The Evangelism Committee we are on wanted to hang a beautiful painting of the Apostles’ Creed but were prevented by the Administrative Board. Those who opposed the painting said that people who didn’t believe in the Virgin Birth and the Resurrection would be offended, and that people who don’t believe in the divinity of Christ would be turned off if they came into our church and saw it. One lady who asked me why “our group” was upset about the Apostles’ Creed incident told me condescendingly that “they believed those things when they were children.”

Our Director of Christian Education has pushed classes in studying the series, “Living the Questions.” Many who consider themselves to be exceptionally well educated have embraced Marcus Borg’s and Bishop Spong’s ideas.

My husband and I have a Bible study in our home each Monday night with 21 believers from our church. Our pastor’s wife (who seems to be on a different theological page than her husband) has Beth Moore Bible studies in her home. These two groups, as well as the praise team at the contemporary service, keep us in the church — but we don’t know how much longer we can stay.

Thanks for letting me vent!

I agree with the comparison he was making. The social issues that seem to be taking our country down the toilet seem to attaching themselves to the UMC and taking it with them.

I am still deciding what I will do as far as attending my church again. There are other non-denominational churches around I could attend.

I have been a Methodist since baptism as a baby, but I will not follow like a sheep a church that is in collusion with the socialist-leaning Obama government.

[Editor's note: The General Board of Church and Society withdrew its endorsement for the "One Nation Working Together" gathering one day before the rally took place. In a statement, GBCS chief Jim Winkler said the list of endorsers had grown to "include a variety of organizations that created enormous and unnecessary controversy."]

We considered designating our tithe to the local congregation or to specific ministries within the local church, but we know that wouldn’t really help; the apportionment money would come from somewhere else.

We are embarrassed by our church affiliation. We believe the denomination has lost its way, and we feel we are in a sense “shooting ourselves in the foot” by continuing our membership. Liberal politics are contrary to our conservative values.

It began to dawn on me several years ago that the UMC was out of touch with traditional Methodist theology. I was attending an ordination service in Lakeland, Fla. The Bishop spoke. He must have quoted 20 different scientists, writers, authors, theologians, etc. Not once, however, did he ever quote Jesus! Not once did he mention the name above ALL names.

In an attempt to be all inclusive the church has become so bland that it lukewarm on the essentials. I am now searching for a new church home.

Like the old song says, “You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything.”

“Politics and religion are always sticky to put together so I’d rather stay on the subject (healthcare, economics, disease, etc.)….”

Good! That’s exactly the point many of us here are making. Why does the General Board of Church and Society, certain folks on the council of Bishops, and other leaders in Methodist academic institutions not get that point?

Social stances may seem like they are coming top down, but again, the way the system (to my understanding) is set up is that people vote. Bishops become Bishops because there is a vote at the jurisdictional level. The people who get to vote at the jurisdictional level are voted on at the Annual Conference level. To get to Annual Conference your pastor or committee from church does the selection. That seems more bottom-to-top to me. (The system of Annual Conference irks me anyway, but that’s a different topic.)

I’d hate to judge whether the “corporate leadership” does or does not recognize the seriousness of the problems. They are working hard — and, I’d dare say, like you, love United Methodism and are working to keep it alive.

Politics and religion are always sticky to put together so I’d rather stay on the subject (healthcare, economics, disease, etc.) and talk about it and not what my “party” has to say about it. And why the villainization of those we disagree with? Fear is becoming a strong feeling in which people act upon.

I think it all comes down to two things: Love God. Love your neighbor. (Love, not agreement.) As Christians, I think that has somehow drifted to the very bottom of our priorities. If we loved God and our neighbor, how many of the “issues” would go away? When people who are “different” step into our congregations I bet most don’t find love, they find condemnation. And with that, there will always be issues.

As a pastor I know likes to say, “Go give them heaven.”

[Editors note: For background on the General Conference's votes on health care, see http://methodistthinker.com/2009/11/11/umc-health-care-as-a-right/. Also, this paper (PDF), authored by UM renewal leaders and presented last year to the Council of Bishops Unity Task Force, discusses concerns about General Conference resolutions and voting procedures.]

Isn’t it funny that a Democrat said Republicans wanted me to die early, when it really is a Democrat president and the UMC who are likely to provide my early death?

We must stand firm and be silent no more. If we have to leave at least we can say that there were plenty of warnings given.

People are leaving our church and when some of us have tried to discuss our views, the results have been less than stellar! (Today, during a council meeting, another member and I tried to discuss our concerns about our church’s “Christian yoga” class. The head of our SPRC stood up, told me I was “wrong” and “crazy,” then stormed out of the meeting before I even got to make my full statement.)

My wife and I pray that the Holy Spirit will bring a revival to the UMC. We are struggling with the idea of having to leave our church (a church my wife grew up in). Many, many prayers and support to this site — and all of those who stand firm to the Lord’s Word!

We are fighting a losing battle, while all the time we continue to lose good, Bible-believing members.

It is so very sad that these dear church members are totally unaware even that their church is up to its ears in partisan politics — let alone all other hidden agendas not in sync with Biblical teachings. It is as if Satan has sneaked into the hierarchy of the United Methodist denomination and is PURPOSELY being hidden from unsuspecting members.

We couldn’t just sit still and do nothing. The only thing we could do was withdraw our financial support and our membership from the UMC.

I feel sad for our dear pastor. He and so many others are truly caught in a catch-22 situation.

The diagnosis is that the Church is sick. The prognosis is that it’s going to continue to get weaker and die unless a remedy is found or used. Unless people in our upper administration boards, councils, and committees are held accountable, the UMC prognosis is clear.

The people in the pew are mainly unaware of our dire circumstances.

Adequate leadership (as Dr. Case is doing and promoting) is the right remedy. With God’s help, the Methodist Ship can get back on the right course.

The real shame should be on organizations such as GBCS that use church money to fund their own personal or political agendas — or, worse, to underwrite activities that are clearly anti-Christian.

Shame. Shame. Shame.

Dr. Case is spot on in his analysis. The future of our church is at stake. The only way the “progressives” can remain in power is by making sure we’re all good little Methodist Mushrooms who continue to pay our apportionments.

I feel for the pastors as well as for us laymen, because they’re tied to this system with no way of changing it or getting out of it other than by walking away and, in many cases, losing their retirement benefits after many years of faithful service.

How long can we continue on this way?

When are United Methodists going to start paying attention?

Those in our local congregation who complain about such practices are hauled before the Administrative Council and told that their beliefs “are not in sync with this denomination.” They aren’t asked to leave but are told to keep quiet, lest their protestations that we should follow the Bible “upset and divide the Congregation.”

It is bad enough when the leadership at high levels does this sort of thing, but it’s creeping down into the local churches too. It’s a horribly sad thing to see.