Surveying General Conference Issues
Surveying General Conference Issues By Thomas Lambrecht The United Methodist General Conference is many things, but primarily it is a legislative assembly. The bulk of its time is devoted to considering, refining, and adopting legislative proposals that become the...
Regionalization Support is Hardly Unanimous
Regionalization Support is Hardly Unanimous By Forbes Matonga The United Methodist Church continues to be an exciting organism. It never stops, especially during General Conference season. We are exactly in that season again. One of the complex dynamics of The...
Denomination vs. Independent
By Thomas Lambrecht As of this week, over 3,000 U.S. churches have now disaffiliated from The United Methodist Church since 2019. This means the denomination has lost ten percent of its congregations. More annual conference votes are scheduled for the weeks ahead, and...
Are All Divisions of the Devil?
Are All Divisions of the Devil? By Rob Renfroe I don’t mind people thinking differently than I do. I often learn from such people, and I regularly benefit from considering opinions different than my own. But I admit I am upset when influential leaders express views...
Same-Sex Wedding Prompts Bishop to Act
Same-Sex Wedding Prompts Bishop to Act By Thomas Lambrecht Bishop Sharma Lewis (Mississippi) has responded to two clergy persons who performed a same-sex wedding in January. The Revs. Elizabeth Davidson and Paige Swaim-Pressley officiated at the wedding ceremony of a...
Two Churches, Two Faiths
Two Churches, Two Faiths By Rob Renfroe In last week’s Perspective I wrote about a professor at a United Methodist seminary whose lengthy article stated that the death of Jesus does not save us. In fact, Professor Miguel De La Torre wrote that such a belief...
Departing from the Faith
Departing from the Faith By Rob Renfroe “Jesus did not die for your sins.” That is the message a professor at United Methodist Iliff Seminary posted two days before Good Friday earlier this month. Professor Miguel De La Torre titled his article “What if Crucifixion Is...
United Methodist Disaffiliation Success Stories
United Methodist Disaffiliation Success Stories By John Lomperis Congregations who wish to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church (UMC) have a historic, rapidly expiring opportunity to keep their church buildings and parsonages. Despite the historic nature of...
