Conservative Methodists break away to form a new denomination adhering to Biblical views on the sexes, reports said.
According to New York Daily News, the Methodist Church's conservative arm took another step toward breaking away from LGBTQ rights by creating a new denomination that focuses on the Bible's teachings, particularly what it says about marriage and the sexes.
The new denomination, named Global Methodist Church, does not recognize same-sex marriage and strengthens bans on the ordination of LGBTQ people. It has unveiled its plan and a website.
NY Daily News said that Global Methodist Church promises to be "ethnically and racially diverse" such that it will allow women to serve at all levels but adheres to the "traditional understanding of Christian marriage as God intended it to be: a covenant between a man and a woman for human sexual expression," the Associated Press noted.
The breakaway is a result of the support for the LGBTQ such that there is already an ordained lesbian bishop currently in place in Methodist churches. Part of the plans of the Global Methodist Church is to implement its separation during the Methodist's General Conference that will be held August 29 to Sept. 2, 2022 wherein the Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation will be conducted.
The United Methodist Church, NY Daily News revealed, has 12.6 million members worldwide, of which 7 million are in the United States.
Religion News Service, on the other hand, reported that the planned split was negotiated by 16 United Methodist bishops and advocacy leaders that created a Transitional Leadership Council to guide the creation of the Global Methodist Church.
"Over the past year the council members, and hundreds of people who have informed their work, have faithfully and thoughtfully arrived at this point. They are happy to share with others a wealth of information about a church they believe will be steeped in the lifegiving confessions of the Christian faith," Transitional Leadership Council Chair Rev. Keith Boyette said.
Boyette, who is also the Wesleyan Covenant Association President, said that the "primary mission of the Global Methodist Church will be to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly."
The Wesleyan Covenant Association Website said that the Transitional Leadership Council is composed of theologically conservative Methodists that ensures "the new church" will come "into existence without delay" especially if "it becomes apparent that the leading bishops, centrists, and progressives who covenanted to support the Protocol no longer do so," meaning it will continue with the split no matter what the decision will be come their annual assembly a year and half from now.
"The council said the new church will officially come into existence when a United Methodist General Conference adopts the implementing legislation for the Protocol for Reconciliation and Grace through Separation," the website said. "Local United Methodist churches, annual conferences, and central conferences will then be able to join the new denomination."
Currently, the new denomination already has its mission, vision, name, logo, and a website that contains frequently asked questions and a downloadable "Transitional Book of Doctrines and Disciplines" in five languages.
The Global Methodist Church is not a church just yet, its website stated.
