Category Archives: New UMC

In the new UMC, life in Christ will be the heart of it all. This may appear to be stating the obvious, but it more radical than that. It is more akin to the ancient commitment to “live for God … Continue reading →

With the election of new bishops, the emergence of the new United Methodist Church moves farther into its future filled with hope (Jeremiah 29:11). We have hope that the Council of Bishops will lead us with magnified wisdom and courage, … Continue reading →

As the new UMC emerges, I look forward to being part of a denomination that conjoins belief and practice, faith and form, message and method to “serve the present age” in a mission that makes disciples of Jesus Christ for … Continue reading →

Not long after the pandemic began, and church changed in all sorts of ways, people began to ask, “How long before we get back to normal?” The question morphed into the sense that some things have changed permanently, and that … Continue reading →

This is the final post in this series, at least in the sense of an opening round of posts. I may add to it as time goes by. I have written with the confidence that the new UMC has a … Continue reading →

In the previous post in this series I wrote that a movement mindset in the new UMC will produce a renewed commitment to locality. In the Wesleyan tradition this intention is not toward independence, but remains in the context of … Continue reading →

Thinking of the new UMC as a third-order movement gives us the opportunity to combine two key dynamics: locality and networking. Early Methodism expressed both, and so can we. In this post we’ll look at Wesleyan locality. In the next … Continue reading →

The UMC resources I listed recently in this series have revived my conviction that the way forward for the new UMC includes recovering a movement mindset. I am in agreement with those who believe the Wesleys intentionally designed Methodism as … Continue reading →

The renewal of hope is a radical task. With respect to the new UMC, it means the re-formation of our identity. We have lost this internally and in the society as we have been consumed with debates, differences, and division. … Continue reading →

When we envision a “future filled with hope’ for the United Methodist Church, we often do so using renewal language. And while there is “fire” in using renewal language, there is also the danger that the fire will go out. … Continue reading →

[Note: I have written in the “UMC” category here on Oboedire for years. Those posts are archived. Today’s post begins a related series having to do with the new UMC that is emerging. I am writing it especially for those … Continue reading →