Bishop Joseph G. Johnson writes 
“The gay group in the UMC took 52 years to convince the rest of the UMC to accept them. They fought and each time they tried they were rejected but they kept fighting and pushing until 2024 (please read below)
You can’t take what others took years to convince you and others about to force it down on your people in less than a month. It is poor leadership and they will fight back. Those who are fighting back are right.
It is unbiblical, uncultured and unacceptable in our society and our faith.
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The United Methodist Church (UMC) took significant steps towards inclusivity in 2024 by removing language from its Book of Discipline that condemned homosexuality and prohibited same-sex marriages. This change was decades in the making, with key milestones including:
• 1972: The UMC added language to its Book of Discipline stating that “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching”.
• 1984: The church banned the ordination of “self-avowed practicing homosexuals”.
• 2016: Debates over LGBTQ+ inclusion intensified, leading to a special General Conference in 2019.
• 2019: The General Conference passed a disaffiliation policy allowing churches to leave over LGBTQ+ issues, resulting in over 7,600 US churches departing.
• 2024: After years of debate, the General Conference voted to remove discriminatory language, with 93% of delegates supporting the change. The revised definition of marriage now acknowledges “a sacred, lifelong covenant” between two adults of consenting age.
The vote marked a significant shift in the denomination’s stance, with 523 delegates voting in favor and 161 against. This change allows:
• LGBTQ+ clergy ordination: Removing the ban on ordaining LGBTQ+ individuals.
• Same-sex weddings: Allowing clergy to perform same-sex weddings without penalty.
While some United Methodists celebrate this change, others express concerns about the implications for the denomination’s future. (Copied).”
