Gideons End Relationship with The United Methodist Church

With the decidedly progressive turn of The United Methodist Church being widely known and circulated, evangelical faithful groups around the country and the world are reassessing their relationship with the once great institution. Of those, the Gideons have become clear that they can no longer in good conscience walk in hand in hand anymore.

[xpjusdo]

Good for the Gideons. I just sent them a donation.

[Raulgrump]

Spot on!! Some memorable quotes here... Especially your observations about the original Wesleyan movement, and "This rhetoric of openness and inclusion has everybody running for the doors"... Bravo!

[MisterMiller]

Unsurprisingly, the UMC is losing its partnerships along with its members.

[JMarkJones]

I’n very proud of my Gideon brothers. I’m going to contact our local camp. Let them know that we are proudly disaffiliated with apostasy.

[kennethsanders]

I think this is a good move. I was a Gideon many years ago and appreciate the work they do providing Bibles and Testaments in many areas. One of my GM church charges recently had our local Gideons bring Testaments to the VBS kids. Blessings Jeff.

[ricknelson]

I am a, Gideon. Our church disaffiliated from the UMC. We all sign a pledge that we believe marriage is between one man and one woman. The UMC no longer believes in this.

[joer]

So no member of the UMC can be a member of the Gideon’s! Wonderful!

[jeffdollar]

Jeffrey - our independent church has supported and cooperated with the Gideons for many decades. The last time a representative spoke in our church we informed them that we would no longer accept any speaker from the UMC. I think this has been happening all over the country.

[mkbailey]

I am clergy in the UMC. During 2 different appointments I (and the churches I served) were not included by the Gideons in their ministry because I am a woman... this does not surprise me.

[David-uuoj]

Hi Carolyn, good news, the Gideon's mission has not changed to reach the unsaved across all lands. Sadly, the UMC as we knew it to be has changed it's mission to not follow all of Gods Word in the Holy Bible😢,
It is written, we must all repent of our sins to restore our relationship with the Lord.❤

[ctrawick]

Another sad consequence of the UMC aligning itself as itchy-ears purveyors.

When a denomination decides that God’s Word is no longer what matters most, this is the expected, albeit sad, result.

[drkennedy]

Many UMCs have not allowed Gideon's in for many years.

[lorenengland]

I would hope the Gideons severed their ties!

[JamesAllmond]

Wow, we had a few of their guys attending our church for years. (we are GMC now). Not surprised, but did not see it coming.
Caricature? More of a a hyperbole of what they used to be is the best I can come up with.

[heidicain]

I’ve long had a difficult relationship with the Gideons because they do not allow women to be in leadership. My late husband refused to be involved with them because of this issue.

Funny enough the Gideons provided bibles to the hospital that I serve now.

I’m not surprised at their departure. Surprised it wasn’t sooner. I think the UMC had a lot of patience for Gideons and vice versa.

[michaeldaniel]

I am a traditional UMC clergy (yes, there are many), and I have always found the Gideons to be decidedly anti-Catholic (I grew up Catholic). I "disaffiliated" with Gideons a long time ago. I am not KJV on any level, and I don't apologize for that. What I also have found is that the New Testament makes no sense apart from the OT. But make no mistake; Gideons will follow the money.

[davewil]

UMC would not be recognized as a Christian church. And it is not.

[mht]

I was recenly reading about the Holiness movement which emerged from Methodism during the 19th century. Hard to believe what is presently happening to the Methodist church. I am Catholic, my church is undergoing some issues too especially with leadership.

[tonymccord]

Wow! John Wesley would be so embarrassed. The Methodist Church has been gradually highjacked by those who will not follow the Bible.

[nco_gets_it]

From my perspective, the UMC was never Biblically and doctrinally sound...but that aside, this is what happens when you declare Sola Scriptura and don't protect yourself from the trend in seminaries, etc to reject that the scripture is authoritative. So I'm not surprised that this is going on in the UMC. Next up will be some surprising groups like the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ, more Lutherans, and surprising to many (but not to myself) Pentecostalism writ large.