Tears of Joy at GMC General Conference –

November/December 2024 –

Climbing up the rough side of the mountain – 

I cried today. The opening worship of the convening General Conference of the Global Methodist Church [September 20] touched my core. The quality of the music, impressive and earnest, was not the trigger. Nor was the impassioned and spiritual multi-lingual concert of prayer that followed. It was just… the moment. Methodist Christians from all over the world stood to praise Jesus at a moment of kairos, an Ebenezer of God’s faithfulness. In the years leading up to this day, it had pleased Providence to baptize us in fire… fightings without and fears within… in order to find out if we are yet alive. Today we knew and confessed, we are. No one was there by accident. Each one paid a price known only to them. The Global Methodist Church is better than it ever could have been with a Protocol, Connectional Conference Plan, or other such amicable re-shuffle of the same old deck. Climbing up the rough side the mountain has made us stronger, humbler, and all the more determined.

– Chris Ritter

(Via PeopleNeedJesus.net)

I’m Finally Home

As an evangelical, Wesleyan, female pastor, I’ve never felt like I “fit” anywhere, really. I was a lifelong United Methodist, but saw the proverbial writing on the wall for years. I knew a day would come when I would have to leave, but there would be no place to go. I even got a second Masters degree in another field because I assumed I would one day be churchless and jobless.

There are other Wesleyan denominations who supposedly ordain women, but you rarely see said women leading. That’s why, for me, this week has been an emotionally overwhelming experience. I ran into a seminary colleague today and she said, “We’re home! We’re finally home!” That’s what being part of this new expression of Methodism has meant to me.

I stood sobbing today (a familiar reaction this week) after the first ballot for bishops had been cast. We had 3 elections on that initial ballot: an African man and two women. It wasn’t an identity politics result. It was three people who genuinely have the gifts and graces for the office and rose to the top, not to fill an agenda, but because the Holy Spirit chose them.

As a female, it meant something incredibly significant to have the only two women on the slate be elected in the first round. It was a resounding affirmation that I’d finally found a place to “fit”. These are my people, this is my tribe.

When my friend declared, “We’re home! We’re finally home!”, she was speaking a new reality over my lifetime of spiritual homelessness.

I am home. I’m finally home.

– Tina Dietsch Fox

Fletcher, Ohio

(Via Facebook)

Different kind of tears

There were lots of tears at the Global Methodist Church’s first General Conference, held this week in San José, Costa Rica, to officially found the new denomination. They were tears of joy, relief, and gratitude for the holy love of God.

“I cried,” said Jeff Kelley, pastor of a Global Methodist church in McCook, Nebraska. “I haven’t cried in worship in a long time. And then we had worship the next day, and I cried again.”

John Weston, pastor of a Silverdale, Washington, church and one of 21 candidates to serve as an interim bishop during the denomination’s formation period, said he felt like he couldn’t stop crying. And Emily Allen, an Asbury Theological Seminary student serving as a delegate for churches in the Northeast, wept in worship too.

“The times of worship every day have prepared us to be the church we need to be,” Allen said. “To hear the Word of God declared very boldly, to hear the invitation to receive the Spirit, to receive the holy love of God? I was just kneeling and crying.”

Many of the more than 300 delegates and 600 alternates and observers from 33 countries remembered there had been tears in past years at past conferences too. The internal strife in the United Methodist Church and the ongoing quarrels over basic theological issues, including human sexuality, the authority of Scripture, and the responsibilities of bishops, had often emotionally wrecked them. In Costa Rica, establishing a separate Methodist denomination, the tears were different.

– Daniel Silliman

(Via Christianity Today)

More freewheeling

During the conference, delegates rejoiced in exuberant worship and praise music, often with arms uplifted. This somewhat charismatic worship style is not typical even for most evangelical or conservative Methodist congregations. Most such churches are still fairly sedate and liturgically Mainline Protestant, with organ music and often solemn silence. But Global Methodist leaders when they gather are more freewheeling, somewhat reminiscent of early Methodism in Britain and America, in which revivals often included dramatic emotions and outbursts. The delegates in Costa Rica were fully united with many overseas delegates, especially from Africa, whose own worship style is likewise exuberant. The name “Global Methodist” is no accident. United Methodism’s global nature, with millions of church members in Africa, long kept it from liberalizing on sexuality issues, as other Mainline Protestant denominations did years ago. These battles built strong alliances and friendships between American evangelical United Methodists and their brethren in Africa.

–Mark Tooley

(via The Dispatch)

The fire of revival

I’ve gone back to the hotel, in part to rest, but more importantly to process the emotions I’m feeling (something that is foreign to me). This morning did not start out easy, and to be frank I didn’t know how we would be able to worship. Our music stands for the band and orchestra were missing, the cables that connect the organs to the sound system were missing, and everyone needed my attention when I really just wanted to go off and figure out a game plan. The Devil (and I truly mean that) was fighting what was about to take place in that space. When I was at my lowest this morning, Doc Abiade came and asked me to pray, and everything changed.

The Holy Spirit took control. I heard the song in my head “There are Angels Hoverin’ Round” and I remembered my mentor praying for God to place angels at the corners of my house for protection, and I’m confident God sent down angels to protect us today.

Here’s what happened – everyone pitched in! Professional musicians used chairs as music stands, a non-Methodist church put a member on a motorcycle to race across town to get us cables, and the room came to life! The orchestra played, hymns and praise songs were sung, Bishop Mark Webb guided us in confession and pardon, my friend, Roberto Paracasio prayed with the anointing of the Holy Spirit, MaryLou Reece read scripture, Bishop Scott Jones preached, Bishops Robert Hayes and Mike Lowry led Communion, and then the Spirit took over completely. Revival broke out!

I never understood what revival was until 2022 at New Room, but I didn’t fully appreciate it until today when I knew God is in control of not only The Global Methodist Church, but also every person in that room. The fire of revival is happening! We went 45-minutes over schedule and as my friend, Tom Lambrecht said, no apology was needed. Today was incredible!

I walked in my hotel room and began weeping again, and I’m weeping as I type this because I was so amazed by what happened. This must be what the people at Pentecost felt. I’m so glad Jennifer Allen and Hannah Grace were there to experience it.

Today was not about a denomination or polity or business, it was about Jesus taking complete control of his church. I surrender all to him! Use me however I can serve the Kingdom. If you want to experience the same, find your way to a place of submission and surrender to God.

Thank you, God! Thank you, to the GMC for letting me be a part of it! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

–Sterling Allen
Worship Director of the General Conference

(via Facebook)

Editor’s note: We are deeply grateful for the ministry and gifts of the entire GMC organizational team on-site at the convening General Conference in Costa Rica. We are especially thankful for the visuals from the Global Methodist Church communications team and Max Otter Productions.