Will Global Methodism Be the Spark That Launches a Worldwide Revival?

By Steve Parker

Catawba County

The year 2024 marked the beginning of a new Christian denomination, the Global Methodist Church (GMC).  Since 2019, more than 7900 churches in the United Methodist (UMC) denomination, representing 25% of their total number, have disaffiliated.  They did this by taking advantage of a temporary exit window that had been established in a special session of their General Conference in 2019.  That window closed at the end of 2023.

There were a number of reasons cited by the churches that decided to leave, but two were at the top of the list. The first, for many churches, was a desire to have ownership of their buildings.  Under UMC rules, all church property was owned by the national denomination.  The churches that went through disaffiliation were able to depart and take their property with them, although most had to pay a hefty fee.

Secondly, there was a growing concern among these churches concerning the denomination’s stand on Scriptural sexual ethics.  Most of the congregations that left held traditional views concerning same-sex marriage, sex outside of traditional marriage, and gender identity  The majority of the denominational leadership and UMC clergy advocated for an embrace of changing cultural standards, supporting same-sex marriage and ordination of practicing homosexuals.  There were also numerous issues centered around the inspiration of Scripture, the deity of Christ, and the belief that the Christian faith holds the one true path to God.  The churches that disaffiliated held to traditional views on all these issues and felt they could no longer work together with the many churches who seemed to have abandoned the basic tenets of the Christian faith.

Of the churches that chose to disaffiliate, roughly 4500 have joined the new Global Methodist denomination.  Some are still in a discernment process concerning their future, while others have indicated a desire to stay independent.    Within the distribution area of the Blue Ridge Christian News, six churches have aligned with the GMC:  Mt. Zion Community Church in Spruce Pine, Roan Global Methodist in Bakersville / Red Hill, Minneapolis Methodist in Newland, Higgins Methodist in Burnsville, Trinity Methodist Church in Dysartsville (McDowell County), and Bethel Road Methodist and Arney’s – Fairview Methodist, both in Morganton.

For many who first hear about the GMC, the question comes to mind: “Do we really need another denomination?”. Other than taking a more conservative/traditional approach to theological and social issues, what sets the GMC apart?  Couldn’t these conservative churches just join up with the Southern Baptists? (A few of the disaffiliating Methodist churches have actually taken that route!)

In actuality, the formation of the Global Methodist denomination has the potential to make a dramatic difference in the country and the world.  Most United Methodists (and quite a few Global Methodists) do not realize the radical impact that Methodism had back in its first century of existence.  Methodism’s founder, John Wesley, had experienced a dramatic encounter with the power of God that transformed His existence.  He found that Christianity was not merely doctrines and church structures, but the path to experience the reality of the Lord Jesus Christ and His power to change people’s lives.  Early Methodists were encouraged to pursue and live out a life of holiness empowered by the Holy Spirit.  Church structures were put in place to ensure that members were actually living out a life of discipleship and not just Christians in name only.

This emphasis on a living faith that flowed out of a divine relationship with God empowered the rapid and powerful growth of the Methodist movement in the United States.  At the time of the American Revolution, Methodism was the smallest of denominations in the country.  By 1850, one in every three Christians in America were Methodist, with a new church being built every day.

Sadly, during the latter half of the 1800s, Methodism began to veer from its pursuit of holiness in exchange for “influence.” The massive size of the church gave it a great deal of political, economic, and social power.  Bit by bit, the movement became socially accepted and respected.  Massive churches were built to draw the elites of the community.  Seminaries began to embrace new theological perspectives coming out of Germany, questioning Christ’s resurrection and divinity.  Rather than presenting a Christian path of discipleship for those seeking to lay down their lives for Christ, the church began to focus on the social gospel, preferring to engage in charitable works and progressive political movements.

Slowly, the church lost its fire, then its numbers.  United Methodist membership peaked in 1968 at over 11 million members.  The latest numbers indicate a membership of 4 1/4 million, a decline of over 60% and a third of the size of the Southern Baptist Convention, now America’s largest Protestant denomination.

All is not lost, however. The Gospel seed that Wesley sowed is still in the ground, some already bearing fruit and some waiting to be activated by those hungry to know Christ and be transformed by the power of the Spirit. There is a move afoot within the Global Methodist Church to lay hold of the heritage and dynamism of early Methodism and bring that power forward into our 21st-century context.  This is reflected in the new denomination’s mission statement: “The Global Methodist Church exists to make disciples of Jesus Christ and spread scriptural holiness across the globe.”

Over the next several months, I will be digging into some of early Methodism’s doctrines and ministry structures that empowered the movement and exploring how they can be used in our day and age to advance the Kingdom.  I will also be partnering with others in our local churches to raise awareness of what is going on with the Global Methodists in your area and how you can get involved.

In the meantime, join us in praying for revival in our nation and around the world.  Be encouraged.  God is at work.  The challenges are great, but He is mighty!

________________________________________

Steve Parker is Pastor of Bethel Global Methodist Church and Arney’s – Fairview Global Methodist Church. He grew up in Mitchell County, NC and is the former publisher of Blue Ridge Christian News.

________________________________________