UMC Church at a crossroads

The liberal United Methodist Church (UMC) is holding its annual meeting for 10 days this month (starting on the 23rd) during a tough time in their history.  Having lost 185,000 US members in the last three years, and struggling with conflict over matters of doctrine, the UMC church must do something to reverse the trend.

One News Now Covers:
Mark Tooley of the Institute on Religion and Democracy will be in attendance. He is hopeful delegates will stand firm on scripture. "Obviously, it's damaging when a third of the church seemingly wants to disregard the scriptures and follow the secular world in accepting homosexual practice as on par with Christian marriage," he comments. "But fortunately -- thanks partly to the growing African church -- there is a growing majority for traditional Christian beliefs that I hope will help to bring this debate mostly to an end."

Associated Press reports the agenda in Fort Worth includes efforts to overturn the UMC's ban on "self-avowed, practicing homosexual" clergy. But many delegates from other countries, in particular Africa, are known for heeding to a literal interpretation of the Bible.

First, here is another example of an issue we've discussed previously in regards to demographic trends in the church.  The so-called mainline liberal denominations are quickly dying off here in the US.  Simultaneously, we are seeing their overseas membership grow.  The center of Christianity is slowly moving outside of the US, particularly in these denominations, and may end up being predominantly Hispanic or African in origin. 

Second, for the UMC, they must determine what is causing this trend.  Despite a multi-million dollar marketing campaign designed to appeal to the un-churched, they've managed to lose a significant number of parishioners.  Some may believe that becoming more like the world will attract new and vibrant congregations, but perhaps it has the opposite affect.  Even those who aren't particularly religious recognize a faith that's bankrupt of principle.  Why attend a church that wants to be please man, instead of one that encourages us to reach for something higher?

Comments

[Leon Dixon]

Yep, that salt what lost its flavor lost its value.....