CLUB 444: “To those leaving the UMC”

Some time ago, an online friend wishing to remain anonymous wrote, shared, and deleted the following —-

Saturday morning thoughts (If you are not Methodist, then please keep scrolling).

I am an evangelical ordained United Methodist clergyperson.

It is my hope and prayer that once my colleagues who are choosing to disaffiliate from the UMC finally leave they will focus on their new future church/denomination and stop demonizing the faithful who desire to remain United Methodist, those who continue to obey/teach Scripture and uphold the current Book of Discipline.

Please don’t create strawman arguments then knock them down as if you are the righteous remnant, or tell me you are evangelical, warm-hearted, and full of the fruits of the Holy Spirit with an angry, judgmental, self-righteous spirit.

Instead, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Pray for those to whom you disagree. Be gracious and humble. Love your neighbor as yourself. Spend your time shining the Light of Jesus and do it with joy! Our apathetic, skeptical, broken, lost, sinful world will be won to Jesus by God’s love within you, because that kind of faith is attractive and contagious.

Finally, simply obey God’s holy Word in Ephesians 4:29, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

If you are disaffiliating, then just be honest about it and leave with grace. Don’t blame others, hide behind your church people, or forfeit your witness.

May the Lord bless you and keep you in your next chapter as you focus forward in the spirit of John Wesley’s charge to Methodist preachers, “You have nothing to do but to save souls. Therefore, spend and be spent in this work. And go not only to those that need you, but to those that need you most.”