July 30, 2024
By Rev. Dr. Scott Field
Right now, many of us, understandably, might be challenged to disengage from the breakneck pace of political chutes and ladders going on in the USA, the celebrations, scandals, and drama of the Summer Olympics in Paris, and the awareness that whatever was supposed to happen for each and all of us this summer may need to pick up the pace; August is already on the doorstep. 
In the world of Methodism, however, currently the action is largely focused on Africa.
Can you take a break for a few moments? Lend me your ears (okay, literally, your eyes).
The cascading impact of legislation approved at the UMC General Conference (April 23-May 3) continues to roil United Methodism in the African Annual Conferences. Presently the AfricaNOW initiative of the Wesleyan Covenant Association is involved with current or scheduled Awareness Campaigns in 15 African countries that comprise 22 UMC Annual Conferences. The situation in one of those countries, Nigeria, illustrates three underlying reasons, sometimes unrecognized or simply dismissed, behind the departure of so many United Methodists in the US already and the millions in Africa seeking to exit the denomination, too. In this issue of WCA Outlook I’ll describe what happened. Next week I’ll offer my observations on the three reasons things are turning out as they are.
Some Background
In Nigeria, a country with one of the largest populations in Africa and home to an estimated 600,000+ United Methodists, the division of the UMC is underway. Bishop John Wesley Yohanna serves as the episcopal leader of the four annual conferences there. A UMC loyalist group, led by Ande Emmanuel, has attempted to undermine traditionalist Bishop Yohanna for several years. Emmanuel is largely aligned with UM episcopal and administrative leaders in the USA. Recently (July 15) the Nigerian courts dismissed a suit brought by Emmanuel and others seeking to take control of Nigerian church property and assets. The court rebuked Emmanuel and fined him 300,000 Naira, about USD $180. (For more on this suit and Ande Emmanuel, check out Jeffrey Rickman’s brief video on Plainspoken here.)
US Bishop John Schol’s Attempt at Peace and Reconciliation
Just over a week ago, USA Bishop John Schol traveled to Nigeria to promote peace and reconciliation between the conflicted groups and, importantly, encourage the Nigerians to #BeUMC despite the decisions of the recent UM General Conference. He directed Nigerian United Methodist leaders to call together a Special Conference for the Nigeria Episcopal Area for the purpose of reconciliation. His visit, as it turned out, didn’t go very well.
In his introductory extemporaneous remarks before an agitated crowd of Nigerian United Methodists, Bishop Schol said that he did not come to promote homosexuality. He did not, he said, come to promote regionalization. He came, he said, to listen. And, as they say, Bishop Schol got an earful.
(If you are not a Facebook-er, you may have trouble getting to that video of the confrontation between Bishop Schol and the Nigerian United Methodists).
Reportedly, Bishop Yohanna himself accompanied Bishop Schol to the airport to ensure he could safely leave the country. The Peace and Reconciliation Visit lasted, again reportedly, just one day. Bishop Schol headed back to the States.
Bishop Yohanna then called to order a Special Session of the Nigeria Episcopal Area. The Cabinets, comprised of the District Superintendents, as well as the Boards of Trustees, and Lay Leadership of all four conferences, voted to leave the United Methodist Church to become part of the Global Methodist Church. The conference delegates themselves voted unanimously to affirm the departure from the UMC and join the GMC. Bishop John Wesley Yohanna publicly stated that he agreed and is going with them in this transition.
Though Ande Emmanuel has posted on social media that this is not the case, facts on the ground confirm otherwise. Apparently a small group of UMC loyalists remains in Nigeria, but the vast majority of Methodists are migrating to the Global Methodist Church. For more on the Nigerian vote to leave the UMC, again see Jeffrey Rickman’s Plainspoken, here.
I can empathize with Bishop Schol’s desire to hold his denomination together. The institutional and missional losses to the UMC are and will continue to be dramatic, to say the least. Full disclosure: I do not know Bishop Schol personally. I imagine, however, he believes what he says. And I think what he says represents the perspective of many, maybe most, of the UMC bishops and administrators in the USA. So, I can understand why Bishop Schol, from his perspective, would attempt the Episcopal Peace and Reconciliation Visit. I trust however, that he was not surprised by the calamitous outcome. That was completely predictable. I do wonder, however, whether some episcopal and administrative leaders in the UMC are either purposefully misleading or simply naïve when it comes not only to African United Methodists, but to traditionalist, orthodox, evangelical Methodists everywhere. Contentious issues related to sexuality and gender have been debated at UM General Conferences for 50 years. It is a bit head-scratching that Bishop Schol dismissed the matters of homosexuality and regionalization so he could, apparently, focus on reconciliation and peace. The harmony of the UMC evaporated quite some time ago. A great denominational sorting is the agenda of the times we are in.
I have no appeal to UM leaders to change their ways. The leadership of the UMC, and the delegates to the recent UM General Conference, who express the “will of the church”, are solidly, aggressively, and joyfully on the Love Train of the progressive LGBTQIA+ denominational future. Despite the UM General Conference actions, however, a large portion of United Methodists refuse to ride that train and are getting off.
Beyond Nigeria, departing United Methodists are already meeting in Tanzania. And in Zimbabwe, a group estimated at 700 met on Sunday to begin forming a congregation of the Global Methodist Church. Côte d’ I’voire (Ivory Coast) has also voted to leave (1.2 million United Methodists) as has the Rwanda Provisional Annual Conference.
Despite the smothering tactics of US UMC officials, the African Methodists are moving forward. The Awareness and Networking Meetings going on in Africa are completely in the hands of the African Methodists. The WCA AfricaNOW initiative is focused on raising the financial support so these meetings, already completed or planned for 15 countries and 22 annual conferences, can proceed with appropriate venues, print materials in local languages, transportation as needed, and housing if required.
Your help is needed now. I’m asking you to prayerfully consider a donation to AfricaNOW – large or small – by clicking the DONATE button.
Want more information?
Join us this Thursday, August 1st, 10 am Central Time (US)/11 am Eastern/8 am Pacific, for the WCA ALL CALL. I will be hosting an hour of information for you.
Live update on disaffiliation litigation in the USA
Live update from Africa on developments there
Live update on our Revive Resources for local churches
And a summary of Annual Conference, Jurisdictional Conference, and upcoming WCA Global Legislative Assembly.
Need the Zoom link? Email Elizabeth Fink, WCA Administrative Assistant, (efink@wesleyancovenant.org) to get the agenda and zoom link for the ALL CALL on Thursday.
NEXT WEEK’S WCA OUTLOOK: Three Reasons the Nigerian “Reconciliation and Peace” Effort Didn’t Get Past Square One.