In 2019, the United Methodists narrowly voted in favor of holding to a biblical sexual ethic and disallowed LGBTQ clergy in the denomination after years of deliberation and battling. Believing that the denomination was headed for an inevitable split due to large amounts of UMC delegates who were in favor of LGBTQ inclusion, the denomination surprised many as a majority of the African denominational leadership staved off the total apostasy by voting against it.

But that vote wasn’t the end of it. Since then, United Methodist churches have defied the new rules banning homosexuality and many have moved forward with their gay agenda despite the threat of disciplinary actions. Lesbians have been ordained as “pastors” since then and some churches have even held “coming out” services. Needless to say, the denomination is still filled with almost fifty percent in favor of immoral sexual ethics.

Growing increasingly frustrated with churches in the denomination that rebuffed the will of the voters and continue to go against the denomination’s rules by practicing sexual immorality, a plan was then put in place to allow a “peaceful transition” of churches that no longer wanted to stay united.

That transition was scheduled to take place in 2020, but since the pandemic, it has been postponed twice and will not be postponed a third time.

Conservatives, however, plan to move forward with the split and will be launching a brand new Methodist denomination on May 1. The denomination will be named the Global Methodist Church and is currently, according to its website, being led by a 17-member council with leaders from Africa, Europe, Eurasia, the Philippines, and the United States.

While it’s good to see that there is at least some movement away from total apostasy, the new denomination will still allow women to be ordained and serve as pastors.

Local churches will be able to begin the process of joining the denomination beginning May 1.