The Methodists - The United Methodist Church

I had three uncles who were Methodist ministers. They so very faithfully served parishes in the state of New Jersey.
They were men who were strong Christians, biblical Christians, born-again Christians, and they were proud to be Methodists when the United Methodist Church was a biblical church to be proud of.
But, like other old line protestant denominations, the UNITED METHODIST CHURCH has gone its own way, departed from the biblical way and brought its own man-made interpretation to scripture and the Christian view, succumbing to the pressure of current culture rather than the scriptural love, admonition, and standards of the Christ.
The United Methodist Church General Conference voted overwhelmingly in May to disavow the once clear ban on clergy who are “self-avowed practicing homosexuals.” Such individuals can now be ordained and become full ministers in the Methodist Church. In addition, individual UMC churches can now decide whether or not to conduct and ordain gay marriages (weddings).
Prior to this new and radical vote, the UNITED METHODIST CHURCH authorized any individual Methodist church to depart from the denomination and become independent. ALMOST EIGHT THOUSAND METHODIST CHURCHES DID SO, Bible believing, real Christians and real Christianity at the core, unwilling to abide by these new woke, current-culture changes.
That led one critic to state:
“The General Conference has as expected rolled back not just decades of United Methodist policies, but centuries of Christian teaching.”
This critic, Mark Tooley, said further:
“Liberal theology and politics displaced orthodox doctrine, evangelism, and exacting spiritual standards.”
Founder of the real Methodists, John Wesley, would turn over in his grave!
One of the nation’s largest protestant religious denominations has gone woke, has gone rogue, and once with more than 5 million members, is now a shell of its former self. When this matter came up for vote, you could say that some 8 thousand congregations, hundreds of thousands of real Christians, voted with their “feet and wallets.” To practice real Methodism, real Christianity, and real biblical teachings. Liberal, woke, protestant denominations continue to do what they have always done, adding a pious blessing and an air of divine sanction to the cultural politics of the day no matter how far left those politics moved. They followed the sexual revolution of the times, they supported abortion, and homosexuality, and transgenderism, all in the name of current and compromised “divine love.”
Now, the United Methodist Church no longer believes that marriage is an inclusive and sacred union between one adult man and one adult woman. Man can marry man, and woman can marry woman. That man-made decision is of course absolutely contrary to biblical teaching and the tradition of the UMC for more than 3 centuries.
Interestingly, in 1970, only some 50 years ago, THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH claimed the following:
“We do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider it incompatible with Christian teaching.”
And in 1984, the following:
“Therefore, self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in the United Methodist Church.”
Forty years ago, the UMC believed, followed, proclaimed, and operated by biblical teachings and standards. Somehow, false teachers, as the Apostle Paul would say, took over, gained control, and corrupted THE WORD OF GOD, reinterpreted that and destroyed, overnight, Christian practice and belief. My three born-again uncles, once proud Methodist ministers, would turn over in their graves.
The Apostle Paul was incensed at such arrogant, prideful, manmade false teaching, and he warned all to stay away from them, have nothing to do with them, and in fact, said of them:
“Let them be accursed!”
What a sad day. Under the great Constitution of America, and the immutable First Amendment, there is absolute freedom of religion, where any American citizen can believe what he or she wishes, and worship as they will. They can adopt any belief, see and understand God as they desire, and worship as they please or not at all. Our constitution allows no man, no government to in any way forbid any human being from worshipping as they please, establishing any religion they wish, no matter whether true or factually based. That freedom is absolute, unconditional, and cannot be abridged by any government authority. THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH can posture any set of beliefs they wish and no one, not even their very own congregations can prevent that from happening.
HOWEVER, it is absolutely untrue, the highest form of falsehood, for the UMC to declare it still remains fully Chrisitan. The UMC cannot declare itself a Christian denomination, following Christian practices, for their conduct clearly indicates they are anything but. They are now some sort of a church man-made, operating as men think, not as the Bible instructs, and surely without the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit. The false teaching which the Apostle Paul feared so very much has not only crept into this church, but become dominant in its thinking, belief, and practice. A small wonder 8,000 congregations left, openly refusing to follow this man-made gospel.
I have from time to time visited the state of New Jersey, travelled through its small towns and large cities. I have seen again as I did years ago, the great churches and strong edifices built by the Methodists to honor our Lord Jesus Christ. Some are absolutely magnificent, wonderful tributes to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. I spent time as a young boy with my uncles and aunts in their parishes and worshipping with them in their real and biblical Methodist churches. I remember those real, biblical, Christ-loving experiences in New Jersey towns like Woodstown, Pleasantville, Salem, Haddonfield, Ocean City, and more. My Methodist uncles and the strong church ministries they established and fostered taught me so much about the Lord Jesus Christ. Their experiences with Him and consequently mine were real, wonderful, and loving. I learned so much about my Lord through their preaching and the strong, loving bible teaching of my aunts. Methodism, real and biblical, real Christian Methodism, was an indispensable part of my life and still is. You can well imagine how sad it is for me to see the compromise, the corruption, and departure of this once great church from real, true, biblical, Christ-filled Christianity.
But I thank you, thank you with all my heart, Revs. Bill Duvall, Bruce Duvall, Tom Eden, and my beloved aunts, Mildred, Jo, and Esther for the real Methodist teachings of our beloved Bible and the love of Christ. You made Him real to me and I am forever indebted.
Both magnificent New Jersey churches, once filled with the love of Jesus Christ, now seem empty, hollow, devoid of real spirituality. But I, and so many others I am sure, will always remember what they once were, the message in word and song, which echoed through those magnificent cathedrals, and the real Christian men and women who once made Methodism a dynamic and passionate Christian witness.
THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH is now the DIVIDED METHODIST CHURCH, splintered, broken, compromised, a spiritual shell of its former self. Perhaps the message should be to those who remain:
“COME YE APART AND BE YE SEPARATE!”