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What's left of the United Methodist Church has chosen its first African American woman president, and she's expected to help officially usher in the Leftist's long-awaited amendments to the Book of Discipline.
The church that John Wesley founded has become confused and has lost its way in the darkness of our times.
They have rejected the "straight gate" Jesus spoke of and embraced the "wide" and "broad" ways that lead to destruction.
Be informed, not misled.
Jesus said:
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:13-14).
While that is directed toward individuals, churches are groups of individuals.
The Methodist Church has had such an impact on the world through its missionary outreach. Millions have heard the Gospel through the efforts of the Methodist ministry.
Now, they have chosen a different path. While the discussion has been ongoing for the past couple of years, it appears the Leftists have finally gotten what they wanted.
The United Methodist Church will soon finalize its Left turn toward the "wide gate and "broad way."
"In the next 10 days, the church's governing general conference meets in Charlotte, North Carolina and for the first time ever will liberalize the denomination's teachings on marriage and sexuality," Tooley reports.
The new president, he says, fully supports those changes.
"She would be conventionally institutionalist and theologically left of center and will be very comfortable when the church officially liberalizes its sexuality teachings," he asserts.
In a recent interview with The Christian Post, Malone voiced her desire to help the church become "more inclusive" and "grace-filled."
"Inclusive is the buzzword for sexually liberal," Tooley notes. "The irony and the tragedy is inclusive for church usually means less inclusive, less diverse, faster declining."
I strongly agree.
Malone told The Christian Post that it was "an honor to be elected by my colleagues," calling it an "historical election" that "is a testament to the Church's commitment to celebrating diversity."
"Diversity" is generally code for affirming that which God condemns.
"I will continue to provide leadership to the Church that inspires hope, helps to unite The United Methodist Church and our collective efforts to becoming a more inclusive grace-filled Church," Malone wrote in an email.
Malone hopes to champion efforts that help "deepen and expand our commitment to discipleship, mission, equity, and justice in the Church and in the world."
"The United Methodist Church continues to have a thriving witness and missional impact throughout the world," she added. "The mission of the Church has not changed, and the commitment to making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world continues to be our focus."
Transformation to what?
Malone's installment as COB president follows the disaffiliations of thousands of congregations from the UMC in 2022 and 2023 due to disagreements over the mainline denomination's official stance on homosexuality.
The UMC Book of Discipline labels homosexuality "incompatible with Christian teaching" and prohibits the blessing of same-sex unions and the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals.
Proverbs 14:12: "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."
In 2019, at a special session of the General Conference, delegates voted to add Paragraph 2553 to the Book of Discipline, which created a temporary process for churches to disaffiliate over the debate.
According to numbers compiled by UM News, more than 7,600 congregations, most conservative, were granted disaffiliation from 2019 to 2023. This link lists the number of UMC churches in each state that have disaffiliated through 2023.
This number of departing congregations included 250 churches from Malone's East Ohio Conference, representing more than a third of the regional body's member congregations.
Tooley says of the number of members in the UMC: "It used to be 11 million in the U.S.; now it's down to perhaps 4 million. I would expect the denomination will not exist in its current form 10 years from now."
Takeaway
Last October, as part of an event held by The Church of the Resurrection of Leawood, Kansas, Malone said that her conference's annual meeting felt "like a revival" after the churches left.
"There was a different spirit in the place," Malone recounted. "It felt like everyone could breathe. "
"We were tired of the fighting, tired of all of the conversations being dominated by separation, disaffiliation. … People were tired, and the conference was ready and is ready and has already forged ahead."
It may feel like they are "forging ahead," but they are walking through the wide gate---the "broad way," abandoning the "straight gate." They are slouching toward Gomorrah.
Pray for the Methodists standing firm in support of God's Word.
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Engaged. Be Faithful. Be Prayerful.