By Rev. Jay Therell
January 24, 2023
On December 28, 2022, during a time when many churches, their pastors, and staffs were taking time off after a busy Christmas and Advent season, the outgoing bishop of the North Georgia Annual Conference, Sue Haupert-Johnson, announced she was “pausing” the disaffiliation process until after the General Conference in May of 2024. The reality was that it was not so much a “pause” as it was a “cancellation.” The paragraph governing disaffiliation (paragraph 2553) sunsets at the end of this year and there will be no more disaffiliation process left in the UMC’s Book of Discipline. It’s also my strong opinion that it’s highly unlikely the 2024 General Conference will provide any additional disaffiliation pathways.
The reason cited for the “pause” was:
The cabinet has discovered and observed that many local churches have been misled about the disaffiliation process and have been presented with information about the process, and about The United Methodist Church and its leadership, that is factually incorrect and defamatory. We have significant concerns about this misinformation (emphasis added) and are well aware that it has the potential to do irreparable harm.
Another bishop recently shared an article where he lamented someone in the annual conference he serves having referred to their church’s potential disaffiliation as a “good business deal.” For the record, I don’t in any way believe a church disaffiliating is a business deal. It’s a decision that should be made with prayerful discernment based on a congregation’s understanding of orthodox doctrine and theology. That said, I also acknowledge that laity who work in the business world might view it from that perspective. I don’t know the person who made the social media post referred to in the article, but I don’t think it’s as much a matter of misinformation as it is someone’s worldview. Other annual conferences are starting to include new verbiage about misinformation as well (i.e. the North Carolina Conference).
Misinformation seems to be the new buzzword. Its definition, according to Merriam-Webster, is quite simple: “incorrect or misleading information.” What I’ve begun to realize, however, is that by and large when people use that word, what they really mean is: information that I don’t agree with.
As someone who lives and breathes the drama of disaffiliation every single day, I can tell you that for sure there is genuine misinformation that is repeated by people on all sides of these issues. I can also tell you that from the traditionalist perspective, I do not know a single leader of the Wesleyan Covenant Association, Good News, or IRD/UMAction that shares misinformation. We work hard to ensure that we speak factually.
Some things we traditionalists share, however, are admittedly dependent on our worldview. Many traditionalists (including me) believe the issues surrounding disaffiliation have to do with scriptural authority and the Lordship of Jesus. We believe this because we hold that the wider, universal church has settled matters on the meaning of much of scripture over our faith’s 2,000-year history. We do not believe that suddenly in 2023 we have figured out a new understanding of scripture on various matters that none of the church mothers and fathers before us could figure out. We also assert these beliefs because of statements that current and retired bishops have made concerning the incarnation, the resurrection of Jesus, and other theological issues. United Methodist bishops are bishops of the whole church according to the Book of Discipline. What they say matters. It impacts the entire church.
There are progressives that would reject all of what I just wrote in the above paragraph. They would argue that our present issues are not about scriptural authority, but instead are about scriptural interpretation. They would assert that while individual bishops may take unorthodox stances that the official position of The United Methodist Church has not changed.
All of what I just wrote is dependent on your worldview and perspective. That doesn’t make it misinformation. We need to stop trying to control which worldview gets shared. To do so is the height of cancel culture. I don’t agree with progressives on much, but I don’t fear people reading progressives’ articles. I want people to engage with their ideas…hopefully so they prayerfully decide to reject them. Regardless, I acknowledge it’s up to each individual to decide.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines cancel culture as “a way of behaving in a society or group, especially on social media, in which it is common to completely reject and stop supporting someone because they have said or done something that offends you.” Cancel culture is not of Jesus. Jesus continually talked with people with whom He disagreed. Jesus would always tell them they were wrong, but He always let them have their opinion. We Methodists call this free will.
Cancel culture is also decidedly un-American. We live in a country that cherishes its freedoms of speech and religion enshrined in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Communist countries and leaders restrict the flow of information to only the information with which they agree. In the United States we acknowledge that people have the right to believe whatever they wish…even if it’s wrong. Let those with ears to hear, listen!
Every day I read comments and hear people say things about our present denominational morass with which I disagree. Sometimes people get facts wrong when they say things. If it’s intentional or careless, then I think it can fairly be called misinformation. Far more often, it simply depends on the person’s worldview. I may think they’re utterly wrong, but I acknowledge they have the right to believe whatever they want to believe.
Regardless, I don’t have the right to stop the free flow of information. I simply must trust that adults will discern what’s best for themselves, hopefully after seeking the will of the Holy Spirit. I also acknowledge some won’t. I grieve that fact, but it’s reality and it’s their right.
All of this is precisely why congregations should be allowed to get to the denomination that best aligns with their theology and understanding of doctrine. Progressive congregations would be severely misaligned within the Global Methodist Church. And while progressives will likely chafe at what I’m about to write, it is my strong opinion that traditionalist congregations will soon become very uncomfortable in The United Methodist Church.
In Acts 5, Peter and some other apostles were brought before the Sanhedrin to be held accountable for teaching about Jesus. The Sanhedrin was ready to punish them, and a Sanhedrin member named Gamaliel spoke up. What Gamaliel said in verses 38-39 also applies, in my opinion, to our present troubles and allowing a free flow of information. Gamaliel said, “For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” I appeal to the “powers that be” to adopt this mindset. Stop trying to fight the flow of information. If what we traditionalists are doing is of human origin, it will surely fail. You won’t have to worry about it. If our movement is of God, then you don’t want to fight Him.
None of us should want to hold a congregation against their will. We should not try to place obstacles in front of people to stop them from getting to the denomination where they are most at home. We need to be careful about using the label “misinformation.” At all costs, we need to stop the cancel culture mentality that seems to be growing. Most importantly, I pray cooler and calmer heads, especially in the North Georgia Annual Conference, will prevail.
The Rev. Jay Therrell is the president of the Wesleyan Covenant Association and an ordained elder in the Global Methodist Church.