Unleashing Latent DNA –

By Paul Lawler – 

November/December 2024 –

The late Dr. William Abraham passed from this life into glory before seeing the birth of the Global Methodist Church, yet while he walked on this earth, he believed the day would come when a reset of Methodism would come forth. Dr. Abraham once said, “When Methodism relaunches in a new form, a wave of latent DNA will be unleashed, deeply affecting generations to come.” After serving as a delegate to the 2024 GMC General Conference in San José, Costa Rica, I am convinced Dr. Abraham’s observation was prophetic.

We celebrated the election of a diverse group of bishops consisting of two women, an African American and two Africans, as well as one North American white male. We celebrate the enhancement of structures through petitions and legislation, which will provide guidance for our being a movement again. These are great steps worthy of celebration, and yet there is much more that has been unleashed.

Here’s a brief characterization of the unleashing of latent DNA through the Global Methodist Church:

1) The Unleashing of Latent Gifts and Talents. Think about what it would take to launch a worldwide company in 24 to 36 months with more than 4,700 outlets in North America, Africa, the Philippines, and Eastern Europe. This is the challenge of launching a new, global movement. Planning a General Conference is a gargantuan task, and planning a General Conference in another country is a gargantuan task of gargantuan proportions. We’re all deeply appreciative of the work of the Commission on General Conference and its leaders, the GMC staff, and the Bishops who labored to make this historic gathering a reality. But let the record show that there has been a great unleashing of a wave of latent DNA with impressive gifts and talents in a movement that is already larger than the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) and the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).

2) The Unleashing of Missional Focus. The Global Methodist Church adopted a new mission statement at the General Conference. It reads, “The Global Methodist Church exists to make disciples and spread scriptural holiness across the globe.” While I’m excited about our new mission statement, I’m even more excited about all it means for local churches, communities, cities, and nations.

Historically, John Wesley understood the essential relationship between reforming the nation and scriptural holiness. Without scriptural holiness, there is no reforming of nations. Wesley knew reform would never be birthed and sustained apart from the transformation of the hearts of people coming to know Jesus Christ and entering deep, formative relationships (community) with one another. This is the way scriptural holiness works.

The new Global Methodist Church mission statement is accurate for a people called Methodist, but its implications for churches, communities, cities, and nations are worthy of prayerful excitement.

3) The Unleashing of Global Waves of Church Planting. Global Methodist Christians in Africa are already involved in planting hundreds of new churches. There are Global Methodist Christians in the Philippines already involved in planting more than half a dozen new churches in their homeland. There are Global Methodist Christians from the Philippines planting new churches in the Middle East. Numerous GMC church planters are currently training through The River Network and Planter’s Field in North America. The seeds of being a movement are being unleashed. This is but one of the reasons the local church I serve joined the Global Methodist Church. We knew we could be a part of disciple-making and church planting on a global scale, which would not be possible if we became independent or joined a small network of churches. Waves of disciple-making and church planting are being unleashed.

4) The Unleashing of Young Clergy and Their Hunger for God. While most General Conference delegates were over 40 years of age, I was impressed by the quality of our young clergy serving on delegations. God continues to build upon an emerging momentum among the young in the GMC. Our young pastors and lay leaders are bright, capable, hungry for God, and longing for God to spread scriptural holiness and awakening across the globe through the Global Methodist movement.

5) The Unleashing of Going After the Manifest Presence of God. I have never been to a denominational meeting and experienced God’s manifest presence the way we did through times of worship at this first General Conference. We chose to posture our lives before God in worship, confession of sin, and repentance. While the conference was a series of 13-hour workdays for most of us, the Holy Spirit breathed new life into us. As God’s presence became palatable, we were captivated, humbled, and found great satisfaction in God. How long has it been since anyone described a denominational meeting this way?

Many of us were reminded of what John Wesley recorded in his journal from a New Year’s Eve all-night prayer meeting on Fetter’s Lane on January 1, 1739:

“Mr. Hall, Kinchin, Ingham, Whitefield, Hutchins, and my brother Charles, were present at our love-feast in Fetter Lane, with about 60 of our brethren. About three in the morning, as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground. As soon as we were recovered a little from that awe and amazement at the presence of his Majesty, we broke out with one voice, ‘We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.”

And we, too, broke out in one voice in song! Repeatedly.

Many delegates had never been to a General Conference where there had not been deep division and wounding. By contrast, the Global Methodist General Conference was unifying and deeply edifying. There were times when I thought about the people who make up all our local churches, wishing they could be present with us, experiencing the repeated waves of joy and renewal that emanated from God’s presence that would settle upon us through times of worship.

As the Global Methodist Church has been formed, a new wave of Methodism has been reformed and birthed. Waves of latent DNA are being unleashed. Perhaps Billy Abraham is smiling as we live into a new vision for a new day. May the new Global Methodist Vision statement stir us all to rise to new heights for God’s glory:

Through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, the Global Methodist Church envisions multiplying disciples of Jesus Christ throughout the earth who flourish in scriptural holiness as we worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.

Paul Lawler is the Senior Pastor of Christ Church Memphis, a Global Methodist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. He is a contributing author to two books: She is Safe — Stories of Resilience and Hope from The Wellhouse and Reconstructing Methodism.