Confessing Movement issues message to United Methodist Church
4/21/1998
TULSA, Okla. (UMNS) - A movement within the United Methodist Church is sending a message to the denomination and its bishops calling for renewal and a return to Wesleyan standards. A special session of the denomination's top legislative body is also being called for to deal with matters related to same-sex unions.
The message was approved with considerable discussion but few dissenting votes at the Confessing Movement's April 16-18 meeting here. Approximately 1,000 people were in attendance.
The movement of evangelicals, which began four years ago, emphasizes confessing Jesus as the sole route to salvation, Scripture as the written word of God, and a return to Wesleyan devotional and doctrinal tradition.
The message from the conference was produced by a writing team using recommendations of 19 small group sessions. In presenting the material for a vote, the Rev. Bill Hinson, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Houston, observed that some points represented general agreement but that recommendations from the groups were at odds on some of the nine items.
Six points addressed to the whole church ranged from a call for fasting and prayer for renewal of the denomination to a demand that the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries and other agencies rid themselves of "exorbitant reserves."
Although at least one small group of evangelicals has expressed its intention to leave the denomination, the message includes a declaration of the movement's intention to stay while calling for certain changes.
Three items addressed specifically to the bishops expressed support for evangelicals in the California-Nevada and the Nebraska annual (regional) conferences, endorsed a call for a special session of the church's highest legislative body to deal with issues around same-sex unions, and asked the bishops to hold each other accountable in teaching and defending the doctrinal and ethical standards of the denomination.
Participants in the Tulsa meeting said they wanted to make sure the bishops receive the Confessing Movement's message before the Council of Bishops convenes for its semi-annual meeting April 25-May 1 in Lincoln, Neb. A cover letter will inform the bishops of the Confessing Movement's intention to pray and fast for the council.
The movement's statement asks the bishops "to hear carefully and respond compassionately to the agony experienced by evangelical pastors and laity" particularly in the California-Nevada Annual Conference, where a small group have indicated an intention to separate from the denomination, and the Nebraska Annual Conference, where a recent church trial acquitted the Rev. Jimmy Creech for disobeying the order and discipline of the church when he performed a same-sex union ceremony. "We are embarrassed and shaken that some in those conferences feel they can no longer in conscience remain within the connection," the message says.
In its second point addressed to the bishops, the movement expressed support for the calls by Bishops Marion Edwards of the North Carolina Annual Conference and G. Lindsey Davis of the North Georgia Annual Conference and their respective cabinets seeking a special session of General Conference, the church's highest legislative body "to deal with the current crisis regarding same-sex unions."
"To postpone resolution of this crisis until the year 2000 is completely unacceptable," the group said.
Its third point begged the Council of Bishops to hold each other accountable in teaching and defending the doctrinal and ethical standards in The Book of Discipline, the denomination's book of history, doctrinal statements, rules and regulations of organization, administration and conduct. This statement also urged the bishops to exercise their role as teachers as specified in the Discipline.
First in the six items addressed to the whole church is a statement that God alone can heal the rifts in the denomination. This statement is accompanied by an invitation to all United Methodists to join in fasting and regular prayer for renewal of the church.
The second general item is a call to all United Methodists to be faithful to Scripture and loyal to the doctrinal standards and ethical teachings of The Book of Discipline. This point also contains a declaration that the Confessing Movement is within the United Methodist Church and intends to stay there.
"We who affirm the classical Wesleyan standards far outnumber those who oppose them," the document asserts. "Our mission is to enable the United Methodist Church to retrieve its classical, doctrinal identity and to live it out as disciples of Jesus Christ."
The next point declares, "We are convinced that both Scripture and The Book of Discipline are quite clear in rejecting the practice of homosexuality and the [performance] of same-sex unions." Weakening of these biblical and disciplinary standards would force members of the movement to reconsider their commitments to the denomination, the message says, adding that their first loyalty is to scriptural holiness and divine revelation in Jesus Christ.
A fourth point asks the General Conference to provide relief for those who are unwilling to live under the doctrinal and ethical standards of the Discipline. The message supports amicable exits for clergy and congregations, including equitable settlement of pension, property and institutional resource questions.
One of the remaining points accuses churchwide and annual conference boards and agencies of expending funds "in ways that are sometimes contrary to Scripture, disciplinary standards and good stewardship" and concluding that local congregations have reason to reconsider their commitment to apportionments - the church's present system of allocating the cost of administration and ministry beyond the local church.
"We believe the present exorbitant reserves of the General Board of Global Ministries and other agencies effectively isolates them from accountability and is an affront to the financial faithfulness of the local churches," says the remaining item. "This is unacceptable and must be corrected."
The full text of the message can be found at http://www.iquest.net/~confessingumc which is the Confessing Movement's web site.
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