Jeremy Smith, editor of the Hacking Christianity blog, covers some significant history of the past 9 years in the UMC. He points out that he predicted the course the UMC might take way back after the 2012 General Conference. I remember that disappointing conference--and the even worse 2016 and 2019. But he shows the emergence of a "starfish-like" movement in the UMC which has led to where we are now. Read on and be inspired to focus on the emerging new United Methodist Church, based on the metaphor of the "operating system" of the UMC:
On the Success of Methodism 2.0
Nine years ago in one of the most-commented articles ever, this blog articulated “Methodism 2.0” which predicted what would lead to transformation in The United Methodist Church. ...
In 2012, after the launch of the Biblical Obedience movement by Bishop Melvin Talbert, segments of United Methodism had begun to practice what I then called “Methodism 2.0“: an upgrade to our 1.0 ecclesial operating system that practiced the full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons. The Western Jurisdiction, Bishop Talbert’s jurisdiction, was the early adopter of this upgrade, providing a majority of the safe places for LGBTQ+ inclusion.
It wasn’t pretty or consistent and it was fraught with hazards of being early adopters, but like the early Methodism movement, Methodism 2.0 thrived and multiplied. Soon, more bishops and annual conferences joined the Western Jurisdiction in no longer prosecuting LGBTQ+ inclusive actions and persons. As 1 Thessalonians reminds us, we were given not only a belief but also the Holy Spirit and the power to share the conviction we had–and we were called to share the joy of life together under Methodism 2.0.