Roots of Free Methodism
Roots of Free Methodism -- By Bruce N. G. Cromwell - The Free Methodist Church was birthed in 1860 when Benjamin Titus Roberts, a pastor in the Methodist Episcopal Church in New York, recognized that he could no longer serve in harmony with that...
Faith, Love, and Praise: The Nicene Creed and Liturgical Formation
Faith, Love, and Praise: The Nicene Creed and Liturgical Formation -- By Jonathan A. Powers - Words matter. Think of the old saying: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” We may want that to be true, but deep down we know it...
TMS Global has a new CEO
TMS Global has a new CEO “Thirty years ago, I never would have guessed that God would use our team’s tiny church plant in Kazakhstan to raise up pastors and many believers who now live in 11 countries around the world,” tells Dr. James “Jim” Ramsay, TMS...
Is There Room for Traditionalists?
Is There Room for Traditionalists? By Thomas Lambrecht July/August 2024 The 2020/2024 General Conference has just concluded its ten-day run in Charlotte, North Carolina. A summary of some of the actions taken by the conference are available in last week’s Perspective,...
Marriage Decision Provokes Delegates
Marriage Decision Provokes Delegates By Sam Hodges and Jim Patterson African delegates and one African bishop joined in a demonstration after General Conference delegates voted to revise the church’s position on marriage, for the first time approving same-sex couples...
Disaffiliation Ends
Disaffiliation Ends By Heather Hahn July/August 2024 The United Methodist Church’s focus on disaffiliation has come to an end and a new push for regionalization is just beginning. By a vote of 516 to 203, General Conference delegates supported the end of a...
Ukranian Delegate Glad to be United Methodist
Ukranian Delegate Glad to be United Methodist By Sam Hodges The Rev. Yulia Starodubets came to the United Methodist General Conference from Ukraine, which is more than two years into a grinding war with Russia. Because commercial air travel in her country remains...
Reduced Budget Passed
Reduced Budget Passed By Heather Hahn General Conference delegates on May 3 approved a denominational budget with a bottom line that will vary by about $20 million, depending on giving collection rates over the next two years. But no matter what happens, the total...
Eurasia Granted Disaffiliation, Liberia Denied
Eurasia Granted Disaffiliation, Liberia Denied By Sam Hodges, UM News July/August 2024 Early in its Charlotte deliberations, the Standing Committee on Central Conference matters nearly overwhelmingly approved a petition enabling four Eurasian annual conferences to...
Young People’s Address
Young People's Address By Eveline Chikwanah To thunderous applause, Alejandra Salemi of the Florida Conference said the denomination’s lawmaking assembly is being held “in the midst of what feels like an emotional whirlpool that only something like divorce proceedings...
Bishop Wilson: Inspire Next 7 Generations
Bishop Wilson: Inspire Next 7 Generations By Todd Seifert Bishop David Wilson, the denomination’s first Native American bishop, encouraged General Conference delegates to consider the people who inspired their faith in the past while considering how decisions today...
Bishop Holston: Become “who God Needs Us to Be”
Bishop Holston: Become "who God Needs Us to Be" By Jessica Brodie Bringing a word on staying who “God needs us to be” in spite of the ever-changing noise of this world, Bishop L. Jonathan Holston of the South Carolina Conference delivered the Council of Bishops’...
