How We Got Here: The History of UM Conflict (Part 1)
By Thomas Lambrecht -- The current state of separation and disaffiliation in The United Methodist Church has roots stretching far back into Methodism’s history. Profound disagreements about theology, spirituality, and hot-button social issues have been brewing within...
The Early Growth of the Global Methodist Church
By Keith Boyette -- The process of church disaffiliation has completed its second wave, with churches disaffiliating through special sessions of their annual conferences in the fall. This piecemeal process of disaffiliation is not what we had hoped for when I joined...
Power of the Cross
By Carlos Alarcon, M.D. - As my involvement in the administration of my local church has grown, my understanding of the global United Methodist Church has expanded. Like many other lay people, I have become keenly aware of how un-united we truly are. Though we claim...
Where are we Going?
By Bishop Mike Lowry - A legend arises out of the mist of early Christian lore of a crucial turning point in the life of the infant church which merits reflection on this occasion. Like most legends it carries a core kernel of truth. So compelling is the story that it...
Contending for the Faith
By Madeline Henners - God has deepened and strengthened within me the conviction that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. It’s the truth that transcends all nations, all generations, all denominations. The truth of Christ is something to earnestly contend for...
Editing out the Hard Verses
By David F. Watson - The idea that there are parts of the biblical canon that we need to disregard is nothing new. It’s a theme we’ve seen again and again through Christian history. And every time it’s been a mistake. I get it, though. I understand the impulse to act...
Africa Will Keep Faith
By Bishop Kasap Owan - The meaning of the cross is to bring us closer to God. The meaning of the cross is to reconcile us with God. Origen, an early church father, says the gift of God is Jesus himself. Because Jesus Christ is the gift of God given to us, he was on...
Hope’s Prisoner
By Christine Caine - Hope is unshakeable confidence in God. It doesn’t deny the reality of our pain, but it does give us a life beyond our pain. It gives us permission to believe in a new beginning. It is the happy and confident expectation of good that lifts our...
