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The denominational split that everyone knew was coming has arrived.
The 13 million-member United Methodist Church has agreed to be "united" no more. And for good reason.
Although a majority of the Methodists have repeatedly voted to hold to biblical teaching, homosexual activists within the church have refused to accept the result.
Here's their plan. And what several Christian leaders expect to happen.
I will also be talking on our live radio program this morning about Iran's bombing of a U.S. base.
Be informed.
The holy separation.
Last month a group of United Methodist leaders came up with a plan to split the denomination.
The plan is called "Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace Through Separation."
The main issue within the church was whether the 13 million-member church was going to allow homosexual clergy and bless same-sex unions.
Under the agreement, biblical Methodist churches will form a new denomination, will be allowed to keep their properties, and will get a $25 million payout. The liberal churches will keep the United Methodist title. You can read the entire document linked above.
Dr. Ray Rooney with American Family Association---himself an ordained Methodist pastor--- says the split was inevitable and unavoidable. He says, "There never was a desire for a church split---but with the leadership of the United Methodist Church dead set against the traditional view of marriage, it's inevitable."
Rooney says, "You just can't coexist with people, theologically, who would look at Scripture totally differently. That affects how you live life."
He says,
"You won the battle, but the war was not over because the leadership of the Methodist Church is still trying its best to guide and shape United Methodism to accept homosexual clergy and homosexual marriage."
Example: Hillary Clinton loves to tell people about her good old-fashioned Methodist upbringing and beliefs. But her current beliefs on homosexuality and abortion are not at all what her Sunday School teachers taught her back in the day.
John Wesley certainly preached about God's love and Christians having a warm heart and warm hand extended to everyone---but the warm heart and hand was to assist them in coming to know Jesus Christ personally---as he did; And to be transformed by the power of God---not affirmed in their sin.
I have a 14-volume set of books in my personal library that contains John Wesley's sermons and Charles Wesley's hymns. None of it contains any of this that the Methodist leadership is trying to put on the church they claim to lead.
As a life-long ordained minister myself, I have consistently counseled biblical Christians not to stay in churches that have departed from the faith, by preaching and teaching a gospel that is different than that presented in the Bible.
The New Testament is very clear about separating yourself from false teaching and false doctrine. And nowhere does the Bible say God loves the sin of homosexuality or that He blesses same-sex relationships or so-called "marriages."
God loves the sinner---enough to die for him or her on a cross---but God's love does not affirm what God has condemned.
Love Wins. It won at the cross and the Resurrection--- as Christ's death paid the price for our sin and provided forgiveness, healing, and restoration from our sin---not affirmation of our sin.
The compromise demanded by homosexual activists within the church must be rejected at any and all costs.
What's next for the no longer "united" Methodists?
The denomination's Council of Bishops expects legislation to implement the new plan to come to a vote at the UMC's General Conference later this year in May.
Mark Tooley, president of the Institute on Religion & Democracy---also a Methodist, who consulted with the denomination's leaders during the plan's development, says he thinks an amended version of the plan will pass in May, which will result in a dividing process that will be "messy and often tragic."
He says,
"Many congregations will divide and die. But United Methodism is already dying in America. This division will allow evangelistic-minded Methodism to plant new congregations and grow. American Christianity and society desperately need a theologically cohesive rejuvenated Methodism."
Methodist Tooley says, "I'm looking forward to participating in a Methodist revival."
Amen!
Dr. Michael Brown has written an excellent article on this and other church separations or splits that have taken place throughout history. I suggest you read it.
In summary, Brown says he believes "the conservative Methodist churches will remain steady since they are not reacting. They are simply maintaining their historical stance, believing what John Wesley, the founder of the Methodists believed, affirming what Jesus and Paul taught."
One African Methodist leader said, "I'm happy to go back to old ladies and old men in the villages who received the Bible from missionaries and let them know that the Bible has not changed."
Brown says he sees this as "a separation between the wheat and the weeds or the sheep and the goats, to use the imagery of Jesus."
But homosexuals are born that way. Why is the church discriminating against them?
The biblical Christian church is not bigoted. It is inclusive. John 3:16 makes that abundantly clear. Wesley preached that and so do millions of pastors--Calvinist and Wesleyan---around the world.
God Changed Their Lives.
Monday of this week in an unrelated article, Christian Headlines published an article titled, "God Changed Their Lives" in which they shared the testimonies of many former homosexuals that have been delivered and transformed by the power of God. It's an inspirational article. I recommend you read it.
April Lockhart of New Mexico told the people at the conference that she had wanted to change from her lesbian lifestyle.
"I had fully believed in this lie that gets perpetuated that people don't change, they can't change, and if you try to change them, its detrimental to their health. And I just want to say that's a lie," she said.
"I did want to change. And through the power of God, the Creator of heaven and earth, this was able to happen...I'm a happy woman," she said.
A man shared,
"I was searching for men... sleeping around a lot. I didn't realize that there was a man looking for me. And His name is Jesus Christ. I've found a church that has taught me that my identity is not my behavior...my identity is that I'm a child of God. So I stand here to say I was a homosexual. And now I am a child of God."
This is what the leadership of the United Methodist Church is rejecting.
Paul said this to Timothy and the Methodist Church leaders and to each of us:
2 Timothy 3:1-5
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Be Informed. Be Faithful. Be Bold. Be Prayerful.