The United Methodist Church (UMC) is literally falling apart. The media likes to make this all about homosexuality and accuse half of Methodism as being evil hypocrites who are unwilling to follow the most basic commandment - Love Thy Neighbor. You can see the typical media spin in a recent Texas Monthly article, which was about as balanced as you will see from the mainstream press. This latest kerfuffle is just one more step in a long march away from God's Truth. But its not as simple as secular people would believe. So let's take a closer look at Methodism, and how it reached this point.
Years ago people claimed the UMC logo was a secret nod to the KKK. The terrorist arm of the Democrat party was fond of setting crosses on fire at their hoedowns, and as a means of intimidating their enemies - minorities, Jews, Republicans, and anyone who supported Republican candidates, or opposed their reign of terror.
There is absolutely no truth to this. The Cross, OBVIOUSLY, refers to what Jesus Christ accomplished at Calvary. He set aside His Divine Glory and became the Son of Man. Then, He was subjected to unspeakable cruelty and violence, ultimately paying the wages of sin for all. His identification with us, allows us to identify with His sacrifice. And when we BELIEVE in HIM, we are made Alive in Christ, no longer spiritually dead, set FREE from slavery to sin. This is the core message of Christianity. When you see the cross, you should remember what Jesus did for you! (Ephesians 2:1-10)
16 For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.
John 3:16 AMP
The flames represent the Holy Spirit, reminiscent of the tongues of fire that were observed when the disciples were Baptized by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The two flames have a dual meaning. First, the merging of two denominations to form the UMC. Second, the individual anointing God gives each Believer to perform their service in the Body of Christ. I would suggest a third as well, the transformative power of the Holy Spirit that changes folks from the inside out. A Believer will no longer desire to sin. They will want to be a Blessing, and not a curse to others. They will seek to please God, not their selfish interests. It really is amazing to see someone change after truly KNOWING God. (Acts 2:1-47)
4 And my language and my message were not set forth in persuasive (enticing and plausible) words of wisdom, but they were in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit and power [a proof by the Spirit and power of God, operating on me and stirring in the minds of my hearers the most holy emotions and thus persuading them],
5 So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men (human philosophy), but in the power of God.
1 Corinthians 2:4-5 AMP
My Grandfather was a circuit riding pastor for the UMC. Both my parents, Spirit-filled Believers, were at their Methodist church whenever the doors were open - serving, volunteering, learning, praying, evangelizing, singing, teaching, whatever. I grew up in the UMC, graduated from two UMC universities, including SMU - which has now distanced itself officially from the UMC. I share all that merely for context. I have much love for the UMC, but it has radically changed even in my lifetime.
At my last UMC church, a large congregation in the DFW area, I was shocked one Sunday when the main service featured a "sermon" that was based on a Disney film, including scenes from the film to reinforce the message. And I wish that was an isolated incident. However, while searching for a UMC congregation to call my home for a year long stay in Southern New Jersey, I continued to find congregations that had social messages on Sunday, and seemingly were quite happy with that. When did the UMC stop preaching the Word? I'm certain it varies from church to church, but in several decades of attending/visiting UMC churches, you start to notice a pattern. (2 Timothy 4:8)
Before I go any further, let me throw in a disclaimer. I grew up in what some would dismiss as a charismatic home. Both parents actively used their Spiritual Gifts, Believed the Word, and lived by Faith. I witnessed many miracles - more than I could ever share in a blog. My Mother would often, by the Gift of Knowledge, know what I was doing - for better or worse. And at times, prayed me out of harm's way without knowing the nature of the danger I was facing. She prayed in the Spirit until she had peace, and then confirmed events with me the next day. I was a baby Christian then, so it seemed mostly "spooky" to me - the same way most religious folks view anyone who experiences anything supernatural. The religious dismiss it as coincidence. Yet when nobody prays or believes, those coincidences get quite rare. And when Faith is present, and miracles are expected, there seems to be much more coincidences in my favor. If you still can't believe in God, call it a self-fulfilling prophecy if that makes you feel better.
After my Parents departed to be with the Lord, my faith waned for a time. I endured some difficulty and started questioning everything. But just when I could not go any lower, there was God lifting me up. With a new zeal I studied the Word, sought out evangelists and ministers who truly BELIEVED God's Word, and read every book and listened to every sermon available. I was miraculously healed in one day from a condition that came on quite suddenly, causing me to gag and vomit every few minutes. I did not want to go to the hospital, and could not miss work. So instead, I confessed the Word, listened to it, and praised God. By the morning all the symptoms were gone, and I have never had any further trouble. Praise God!
So when I am hungry for the Word, I want MEAT. I want to hear teaching/preaching under the Anointing of God. Imagine going out to eat and being fed cupcakes and Twinkies. Your body can do little with that except store fat, get sick, and grow weaker. You need a healthy diet of organic meat, fish, or poultry, and of course vegetables and fruits. The body needs a plethora of nutrients that come from a variety of natural sources to thrive and be healthy. And you need exercise, water, and sunlight for maximum health. In spiritual terms, that means the Light of God's Truth, the cleansing of the Word, and expanding (or exercising) your faith.
If you are a babe in Christ, waddling around in your spiritual diapers, a simple sermon about being nice may be quite meaningful. But Believers need to grow UP in the Lord so they can transition from milk to the meat of the Word. The Good News - God will provide water for thirsty ground. So get what you can from wherever you go. But there may be a time when you need to find a more spiritually mature congregation, or teaching that helps you grow. Or you may have to do what I did and find additional food sources beyond your local church. Let the Lord lead you. (Isaiah 44:1-3, 1 Corinthians 3:1-11, 1 Peter 2:1-3)
The UMC was at one time known as a "fiery" denomination, one that got people saved and filled with the Spirit. Allowing the Holy Spirit to lead is where TRUE unity comes from - it is what brought the early Jewish and Gentile Believers together. (Acts 10) Those led by the Spirit are truly children of God! (Romans 8) The Body of Christ has different parts, BUT only ONE HEAD - Jesus. And He knows what the Body needs! God is Spirit. And those who worship Him MUST worship in a truly spiritual manner. (John 4 - Note the Figure Hendiadys in the key verse)
In the comments of the Texas Monthly article referenced above, folks commented that it was balanced. Yet it still implies that homosexuality is the primary reason for the split. That makes for a good story. It generates clicks, enrages the agitators, but its not fair, nor is it completely true. Jesus came to SAVE sinners, not make them feel comfortable in their sins. And that goes for ALL sin. The world, and even many denominations, have normalized a bunch of sins - for instance adultery and fornication, and religion keeps expanding the list! But when you choose Jesus, you are MADE ALIVE, transformed into a New Creation in Christ. Spiritually dead people see no problem with sexual sin, or any sins for that matter. New Creations In Christ lose those desires, often immediately. When was the last time this was taught in a UMC congregation? Or most denominations for that matter?
Jesus, and TRUE Believers, still love everyone - nothing has changed. We love them so much we want them set FREE. Sin is bondage. Spiritual death is separation from your Heavenly Father, your Creator who knows you better than you know yourself. When you reject His Word, you reject Him. And no amount of "good works" will allow you to "earn" your way to Him. There is only ONE WAY - and His Name is Jesus. You choose Him, and reject satan, sin, and death. Instead, you CHOOSE LIFE! (John 14:5-7) No true followers of Jesus have any desire to persecute or hurt anyone.
Jesus told the woman caught in adultery to "go and sin no more." He did not say, "I love you, continue to commit adultery." This is the critical issue in the UMC. Should we welcome sinners and show them the path to Salvation? Yes. Obviously! Should we embrace them and make them feel welcome to continue living in sin? What did Jesus do? (John 8:1-11) He said, "Go, and sin no more."
Both sides of the UMC split I believe are acting in good faith. Both want desperately to at least be seen to keep the Law of Love. They are doing their best to follow Jesus, who did dine with sinners. Jesus also allowed a thief to remain in his employ - Judas. All the time applying Mercy, wanting him to repent. God knows who we are and what we do in the darkness. No sinful thought or action occurs without His knowledge. As Believers, we can ask for forgiveness through Jesus and its like that sin never happened. That is the power of faith in Jesus, and what He accomplished. God also KNEW you before you were formed in the womb. Your entire life was mapped out, and you were given the Grace to accomplish all that He has planned for you. And its a GOOD plan! But far too often we stray from His plan, causing all sorts of challenges. Your purpose may be saving just one person. But imagine what happens if you are a no show? You may be the only Jesus they ever meet!
From God's perspective, He created Adam, both male and female. So there are only two physical options on Earth. In the Body of Christ, there is NEITHER male or female - from God's perspective, we are equal in the Body - living, speaking spirits. There are no adulterers, fornicators, homosexuals, transgenders etc. There are only men and women - all created for His Divine Will. You may be attracted to the same sex, but that is not WHO YOU ARE in the eyes of God. That is a manifestation of the sinful nature, demonic influence leading you away from your Heavenly Father and Divine Purpose. Same goes for folks who have sex outside of marriage for fun or sport. Some now call it Body Count, as if it is competition! God's plan was for a man and woman to be One Flesh for life, a Covenant of Love, which only makes sex that much more enjoyable, and it is quite helpful for raising happy and healthy children. When folks stray from God's ideal, things go catawampus. You cannot be committed without LOVE, nor can you have LOVE without commitment. And I am talking about the God-kind of LOVE - Agape. That cannot exist outside of God's Will. You might experience EROS - erotic feelings/lust, or maybe even PHILEO - a brotherly affection, but without God's Blessing, those relationships outside of God's Plan will never completely satisfy.
Assume you live an "alternative lifestyle" and do not KNOW God as Lord or Savior. When you go to a CHURCH, it is to worship your Heavenly Father. But if you have no connection to Him, how is that possible? Its really quite easy. You go to the alter, the front of the church, and confess your sins before God. You quite literally leave your old self there. That is what Jesus did on the cross. He became sin, and then destroyed it. That was ALL SIN, FOR ALL TIME. Imagine that! So by giving your sin to Jesus, renouncing your old spiritual daddy - satan, you are SET FREE. You are spiritually reborn with a NEW LORD over your life. And in Jesus, there is LIBERTY, not the bondage of sin, or even religious bondage.
Church members should help you with this journey, encourage you, pray for you, and of course Love you. If instead they tell you that you are perfect just the way you are - they do not love you. They are in fact saying you are better off a slave to sin. And that is NOT the TRUTH, nor is it Love.
If someone was swimming in a shark-invested body of water, would you try to save them? I would hope so. That means sharing the Gospel - God's Truth. And it just might be uncomfortable. What would you do if you found someone committing adultery within the congregation? Or what if someone is molesting children? Would you attempt to minister to these folks quietly at first, maybe two or three Believers sharing the Good News or correcting them quietly in person? And of course if they were breaking the law or harming folks, remove them quickly. This is where Spiritual leadership is most helpful - knowing how to minister to those who are lost, as well as protect the flock.
Would you want people who are committed to a sinful lifestyle in positions of authority? Not without a DIRECT Word/Command from the Lord. It is possible someone could change. Jesus transformed a "heretic hunting" Saul into the greatest evangelist in history. But Saul spent much time with the Lord before he stepped fully into his calling. A rebellious sinner has no business in a leadership position, or as a shepherd over Believers. Commonsense should make that obvious. Yet there are churches with people in leadership positions living sexually perverse lifestyles. And even worse, teaching that it is acceptable to God! (1 Timothy 1:1-11, Titus 1:10-16)
8 We know that the law is good when used correctly. 9 For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders. 10 The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders, liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching 11 that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God.
1 Timothy 1:8-11) NLT
It has been proven to be a truly slippery slope in churches. They follow the path of Eve, "Did God really say..." The moment you attempt to reimagine, embellish, or doubt God's Word, you end up in a religious ditch. The religious fret over the decline of the world and its attacks on Christianity, yet the greatest threat to the Body of Christ is often from within, specifically pastors and teachers.
Satan started the downfall of mankind by questioning the veracity of God's Word. Consider that for just a moment. God, Creator of the Universe, who cannot lie, is being questioned by a created servant, and one who had already been cast down for rebellion. Its doubtful Eve knew satan's backstory, or else she would have not entertained him. But her curiosity, considering satan's words, led to her misquoting, and embellishing God's Word, and then doubting His warning. Why does this matter? Jesus defeated satan by quoting the Word - "It is written..." (Genesis 3)
Everything God has spoken is for our benefit. Its not to restrict freedom, but to keep us safe. The forbidden fruit led to spiritual death IMMEDIATELY, physical death would follow, made easier by a world now controlled by satan. Our primary weapon to oppose the enemy is the Word of God. Which becomes quite useless if you do not know it, or even worse, do not believe it.
The Word must be rightly divided. It MUST be understood SPIRITUALLY. All of Scripture is FOR us, but not everything is written TO or ABOUT us. This is quite important when studying the Word. For instance, almost 1500 years slipped by with people believing that they must WORK for their Salvation. Religion came up with all sorts of religious hooey - ceremonies, rituals, practices, that they demanded must be done in order to be saved, and even then it was doubtful. But just to be certain, once you were gone, religion would gladly take payments from your family to make sure you arrived in Heaven. This CLEARLY contradicts God's Word. But it took Reformers digging in the Word and praying for Spiritual insight to see and forcefully reject it.
Same goes for women in the ministry. This sacred cow still persists among today's religious folks in spite of numerous verses and examples in the Word. There were MANY women in the early church - they flocked to The Way for the LIBERTY promised in Christ. Paul names several women he calls fellow workers in Christ in Romans 16. Yet women are to remain quiet? Even the strictest, most misogynistic denomination does not follow this completely. But just like for the men, this is GOD's choice, not the men, women, or religion. He places folks in the Body, calls people into the ministry, as it pleases HIM. If that were universally true in the UMC, I would not be writing this blog. Anointed men and women should not allow this strife and division to take place.
The minute you allow envy, strife, or division into the congregation, satan takes advantage of the opening. He seeks to divide and destroy Believers, and he will take the smallest crack and exploit it. His folks have been agitating within denominations for years in an attempt to reimagine Scripture and normalize all sexual sin and perversion. He has been successful in splitting two denominations, and now a third - the UMC. Resist him. (John 8:31-47, Romans 16:17-20, 1 Corinthians 13:33-34, Ephesians 6:10-20, Galatians 5:13-26, James 3:13-18, 4:1-12, 1 Peter 5:1-8)
To sum it all up - Don't be religious. Overcome evil by doing Good. Let God be God. Paul makes this clear in Romans 12.
14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD.
20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”
21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Romans 12:14-21 NLT
The religious leaders dragged a woman caught in adultery before Jesus, eager to stone her, but mostly to "test" Jesus. They did not bother to bring the man - as it takes two to commit adultery. Why? Were they really concerned with upholding the Law? Why the mercy for the man? Misogyny? Was it simply bloodlust, the desire to "legally" stone a woman to death? Jesus obviously knew their thoughts, and pointed out their hypocrisy by saying, "He who is WITHOUT sin cast the first stone." None could honestly claim that. They were not saved - Jesus had not yet died. And the Law only provided a temporary "cover" for their sins. They had to leave in shame. Jesus asked the woman, "Where are your accusers?" (John 8:1-11)
UMC congregations will have to consider their votes carefully. There are no winners or losers. The accuser of the brethren takes this round. Moving forward, you would assume each side will have much less division, for what that is worth.
So now we will have two denominations. Some congregations will fail. Others will thrive. Hopefully most will move forward more united than before. In discussions with folks from both camps its clear that there are sincere Believers on both sides. One makes LOVE a priority and insists they will be a positive influence on the lost - who are often not welcome in churches. There is some merit to this - assuming leadership and the majority of members are spiritually mature. In practice what often happens is sinful behavior becomes more prevalent and accepted when it is allowed into a congregation. Again, the goal SHOULD BE to get people saved. What has happened to other denominations that have gone down this path is they simply accept all sins, and within a short time there are sermons praising abortions, sexual perversion, and any other extreme demonic position.
On the other side, there is a danger of a spirit of self-righteousness taking over the congregation. Similar to what Jesus faced with the religious leaders of his time, they simply wanted NOTHING to do with those dirty, rotten sinners. And were shocked Jesus would even have dinner with them! But how do you help people meet Jesus if you refuse to interact with them? You may be the only Jesus they ever meet. Many have grown up in religious homes who rejected them. They assume all Christians hate them, and want nothing to do with Jesus. And can you blame them?
Sadly, I expect some congregations will simply fade away. Others will merge to survive. This is not unexpected. Other denominations have faced similar division. What is interesting is that in the 70s there was a prophecy from Charles Capps that seems to apply to these times.
“For the day is at hand when the ministry of the Word of God shall come
alive in the Church. Those who have been dead to the things of God shall rise
to their feet and walk in the wisdom and in the power of God!
“The strength of Almighty God shall flow in the midst of them! So shall
they walk in the avenue of life until the wisdom that flows from their lips
shall astound the world.
“For they’ll speak of the Spirit of God. The anointing of God will arise
within them. The angels and ministering spirits shall become very much
involved in the lives of the believers who will stand to their feet in this day
and walk in the principles of the Word.
“So shall the anointing of God flow in the earth. And so shall the Church
of Almighty God be built! It will come as an explosion, as it were, by the
power of the Spirit of God.
“And so shall they rise here and rise there. They’ll rise from obscurity.
You will see churches rising from one to three thousand in three months’ time.
“You will see the mighty anointing of God work in the earth. You shall see
the restoration of the children of God. They shall be restored to their rightful
place, and the power of the Living Christ shall be shed abroad throughout the
land. You’ll see it in your generation.
“Because, you see, there are people who have turned themselves from the
Word and are preaching a social gospel. It’ll be so that these churches shall
dry up; they will wither and fade away. Some will decline from thousands and
in months will be gone and the property sold, because they’re dead. They’ll
not exist in days to come.
“Oh, they have existed in the days past, because it’s not been so, what will
be so in the latter end. The anointing of God shall flow in the earth, and
darkness shall prevail over those who are in darkness. The gross darkness
shall cover those who are in darkness, but the light shall grow lighter to those
who walk in the light.
“My Church shall be built, and it will be as though it were in a day. For
I’ll make a short work of righteousness in the earth.”
Charles Capps, Authority In Three Worlds © 1980 Pages 188-190
That is happening before our eyes in this present time. Churches that boldly teach the Word under God's anointing are popping up and growing fast. While many traditional churches of all sizes and flavors are fading away - sometimes overnight.
As I end this post, I hope you have noted that I take no joy in the demise of the denomination that nourished me. I know my parents and grandparents would be heartbroken at what is happening. The Good News is that God is in control. It may look like everything is falling apart, but that is just satan. He knows his time is short. He is defeated, but yet wants to create as much trouble as he can. His end is near. And Jesus is building HIS Church. It will be a GLORIOUS Body that will depart this planet TRIUMPHANTLY. Discover your place and do your part. Start Believing that the Body of Christ is expanding every day. Don't listen to satan's reports, stay focused on what God Promises.
God Bless You!
