Hundreds of congregations are leaving the United Methodist Church (UMC) over the issues of ordaining homosexual pastors and hosting same-sex marriages. Though the denomination officially bans these things, and its Book of Doctrine says, “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching,” many congregations have flaunted homosexual rights. The result is a large ongoing split, with the more conservative congregations departing to join a new denomination, the Global Methodist Church, which was formed in April 2022. This month, 249 North Carolina congregations departed, which is 32% of the total (“Nearly one-third of church split,” Fox News, Nov. 23, 2022). They join 58 congregations in Louisiana and 70 in North Georgia. In other states, many churches have expressed their intention to leave. Typical of these is Lanes Chapel United Methodist Church in Tyler, Texas. Jeff Gage, senior pastor, says, “We will be disaffiliating from the United Methodist Church at the end of the year. It’s not the denominational structure that troubles us. It’s what’s happening across the denomination that is contrary to what we see as solid biblical teaching” (“Methodist church split,” KETK.com, Sept. 23, 2022).
(Friday Church News Notes, December 2, 2022, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)
