Over 100 FL Churches Leave Denomination
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Over 100 FL Churches Leave Denomination
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Hundreds of Methodist churches are leaving their denomination over faulty teaching and theological liberalism.
From The Daily Wire. More than 100 Florida churches have joined a lawsuit against a regional body of the United Methodist Church (UMC), seeking fair terms for leaving the denomination over LGBTQ issues….
Who is praying on the wall?
The Florida churches are represented by the National Center for Life & Liberty.
“The reason the lawsuit was filed was that the 106 churches believed that the Florida Annual Conference is not being equitable in creating a split that they’re able to successfully minister in the communities for the Gospel,” the group’s CFO Jonathan Bailie told the Christian Post.
“The churches are frustrated with the annual conference’s violations of the Book of Discipline and refusal to honor the Traditional Plan as outlined in the 2019 General Conference,” he added.
The issue hit a high point when Kenneth Carter, Resident Bishop of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, refused to enforce actions against an openly lesbian bishop in St. Petersburg, according to The Tallahassee Democrat.
When Florida churches sought to break away from the state’s governing body, they were told they would be forced to pay a large fine, claiming “all properties” are held in the trust of the denomination….
The churches in dispute are part of a movement of more conservative congregations within the UMC that oppose the denomination’s efforts to condone same-sex marriage ceremonies and ordain LGBTQ clergy members.
The denomination’s Book of Discipline holds that same-sex activity is “incompatible with Christian teaching” and bans participation in same-sex wedding ceremonies.
Another concern is related to where the separating churches will turn for new denominational relations. In May, 107 Florida congregations announced plans to join the newly formed Global Methodist Church (GMC) as a theologically conservative alternative to the traditional United Methodist Church….
WCA [Wesleyan Covenant Association] Florida President Jay Therrell claimed the church left them rather than the congregations leaving the denomination.
“We are not leaving The United Methodist Church. The United Methodist Church has left us,” Therrell said in the statement.
“After a decades-long rise of theological liberalism, the selective enforcement of our denominational laws, and a strong surge in the promotion of partisan politics, our churches long for the day of being able to unite with like-minded Christians who focus on sharing the Good News of Jesus and help people to be transformed by His salvation,” he added.
A statement sent by email from WCA Florida chapter President Jeremy Rebman, who serves as Senior Pastor of First Methodist Church of Vero Beach, Florida, says the state’s churches in the lawsuit represent nearly 20% of Florida United Methodist churches….
The Florida Methodist congregations are not alone in their exit. In June, 70 Georgia UMC churches announced plans to leave the denomination….
In Arkansas, a group of 35 UMC churches also announced their exit from the denomination. The state includes 634 member churches….
In Tennessee, 60 churches have already reportedly left the UMC in a similar process, according to a June report by The Tennessean….
In 2019, the UMC’s Special Session of the General Conference adopted a new policy, paragraph 2553, in its Book of Discipline to allow a congregation to leave over issues related to human sexuality.
“Because of the current deep conflict within The United Methodist Church around issues of human sexuality, a local church shall have a limited right, under the provisions of this paragraph, to disaffiliate from the denomination for reasons of conscience regarding a change in the requirements and provisions of the Book of Discipline related to the practice of homosexuality or the ordination or marriage of self-avowed practicing homosexuals as resolved and adopted by the 2019 General Conference,” the policy states….
How are you praying for these churches, and for the American church as a whole? Share your thoughts and prayers below.
(Excerpt from The Daily Wire. Photo Credit: Daniel Tseng on Unsplash)
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My church was a satelite of a larger church with a television ministry. During the pandemic the larger church decided to close all the branches. Our sweet branch decided to continue as a new church start up; the parent church encouraged us to continue and supported us financially as we affiliated with the Weslyan Church and transferred deeds, etc. We had to be bibically prepared as a new congregation as well. What a blessing for us as well as the big church! I am so happy that I have lived to see the Holy Spirit moving in so many areas and we are seeing baptisms continue. My ancestors attended the Rehoboh Methodist Church, the log cabin church still standing in WV, so I have been watching this unresolved division in the denomination for a while ..
God is doing new things in America. Why not set these churches free and also be generous to them with an exit gift? Isn’t it wonderful that they feel this passionately about the Bible? So often, administrators can forget that God will take care of the details. It is his money. I pray you show love to one another generously as you disagree and part with Jesus’ multiplication: loaves and fishes in love as well.
Follow the Bible anything else is blasphemy
When the Christian church wants to agree with the world it is time for these things. First the parishioners need to pray that the pastors and other members to know God’s truth through his word. Second they need to act. Act means discuss God’s truth with other members and the pastors. All of this needs to be done in a loving way as Jesus taught.
Matthew 18:15-20 ESV
[15] “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. [16] But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. [17] If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. [18] Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. [19] Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. [20] For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
If all else fails, time to start a new church. Let the church of world have their property. Let the church of the world deal with it.
Bout time they left that cesspool.
In order for there to be change people have to push back in order to stand up for what is right. I left my denomination because they were not preaching the whole truth of the word of God. They were picking only the ones they liked and leaving the rest. Not only that some of what they taught did not line up with the word of God. I am thankful I went to a college that explained our their beliefs because I needed to know and decide for myself what was the truth of the word and what wasn’t. Many churches are the same, and have turned people away from God instead of pointing them to Jesus. I am praying for there to a complete turnaround in our churches, they have failed to reach those that are actually hurting and speak the truth in love.
My great-grandfather came here from Ireland and served a circuit of small churches in Alabama for the rest of his life. He must be turning in his grave!
My husband and I left the United Methodist Church in 1988 over the church’s stance on abortion. We were told that “9 million people can’t be wrong”. Well, they are, and still are. And now they are evenore wrong.
“The churches are frustrated with the annual conference’s violations of the Book of Discipline and refusal to honor the Traditional Plan as outlined in the 2019 General Conference,”
The Bible is the book we are required to honor and obey. “The Jews demanded, “What sign can You show us to prove Your authority to do these things?” Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.”
HE DID!
And it appears HE IS STILL.
Keep our eyes steadfast upon Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith and we will not have these conflicts. The Word is the rule of thumb. Truth will make us free. You cannot refute God.
Father God almighty full of mercy and grace, I pray that your people will pray to see your will and then be obedient to your calling. Give us, your church, the strength to be your witnesses to a dieing world. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven that you may be honored and glorified. In the precious name of of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen!
they closed our church and sold it there is a famous law firm helping churches all should consult them it is easily found on the youtube
We must obey principles outlined in the Bible concerning homosexuality no matter what denomination we are from. I’m not trying to Bible bash people who think otherwise, but remember right before the return of Christ, the true church will be raptured out of planet earth and those remaining will go through Tribulation. I’m not happy with the SBC either since I left the SBC convention wise after these sex crime allegations surfaced. This Has To Stop!