From Unity to Division: The United Methodist Church Split Explained

Whether it's a megachurch like the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Kansas or a small church like New Hope United Methodist, everyone is affected by the events of the United Methodist schism. The UMC Disaffiliation process, and the way it came about, can be hard to understand. This short video will help to clear up some mystery.

Sources Used for this Video:

Books on this the schism - I will add more if I find more, so suggest some in the comments:
* These are affiliate links to books - I will earn a few nickels if you purchase anything.
People Throw Rocks at Things That Shine: A Clergy Whistleblower's Journey
Beth Caufield's experience in the Greater New Jersey Conference:

Chapters:
00:00 Church History Now
00:54 General Conference of 2016
02:15 An Unconventional Vote in 2016
03:22 The Spark that Caused an Explosion
06:09 Nothing Can Be Done
06:22 Special Session of 2019
08:34 The Trust Clause
11:36 Sunset of 2553
12:30 The Protocol
14:12 Delays
14:45 Things Get Weird HERE
17:54 Things Go Nuclear HERE
19:17 Olive Branch to Noose
22:18 Numbers Don't Lie
23:55 An Outnumbered Majority
24:55 Don't Forget to Subscribe

#story #history #facts

[RevMikeBlack]

I am an United Methodist Elder (our top level of ordination) with forty-four years in service. You have provided an excellent analysis of the situation without passing judgement. Thank you.

[robertparsons]

The most political dinners I have ever attended were when two or more Methodist preachers were at the table. The lay members of the UMC had no idea how political their leadership was and is. And this precedes the LGBT controversy.

[theresemalmberg]

I joined a small rural United Methodist church in 2017, just before all this broke. What initially attracted me to this particular congregation was the reputation it had in the community. It was known for its annual Thanksgiving dinners and its works of charity. That year it celebrated its 150th anniversary. Then in 2019 its pastor, who was well-liked, suddenly retired and was replaced by a new, very liberal pastor. Keep in mind this is a small country church in a rather conservative area. Right off the bat the new pastor and his wife came in rainbow flags a-flying, and introduced one of their guests as their teenaged daughter's "girlfriend". This remark did not go unnoticed. About that time we started hearing about the division within the denomination and the way forward and general conferences. Apparently this new pastor and his wife had plenty of time and energy to LGBT causes, including a camp for such children, but when it came to shepherding the rest of us, well . . . Those who did not agree with his stance were openly called bigots. People started leaving the church. I myself was on the way out partly because of an unrelated issue. This did not help. Anyway, he left, and another liberal pastor took his place. Now, one of the things we all had been repeatedly promised was that we, as a congregation, would get to vote on which way we wanted to go. Well, Covid came and shut down the church for a time being, and when it reopened, not one word was said about elections. When I asked, I was told that there would be an election only if someone asked for it; and since only two or three people were opposed to staying in the "liberal" UMC, he didn't feel an election was necessary. That sounded fishy to me as I not only had been a member of that particular congregation longer than he had, I also had lived in that area most of my adult life and thought I had a pretty good idea of how folks around here felt, whereas he was an outsider. Furthermore, how did he even know that only two or three people were opposed, when to the best of my knowledge the congregation hadn't been surveyed on the matter? I certainly hadn't been asked! He offered to meet with me to discuss this matter further. I declined after hearing what had happened to a friend of mine, in a similar meeting (on a separate issue) in which he told her that if this is the way she felt then maybe she and her family (who had been members for almost HALF A CENTURY!) ought to go elsewhere. And so they did, leaving yet another empty pew. That pretty much decided it for me. As I said, this church recently celebrated its 150th anniversary; I doubt very much it will be around to celebrate its 175th. There are no children, no young people, and most of those who remain are over 60.

I know that there are people who will call me bigoted and homophobic, but from what I have seen and experienced, the LGBT etc. movement is run by bullies who will do and say anything to get their way. They simply do not care. It is all about them and ONLY them. Even though they are a small minority, they have succeeded in destroying the once-united United Methodist Church. Do you think they will be satisfied with that? No, they are coming for YOUR church next!

[Glasguensis]

What a terrifying saga. This is what happens when one is guided by the "spirit of the age" rather than the Holy Spirit. What would Wesley say?

[drmichaelshea]

If I were Methodist, I’d just walk out the door. In my mind, the House of God is a house of order, not a house of controversy and contention.

[teresaburton]

Thank you for a great summary of events. Pray that the will of God will prevail.

[Vss]

Thank you for posting this! My mother is a CA progressive Methodist pastor, and I was never able to hear the other side. Now they are teaching the Jesus did NOT die for our sins, and drag queens are leading the sermons.

[WhtAbtBob]

I studied to be a UMC pastor for 3 years. I left because I found the church to be hypocritical and corrupt. I'm glad this split happened.

[pravoslavn]

Dear Traditionalist Friends in the UMC -- I went through this same song-and-dance in the Episcopal Church USA better than 30 years ago. They day my family (and nine other families) walked, I finally had spiritual peace of mind. You cannot co-exist with these evil people and lying overlords. Vote with your feet and your pocketbook !

[wtpence]

A Great video, also on Youtube, concerning this is " Broken Legacy, United Methodist Church..."

[zorro]

it all comes down to the money. thank God i left the umc

[justinreagan]

If those in leadership position in this denomination openly and willfully disregard the inspired word of God, why would anyone expect them to follow laws written by mere humans?

[meestirbig]

Here's something to think about. In Sodom, the towns people came and demanded that Lot should turn over the angels to them, so that they could love them, in an immoral way. Lot refused. Remember how God felt about it then. He destroyed the town.
Today, the people are doing the same thing. They are coming to your church's, schools, media, social networks and even your employer's and demanding that your children be turned over to them, so, that they could love them.
Remember how God felt in Lot's day. He hasn't changed, only the world has changed. If God were to talk to you today what do you think he would say about this issue? Don't think to hard. You will find his response in Deuteronomy Chapter 10:12. Now turn to something Paul said: You will find this in 1 Corinthians chapter 6:9-10.
It couldn't be any clearer.

[ronnniegallimore]

Very well put together info., Thanks from ronnie g. < Canaan GMC former umc

[jphelps]

Just saw where the UMC Bishops are getting a raise hext year while at the same time outreach programs are looking at nassive cuts in their spending. Now we know where the UMC's priorities are. One Hundred Seventy Nine Thousand dollars a year isn't a bad salary for people that have wrecked their denomination.Kind of sounds like the same business plan of Bud Light doesn't it?

[lesterpettus]

John Wesley affirmed the Bible was the only authority and guide for life and fairh.

To reject it is to remove oneself from Christianity.

The UMC and all denominations once they reject the authority of Scripture will just be another pagan religion but in no way true Biblical Christianity.

[douglasstrother]

I was an active member in a local UMC congregation 2008-2019. I left when they became more of a leftist social activist organization rather than a church.

[markalexander]

I believe you captured the essence and many of the details of this travesty most masterfully. The more that many bishops and conferences were seen as duplicitous and heavy-handed, along with the election of a second equally ineligible candidate for bishop in the same Western Jurisdiction, the stampede turned into a flood in those conferences where it was still possible to disaffiliate. Pity those faithful traditionalist churches that could not. By the end of 2023 and the sunset of Paragraph 2553, in excess of 7500 churches will have left the UMC, about 26% of the total just three years earlier. A few hundred more will still be held captive by unjust shenanigans.

The irony is that had the One Church Plan favored by the bishops and the progressive wing of the church passed at the special General Conference in 2019, a similar result would likely have occurred, just three or four years earlier. The "big tent" of the United Methodist Church had been fraying for years and just could no longer accommodate beliefs and values ranging from apostasy to traditionalist orthodoxy.

[charliecrowe]

“Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive any of her plagues;

[relaxcat]

I’ve left the UMC after being a member for 40 plus years. I’ve been attending a conservative Lutheran church and love it.