The Marks of a Methodist 4: Mission
The Marks of a Methodist 4: Mission - By Thomas Lambrecht - We have been examining what it means to be a Methodist in honor of John Wesley’s tract, The Character of a Methodist, but following a modern version of those ideas in Bishop Gerald Kennedy’s 1960 book, The...
Judicial Council (Partly) Faces Reality
Judicial Council (Partly) Faces Reality - By Thomas Lambrecht - In a recent decision, the Judicial Council has partly walked back their earlier resolution that the 2020 General Conference was not cancelled, only postponed. Unfortunately, this walk-back comes too late...
Lifestyle Evangelism
By Thomas Lambrecht As a declining denomination in the midst of cultural headwinds becoming increasingly hostile to Christianity, we wonder how to be a growing, vital church. Although I have served as a pastor and have been a member of growing congregations at one...
Solidarity with the Cuban People
The Council of the Wesleyan Covenant Association - Florida shares the following statement in solidarity for the brave Cuban people. The statement is in both English and Espanol. To support our Cuban Methodist sisters and brothers, we encourage you to prayerfully...
East Cobb News: Methodist Church to seize Mt. Bethel assets
The Board of Trustees of the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church has voted to seize the assets of Mt. Bethel UMC and will operate the church effective immediately, the latest move in an escalating crisis with the East Cobb congregation. In a...
AJC: North Georgia Conference seizes assets of Mt. Bethel UMC
In an extremely rare move, the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church has seized the assets of Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church in Marietta amid a fight over who should be its senior pastor. The conference announced its stunning decision in a...
Mt. Bethel statement regarding Bishop’s move to seize assets
Statement by Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church Regarding North Georgia Conference UMC Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson’s Move to Close Mt. Bethel UMC’s Doors and Seize its Assets July 13, 2021 Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson of the North Georgia Conference of the United...
British Methodism Adopts Progressive Sexuality Standards
By Thomas Lambrecht - On Wednesday, the British Methodist Church became the largest denomination in Great Britain to endorse same-sex marriage. The overwhelming vote follows the acceptance of an initial report in 2019, God in Love Unites Us, followed by two...
Being the Church in a War Zone
By Bob Kaylor - Driving through the countryside of the Normandy region of France feels a bit like entering the world of an animated Walt Disney film. The green fields, bushy hedgerows, lolling cows, and medieval-period stone houses, churches, and barns call to mind...
New Jersey Korean Pastor Responds
By Thomas Lambrecht - Several weeks ago, I shared the story of the Rev. James Lee, a pastor in the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference at Bethany Korean UM Church. His district superintendent notified him that Bishop John Schol was appointing him to a different, much...
Chinese-American UM leaders respond to controversial appointment maneuvers
According to a press release, the National Chinese Caucus (NCC) of the United Methodist Church urges “all parties involved in the process of appointment to maintain a spirit of peace and goodwill toward those who hold differing theological and ethical values, while...
Korean Pastors Penalized in California
By Thomas Lambrecht - Over the last two weeks, Good News has shared information about pastors of large churches in North Georgia and New Jersey where centrist-progressive bishops removed the appointments of their senior pastors without the consultation required by...
