitely not for those who have not been called of God for that purpose. Being singularly present to others, bearing their joys and sorrows, loving them, and representing God as the good shepherd in their lives can be exhausting and lonely. Others confide in clergy. Who stands in the gap for clergy? Far too many clergy have neglected the development of relationships where they can be broken, vulnerable, and honest with others. The demands of leadership, especially in the aftermath of Covid and the polarization present in so many of our churches and cultures, can be both discouraging and exhausting.

Yet many clergy give their all for Jesus and His mission. They joyfully do so because they have heard God’s call and they have received God’s gifting and empowerment. Often with reckless abandon, they make themselves vulnerable, risk rejection and continued attacks, face adversity, and lovingly declare the truth even when some find that truth offensive. They call people to confession, repentance, and to be more like Jesus. They offer people hope. They stand in the gap when another’s faith is hanging by a thread. They love the unlovely, serve the ungrateful, and persevere in the faith even when it is under attack.

We especially honor and give thanks for clergy who have become members of the Global Methodist Church. Hundreds have already been affirmed and welcomed into the orders of deacon and elder. They are leading congregations into a new day with renewed vision and purpose. They have navigated conflict and adversity, and still remained faithful to and unashamed of the Gospel entrusted to them. They have provided outstanding leadership in difficult times. Their faith has encouraged others to have faith.

So, it is good for all of us to pause and honor our clergy, giving thanks for them and all that God is doing in and through them. We continue to be grateful for the laity in the body of Christ. Churches need to celebrate the calling God has placed upon all of us to love and serve Him through each of our ministries.

But this month, we appreciate our clergy. Let all of us be present to our clergy, pray for them fervently, speak and write words of affirmation, encouragement, and gratitude to them, and demonstrate in our actions how grateful we are for each of them personally. Find a unique way to appreciate the clergy in your life regularly but especially in this month of clergy appreciation.

The Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

Hurricane Ian Disaster Relief Efforts Continue

Thank you for your generosity in responding to this need.

The post In Appreciation of Our Clergy first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Each Church Fully Alive for Christ – Nehemiah Journey 2.0

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Scott Pattison & Jill Jackson-Sears

Two years ago the Revitalization Task Force of the Wesleyan Covenant Association, under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Leah Hidde-Gregory, created the Nehemiah Journey, a program for local churches seeking revitalization. The goal was to help pastors get healed up, churches prayed up, and congregations revitalized. We have seen God create a wonderful community within the first 30 minutes of the initial gatherings, with pastors expressing their surprise as they realized they were in a safe space to express their hopes and fears, frustrations, and hurts.

We now have two years under our belt with the initial pilot program and the Nehemiah Journey is now a ministry of the Global Methodist Church. The journey continues under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Scott Pattison, senior pastor of the Connexion Church, a Global Methodist congregation in Kokomo, Indiana, and the Rev. Jill Jackson-Sears, senior pastor of Lake Highlands United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas.

Much has changed since the first gathering of the team that created this process, and the two seasons of the Nehemiah Journey. Just this year alone, General Conference was postponed for the third time, the Global Methodist Church was launched, and many churches around the world are now discerning whether to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church, with many choosing to align with the GM Church. As we look to the third run of the Nehemiah Journey in 2023, we are excited to offer a completely revamped Nehemiah Journey, starting in January. We are excited to offer the new format that will be even more helpful for pastors and churches moving into this next season.

We know many churches are working hard to adapt from the effects of the pandemic, and now contending with challenging denominational conversations. With these hurdles in mind, we are adjusting the Nehemiah Journey to better meet the needs of this season. We are using Dr Sam Rainer’s “Three Knows” — know yourself, know your church, and know your community — as our working framework for the journey. Our goal is to help the pastor understand where he or she is in this crazy liminal season. We will prepare the pastor for leading the church in its understanding of identity and purpose. Finally, we will walk alongside the pastor in the implementation of a visioning process that will propel the church into a new season of Christ-centered ministry.

The foundation of our work together is the covenant that we share with God and with one another. As God is doing a new thing with us, we are finding freedom to grow in faith and vision for the future. The foundation of the Nehemiah Journey is a culture of encouragement and Holy-Spirited guidance. While we will have some sessions focused on where the pastor is in a personal and vocational sense, we will also have a regular monthly clergy gathering to equip the pastor in leading his or her church with a particular focus for the month.

This whole process will continue to be undergirded by equipping the church to be stronger in strategic prayer. We will start the next season of the Nehemiah Journey in January 2023. We invite you to sign up so that we can help you and your congregation in this liminal season.

You may request additional information and an application by sending an email to nehemiahjourney@globalmethodist.org or by contacting Dr. Scott Pattison, ATT: Nehemiah Journey, 700 E. Southway Blvd, Kokomo, IN 46902 by November 15, 2022. We look forward to hearing from you!

The Rev. Dr. Scott Pattison is an elder in the Global Methodist Church and the senior pastor of The Connexion Church in Kokomo, Indiana. The Rev. Jill Jackson-Sears is senior pastor of Lake Highlands United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas. Both have been key leaders in the Wesleyan Covenant Association.

The post Each Church Fully Alive for Christ – Nehemiah Journey 2.0 first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Disaster Relief Funds Needed in the Wake of Hurricane Ian

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 14:42:00 GMT

Many of our sisters and brothers in Florida and elsewhere have a long road ahead of them as they assess the damage hurricane Ian has left in its wake. Right now, immediate assistance is needed to care for people who have been forced out of their homes and churches that were damaged or destroyed by wind and water.

The Global Methodist Church is working with GM Church ministry partners in impacted areas to help people and local churches with recovery needs. Your generous financial gift will allow volunteers and emergency workers on the ground to purchase those critical resources (e.g., water, food, shelter) people need in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane.

Click HERE to make a gift to help our brothers and sisters in Florida and elsewhere recover as soon as possible from the devastation of hurricane Ian. Under “Gift Purpose,” please select “Disaster Relief.” Thank you very much!

The post Disaster Relief Funds Needed in the Wake of Hurricane Ian first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Taking the High Road

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 07:01:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

As it has done so often, Africa Initiative continues to exhibit grace, wisdom, and courage in the face of unsubstantiated accusations.

Founded by United Methodist General Conference delegates representing many different nations and cultures across Africa, but all sharing a strong commitment to the Wesleyan expression of the Christian faith, Africa Initiative has worked for the church’s unity and fidelity to its core theological confessions and ethical teachings. And though often accused of being a pawn of theologically conservative advocacy groups or even worse, voting at General Conferences for financial favors, the organization has been a shining example of facing adversity with grace, wisdom, and courage.

Regrettably, the latest accusations against Africa Initiative members come from some of its own episcopal leaders. In an intemperate statement issued on September 8, 2022, some active and retired African bishops accused Africa Initiative of trying to “destroy our United Methodist Church.” To substantiate their charge, the bishops claim, without evidence, that the organization is “working with and supporting the Global Methodist Church.”

Conspiracy theories like this are what happen when people react without first checking their facts or talking with others. While the Global Methodist Church has the upmost respect for Africa Initiative members, it is not “working with” the organization to “destroy” the UM Church or, for that matter, working with it on any issues. GM Church pastors, laypeople, leaders, and staff members have their hands full standing-up the new church, organizing provisional annual conferences, and providing guidance to local churches and pastors in various stages of the UM Church’s disaffiliation process. Had the good bishops taken the time to contact Africa Initiative or GM Church leaders either body could have dispelled their unfounded fears.

In its gracious, heartfelt, and positive statement, Africa Initiative set a healthy example for faithful people in contentious circumstances.

First, near the very beginning of the statement its members wrote, “[W]e love and respect our episcopal leaders and esteem them as the shepherds of God’s flock.” This was particularly remarkable, given that the bishops failed to find one kind word for Africa Initiative, a movement composed of clergy and laity who routinely pray for, support and defend their bishops.

Second, Africa Initiative leaders gently schooled the bishops on a proper reading the UM Church’s Book of Discipline . In their statement the bishops not only publicly leveled a very serious and unsubstantiated charge against its members, they also imperiously said they would, “not allow any activities of the Africa Initiative in [their] areas.”

Africa Initiative leaders, citing chapter and verse, reminded the bishops that the UM Church’s Book of Discipline instructs its people to resolve disputes according to biblical principles (see Matthew 18.15-17) and to honor due process (i.e., bishops cannot level a charge against a clergy or lay member and then arbitrarily determine she or he is guilty). And again, citing the Book of Discipline , the organization rightly noted bishops cannot keep clergy and lay members in good standing (many of whom are duly elected General Conference delegates) from discussing and working together to address matters before the church.

Finally, the Africa Initiative statement closes as it begins, with prayers for the bishops and blessings for the flocks they are charged with shepherding.

We trust the UM African bishops who signed the unwarranted statement will fully acknowledge the difficult circumstances clergy and laity are presently facing. Less than three years ago the late Bishop John Yambasu, one of their colleagues, led a team of UM leaders to offer an amicable and orderly plan of separation of the UM Church. It was widely endorsed by bishops and other church leaders, and many believed the delegates to the 2020 General Conference would have adopted the plan had the conference not been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, local churches and their faithful people find themselves navigating their way forward in confusing and challenging times.

Still, there is no reason why UM Church leaders and local churches cannot act in the spirit of the separation proposal Bishop Yambasu and others endorsed. Indeed, many bishops, annual conferences, and local churches are doing just that. We hope the African bishops who supported the recent intemperate statement will remember that Africa Initiative is composed of people who are their friends and are also faithful to the teachings of the church.

We encourage readers to see the statement from some of the bishops in Africa , read the response from Africa Initiative , and then judge for themselves who decided to take the high road.

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church’s rich heritage by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Taking the High Road first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

A Fresh Start

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

This past Saturday, 82 churches in the Central Texas Conference completed the process of withdrawing from The United Methodist Church. Seventy-two of them have aligned with the Global Methodist Church. They join others from Bulgaria, Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, Minnesota, Ohio, Kansas, Texas, Alabama, Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and the Philippines as member congregations of a church singularly focused on making disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.

These congregations, and thousands of others that are in the process of withdrawing, are turning a new leaf. Having expended significant energy and resources to join the GM Church, they now must shift their focus to new opportunities and possibilities. Our prayer is that they will not dwell on what is past but embrace what is new.

As Global Methodist local churches live into the reality of a new day, we must all embrace God’s call to reach our mission field – beginning in our own communities and also to the ends of the earth. At its core, the GM Church is rooted in our commitment to the historic Christian faith in the Wesleyan tradition. This is a commitment of both heart and mind.

Congregations of the GM Church are challenged, as a top priority, to ensure leaders and members know the church’s core beliefs, embrace them, and joyfully share them with others. The catechism of the GM Church introduces these essentials. We urge every church to preach and teach these core confessions continually.

Regrettably, we live in a season where “shallow” Christianity has led to increasing accommodation with the culture around us. Yet we are called to be a distinctive, even peculiar people. Let’s ensure that each member, leader, and pastor knows and lives out the fullness of the faith we profess. Are we convinced of the necessity of faith in Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life? Are we convicted that we and our neighbors are without hope and dead in our sins if we do not have faith in Jesus and His sacrifice for us on the cross? Are we desperate for God’s transforming power to refine our character so that we increasingly conform to the character of Jesus?

Deeply grounded in the truths of our faith, our congregations must call our members into community – consistent, intentional small groups – where we are discipled in the faith, shaped in Christian character, and become fully devoted to Jesus. Our churches do not need new programs – we need life-to-life sharing where we encounter Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit and where we experience the grace of God to set us apart as Christ followers. Every congregation needs a well-developed process where people encounter the transforming power of God and are graciously held accountable by one another to our high calling.

The good news we have received cannot be hidden within our churches’ walls. The gospel is not ours to possess. We are called to tell the story of God’s love in Jesus Christ far and wide and demonstrate the night-and-day difference Jesus has made in our lives. Congregations of the GM Church must literally and figuratively leave the building. How is your church responding to God’s commandment to “be fruitful and multiply?” We must continually push beyond our comfort zones to share Jesus with all who are ambivalent, uninformed, lost, or hurting.

Rather than focusing on ourselves, we must celebrate that God has blessed us so we can bless others. Those around us should wonder about the source of our joy, purpose, and strength. As we live into the new possibilities of the GM Church, is your congregation committed to being a multiplying community where disciples make disciples who make more disciples; leaders raise up leaders who raise up more leaders; and churches plant churches that plant even more churches? How can your congregation reach those who are lost with the good news Jesus Christ?

The Christian faith is an other-oriented faith. We are to die to self so we can be alive in Jesus! True Christ-followers don’t ask, “What’s in it for me?” They ask, “How can I pour into the lives of others the amazing, inexhaustible love of God?”

Jesus has new wine that He desires to impart to us. As each congregation becomes part of the Global Methodist Church, let’s also receive the new wineskins He has prepared. And then, like him, joyfully pour out our lives for the sake of others.

The Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

The post A Fresh Start first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

A New Formula: Multiplying Methodism after Division

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

For instance, they write, “We have different views of what the episcopacy should look like [in the Global Methodist Church].” And for theological conservatives who think the GM Church will be a spruced-up version of the UM Church, they warn, “Let us be clear, the Global Methodist Church will not be United Methodism 2.0. If you think this is just about changing the name on the front of your church building without being intentional about embedding distinctively Wesleyan DNA in your congregation—don’t come.”

Greenway and Lowry have over 73 years of joint experience in the UM Church, serving as pastors, district superintendents, and as General Conference delegates. Lowry also served as the resident bishop in the Central Texas Annual Conference for over 13 years, and Greenway is a past president of Asbury Theological Seminary. Both presently serve on the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council (TLC), where they are joined by 15 other members providing temporary oversight of the nascent church until its convening General Conference.

“Whether you agree or disagree with them, Bishop Mike Lowry and Jeff Greenway have earned the respect of centrists, conservatives, and liberals,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the GM Church’s Chief Connectional Officer. “ Multiplying Methodism is their well-informed analysis of the troubles in the UM Church and their passionate and challenging vision for the future of the Global Methodist Church. For local UM churches considering disaffiliating from the denomination, this book is another important resource for understanding the why of separation and the hopes for a new Methodism.”

While acknowledging their dedication to and thankfulness for the UM Church, Greenway and Lowry compare its deep divisions to a married couple where accountability and trust have been lost. Like the leading UM bishops, clergy, and laity who negotiated the Protocol for Reconciliation and Grace through Separation , they believe “irreconcilable differences among us have resulted in our need to be in separate churches – but in the process, we have some heart work to do. As we press on, we will need to commit ourselves to work on our new covenant relationships while not continually having flashbacks to the old. We take no joy in finding ourselves at this juncture, but we’re not without hope. We write to remind us all that this is not the first time people who claim the name of Jesus have separated.”

Hundreds, if not thousands, of local UM churches are currently considering or are in the midst of disaffiliating from the denomination. At least 16 of the 53 UM Church annual conferences in the U.S. are holding special meetings to consider approving local church requests to disaffiliate this year. More annual conferences will take-up requests at special gatherings slated for early 2023 or at their regularly scheduled conferences in May or June. Some of the local churches are planning to join the Global Methodist Church, while others are considering other Wesleyan denominations, or becoming independent congregations.

“In the midst of decision-making, local United Methodist congregations find themselves with multiple questions and difficulty locating trusted sources to find answers,” said the Rev. Dr. Leah Hidde-Gregory, Chairwoman of the TLC. “ Multiplying Methodism provides answers to those questions by trusted leaders. The comprehensive information found in this text offers churches an understanding of why they should consider leaving the United Methodist Church, while also providing details of the polity and structure of the Global Methodist Church. This is a must-have resource for churches in the discernment process.”

For Greenway and Lowry, congregations in the Global Methodist Church must focus on being genuinely orthodox, truly Wesleyan, unashamedly evangelistic, and passionately missional. They argue that for the sake of the Gospel and simply to remain alive, local churches will have to bear these four marks in an increasingly post-Christian culture.

“This is an incredible moment in history,” they write. “And we believe God has given us the opportunity to partner with Him and other like-minded, warm-hearted, Jesus-loving, Spirit-filled, Wesleyan, orthodox Christians to be part of a New Methodism for the 21st Century which is deeply rooted in global Christianity while leaning forward to share the Gospel with people in desperate need of its saving and sanctifying grace.”

Electronic and paperback editions of Multiplying Methodism are available for purchase.

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post A New Formula: Multiplying Methodism after Division first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Clergy Deployment in the Global Methodist Church

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 07:21:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

The decision on who will be the pastor of a congregation is among the most important decisions impacting the vitality, vibrancy, and fruitfulness of a local church. As the spiritual leader, the pastor has tremendous influence on a congregation’s mission and its vision for fulfilling it. Because the pastor generally addresses the church family at least once a week through the sermon, she or he often sets the tone for all that occurs as the congregation serves in its given mission field. Consequently, the right clergy deployment decision can result in a new season of growth, deepening discipleship, and greater impact for the kingdom. A poor deployment decision often results in decline, conflict, and malaise.

The Holy Spirit surely empowers both local church members and appointed clergy to advance the Kingdom of God. When they work well together, churches thrive. When they do not, churches often languish. The Global Methodist Church understands the critical nature of clergy deployment decisions and so has adopted a system that is highly consultative, collaborative, and covered in prayer. The clergy deployment process is set forth in ¶¶ 509-513 of the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline (“TBD&D”).

Historically, Methodism has embraced a “sent” system of clergy deployment. A bishop, working together with a cabinet composed of district superintendents, identifies and deploys pastors to a local congregation by appointment. When working well, such a system ensures a broad level of input and perspective on how to advance the Kingdom of God in a given community. Alternatively, some Protestant denominations use a “called” system where local church members interview and then vote to “call” a person to become their pastor. A “called” system elevates the preferences of a particular church over the broader connectional considerations in Methodist denominations.

The Global Methodist Church continues the historic, connectional Methodist practice of clergy being “sent” to local churches. Paragraph 509.2 of the TBD&D says, “To strengthen and empower the local church to effectively carry out its mission for Christ in the world, clergy shall be appointed by the bishop, who is empowered to make and fix all appointments in the episcopal area of which the annual conference is a part.” However, the exercise of this authority to appoint and send is not done in isolation.

Convinced that the Holy Spirit works in the hearts and mind of all its people, the GM Church strongly believes successful clergy deployments occur after a season of consultation and collaboration between a bishop, his or her cabinet (composed of “presiding elders” in the GM Church), and a local church’s pastor-parish relations committee. As ¶ 510 of the TBD&D provides, “Consultation is the process whereby the bishop and/or presiding elder confers with the pastor and pastor-parish relations committee, taking into consideration the criteria of ¶ 511, clergy performance evaluation, needs of the appointment under consideration, and mission of the Church” at large. “Consultation is both a continuing process and a more intense involvement during the period of change in appointment. The process of consultation is mandatory in every annual conference.” The process is “mandatory” because the GM Church believes local church members, bishops, presiding elders, and pastors all need to hold one another accountable to prayerfully, faithfully, and diligently making such an important decision in the life of a local church.

Ideally, a presiding elder will engage a local church in ongoing conversation about its clergy deployment needs. When a change in clergy occurs, a presiding elder and a bishop will engage in more intense consultation inviting the local church into substantive dialogue about the congregation’s pastoral needs. In this process, various candidates for clergy deployment will be identified. Consultation includes collaborating with the pastor-parish committee in identifying the qualities, abilities, strengths, and weaknesses of each candidate for deployment. In most instances, collaboration will result in agreement between the bishop and the pastor-parish relations committee on the deployment decision and then the appointment will be made.

For a variety of reasons, complete agreement on a deployment decision may not be achieved in every situation. If complete agreement is not achieved, ¶ 510 states, “The [pastor-parish relations] committee must be given the opportunity to give input on the suitability of a proposed appointment and to raise any concerns it might have. When a committee raises substantive and missional concerns about the suitability of an appointment, such concerns must be addressed by the bishop and cabinet in considering whether to make the appointment. The bishop and cabinet must provide a rationale for their decision to the committee if they make the appointment.”

To date, a number of clergy deployment decisions have been made as local churches have aligned with the Global Methodist Church. In most instances, pastors and congregations have moved together to the GM Church. Where pastors have retired or not moved with a local church, the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council has consulted and collaborated with church lay members, ensuring that the newly appointed clergy person was a mutually agreed upon candidate. As provisional annual conferences commence operations in the coming months, this practice will be continued.

A transition in clergy leadership for a local church should be a time of celebration – giving thanks for a pastorate just concluded and rejoicing in the new opportunities being embraced. In the GM Church, we are committed to achieving the best possible clergy deployment decision for each local congregation.

The Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

The post Clergy Deployment in the Global Methodist Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Advance Approval of Local Church and Clergy Membership in the Global Methodist Church

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

Since the Global Methodist Church launched on May 1, 2022, we have received member congregations in Eurasia, the Philippines, and the United States. Other congregations in Africa, Latin America, and Asia are in the process of becoming members. Hundreds of clergy have been received into membership, some of whom were previously licensed local pastors but who are now ordained as deacons or elders. Provisional annual conferences have formed and are operating in Bulgaria and South Georgia in the United States. Others are on the verge of beginning operations before the end of the year. We are registering the denomination in a number of countries around the world.

The new denomination is tax-exempt in the U.S. and has clergy enrolled in its retirement plan and able to participate in a life and disability insurance program immediately and a health insurance program as of January 1, 2023. The GM Church has appointed clergy to serve local churches, including deploying clergy to churches that needed a pastor. It has also planted local churches.

The list of accomplishments, all for the glory of God, grows by the day. Yet some persist in saying the GM Church is only a website or that it is not yet formed. Nothing could be further from the truth.

When the denomination began operations on May 1, we knew the process of clergy and churches aligning with the GM Church would take time. In fact, we anticipated clergy and churches would align in waves with the first wave being relatively small. The complex, cumbersome, and expensive process navigated by churches withdrawing from The United Methodist Church meant many churches would not be free to align until their annual conferences held regular or special sessions to approve their withdrawals. Now, some of those special UM annual conferences are being convened late this summer and later this fall.

In the coming months, thousands of local churches will be approved for withdrawal from the UM Church. And we are confident a significant percentage of them will align with the GM Church, adding a wave of new members.

Our staff, led by the Rev. Angela Pleasants, Clergy and Church Relations Director, is currently processing hundreds of applications from clergy and churches to be approved as members of the GM Church. The process of applying is simple and straight-forward. There are no costs associated with becoming a member congregation of the new denomination. And when a local church does join, it is not subject to any trust clause and no denominational liens are placed on the church’s property (see ¶ 902 of the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline ).

Current UM churches and clergy do not have to wait until completion of the UM withdrawal process to apply for membership in the GM Church. The Transitional Leadership Council (TLC) of the GM Church will approve your membership application as a church or clergy in advance of your withdrawal from the UM Church with an effective date that coincides with the date of withdrawal. By being approved in advance, you will be certain that your membership has been approved and immediately benefit from your new alignment.

Local churches can adopt a motion to become a member of the GM Church at the same congregational meeting where a vote is taken to disaffiliate from the UM Church. In order to request alignment with the denomination, the persons present and voting at the congregational meeting must adopt the following motion:

“I move that _____________ Church become a member congregation of the Global Methodist Church, that it affirms and endorses the doctrinal standards (Part One), Social Witness (Part Two), and church governance of the Global Methodist Church as set forth in its Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline , and agrees to be accountable to such standards, witness, and governance. Our leadership and trustees are authorized to take all actions necessary to implement this motion.”

The presiding officer and secretary of the congregational meeting then forwards the signed minutes of the meeting to info@globalmethodist.org . Usually, the TLC votes to approve the membership of a congregation within two weeks of submission of its minutes.

Importantly, these minutes can be submitted as soon as the vote to align occurs and the TLC will approve the local church’s membership to be effective as of the local church’s withdrawal from the UM Church.

Likewise, persons desiring to be clergy members of the GM Church may file their application well in advance of the date on which they desire such membership to be effective. The TLC, upon completion of the review process, will approve the application and recognize the person as an ordained pastor in the GM Church. A subsequent effective date can be specified by the clergy person to ensure that a transition occurs consistent with the local church they are serving and that is also aligning with the GM Church.

We strongly encourage both local churches and pastors to take advantage of applying for advance approval of both the church and clergy membership to facilitate a smooth transition into the GM Church.

The process of leaving the UM Church is governed by secular law and the procedures adopted by the UM Church. However, those procedures, including the decisions of the Judicial Council of the UM Church, have nothing to do with the process of clergy and local churches joining the GM Church.

We are excited about the many local churches around the world that are on their way to the GM Church. We rejoice with those that are already members of the GM Church, and who are joyfully making disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.

The Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

The post Advance Approval of Local Church and Clergy Membership in the Global Methodist Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Methodists, Methodically Organizing for a Faithful Future

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 07:01:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

Less than four months from its origins, the Global Methodist Church continues to welcome local churches into the new denomination and is now witnessing the coalescing of congregations into provisional annual conferences. Two provisional annual conferences have already formed, one in Bulgaria and another in South Georgia, U.S., five transitional conference advisory teams are exploring the creation of provisional annual conferences in their areas, and additional teams are coming together in eleven other regions.

“We’re further down the road than we thought we would be at this point” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the Church’s Transitional Connectional Officer and its Chief Administrator. “Despite significant challenges and major roadblocks, theologically conservative United Methodist congregations are making their way to the GM Church, and they’re already connecting with others about their future together. We’re doing all we can to facilitate that kind of coordination.”

Early this year many local UM churches anticipated separation from the UM Church would happen in an amicable and orderly fashion after the denomination’s scheduled General Conference adopted the Protocol for Reconciliation and Grace through Separation . The Protocol created denomination wide standards that local churches, and even whole annual conferences, could use for parting ways from the UM Church.

However, when the UM Church decided to postpone its General Conference for a third time and pushed its convening date out to 2024, many theologically conservative United Methodists believed UM Church leaders were trying to stave off a separation likely to be much larger than they anticipated when they originally endorsed and promoted the Protocol in January 2020.

With the third postponement of the General Conference, the GM Church’s Transitional Leadership Council (TLC) decided to launch the new denomination on May 1, 2022, knowing the pathway for local UM churches to join it would be far more complicated. Without the Protocol , local churches are now trying to navigate the terms annual conferences are setting forth for their disaffiliation. In some situations, the terms are fair and amicable, while in other conferences theological conservatives find them to be unduly onerous and even punitive.

While a number of local churches have voted to disaffiliate and many others are exploring the option, they all must await the approval of their UM annual conferences. Some annual conferences have scheduled special sessions later this year or early next year to approve disaffiliation requests. Many others will not consider requests until their regularly scheduled gatherings in May or June of 2023.

“Given the often arduous pathways and sometimes confusing timelines for disaffiliation, I’m pleasantly surprised by the number of local churches that have already managed to join the GM Church,” said the Rev. Dr. Leah Hidde-Gregory, the TLC’s Chairwoman. “These local churches are pushing us forward and they’re doing a great job of resourcing and assisting others who want to join them.”

In June, the TLC started recruiting GMC Organizers in various regions to act as advocates, allies, and resource persons on behalf of local UM churches trying to disaffiliate from the UM Church and join the GM Church. As the organizers talk with other clergy and laity in their regions, they are also tasked with assessing when it might be appropriate for a critical mass of local churches to explore the formation of a provisional annual conference.

“I’m very thankful for the pastors and laypeople who have stepped forward to serve as GMC Organizers,” said Boyette. “We’re all in uncharted waters as local churches and pastors in one denomination are trying to move to another one as soon as possible. Our organizers are faithful, experienced pastors and laypeople who understand our present circumstances, and are equipped to offer sound advice to local churches looking for direction.”

GMC Organizers are also working with pastors and laypeople to form Transitional Conference Advisory Teams (TCATs) in various regions. Among numerous responsibilities, TCATs work hand-in-hand with the TLC to determine when an area has a critical mass of local churches and leaders to form a provisional annual conference, set-up transitional boards and committees, and create websites and leverage social media platforms to make people aware of the potential formation of a provisional annual conference in their area.

“It’s encouraging to see how fast a number of our TCATs have moved forward. Several are on the cusp of forming provisional annual conferences,” said Hidde-Gregory. “As some UM Church annual conferences hold special sessions later this year to approve local churches seeking disaffiliation, we anticipate the number of affiliation requests will increase beginning in the fall of this year and continue to rise throughout 2023.”

At the UM Church’s special 2019 General Conference, a provision was adopted allowing local churches to disaffiliate according to specified terms through December 31, 2023. While the provision stipulated basic standards for disaffiliation, annual conferences can include additional requirements. Given the additional terms proposed by some annual conferences, it is possible some local churches will be hard-pressed to complete the disaffiliation process before the provision’s expiration date.

Boyette and Hidde-Gregory are encouraging local churches seeking to disaffiliate from the UM Church and affiliate with the GM Church to write an email to info@globalmethodist.org to contact a GMC Organizer in their area for advice and guidance. If there is not an organizer in their area, GM Church staff will assist them.

As more provisional annual conferences come into existence, local churches seeking to join the GM Church will be able to contact people in their areas for assistance and guidance. Provisional annual conferences are authorized by the TLC, fully incorporated, and during the GM Church’s transitional period will, with far fewer boards, committees, and agencies, function like annual conferences most local Methodist churches are familiar with.

“While we are a fully functioning denomination now with ordained clergy and local churches meeting on a weekly basis, we’re still at the very early stages of the GM Church’s development,” said Boyette. “And we are very excited about our future as we joyfully seek to fulfill the Great Commission Jesus gave to the church universal.”

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Global Methodists, Methodically Organizing for a Faithful Future first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Church Planting, the GMC, and You

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 08:00:00 GMT

By Steve Cordle

“I think you’d make a good church planter.”

I was surprised when a fellow pastor said that to me. I had never before considered the idea of planting, yet it turned out that God was in it.

If the idea of planting a church with the Global Methodist Church has crossed your mind, I invite you to explore it. You do not need to wait for an invitation from a bishop or a presiding elder in order to do so. Rest assured, you won’t be alone; scores of pastors and lay persons are expressing interest and taking first steps.

And you won’t be alone because The River Network , as a strategic partner of the Global Methodist Church, will also come alongside you. Leaders at The River Network provide three essential steps for prospective church planters: assessment, training, and coaching. While it is possible to start a Global Methodist congregation without taking these steps, research shows success is much more likely if planters engage in all three.

The approach of the River Network’s leaders is, “You can do it, we can help.” We won’t advocate for a particular model of church plant; that is up to you and God. We want to empower you to fulfill the vision God has given you. Some may pursue a house church model; others will aim to launch large. Others will target a unique people or language group. We celebrate all forms of Christ-centered, Wesleyan churches. We will encourage full-time, bi-vocational, and lay church planters.

Where does one begin in the planting process?

If you are a pastor interested in planting:

We will respond and set up an initial conversation.

An assessment helps determine a leader’s readiness to plant. It can pinpoint strength and growth areas.

The River’s assessment is a two-stage process: a written inventory and an interview. The written assessment can take 2-3 hours and can be accessed at The River Network Church Planter Assessment .

When completed, the results are registered with our team. We will then set up an interview with you and your spouse, if you are married. Together we will review your assessment findings and discuss God’s call in more detail.

The River Network will sponsor a variety of training events in the months to come, and you can attend them at any time (the assessment is not a requirement to attend the events.)

Our first training event will be October 26-27, 2022, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This will be helpful for both pastors and lay people. If you have a potential launch team or lay persons interested in planting with you, we strongly encourage you to invite them. Registration will be opening soon; sign up at Church Planting Essentials to be notified when it does.

In the months to come we will also offer topic-specific webinars and day-long seminars on topics related to planting.

Seminars and conferences can provide excellent information, but often leave a leader stranded between the ideal and reality. The goal of coaching is to help pastors focus on what matters most, translate ideas into reality, and provide the encouragement and accountability that results in healthy, growing churches. Classic coaching asks questions. Consulting suggests answers. River Network Coaching blends both approaches to best serve pastors in reaching their goals.

The River will provide coaching for individuals or groups. Once you are on the journey, it is time to connect with a coach. In fact, coaching is so valuable that each planter with the Global Methodist Church will be required to engage with a coach.

If you are part of group of lay people who would like to become a new church:

Perhaps you are part of a lay group that wants to become a new church, but you do not have a planting pastor. Lay people can plant churches too! We will be offering training for groups on how to begin to lay the foundation of a new church. You can begin to function as a launch team even before a Global Methodist Church pastor arrives. Look for an announcement of that first training coming soon.

Laity are also encouraged to attend the Church Planting Essentials training in Pittsburgh, October 26-27.

If you are a local church interested in planting:

Every local church can participate in planting other churches through resourcing, prayer, and many other means. Networking with a few other mission-oriented churches can produce great fruit.

We will soon offer a webinar entitled Churches Planting Churches .

One great growth opportunity is for pastors to participate in the Multiplier’s Learning Community , which is a joint venture between Exponential and the Global Methodist Church. Previous participants have been inspired and equipped to view ministry through a new lens. A new cohort starts this fall. For more information email info@therivernetwork.org .

Launch teams and groups must be approved by the Transitional Leadership Council before publicly identifying as Global Methodist Church plants. The River can guide you through this streamlined process. You can also send an email to Rev. Keith Boyette , Transitional Connectional Officer of the GM Church who will help people with the process.

Church planting is one of the most effective means of reaching people who are far from God, and everyone can be involved in some way.

Prayer support

Prayer is essential in church planting because planting a church is an act of spiritual warfare; we are announcing our intent to damage the kingdom of darkness. If you would like to be part of the intercessory prayer team, please contact the Global Methodist Church through its website .

Financial resources

Although the Global Methodist Church does not yet have designated funding available for planting, Asbury Seminary is providing a number of grants for Asbury alumni who are planting GM local churches. The deadline for 2022 applications is mid-September. For details, contact info@therivernetwork.org.

Members and friends of the Global Methodist Church can designate financial support for church planting by clicking Gifts and selecting “Church Planting” under Gift Purpose.

How will God lead you to plant and grow the Global Methodist Church?

The Rev. Steve Cordle is the President of The River Network.

The post Church Planting, the GMC, and You first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Embracing a Rich and Vibrant Faith

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 08:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

The Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council (TLC) adopted a catechism for the new denomination on Monday, August 1, 2022.

“In these challenging times, the desperate need for a high level of catechesis – the teaching and learning of the Christian faith – is extremely important for those longing to be obedient disciples of Jesus Christ,” said Bishop Emeritus Mike Lowry, a member of the TLC and a leader in the Global Methodist Church. “I am confident people of all ages and stages of faith development will benefit from the catechism we have adopted. It is a gift to the whole Church, and all of us will be strengthened through both a heart and head commitment in reclaiming the life giving confessions of our faith.”

A Wesleyan Covenant Association task force began work on the catechism in December 2020 . Led by Dr. Jason Vickers, Professor of Theology at Asbury Theological Seminary (Wilmore, Kentucky), the 10 member group included clergy, laypeople and teachers from around the world.

“It was a delight and privilege to chair the task force on a new catechism for the Global Methodist Church,” said Vickers. “I especially want to commend the work of Dr. Phil Tallon and the Rev. Teddy Ray, who served as the two principal authors of the document. I also want to highlight the invaluable contribution made by Drs. Bill Arnold (Asbury Theological Seminary), David de Silva (Ashland Theological Seminary, Ashland, Ohio), Sue Nicholson (Asbury University, Wilmore Kentucky), and David Watson (United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio). Together, they provided the supporting biblical references for all of the major doctrines covered in the catechism. Our collective prayer is that future generations of Methodists will benefit theologically, spiritually, and morally from a deep engagement with these materials.”

Tallon, Dean of the Houston Baptist University School of Christian Thought and Associate Professor of Theology (Houston, Texas) and Rev. Ray, a Methodist pastor and second year student at Yale University Law School (New Haven, Connecticut), drafted the initial version of the catechism. Vickers tapped Tallon and Ray to prepare the draft based on their prior experience writing catechisms and their published works on the subject. Eventually, more than 300 clergy and laity reviewed, commented upon, edited, and ultimately approved the catechism the task force produced.

“I was pleased to be invited to participate on the catechism task force, and I am proud of the work we accomplished,” said Lisa Buffum, the Director of Online Education for the Institute for Discipleship at BeADisciple.com. “The task force was rightly comprised of knowledgeable academic scholars who allowed this layperson to feel right at home among them. I urge every congregation in the Global Methodist Church to utilize this document to educate its members on the essential theological and doctrinal principles of our faith as we live and serve the Lord in Kingdom-community together.”

Once the WCA task force completed their work on the catechism they delivered it to the Wesleyan Covenant Association’s 37 member Global Council for its study and review. After reading and engaging in robust discussions about the catechism, council members approved it and directed the council’s Doctrine and Practice Committee to review it for consistency and to add Bible citations supporting all the major teachings addressed in it. Once the Scripture passages were added, the catechism was sent to over 250 delegates planning to attend the WCA’s 2022 Global Legislative Assembly held in Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 5, where the delegates overwhelmingly commended it to the Global Methodist Church’s TLC for its adoption.

“The catechism we have adopted is a well vetted piece of work. It will be a great encouragement to churches that want to know what the Global Methodist Church stands for, and more importantly, what we will stand upon,” said Krystl Gauld, a TLC member and Executive Director at FaithCare, Inc. in Reading, Pennsylvania. “There is so much confusion and conflicting theology out there – preying on our children, inappropriately influencing the way we carry on with relationships, and attempting to misguide even the simplest things in our lives. Our faith is a relationship, and people want to know that they are being faithful to God and that they are doing things that will make him smile down on their lives. The catechism allows people to learn about Jesus and why, because of him, we do and believe certain things as Global Methodists. That knowledge will empower all of us to live faithfully in a relationship with God and other people.”

In adopting the catechism, the TLC members encouraged the new denomination’s local churches to regularly use the catechism in classes for children, as a resource for confirmation classes, and with adults as they prepare to be received as new members in the Global Methodist Church. Some said they would strongly encourage local churches to walk all their members through the catechism, so they are conversant with it, and to unite the people of the new denomination during its critical formational season.

“A foundational catechism for a denominational family is not only a good idea; it’s essential,” said the Rev. Jessica LaGrone, a TLC member and Dean of the Chapel at Asbury Theological Seminary. “For us to start out from the beginning in the Global Methodist Church in agreement around our most basic beliefs sets our feet together on the right path. One of my favorite lines in the introduction of our catechesis proclaims that its purpose is to help those in our connection to ‘understand, recall, profess, and enjoy the church’s essential teachings.’ The proclamation that right doctrine is something that we enjoy is a powerful one, and one that is to be celebrated.”

The TLC is exploring ways to make the catechism available to local Global Methodist churches in various formats as soon as possible. It hopes to offer it in different languages and to make it as affordable as possible so local churches can secure copies for all their members.

“I trust every congregation that joins the Global Methodist Church will use this new catechism,” said Cara Nicklas, a laywoman, attorney, and a member of both the TLC and the WCA’s Global Council. “If we are to be the church we aspire to be, it is essential that laypeople understand the faith we confess, joyfully and obediently live it out in their daily lives, and know how to warmly and winsomely share it with people. It is a great joy to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. And what a privilege it is to share the Gospel message with others, seeing their lives transformed by Jesus as well. I am confident the Global Methodist Church can be a beautiful, vibrant, and growing branch of the church universal if laypeople will dedicate themselves to learning and regularly sharing the faith in creative and thoughtful ways. The new catechism will help all of us do just that!”

The TLC is encouraging the development of additional resources to be used in conjunction with the catechism; however, the TLC recommends the following resources available through Seedbed:

“The Absolute Basics of the Christian Faith” by Phil Tallon

“The Absolute Basics of the Wesleyan Way” by Phil Tallon and Justus Hunter

“Foundations of the Christian Faith” by Timothy C. Tennent

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Embracing a Rich and Vibrant Faith first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Multiplication in the Kingdom of God

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 08:00:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

“We have five Methodist churches in this county and most of them are struggling. Why do we need another church?” asked Joe at a special meeting of key leaders of five area churches. The meeting had been called to determine how the congregations would respond to rapid population growth in the region. The established local churches were declining in spite of the growth. Felicia responded, “We don’t seem to be willing to change what we are doing to meet the needs of all these new people. Maybe it’s time for us to birth something new to reach more people for the kingdom!”

So began the conversation that planted the seed of my being sent to start a new local church in Spotsylvania County, Virginia in July of 1998. Some months later, Wilderness Community Church held its first worship service in an elementary school, drawing 330 persons, close to the combined attendance of the existing five churches in the county. Launching the new church did not detract from attendance at the existing churches. Instead, persons who were not attending any church were drawn to the new one. We witnessed multiplication occur because existing local churches saw the potential of reaching more people through the launch of a new church.

The Global Methodist Church is committed to multiplication. Disciples will make disciples who make disciples. Leaders will raise up leaders who will raise up leaders. Churches will plant churches who will plant new churches. Multiplication was at the very heart of the Methodist movement as John Wesley and his followers shared the good news of Jesus Christ with all kinds of people, and planted meeting houses and the local churches throughout England and America. Today, multiplication will occur through the planting of new churches and through the revitalization of existing ones.

The Global Methodist Church has already announced a special partnership with Asbury Theological Seminary to create a $1,000,000 fund to make grants for church planting. And as individuals give to the new denomination, they have the option of designating gifts specifically for church planting.

Today, we are pleased to announce a strategic multiplication alliance with The River Network. The River Network is led by a team composed of church multiplication specialists from various tribes in the Wesleyan theological family. They have years of experience in assessing, training, mentoring, coaching, and deploying church planting teams globally.

Working with The River Network, the Global Methodist Church will respond to the immediate opportunity to plant new churches in communities where there is no theologically conservative Methodist presence as well as respond to circumstances where there are groups of Christ-followers who are leaving existing churches because of theological division and conflict. The GM Church will also respond to what is happening on the ground globally to gather teams of believers who are eager to be about the new work to which Jesus is calling us.

The River Network is led by the Rev. Steve Cordle, founding pastor of Crossroads Church in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. Steve led the Church Multiplication Ministry Team which developed a Church Multiplication Strategic Plan for the Wesleyan Covenant Association. The Transitional Leadership Council of the Global Methodist Church has enthusiastically adopted and endorsed the strategic plan. This alliance with The River Network is an important step to ensure church multiplication is a priority for the denomination.

“The River Network is excited to partner with the Global Methodist Church in multiplying Kingdom communities around the world,” said Rev. Cordle. “Every believer and every church can play a role in multiplying new congregations, and find themselves becoming more vital in the process.”

The Global Methodist Church’s multiplication initiative is fueled by fervent prayer. An intercessory prayer network is currently being assembled to undergird all of the ministries in the denomination. A major component of this network will be a team that intentionally focuses on church multiplication asking God to open doors, raise up leaders and teams, and provide, equip, and empower the work of local churches dedicated to planting new ones.

The strategic initiative with The River Network will focus on the following:

I am excited that the Global Methodist Church, in its first year, has a vision for planting new churches in communities all around the world. The first commandment God gave to humanity was to be fruitful and multiply. While this involved the physical reproduction of humans in families, it also involved the call to expand God’s kingdom – spiritual reproduction. Jesus expanded upon this calling when He gave us the Great Commission – “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Partnering with The River Network couples our passion to fulfill God’s calling with experienced, spirit-filled leadership to achieve our vision. If you are interested in connecting with this aspect of the ministry of the Global Methodist Church – whether because you have a calling to be involved in planting a church or because you and others see the need for a new church in your community, I invite you to email The River Network at info@therivernetwork.org .

Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer for the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

The post Multiplication in the Kingdom of God first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

A Rich Past to Fuel a Faithful Future

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 07:01:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

The tyranny of the present is an ever present danger to the church. We can become so fixated on what is immediately before us that we fail to consider how we can shape the future in powerful ways by drawing on the rich traditions of our past.

While the Global Methodist Church’s core confessions of faith are grounded in Scripture and the great creeds of the church universal, they are also enriched by the Protestant Reformation, and perhaps even more so by the English Reformation. The rise of Methodism was an eighteenth century movement, coming nearly two centuries after towering figures like Martin Luther in Europe and Thomas Cranmer in England proved key to the formation of new Christian denominations that had separated from the Roman Catholic Church.

Methodist founders John and Charles Wesley were profoundly influenced by the reformations of the sixteenth century. And the pietistic movement, that crisscrossed various expressions of the Christian faith in the seventeenth century and early eighteenth century, also shaped the spiritual lives of the Wesley brothers, and in turn the Methodist movement as a whole.

One of John Wesley’s most profound religious experiences occurred at a Bible study on Aldersgate Street in London, where he found his heart “strangely warmed” while someone read aloud from Luther’s preface to Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Wesley and the entire Methodist movement emphasized, and clarified for many believers, how God’s grace shapes our lives from beginning to end. To this day Methodists affirm Luther’s reclamation of the biblical teaching that it is by God’s grace alone, through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, that we are saved from our slavery to sin.

And while Wesley revered and was guided by many of the early Church’s great ancestors in the faith, he embraced the Protestant and English Reformations’ re-emphasis on the Bible as the primary authority for discerning God’s will for our salvation, our daily practice of the faith, and the direction of the church. Without diminishing the creeds or the traditions of the church, Methodists followed Luther and many others who championed the primacy of the Bible.

Along with the Wesley brothers, many of Methodism’s original founders were priests in the Church of England. While their movement was aimed at reforming and revitalizing that church, they freely owned how it and English Reformers like Cranmer and others had influenced them. They used the Church of England’s Book of Common Prayer every day, and affirmed the 39 Articles of Religion contained therein along with the creeds, instructions for worship, the celebration of the sacraments, holy rites, and so much more. In 1784, Wesley provided the Methodist Episcopal Church, the forerunner of Methodist denominations in the U.S. and many countries around the world, with his abridged edition of The Book of Common Prayer . It served as the new church’s principal resource for the order of worship, the celebration of the sacraments, and the observance of holy rites.

And Pietism profoundly influenced Methodism’s emphasis on personal and social holiness. To this day many Methodists find inspiration in the devotional works from Thomas à Kempis and Jeremy Taylor, just two of many notable pietistic authors that shaped the Wesley’s and scores of their early followers.

These great traditions and movements firmly root the Global Methodist Church in Christian history, providing it with the nourishment necessary for it to flourish and grow as a healthy and vital branch of Christ’s larger Church. The doctrinal affirmations of the Global Methodist Church are found in Part One of the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline .

Since the seventeenth century the warm hearted, Wesleyan expression of the Christian faith has flowed into the Caribbean Islands, Africa, Asia, Central and South America, and on to Europe and Eurasia. It continues to grow in these lands despite major political, economic, and cultural challenges. And it is no exaggeration to say the people in these places are among its most ardent proponents and defenders. They are not only sharing the expression in their own countries; they are also rekindling in America, Canada, and England the fire and passion of a movement that once changed the lives of many people and so profoundly impacted the societies and cultures around them.

By breaking away from the tyranny of the present, a tyranny that too often distracts us with idle entertainments or feeds our worst anxieties, members of the Global Methodist Church can find encouragement, strength and liberation for the future by drawing on the God given treasures in our past.

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church’s rich heritage by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post A Rich Past to Fuel a Faithful Future first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Preparing the Way: Baptisms, Connectional Funding and Benefits

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

The Global Methodist Church celebrates several recent developments – baptisms at a new church plant, the announcement of connectional funding percentages for support of general church and annual conference ministry beyond the local church, and the announcement of a significant development with respect to benefits offered to clergy and lay employees of local churches.

First, Good News of Life Church in Antipolo City, Philippines, a new church plant, conducted the first baptisms of the Global Methodist Church in the Philippines on Sunday, June 26, 2022. Eighteen new believers were baptized in a joyful outdoor ceremony. Rev. Fernando Jose, the founding pastor, is an elder in the Global Methodist Church. Rev. Jose is a former district superintendent and delegate to the General Conference of The United Methodist Church. Together with others, Rev. Jose launched the Good News of Life Church on May 1, 2022, the same day the new denomination was born.

Good News of Life Church has established a dynamic evangelistic outreach ministry to the community. Rev. Jose’s messages are grounded in the message Jesus entrusted to his disciples. The congregation’s vision is to “Reach Out & Make Disciples,” and they enthusiastically embrace the mission of the Global Methodist Church to “make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.”

The congregation has streamed its worship services from its inception and already offers a lively Sunday School and small group ministry, ministries for men and women, and a weekly prayer meeting. Those who attend its services are encouraged to read the Bible daily through a monthly reading plan. The church just concluded their first Vacation Bible School. And the congregation has already planted a new mission church in Mangaldan Pangasinan. The new mission church held its first worship service on July 10 along with a Vacation Bible School attended by 66 children. You can learn more about this exciting new church by visiting its Facebook page . We give thanks for this congregation’s vision, commitment, and passion for Christ.

Recently, the Transitional Leadership Council (TLC) established the percentage of local church annual operating income that will be used in calculating connectional funding contributions for general church and annual conference operations. A recent article, Connectional Funding in the Global Methodist Church , provided important information about this topic. While paragraph 349.4 of the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline establishes ceilings above which connectional funding percentages cannot go, the TLC had not set those percentages until now. Local churches are being asked to contribute one percent of their annual operating income for general church connectional funding, 33 percent less than the ceiling of 1.5 percent. In addition, local churches are asked to contribute one percent of their annual operating income for annual conference connectional funding, substantially less than the five percent ceiling set by the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline . During this season, annual conference connectional funding is being used to seed the organization of provisional conferences and to resource them as they begin operations. Annual operating income is determined by the local church treasurer and ¶ 349.1-3 defines that process.

As the TLC has previously announced, local churches may apply for relief from these connectional funding percentages during the period prior to the convening General Conference. The Council is mindful of the burden many local churches are bearing as they pay significant disaffiliation fees to the UM Church in order to align with the Global Methodist Church. The TLC plans to grant such applications liberally and permit local churches to decide the amount they are able to contribute for connectional funding. Of course, local churches are free to contribute more than the percentage specified for general church and annual conference connectional funding. A number of local churches have reported that their disaffiliation costs were substantially lower than what sister congregations are facing, so they want to step up their funding of the new Church during this transitional period.

Connectional funding is remitted to the Global Methodist Church at 11905 Bowman Drive, Suite 501 A, Fredericksburg, Va. 22408.

Finally, the Global Methodist Church is happy to announce it has finalized negotiations with Wespath. The latter will administer the pension, and health, life, and disability insurance plans for the new denomination. GM Church clergy who are appointed at least half-time or more to serve local churches are already making contributions to the denomination’s Covenant Retirement Plan.

Under the Covenant Retirement Plan, local churches contribute five percent of the pastor’s compensation (i.e., salary plus housing allowance or the benefit of a provided parsonage). In addition, the clergyperson can make a personal contribution up to the IRS maximum for 403(b) plans in any given year. In 2022, the maximum amount is $20,500. Local churches will match up to an additional five percent of a clergy person’s contributions on a percentage for percentage basis. Lay employees of local GM churches may also participate in the Covenant Retirement Plan. However, the amounts a local church and a lay employee contribute may be different from the retirement benefit provided for clergy depending on the plan options chosen by the local church. Full details on the Covenant Retirement Plan will be published on the GM Church’s website in the near future.

The Global Methodist Church’s health insurance plan will be available to all full- and three-quarter-time clergy under appointment to Global Methodist local churches beginning January 1, 2023. Lay employees will also be eligible to be covered by the denomination’s health insurance program under certain conditions specified by the plan. Details on life and disability insurance benefits available to clergy under appointment will also be shared in the coming weeks.

For additional questions about the benefits provided by the Global Methodist Church, please contact the GM Church’s Benefits Officer, the Rev. Rick Van Giesen, at rvangiesen@globalmethodist.org or at 217-685-6223.

These are exciting days for the Global Methodist Church as thousands of congregations all around the world are doing all they can to join it.

The Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

The post Preparing the Way: Baptisms, Connectional Funding and Benefits first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The Bible and the Creeds

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 08:00:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

“Pastor, the service was particularly moving this morning,” said Christina as she, her husband, and three children filed through the receiving line in the narthex. Thinking it was maybe the words from one of the hymns we sang or a verse from the Scripture passages we read, I was a little surprised when she said, “About halfway through reciting the [Nicene] Creed, I was so overcome with a sense of wonder and joy that I found it hard to finish saying it. I never felt so small and at the same time so loved.”

She was raised in a church where she memorized both the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, but she slowly drifted away from it in her high school years, and only started attending the church I served because she wanted her children “to learn something about God.” Before long, her husband, Jeffrey, who had never attended any church, started coming with them.

At the time, the couple were members of a small group exploring the creeds. We were learning how they are rooted in the Bible and also considering how they are intended to shape our lives as we live and interact with families, friends, co-workers, and strangers. So, Christina, along with the rest of us, was engaging the Bible and the creeds in a way she had never done before. A few days after that Sunday morning, she said to our small group, “Last Sunday, for the first time in my life, I was not just reciting the Nicene Creed; I believed it. It truly meant something to me in a joyful and wonderful way that I cannot entirely explain.”

Although they are short, the creeds open us to the profound truths, mysteries, and joys of our faith. They are sure guides enabling us to articulate what we believe. In its Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline the Global Methodist Church says early Christians “formulated creeds such as the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed and the Chalcedonian Definition as accurate expressions of this faith.”

The GM Church also plainly states the Bible is “the primary rule and authority for faith, morals, and service, against which all other authorities must be measured.” And in the “Articles of Religion,” passed down to us by our Anglican and Methodist ancestors, we confess, “the Bible contains all things necessary to salvation.” The creeds, we believe, derive their authority from Scripture and the Church catholic, and in turn are indispensable aids to our reading and reflection upon the Bible.

No one Christian, and not even all the saints together, can ever fathom the deep and glorious richness of God’s word to us. From its majestic opening chapters to its stories of redemption and liberation, to its demands for justice, and on to its witness of God’s pursuit of us through Jesus Christ, the Bible inspires us, goads us, and comforts us. But as even John Wesley noted, it can “appear dark and intricate” at times. Faithful readers down through the centuries readily confess it can confound and confuse us. And even today, with hundreds of translations, and thousands of biblical commentaries and dictionaries at our fingertips, we can still find ourselves baffled and bewildered by portions of the Bible.

A beloved professor once said in a lecture, “You’re not reading the Bible often enough or closely enough if you’re not perplexed by it. And you’re a fool if you do not turn to the treasure house of Christian tradition for the sure guidance it provides.” Among the greatest guides to understanding Scripture rightly, are the creeds. They are akin to powerful reading glasses that bring the disparate parts of Scripture into focus. When we read the Bible through our creedal lenses, we see how the creeds are shaped by it, and how they in turn confirm the essential confessions of our faith inscribed in the Bible.

We have to exercise our imaginations a bit to understand how important the Bible and the creeds together are to the formation of Christianity. For centuries, particularly the earliest ones, most local churches had only one or maybe two copies of the Bible. And even then, most were incomplete copies as the Church was still in the process of discerning, through the direction of the Holy Spirit, the limits of the biblical canon. Consequently, people heard the Bible read aloud in the community of faith , rather than reading a personal copy of it for private devotion. Given the circumstances, we can see the value in and the power of the succinct creeds that converts memorized, recited at their baptisms, and said aloud when they joined together for worship. So even though they did not possess personal copies of the Bible, they heard it read often, and the creeds pointed them to the essentials of their faith.

This was no esoteric exercise for early Christians. Many truly believed what they confessed should shape their daily lives. The scriptures and the creeds spoke to the human dignity of all God’s people in new and profound ways. Not only was humankind created in God’s image, he even deigned to dwell among us in human flesh, and to suffer and die for all people – Jew and Gentile, man and woman, and slave and free.

Among all the flux and fluidity of our lives, and the power and mystery of creation, the Bible and the creeds teach Christians to look up. God is for us. The Bible and the creeds continue to move us, and so embolden us to live into the dignity God has bestowed upon us through Christ Jesus our Lord.

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post The Bible and the Creeds first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Let Us be Christ’s Church in the World

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 07:52:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

Since the launch of the Global Methodist Church its Transitional Leadership Council (TLC) has, on a regular basis, joyfully received local churches into the new denomination. Sometimes the Council has received as few as five and sometimes as many as 24 congregations into membership. They are scattered around the world, many in Bulgaria, some in the Philippines, and some in the U.S. As local churches continue to move through the various disaffiliation processes mandated by The United Methodist Church’s annual conferences the TLC anticipates it will continue to welcome waves of congregations over the next two to three years.

Here are seven things we Global Methodists can be doing in the early days of our formation.

Pray for each other; pray for the members of the TLC; and pray for the GM Church’s staff members. Also, pray fervently for brothers and sisters in local churches that are doing all they can to join us. Local churches trying to find their way to the Global Methodist Church must make major decisions regarding financial obligations, property and assets, and holding their congregations together as they navigate their way to us.

Offer assistance to those local churches that are exploring the disaffiliation process or are in the midst of it. Some congregations are well informed, while others are only recently becoming acquainted with disaffiliating from the UM Church and joining the GM Church. Carefully and graciously offer to assist them, and then wait to respond accordingly.

Explore the possibility of planting a new church. The GM Church is committed to local church multiplication so more people will have the opportunity to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We want to be a movement willing to move forward in faith, trusting the Holy Spirit will empower us when our visions are daring and costly. Also, assist people who have parted ways with their local UM churches as they seek to plant and establish new Global Methodist congregations in their communities. We should remember that the great majority of local churches down through ages were founded when two or three gathered in the name of Jesus Christ.

Tithe and give generously to your local GM church and to the general church. These are challenging financial times for people everywhere, so doing all you can to support your local church is a first priority. The TLC is also mindful that many local GM churches are settling major financial obligations connected to the terms of their disaffiliation agreements. Consequently, the TLC is waiving connectional funding obligations during this transitional period when local churches apply for such a waiver. For local churches not facing financial stress, do what you can to support the general church to help it grow and flourish, and encourage individuals with the means to make above and beyond gifts to support the mission and ministry of the GM Church.

Acquaint your congregation with the connectional nature of the GM Church. As a denomination proudly standing in the Wesleyan tradition, we believe connectionalism is essential to our mission. If we are, as John Wesley put it, called to “spread Scriptural holiness across the land,” we must nurture strong bonds of unity so we can reach the lost with the transforming power of God’s grace through Jesus Christ. Help the people in your local church understand how effective and fruitful the church can be when we are connected and working together to share the Gospel with our words and by our deeds.

Organize and meet together with local congregations near you that have already become part of the GM Church and those that intend to do so. Gather together to worship, to pray, and to explore ways you can organize to be a healthy branch of producing the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Remind one another that we are in this new venture together, and that we are sowing seeds for a faithful future that bears the fruit of God’s kingdom.

Finally, live into our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly . Our world is always in a state of turmoil, but it seems more so in recent days. It is in times like this that the church must do all it can to help those who are suffering and carrying heavy burdens. It is our calling to lead people to the sure hope we have in Christ Jesus our Lord. So, with a great cloud of witnesses cheering us on, and with Jesus as the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, let us endeavor to run with perseverance the race before us (Hebrews 12.1-2). Let us be Christ’s church in the world!

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Let Us be Christ’s Church in the World first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The Global Methodist Church in the Public Square: Restraint and Modesty

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 14:31:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

One of the running jokes among students at the divinity school I attended went like this: “We are all at the divinity school because we did not get accepted at the law school.” Like all such witticisms, it was funny because most of us knew it was at least half true. We knew attending the law school could lead to a career in politics, and a good number of us yearned for that calling.

Truth be told, inside many a clergyperson beats the heart of a budding politician. So, it is not surprising many are happy to openly share their political opinions on a host of matters, and some even do so from their pulpits on Sunday mornings. When done sparingly, and with dignity and respect, we do appreciate pastors who speak in the midst of a crisis or address issues of great import. We are particularly grateful for those who ground such messages in Scripture and in the confessions of faith shared by Christians down through the ages.

All Christ followers, whether clergy or laity, are obliged to address matters in the public square. And we are to bring to those matters the moral and ethical convictions derived from Scripture and the wisdom, common sense, and discernment of the faithful ones who have gone before us. This is a necessary, sacred, and daunting task, particularly in diverse communities and countries where civil harmony requires us to respect the rights of others to express and contend for their own convictions.

At this early stage of its formation, the Global Methodist Church’s 17-member Transitional Leadership Council (TLC) and its very small staff will address political and social policy issues with restraint and modesty. The council members and staff readily acknowledge their tasks are transitional in nature, guiding the new Church to a convening General Conference where duly elected representatives will begin to give more definitive shape to the denomination.

Consequently, the council has acted with restraint when setting forth guidelines for the Global Methodist Church’s social witness in the world. In paragraph 202 of the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline , the TLC has adopted 14 statements rooted in Scripture and the teachings of the church universal, to inform and guide GM Church members as they engage issues in the public square (see below).

While council members bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to their work, they and the Global Methodist Church’s staff are committed to modesty when asked to speak directly on the Church’s behalf regarding specific political and social issues. They strongly encourage current GM Church members and those interested in joining the new Church to carefully read and prayerfully reflect on the statements at the end of the article accessed by clicking read more. The council members and the staff will adhere to these statements. During this transitional period, the GM Church will rarely make pronouncements on social and political policy matters in the countries where its members live and serve as Christ’s ambassadors and if it does so, such statements will have been fully vetted and approved by the TLC.

The Global Methodist Church is deeply committed to sharing the peace of Christ with others and advocating for God’s justice for all people. At the same time, it expects its deacons, elders, and bishops to act with restraint and modesty when it comes to addressing social and political policy matters. And when necessary, it trusts the laity will remind GM Church clergy and leaders that they are the Church’s pastors, not its politicians.

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OUR WITNESS TO THE WORLD

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post The Global Methodist Church in the Public Square: Restraint and Modesty first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Bulgarian Global Methodists Committed to a Faithful Future

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 13:07:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

“We notified Bishop [Patrick] Streiff about our intentions to leave The United Methodist Church; we sent him the text of our motion in advance,” said the Rev. Dr. Daniel Topalski, a former pastor and district superintendent in the Bulgaria and Romania Annual Conference of the UM Church. “There were no hard words and no personal attacks. We did our best to leave as peacefully as possible. We were part of the UM Church for many years, and we are very grateful for all the support and relationships built through the years.”

Topalski, now the presiding elder for the Bulgaria Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church, was explaining how, earlier this year, clergy and lay delegates voted unanimously to dissolve their relationship with the UM Church. The entire annual conference, consisting of 24 local churches in Bulgaria and three in Romania, supported the decision.

The Transitional Leadership Council, a 17-member body providing oversight of the Global Methodist Church prior to its convening General Conference, received the 24 Bulgarian local churches into the new denomination on May 1, 2022, making them among the first congregations to join the GM Church. The members also elected Topalski to join the Council as of May 2, 2022. The three churches in Romania have indicated they plan join the new Church later this year.

The Methodist movement in Bulgaria has had more than its share of challenges. Methodist from the U.S. established a mission in the region in 1856 when the country was still under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. The country gained a degree of independence and territorial integrity in 1878 at the end of the Russo-Turkish War. In the final months of World War II, the Soviet Union invaded, and the country was ruled by a communist regime until 1989. During these years the Methodist Church was almost destroyed. The restoration of the Church was made possible through the organizational and financial support of the UM Church’s Central and Southern Europe Central Conference and partner local UM churches in the U.S. Bulgaria is now a member the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

“While we are very grateful for the relationships we had with our United Methodists neighbors here in Europe and around the world, we became increasingly uncomfortable with denominational leaders and clergy – mostly from the U.S. – who constantly promoted a progressive agenda clearly at odds with the theological and ethical teachings of the UM Church,” said Topalski. “UM leaders here in Europe and the U.S. would talk about a ‘roundtable’ or a ‘big tent,’ but those metaphors struck us Bulgarians and Romanians as vague at best, and as a cover for others to blatantly defy the UM Church’s teachings at worst. When the Commission on the General Conference decided to postpone the 2020 General Conference for a third time, we all agreed to act as soon as possible to join the Global Methodist Church.”

Having completed a Master of Laws degree at St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria, Topalski initially served the UM Church as a legal adviser and a lay preacher. Sensing a call to fulltime ministry he returned to St. Cyril and St. Methodius University to complete a master’s degree in theology and a then a doctorate in theology as well. He was approved as a probationary member in 2008, ordained an elder in 2011, and that same year the bishop appointed him to serve as a district superintendent.

“We’re facing all the challenges Christian churches are contending with here in south-eastern Europe,” said Topalski. “Over 300,000 Ukrainian refugees have fled to Bulgaria, a looming energy crisis hangs over us, and inflation continues to rise. But despite these very difficult circumstances the pastors and laypeople in our local Global Methodist churches are doing all they can to be Christ’s ambassadors as they share the good news through their words and their deeds. They are truly ministering to people who are suffering and who feel lost. Their dedication and their faithfulness inspire me and remind me of the sure hope we have in Jesus Christ. I am honored to serve alongside my Bulgarian brothers and sisters at such a crucial time in the life of our church and our country.”

In addition to his role as the presiding elder for the Bulgaria Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church, Topalski serves local churches in the cities of Varna and Dobrich. He and his wife Nina live with their 17 year old daughter Anna.

“We are a small conference, but we know this is a crucial time for the future of Methodism,” said Topalski. “We have good friends here in Europe, in Africa, the Philippines, and in the U.S. who share our love of the Christian faith that our ancestors handed down to us. We decided we want to be part of this global church rooted in our rich Methodist traditions and dedicated to making disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly!”

You can learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is Global Methodist Church’s Deputy Connectional Officer.

The post Bulgarian Global Methodists Committed to a Faithful Future first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Forging Ahead: Key Updates from the Global Methodist Church

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 13:50:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

Periodically, we will devote an article regarding developments in the Global Methodist Church. Our focus will be on frequently asked questions and other information we deem helpful to clergy and laity whether they have already aligned with the Church or not.

Changes in the Transitional Leadership Council

The membership of the Global Methodist Church’s TransitionalLeadership Council (TLC) will change as the Church grows. The TLC’s purpose, composition, responsibilities, and authority are addressed in the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline (see paragraphs 702-703). Recently, four new members joined the Council: Rev. Dr. Kimba Evariste (Democratic Republic of Congo), Krystl Gauld (Pennsylvania), Rev. Jessica LaGrone (Texas), and Rev. Dr. Daniel Topalski (Bulgaria).

Shortly after the launch of the new Church on May 1, 2022, the TLC appointed me to serve as its Transitional Connectional Officer, its chief executive during its transitional period. I will be assisted by Rev. Walter Fenton (Chief Deputy Connectional Officer), Rev. Angela Pleasants (Clergy and Church Relations Director), Teresa Marcus (Executive Assistant), and Selena Armstead (Administrative Assistant).

Given that I am now an employee of the Global Methodist Church, I will no longer serve as the TLC’s chairman. The Council recently elected the Rev. Dr. Leah Hidde-Gregory (Texas) as its new chairwoman and Mr. Gideon Salatan (Philippines) as its new vice chairman.

Reception of Clergy and Local Churches into Membership

Most, but not all, of the clergy and local churches seeking to join the Global Methodist Church will have withdrawn from The United Methodist Church. The process of withdrawal is both time consuming and costly. Consequently, the number of clergy and local churches who are currently members of the new Church is small but growing each week. We now have clergy and local churches in Europe (Bulgaria and Croatia), the Philippines, and the United States. We recently received clergy and local churches from independent churches and other denominations who affirm our doctrines and discipline. And some persons who were previously licensed as local pastors or who held probationary status have been approved for ordination in the Global Methodist Church.

UM Church annual conferences located in the U.S. are currently meeting. Hundreds of local churches are in the disaffiliation process and will complete their withdrawal from the UM Church in the coming months. At the completion of that process, they will they be able to join the Global Methodist Church. Thus, the first wave of new members will continue through September 2022.

Some UM Church annual conferences in the United States will hold special sessions to approve additional disaffiliations in the fall and winter of 2022-2023. This will produce a second wave of local churches seeking to align with the Global Methodist Church. A third wave will align in 2023, and another wave will join after the UM Church’s General Conference is finally convened at some unspecified date in 2024.

In addition to receiving clergy and congregations departing the UM Church, the Global Methodist Church is embarking on a significant church planting initiative. New churches have already begun in the Philippines and the United States. We will share additional information about the initiative in future articles. The Church recently announced a planting partnership with Asbury Theological Seminary (ATS) which will provide one million dollars in grants for church planting to ATS graduates. We look forward to similar partnerships with other seminaries and associations.

Incorporated on March 18, 2022, the Global Methodist Church has registered or is completing the registration process as a new denomination in countries in Africa, Europe, Eurasia, and the Philippines. Once that process is completed, a number of clergy and local churches plan to align with the new Church.

As local churches join the denomination, congregational leaders should consult the Global Methodist Church’s website, and specifically read the answer to the third frequently asked question regarding exemption from federal taxation and the deductibility of charitable gifts made to local churches.

Transitional Processes

The Global Methodist Church is likely to hold its convening General Conference in 2024, once clergy and local churches have had ample opportunity to withdraw from the UM Church and join the new Church. Prior to the convening General Conference, the TLC has adopted two policies to aid clergy and churches in this transitional period:

Pensions, Health, and Other Benefits

The TLC has retained the services of the Rev. Richard (“Rick”) Van Giesen (Illinois) as the Global Methodist Church’s benefits officer. Two frequently asked questions (questions 5 and 6) provide information about the Church’s retirement and health insurance programs. Its retirement program, called Covenant Retirement, is a defined contribution plan that will permit local churches and clergy to jointly contribute an amount equal to 15 percent of a clergyperson’s annual income to her or his pension plan. Covenant Retirement is structured so that there will never be unfunded pension liabilities.

The new Church’s health insurance program will provide mandatory health coverage for clergy with some exemptions. Local churches whose clergy are exempted from coverage are exempt from payments for health insurance. Clergy will also have life and disability insurance coverage available at reasonable rates.

Supporting the Global Methodist Church

The Global Methodist Church is grateful for your prayers and encouragement in this season. Many have already begun supporting it by making gifts via its website . You can now give online for general operations or for designated initiatives: church planting, chaplaincy (e.g., military branches, prisons, hospitals, and others), and ministerial education. You can also mail checks to: Global Methodist Church. 4545 Empire Court, Fredericksburg, VA 22408.

Conclusion

All the information shared above is of course important and necessary, but most important of all is our mission: to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly ! Join us!

The Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

The post Forging Ahead: Key Updates from the Global Methodist Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Connectional Funding in the Global Methodist Church

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette

Just seven weeks old, the Global Methodist Church is, as anticipated, a small collection of local congregations humbly, yet boldly serving Christ in their parts of the world. For now, the new church’s Transitional Leadership Council and a small staff are providing direction for all of them. In the coming months, the Global Methodist Church will grow as additional churches depart from The United Methodist Church and align with the Global Methodist Church. The denomination will then be organized into annual conferences requiring local leadership and oversight.

Such an organizational structure will enable local churches to maximize their impact as they join together to advance the mission of Jesus far beyond their walls. The connectional structure of the Global Methodist Church is also designed to add value to the ministry of a local church by facilitating meaningful relationships marked by integrity, transparency, and accountability beyond its local setting.

The local church’s investment in the ministries and missions of the Global Methodist Church are called its “connectional funding.” The name reminds all local churches that they are part of one body working together to share the Gospel all around the world. The general church and the annual conferences will establish a percentage each local church is to set aside for connectional funding (based on annual operating income). The local church determines the amount of its annual operating income.

This approach fulfills two important values. First, local churches will determine the amount paid in connectional funding based on their financial condition rather than having an amount dictated to them without regard to local conditions. And second, they must, with other local churches, hold annual conferences and the general church responsible for being good stewards of the resources they provide for fulfilling the Global Methodist Church’s mission and shared vision. Of course, local churches that repeatedly decline to support the connection will eventually be asked to part ways with the new denomination.

Under this connectional funding model, the general church and its annual conferences must learn to operate with the funds local churches provide. Instead of being a top-down funding model, funding is determined from the bottom up. The finances available for funding connectional ministries is determined at the grass roots level. This way of providing resources for fulfilling the Global Methodist Church’s mission and ministries creates mutual accountability between local churches, annual conferences, and the general church.

Additionally, the percentage of local church funds that are committed to the Global Methodist Church’s connectional funding is capped. On an annual basis, local churches will be asked to determine what their operating income was in the prior year, and then pay a percentage of that amount as its share of connectional funding (see paragraph 349.2-3 of the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline to see what counts as operating income and various exclusions). The percentage to be paid cannot exceed a specific percentage absent a two-thirds vote of either the annual conference or the General Conference depending on the level served by the connectional funding.

For connectional funding for general church operations, the payment cannot be more than 1.5 percent of the local church’s operating income (see paragraph 349.4a). The specific percentage would be determined by the General Conference and could even be less than 1.5 percent. These funds would support the general church’s mission and ministries, financial assistance for candidates for ordained ministry with costs for theological education, holding General Conference sessions every six years, supporting general church staff salaries and benefits, and providing for the general church’s operations. Global Methodist Church leaders anticipate connectional funding for the denomination will be 50 percent less than what local churches were required to pay in The United Methodist Church.

For connectional funding for annual conference operations, the payment would not be more than 5 percent of the local church’s operating income (see paragraph 349.4b). The specific percentage would be determined by the annual conference. Annual conference connectional funding would provide for the compensation and office expenses of the bishop serving that annual conference and its presiding elders, and a portion of the compensation and office expenses of a bishop serving one of the international episcopal areas. It would also cover expenses for annual conference boards and agencies, and the mission and ministries at the annual conference level. In most instances, local churches have previously paid 10 percent of their operating income to support annual conference operations. The goal, once again, is to reduce such funding by 50 percent.

The Transitional Leadership Council recognizes many local churches seeking to align with the Global Methodist Church will have paid, or be in the process of paying, substantial sums of cash to the UM Church as part of their disaffiliation terms. Upon application, the TLC has committed to permitting local churches to decide the amount they will contribute for connectional funding as part of its budgetary process during the season prior to the Global Methodist Church’s convening General Conference without regard to the percentages referenced above. This will enable the local church to ensure that the ministries of the local church are not impaired because of the financial costs associated with disaffiliation, while also permitting each local church to determine how it will contribute to the finances of the new denomination.

If the Global Methodist Church is to achieve its vision of being a streamlined, more movemental church, then those ministries beyond the local church at the annual conference and general church levels must consistently demonstrate they add value to the ministry of the local church. It is a matter of good stewardship of the resources Jesus has entrusted to His church. The Global Methodist Church is committed to transparency and accountability in all such matters.

The Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church, its chief executive and administrative officer.

The post Connectional Funding in the Global Methodist Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Patchwork of Exit Terms Create Confusion

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 18:23:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

When The United Methodist Church’s Commission on General Conference postponed the 2020 General Conference for the third time , theologically conservative local churches wanting to exit the denomination were forced to set their sights on their annual conference gatherings to gain some sense of how they might leave the denomination with all their property and assets.

It was widely believed the General Conference would, like many other large international gatherings, meet this year to approve a plan of separation called the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation . The plan clearly spelled out how theologically conservative local churches could exit the UM Church and join a new Methodist body.

As the annual conference season unfolds for United Methodists in the U.S., local churches are learning provisions and terms for departing the denomination can vary widely among the 53 UM annual conferences in the U.S. Why the terms vary depends on the bishop who leads an annual conference. Clergy and lay leaders from thousands of theologically conservative local churches have shared exit terms that run the gamut from amicable and gracious to onerous and punitive.

Earlier this year the UM Council of Bishops “affirmed by an overwhelming majority” that a disaffiliation process approved at the 2019 Special General Conference “would be the primary [process] used for disaffiliation and separation .” This disaffiliation process is just one-way local churches can exit the denomination, and bishops know there are alternative processes. The majority simply decided it was the process they wanted to use.

Bishops and annual conferences could just as easily allow local churches to move to another denomination (e.g., the Global Methodist Church) rather than disaffiliate . The terms in such a process can be clarified in a comity agreement that is fair to all parties, allowing for an amicable and orderly transfer of a local church.

In fact, Bishop Tom Bickerton, president of the Council of Bishops, immediate past presidents, Bishops Cynthia Harvey and Ken Carter, and other bishops worked for months with theologically conservative leaders to develop a comity agreement based on a provision in the UM Church’s Book of Discipline .

The parties entered the negotiations to create an amicable and orderly fallback plan annual conferences could use if the General Conference was postponed and so the Protocol could not be approved. The negotiations only broke down when it became apparent that some bishops were insisting on terms not in keeping with the letter and the spirit of the Protocol .

“It was an opportunity missed,” said the Rev. Keith Boyette, the Global Methodist Church’s senior executive officer. “As originally conceived, the comity agreement adopted as much of the Protocol as possible so centrist, conservative, and progressive Methodists could go their separate ways sooner than later. Unfortunately, what is now unfolding are sundry approaches to separation, some laudable, but others appear driven by exacting as high a price possible for local church exits.”

In annual conferences where exit terms are reasonable, theologically conservative local churches are planning to accept them as soon as possible. They typically allow churches to disaffiliate after paying apportionments, pension payments, and other fees, in return for clear title to all the local church’s property and assets.

Where terms are officious, burdensome, and impose prohibitively high financial costs, many theologically conservative local churches have decided they have no choice but to remain in the denomination to work for the passage of the Protocol at the 2024 General Conference, and failing that, return to the long battle for a reformed UM Church where leaders abide by its teachings and hold others accountable to them or resort to litigation in the secular courts.

“I am very grateful the Wesleyan Covenant Association’s Global Legislative Assembly decided to push forward on behalf of these trapped local churches ,” said Boyette. “I know Africa Initiative, the Confessing Movement, Good News, and UMAction will come alongside them to do the great organizing they’ve always done on behalf of theologically conservative United Methodists, particularly those in annual conferences with bishops exhibiting a heart of war rather than a heart of peace.”

Considering the haphazard approach the UM Church has adopted for allowing theologically conservative local churches to leave the denomination, the 2024 General Conference is likely to be an ugly repeat of the infamous 2019 special General Conference. Centrist and progressive United Methodists erupted in anger when a coalition of international delegates from Africa, Europe and Eurasia, the Philippines, and the U.S. soundly defeated a plan to liberalize the UM Church’s sexual ethics that was championed largely by denominational elites and progressives based in the U.S.

“It makes no sense to me to drag out a bitter conflict that continues to drive down UM membership, worship attendance, and financial support, but that’s the UM bishops’ decision, not mine,” said Boyette. “For our part, we in the Global Methodist Church will continue to welcome new congregations and pastors to the fledgling denomination. We stand ready to do whatever we can to assist them as they seek to exit the UM Church.”

Theologically conservative local churches wanting to explore the steps necessary to join the Global Methodist Church should visit the Frequently Asked Questions section of the new denomination’s website, giving particular attention to the second question and the helpful links included in the answer.

Learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website .

The Rev. Walter Fenton is the Deputy Connectional Officer for the Global Methodist Church.

The post Patchwork of Exit Terms Create Confusion first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Confusion and Clarity

Wed, 25 May 2022 13:24:00 GMT

By Walter B. Fenton

Transitions inherently involve some degree of confusion. A sense of certainty is lost and where one will end up is not entirely clear. Still, we often plunge into transitions because we know we can no longer stay where we are; we need to move. We accept, for at least a season, that things are going to be a bit confusing as we navigate to a new place, and so we do whatever we can to minimize the confusion, and pray the transition goes as smoothly as possible.

For over two years the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council (TLC) has worked diligently to help theologically conservative United Methodists make a transition they know they must make. For decades, they remained faithful to the UM Church’s core theological and ethical convictions, and to the work of its General Conferences, the time-honored way Methodists have come to discern God’s will for the Church. Unfortunately, hard experience revealed some bishops and clergy did not share their convictions, and even flouted the will of the General Conference. Trust was lost, confusion was sown, and so, after many years, it became apparent to nearly everyone in the UM Church that transitions were necessary all around.

For its part, the TLC has avoided opining on the future of the UM Church. Its references to it are generally confined to clarifying for theological conservatives how to move from the UM Church to the Global Methodist Church. So the TLC finds it regrettable that some UM bishops are sowing confusion by opining on matters without being fully informed about the Global Methodist Church, and in some instances, proving they are poorly informed about the UM Church.

For instance, Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey, past president of UM Church’s Council of Bishops, recently said, “ If a clergy person joins the GMC, they will have to surrender their conference membership and their orders in the UMC. You cannot hold membership or be ordained in more than one denomination. ”

This is only partly true. To be sure, UM Church pastors cannot be clergy members in two denominations at the same time (we’re not aware of any clergy who want to be). However, UM clergy wanting to transfer from the UM Church to the Global Methodist Church do not have to surrender their “orders” (i.e., ordination or ministerial credentials that clergy often frame and place on an office wall). These clergy continue in the ordained ministerial office, just in another denomination. Since they are not withdrawing from ordained ministry, they are entitled to keep their “orders” to demonstrate their credentials to another denomination.

Unwittingly, Bishop Harvey has created confusion for UM pastors wanting to join the Global Methodist Church. Its representatives have received numerous inquiries from pastors regarding this matter. They report that based on Bishop Harvey’s misinformation, their bishops too have informed them that if they want to transfer to the Global Methodist Church, they must surrender their ministerial orders.

The Rev. Keith Boyette, the TLC’s Chairman, has clearly stated, “Transferring clergy need not and should not ‘surrender . . . their orders’ to their UM annual conference. They are entitled to keep them and should keep them. There is very helpful information on the Global Methodist Church’s website that clarifies for clergy the precise steps necessary to make the transfer, that specifically cites the relevant section of the UM Discipline for doing so, and even provides language clergy can use to make their transfer request [see Frequently Asked Questions, question four and follow the helpful links in the answer.”

UM Bishops have also created confusion laced with a not so subtle threat. At their most recent Council of Bishops meeting, the bishops passed a motion that “ urged the Wesleyan Covenant Association leaders to clarify their intent to remain in the UMC or depart for the GMC .” Again, Global Methodist Church representatives have received reports from clergy serving as WCA leaders or TLC members, stating that their district superintendents or their bishops have pressed them on this matter, even intimating that if they continue to serve as leaders in the WCA or on the TLC, they are essentially members of the Global Methodist Church, and therefore must transfer or withdraw from the UM Church.

“There is nothing in the UM Discipline requiring UM clergy in good standing to ‘clarify their intent to remain in the UMC,’” said Boyette. “And they remain clergy in good standing whether they are WCA leaders or not. Clergy who are WCA leaders, and for that matter any clergy considering transferring to another denomination or withdrawing from ordained ministry, are not required to routinely declare their intent to remain in the UM Church. These are personal-professional decisions regarding one’s call and one’s vocation, and UM clergy are free to take as much time as they want to make that decision.”

The current and past presidents of the UM Council of Bishops were all members of the mediation team that produced the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation , a plan calling for the separation of the UM Church. These UM bishops were joined by others, who also publicly declared an amicable and orderly separation was the best way forward for the UM Church. While the third postponement of the denomination’s General Conference means the Protocol cannot be passed this year, there is nothing keeping UM bishops from acting in accordance with its spirit, especially when dealing with faithful UM clergy considering an important transition and looking for as much clarity and grace as possible. We call upon leaders in the UM Church to exhibit that spirit in this season.

Learn more about the Global Methodist Church by exploring its website

The post Confusion and Clarity first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Moving Forward with Senior Executive and New Council Members

Wed, 18 May 2022 14:16:00 GMT

The Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council has appointed the Rev. Keith Boyette as its Transitional Connectional Coordinating Officer beginning June 1, 2022. He will serve as the new church’s senior executive and administrative officer through its convening General Conference. The Council, the body that officially brought the new Church into existence, will continue to provide governing oversight during its transitional period.

Appointed as the president of the Wesleyan Covenant Association in April 2017, Boyette will relinquish that post on May 31, 2022. For the past two years he has served as the chairman of the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council. With the official launch of the new Church on May 1, the Council decided to appoint a senior executive who could give fulltime service to the new denomination during its critical transitional period.

Prior to his service as the president of the WCA, Boyette was the founding and lead pastor of Wilderness Community Church (Spotsylvania, Virginia) for 19 years. An elder in The United Methodist Church, and for eight years a member of the denomination’s Judicial Council (its “Supreme Court”), Boyett e recently withdrew from membership in the Virginia Annual Conference of the UM Church and is now an elder in the Global Methodist Church.

In addition to Boyette’s appointment, four new members have joined the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council.

The Rev. Dr. Kimba Evariste is a UM Church elder in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a leader in the Africa Initiative movement, and also a member of the WCA’s Global Council.

Ms. Krystl Gauld is a laywoman and the leader of the WCA’s Eastern Pennsylvania Regional Chapter. The Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference of the UM Church has twice elected her to serve as a General Conference delegate.

The Rev. Jessica LaGrone is an elder in the Texas Annual Conference of the UM Church and the Dean of the Chapel at Asbury Theological Seminary. She is the author of several books and much sought after speaker. She served as a member of the WCA Global Council from 2016 – 2022.

The Rev. Dr. Daniel Topalski is the presiding elder in the Bulgaria Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church. He has also served as the leader of the WCA’s Eastern Europe Regional Chapter.

Pictured above from left to right, Kimba Evariste, Krystl Gauld, Jessica LaGrone and Daniel Topalski.

To see all the members of the Transitional Leadership Council, click HERE . Learn more about the Global Methodist Church by visiting our Resources page.

The post Moving Forward with Senior Executive and New Council Members first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Global Methodist Church and Asbury Theological Seminary Partner in Church Planting Initiative

Wed, 11 May 2022 15:52:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton
May 11, 2022

Asbury Theological Seminary and the Global Methodist Church have entered into an agreement for a church planting initiative funded by a $500,000 matching grant from a donor to the seminary.

At a ceremony held on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, Dr. Tim Tennent, President of Asbury Theological Seminary, and the Rev. Keith Boyette, the Global Methodist Church’s senior executive and administrative officer during its transitional period, signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the initiative.

The Seminary has agreed to provide $5,000, $10,000, and $20,000 renewable, dollar-for-dollar, matching grants to its graduates and alumni who are involved in planting new congregations of the Global Methodist Church around the world. The Seminary will provide funding up to $500,000 with a corresponding matching gift from the Global Methodist Church. Grant applications will be approved by a joint committee established between the Seminary and the Global Methodist Church.

“Throughout the church’s history it has often had to struggle to maintain its voice in the world,” said Tennent. “Asbury has long believed church planting is one of the most important initiatives for the global renewal of the church both here and abroad. We are grateful for this partnership with the Global Methodist Church that will allow church planters to thrive and continue to spread the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ around the world.”

The signing ceremony, held in McKenna Chapel on the school’s campus in Wilmore, Kentucky, was witnessed by approximately 50 members representing the Seminary’s faculty, administration, and board of trustees.

“I am grateful to Asbury Theological Seminary for making this major commitment in literally the second week of the life of the Global Methodist Church,” said Boyette. “This initiative communicates the investment that a significant seminary like Asbury is making in church planting in this new church. I believe God will bear much fruit through this initiative for the Global Methodist Church, and above all for the kingdom of God.”

Tennent and Boyette were joined by Dr. Tom Tumblin, Dean of the Beeson School of Practical Theology and Executive Director of Church Planting, and the Rev. Angela Pleasants, the Global Methodist Church’s Director of Clergy and Church Relations.

“I have received numerous calls from clergy and laypeople who are enthusiastic about planting new Global Methodist local churches,” said Pleasants. “It is imperative that we begin immediately planting these new congregations; this partnership with Asbury is wonderful news for the kingdom of God.”

Founded in 1923, in addition to its main campus in Kentucky, Asbury Theological Seminary operates the Dunnam Campus in Orlando, Florida, and extension sites in Colorado, Springs, Colorado, Memphis, Tennessee, and Tulsa, Oklahoma. Just over 1,800 students are enrolled at the Seminary.

“Our prayer is that this day will be just as significant as any of the days over the Seminary’s last 100 years,” said Tumblin. “We pray that by the grace of God and the power of the Spirit that lives upon lives will say yes to Jesus, and yes to the call of serving in the church.”

The Global Methodist Church was launched on May 1, 2022, by the Transitional Leadership Council, a body charged with the governing oversight of the new church until its convening General Conference at a date still to be determined.

“There is a vital need for deeply trained, spiritually vibrant leaders to grow a new generation of churches,” said the Rev. Jessica LaGrone, a member of the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council and Dean of the Chapel at the Seminary. “It’s exciting to witness a partnership that will strengthen the momentum of church planting for this crucial season.”

Learn more about the Global Methodist Church by visiting GlobalMethodist.org .

The Rev. Walter Fenton serves as secretary for the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council.

The post Global Methodist Church and Asbury Theological Seminary Partner in Church Planting Initiative first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

The Spirit of a New Connection

Wed, 04 May 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Walter Fenton
May 4, 2022

Wesley’s use of the term was his way of emphasizing what Christians have always believed: living out our faith is done in community, in local churches. And just as individuals need to be connected, so local churches do as well. We believe connectionalism is rooted in the patterns set forth in the New Testament church.

In our connections, Wesley said, “We are to watch over one another in love.” And love in the Christian context means we are to inspire one another to live faithfully as Christ’s disciples. Love means extending grace to one another as God has extended it to us. Love also means praying for and serving others both inside the connection and beyond it, particularly the hungry, the sick, the defenseless, and even our enemies. And love also means speaking truth to one another as graciously as we can while holding one another accountable to the faith we proclaim.

Wesley was certainly aware of the many deep disagreements that had divided Christians over the centuries, but that awareness did not diminish his commitment to connectionalism, just the opposite. Divisions demonstrated the necessity of always working to repair and strengthen the connection, not to give up on it or acquiesce to a vapid connection with no accountability. He, like many others who went before him, could not conceive of living the Christian life without authentic connection.

The Global Methodist Church fully embraces the importance of authentic connectionalism, and so it warmly invites individuals and local churches who long for such a connection to join it. The church believes authentic connectionalism must be marked by a spirit of freedom. It will be strongest when all its people and local churches are freely committed to its core theological confessions, its ethical standards derived from Scripture and the teachings of the church catholic, and when all watch over one another in love by holding each other accountable to its high calling.

The thousands of people who have worked and prayed for the formation of the Global Methodist Church are well aware – some painfully aware – that when a connected church fails to maintain accountability and yet simultaneously seeks to preserve its power, authentic connectionalism is lost, the seeds of division are sown, and internal strife eventually weakens its ability to fulfill its greater mission.

Consequently, the local churches in the Global Methodist Church will work together to fulfill the great commission in a spirit of freedom and love, even as we recognize that there may be rare instances when disagreements are so serious that a local church might depart from the connection. In that instance, we will part as amicably as possible. The absence of a trust clause will mean that such a local church will be able to move forward with its property free from any claim of the Global Methodist Church.

Now is the time for people and local churches to pray and work together for a new connection empowered by the Holy Spirit. Now is the time for people and local churches to give of their time, talent, and resources to build an authentically connected church. A church that watches over one another in love, that extends grace, serves others, proclaims the truth, and holds one another accountable to its great calling.

You are free to join and free to leave the Global Methodist Church, and most importantly, you are free to give yourself wholly to creating a connection committed to making disciples of Jesus Christ, who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.

Learn more about the Global Methodist Church by visiting our Resources page.

The Rev. Walter Fenton serves as secretary for the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Leadership Council.

The post The Spirit of a New Connection first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

A New Beginning

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 09:00:00 GMT

By Keith Boyette
April 27, 2022

The Transitional Leadership Council, the body charged with leading the Global Methodist Church until its convening General Conference, grows increasingly excited as it prepares to bring the new church into existence on May 1, 2022.

As we have noted before, thousands of people have contributed to making the launch of the Global Methodist Church possible. They have volunteered to serve on task force teams, giving their time and talent to a host of matters. They have generously and sacrificially given financial resources. And above all, they have fervently prayed for the formation and birth of the new church. So we all look forward to May 1.

New beginning dates are sometimes chosen for dramatic effect, and they often come with big celebrations and splashy announcements. That will not be the case on Sunday, May 1. True to our methodical roots, our date is driven by practical reasons, although we do rejoice that the church will come into existence on a Sunday in the Easter Season, as we continue to celebrate the hope and joy of the Resurrection.

Put simply, we are launching the Global Methodist Church on May 1 because no local church, no annual conference, and no pastor can join it until it actually exists. Since the Transitional Leadership Council announced the name of the new church back in early 2020 and then earlier this year announced its official launch date, inquiries have poured in about joining it. Who can join? How can they join? And of course, when can they join? Choosing some date for the birth of the church was a practical necessity. And there are local churches, an annual conference, and pastors who will be part of the Global Methodist Church from day one.

Also, it is no secret that many theologically conservative local churches and even some annual conferences in the U.S. have, for some time, wanted to part ways with The United Methodist Church. Annual conferences in the U.S. meet in May and June, and during these months some local churches will complete a separation process from the UM denomination. Some have made clear they would like to join the Global Methodist Church, so with its launch on May 1, these congregations will be able to join as soon as possible.

In truth, we do not know how many local churches departing in May or June will join the Global Methodist Church. Some, having lived in a dysfunctional denomination that has been either unable or unwilling to maintain accountability, want nothing to do with another denomination. However, we do anticipate that some churches that opt to go independent initially, will ultimately choose to align with the Global Methodist Church. Others, recognizing the classic Methodist value of connectionalism and our commitment to the core theological and ethical confessions of the Christian faith, will join us. We will gladly welcome them.

We are also aware that a number of UM annual conferences have scheduled or are considering scheduling special sessions later this year to vote on terms for allowing theologically conservative local churches to depart the UM Church amicably, fairly, and expeditiously. We applaud bishops and annual conferences willing to confront the reality and necessity of separation, and who are moving forward accordingly. We continue to hope and work for an amicable separation that will enable all of us to bless and send one another, instead of tearing and rending.

There are also a handful of annual conferences planning special sessions where they will consider resolutions that would allow the entire annual conference to join the Global Methodist Church. And as the year unfolds, local churches and annual conferences in Africa, Europe and Eurasia, and the Philippines will go through the same process. In fact, the movement of theologically conservative local UM churches and annual conferences transitioning to the Global Methodist Church will playout over the next few years.

Regrettably, we are also aware that some UM bishops are doing what they can to obstruct this transition process. They are pushing for terms of separation that are punitive in nature. To be sure, their actions will delay the growth of the Global Methodist Church, but they will only cause more harm to the UM Church. A vibrant and healthy denomination is not built by constraining local churches, laypeople, and clergy who no longer want to remain in it. Creating unreasonable exits fees or threatening litigation over property and assets are not credible ways to build a church bearing witness to Jesus Christ. Several mainline Protestant denominations have already proved the futility of such a strategy.

A confident and forward looking United Methodist Church would be wise to focus on those local churches, laypeople, and clergy who are truly committed to its mission and vision for the future, not on constraining those who want to go elsewhere. Centrist and progressive United Methodists should recognize that essentially locking theological conservatives in with high exit fees or the threat of using the denomination’s trust clause will only perpetuate and even harden divisions. In fact, it is already clear that theologically conservative reform and renewal movements like Africa Initiative, the Confessing Movement, Good News, and the Wesleyan Covenant Association intend to fight on until every theologically conservative congregation in Africa, Europe and Eurasia, the Philippines, and the U.S. is given a fair and affordable pathway out of the UM Church. Unfortunately, the conflict in the UM Church is likely to persist for a number of years inhibiting the denomination from finding the unity it desires.

A better way forward is for UM annual conferences to adopt exit plans that are akin to the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation. The genius of the Protocol was not that its terms made everyone happy; they did not. Its genius was that it was a compromise that would have ended a dispute tearing the UM Church apart. Leaders of the UM Church’s Council of Bishops believed that to be true; it was why they signed the Protocol and advocated for it. And leaders of centrist, conservative, and progressive UM advocacy groups did likewise. In early 2020 it was obvious to many United Methodists that the Protocol was headed for approval at the General Conference in May of that year.

The Transitional Leadership Council regrets that its approval has not come to pass and is disappointed that in the intervening years the hard work and goodwill that resulted in the Protocol has diminished. For the sake of the UM Church and yes, the Global Methodist Church, we pray UM leaders will support exit provisions that are in keeping with both the letter and spirit of the Protocol . A number of groups that have supported the Protocol will continue to work for its adoption. But whatever the case, the Global Methodist Church will come into existence, and we are confident local churches, annual conferences, lay people and pastors will find their way to it.

Without fanfare, but full of hope, faith, and perseverance, the Transitional Leadership Council will launch the Global Methodist Church this coming Sunday. May God bless us and lead us as we dedicate ourselves to making disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.

The Rev. Keith Boyette is chairman of the Transitional Leadership Council of the Global Methodist Church. Prior to 2017, he was the founding and lead pastor of Wilderness Community Church in the Virginia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. Since 2017, he has served as President of the Wesleyan Covenant Association.

The post A New Beginning first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

Chaplaincy and the Global Methodist Church

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 07:00:00 GMT

By Bob Phillips and Gary Clore
April 20, 2022

“How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” (Psalm 137:4)

One of the fastest growing areas of pastoral need is in institutional ministry, i.e., chaplaincy. The military and federal government settings, hospitals, prisons, hospice centers, schools, police and fire chaplaincies, and pastoral counseling are some of the areas where the witness for Christ through chaplaincy touch literally millions of lives annually. Many individuals served by these institutions have no current meaningful connection to the church.

Theological seminaries are finding significant growth in this area of study, whether through the traditional Master of Divinity or through other forms of certification. The United Methodist Church currently has over 750 clergy under “endorsement,’ the technical term for clergy who have been approved to minister in such non-traditional settings. That number of active clergy persons is larger than nearly every annual conference in the United States.

The Global Methodist Church is committed to a spiritually vibrant ministry to and through the clergy of the church called by God to serve in non-parish settings. A process is being created to identify, assess and affirm candidates for endorsement to various ministry settings, to provide pastoral care and guidance to those under endorsement, and to engage wisely and biblically with the numerous challenges and issues confronting those who serve in institutional settings. A transitional Director of Endorsement Ministry and a transitional Ecclesiastical Endorsing Committee have been appointed by the Transitional Leadership Council to stand-up a fully functioning endorsing ministry for the Global Methodist Church.

Cordial and collegial relationships with the leadership of the United Methodist Endorsing Agency have been defined by gracious interactions, mutual transparency, and a shared desire for win-win outcomes for the sake of the Kingdom. The Global Methodist Church chaplaincy team is grateful for this spirit of mutual trust and constructive conversations, as leaders in both expressions are united in support of the ministry of chaplains through the upcoming season of transition.

Those currently under appointment and endorsement by the United Methodist Endorsing Agency but who believe they would more comfortably align with the Global Methodist Church are encouraged to retain active UM endorsement until the GM Church ministry is fully functioning.

The United Methodist Endorsing Agency continues its longstanding policy of ongoing endorsement of chaplains who plan a transition to another church for reasons of conscience until that transition is official. Those not currently under endorsement but interested in exploring such ministry, whether from a seminary status or while serving a local church, are invited to contact the Global Methodist Church chaplaincy team for conversation and guidance.

You may contact Rev. Gary Clore, Transitional Director of Endorsement, at gary.clore@me.com , or Rev. Robert Phillips, chair of the Transitional Ecclesiastical Endorsement Board, at soulfxr@hotmail.com .

Timely and accurate information will be made available on the Global Methodist Church website. If God has called you to ministry to those in the military, prisons, hospitals or other such settings, there will be a place and full support for you within the Global Methodist Church. To review a “FAQ” on Endorsement Ministries, please click HERE .

Bob Phillips retired as a Captain in the Navy Chaplain Corps and is the Chair of the transitional Ecclesiastical Endorsing Board for the Global Methodist Church.

Gary Clore also is a retired Captain in the Navy Chaplain Corps and is transitional Director of Ecclesiastical Endorsements for the Global Methodist Church.

The post Chaplaincy and the Global Methodist Church first appeared on Making Disciples of Jesus | The Global Methodist Church .

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