Meeting Minutes List

Describe the item or answer the question so that site visitors who are interested get more information. You can emphasiCommission on Discipleship, Doctrine, and Just Ministry
March 25, 2026 Minutes
David Watson opened the meeting in prayer.
Roll call: David Watson, Kenneth Collins, Gabi Kopas, Tesia Mallory, Suzanne Nicholson, Kathy Rohrs.
GMC StaC Liaison: Teresa Marcus
Due to technical di.iculties, the approval of February Minutes is to be reviewed by next meeting.
Articles of Faith Update
The final document will be sent by the end of the week, and then Bishop Scott Jones will care for next steps. As a note, David shared the article on scripture takes the language of the Lausanne covenant.
We had a discussion of pending petition submissions around a variety of topics: General Rules
The Assembly of Bishops asked our commission to consider drafting a petition intended to edit the General Rules. A Firebrand article brought this work to the surface in 2024. (https://firebrandmag.com/articles/the-general-rules-a-preliminary-proposal). The timing of this work is important, because they need to be removed from the constitution now if desired. They will be locked in if we leave them.
It was suggested that we should review them – Kenneth Collins, Suzanne Nicholson will work on a draft to send to us by 4/14. Kathy will converse with bishops on their intentions and make sure we are working together. We had a discussion on the consequences of removing them from the restrictive rules, and the adaptability of them through centuries and across the globe. Some key questions arose:
▪ How are these rules diCerent than the social principles?
▪ Are there things that should be in the General Rules right now, from an international perspective?
▪ Will we do this work every six years?
Baptismal Vows and Membership Vows
The Assembly of Bishops and other individuals provided suggested edits incorporating scriptural holiness into the baptismal and membership vows. In discussing these edits, Ken suggested using the language, “Are you growing in holiness and pursuing entire sanctification” for these pieces.
There is a strong sense that this commission needs to resource people to understand what these vows mean, and to help people understand Wesleyan theology through Wesley’s sermons– in all languages. Our current catechism includes some guidance: https://www.globalmethodist.org/copy-of-book-of-doctrines---discipline
The commission desires to approve on April 21 with updates and conversation with bishops
Name change to Doctrine & Ethics
The Connectional Council has mixed feelings about removing “discipleship” from this title. If we want to pursue this, we need a clear rationale. There is a diCerence between resourcing for making new disciples, and growing doctrinally sound disciples – while connected, they may require diCerent resourcing.
This brought up a number of questions: The work of discipleship belongs to everyone, but how do we create resources? What is the diCerence between the doctrinal part of discipleship and the practical piece of discipleship? How do we help the church wrestle with issues doctrinally in the future?
Teresa shared that, in her experience as a denominational staC person, local churches come to her with numerous questions about doctrine. She sees this commission’s work as the “beating heart” of the church. We have the ability and can resource the local churches – we need this work for the people to take the foundational beliefs and make them available for people. This will help us be a church that stands the test of time.
Calendar Schedule for 2026
9:30 EST/EDT
Tuesday, April 21 (EDT)
Tuesday, May 19 (EDT)
Tuesday, June 23 (EDT)
Thursday, July 23 (EDT)
Tuesday, August 18 (EDT)
Thursday, September 24 (EDT)
Thursday, October 15 (EDT)
Thursday, November 19 (EST begins)ze this text with bullets, italics or bold, and add links.