God calls us to embrace a new day as the people called Methodists. Established in the faith entrusted to us by our forbearers, we discern the Holy Spirit reviving the Methodist movement in a new work. We are committed to God’s vision given to our predecessors “to reform the continent(s) and spread scriptural holiness over the lands.” A group of bishops, clergy, and laity, men and women, African-American, Asian, Caribbean, Caucasian, and Hispanic persons from every U.S. jurisdiction, and three central conferences met to expand and clarify the vision for a future traditional expression of Methodism. In addition to bishops, laity and clergy from the Wesleyan Covenant Association, Good News, the Confessing Movement, the Institute of Religion and Democracy/UM Action, as well as other traditional voices not associated with the renewal groups were present.
In a spirit of cooperation with the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation, we join the many conversations occurring as we move toward General Conference 2020. If the 2020 General Conference adopts the Protocol legislation, with one voice and a spirit of humility we intend to form a global Wesleyan movement committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the authority and inspiration of the Scriptures, and the work of the Holy Spirit in conveying God’s truth, grace, renewal, and sanctification to all people who repent and believe.
Read the full statement here.
Be well. I hope that your movement is all that you want it to be.
Welcome back to 1828 and the formation of the Methodist Protestant Church.
Nah. Welcome back to 1784 with the break from the Anglican Church to form the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Is this movement an alternative to the Wesleyan Covenant Assn., or is it supplemmentary to the WCA?
In the proposed “Book of Doctrines and Discipline,” abortion is only mentioned once and not very strongly denounced. Will there be more on this?
The UMC Book of Discipline tries to be somewhat ambiguous on this topic but at the end of the day, the Discipline comes off in favor of a woman’s right to control her body. That is code for aborting a baby. If this was about a woman’s choice,
Terry, where it says (at the end of the article above) “read the full statement here,” click on here and go read it! It will answer your questions. This is a group comprised of WCA, other traditionalists, overseas folks, etc., who are all in favor of uniting (poor choice of words, I know) to form a new orthodox, biblical Wesleyan denomination.
>> Bishops elected, assigned, and accountable regionally, with clearly established means of global accountability…Episcopal appointment of clergy that practices true open itinerancy with enhanced models of consultation with congregations and clergy, ensuring equity in pastoral appointments for women and persons of varying ethnicities.
Yeah, yeah. That’s stirring officialese, but I’ll need to see it fleshed out in detail before I’m on board with my prayers, presence, gifts and service. The utterly dysfunctional UMC episcopacy, combined with ordination and clergy “accountability” run amok, are largely what got us to the sorry state we’re in today. This wrinkle seems to be an attempt by worried bishops proactively to seize back turf. Color me apologetically cynical — but cynical nevertheless. “Prove all things… innocent as doves but wary as serpents…”
I’ve often wondered what Wesley would have to say about the sad perversion of his selfless Spirit-guided principles that is our structural UMC today…
Blessings,
Jeff
The more I have prayed and thought about this statement the more disappointed I have become. Traditional Methodist (at least the first 150 years) are essentially Orthodox-Pentecostals. This statement reminds me of all the things that were said and written about in 1908 when the “social agenda” was adopted, and we know how that has turned out in the last 112 years. This statement does not connect us to our Methodist roots. It sounds like the same ole same ole Mainline mantra. I do not doubt that this has a form of godliness, but it sure does deny the power. No mention of class-bands leading to membership, no mention of the people called Methodist being an exclusive church grounded in the holiness tradition, and no mention of simplicity leading to non-dependence in some massive religious machine. I am certain that it will boil down to Traditional Methodist having to choose between being Mainline or Methodist. We need to look to the Wesleyan Church, the Church of the Nazarene, and the Church of God for guidance on how to reclaim our Methodist roots, not some mainline church filled with behavior that resembles something that is not Traditional Methodism. The new Methodism of the last 100 years is a new invention; whether it is structure, the “great liturgical movement of the twentieth century”, or the respectable (lol) high church that has been forced on us. I wonder what Dr. Abrams thinks of this statement? I would like to know his take and opinion on this. If we do not get back to our roots and “methods” I am afraid we will be buying a pig in a poke and rowing the same boat in a couple of decades.
AMEN & AMEN & AMEN Kevin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Kevin,
Just to clarify, did you mean Dr. Abraham instead of Dr. Abrams?