By Lovett H. Weems, Jr. on April 9, 2019 (from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership)
Lovett H. Weems, Jr., says the current governance structure does not fit the realities of a global United Methodist Church. He suggests that General Conference focus on theological and historical identity, mission, and values, while Annual Conferences focus on context-sensitive structure and regulations, including clergy standards.
As if more evidence were needed to show the desperate plight of the church, the damage delivered to the U.S. church by the recent Special General Conference let the whole nation know that something is amiss in a denomination historically known as a positive contributor to our national life. Make no mistake, the issue is not that there are diverse philosophies held within the United Methodist tent. No one doubts that. Most United Methodist leaders deal with such differences with both grace and integrity daily. The problem is we have a governance structure that does not fit the realities of a global church. It is time to rethink General Conference into a more appropriate yet essential role. It is time to move from structures of control to a culture of trust and grace. The General Conference could become the primary arena for defining two critical dimensions:
Theological and Historical Identity
A strong theological and historical identity can withstand a host of organizational mistakes, but even the most careful management cannot overcome a lack of shared identity. The early forerunners of United Methodists were few in number and resources; yet they had such a strong internal identity and culture that miraculous things happened. To endure, any movement needs a powerful and commonly shared integrating identity. [Continue reading at Lewis Center for Church Leadership]