The next replace from the GMC Meeting of Bishops was shared by video final week in a Connectional Conversations webinar. For these of us who take in higher in print, right here is the textual content of that recording:
Let me start by acknowledging simply how grateful we’re for you, our International Methodist household. Your Meeting of Bishops is extremely grateful to the entire International Methodist motion for therefore enthusiastically embracing us as elected leaders, and this idea all of us aspire to stay into. Your welcome of us and your belief in us has been outstanding. Thanks.
The Meeting of Bishops formally started on November 1, 2024. After assembly in particular person over a number of days in December as a way to set some foundational items in place, we now have a weekly rhythm of assembly on Wednesday mornings to debate points and pray over all that’s our denominational life.
In our time collectively in December, we did two vital issues: we made a covenant for our life collectively, and we outlined our function and priorities. We established that our precedence as an Meeting of Bishops is to solid the imaginative and prescient of a Spirit-filled Methodism by clear doctrinal instructing, Christ-following management improvement, and holy dwelling. We see that precedence being lived out within the Meeting in 3 ways: connectionally, theologically and movementally.
By connectional, we imply at the least that we are going to converse with one voice in issues of mission, imaginative and prescient and values. We are going to name our church to repentance for our private and collective sin as a result of we consider it’s the key for the renewal of the church. We are going to advocate for a lean denominational paperwork with no central funding supply. We are going to embrace a wholesome connectionalism as a worth to the native church. And we are going to work to foster wholesome, mutually useful mission partnerships between our conferences. We are going to aspire to function in a spirit of respect for all areas of the world, and we are going to work collectively in relationship with mission companions, commissions, our denominational workers, and annual convention leaders.
Bishops within the GMC have some very sensible tasks inside our annual conferences. We’re liable for the number of the Convention Superintendent, for the ordination of clergy and for the setting of appointments. Appointing, evaluating and equipping is one function we play within the lifetime of the annual convention. However we additionally perceive that our main function and presence is supposed to be non secular. So we have now developed some intentional non secular practices, like praying every week for a unique annual convention, and we invite you to hope in settlement with us when these prayer factors are shared.
We admire how the Basic Episcopacy Committee has assigned our areas of duty. You’ve seemingly seen that every of us has duty for oversight of conferences on a number of continents. Which will appear counter-intuitive, however it’s really very helpful. It encourages all of us to maintain a world focus. Do not forget that the work of a bishop, biblically talking, is to supervise the entire, which suggests preserving the large imaginative and prescient and the entire world in our sights with each resolution we make. Our imaginative and prescient is all the time to increase the tent pegs … to collect in Methodists from throughout the globe and related them in significant methods. When your meeting of bishops is pondering connectionally, we’re all the time pondering globally.
We’re additionally pondering theologically. Let me be straight with you and say that there’s sufficient sensible stuff on all of the plates to maintain us busy earlier than we ever start to work on our theological process. We understand how straightforward it could be to remain very helpful and busy and miss our cost. So we’re being intentional about how we are going to stay out our work as non secular leaders.
We consider the approaching revival is theological in nature, and so it’s acceptable that our cost in accordance with the Guide of Doctrines and Self-discipline is to show, preach, and guard the religion. We can be dedicated to being an orthodox expression of historic Christian religion within the Wesleyan custom and we can be submitted to the primacy and authority of scripture in each space of our lives. In actual fact, in December we produced our first instructing video, providing an introduction to our understanding of scriptural holiness. Please look ahead to each a shorter and longer model of that video coming quickly. We’ve got created an inventory of thirty-six different matters on which we need to present a voice. We don’t but know the way that voice can be expressed, however we’re exploring all our choices: preaching, instructing and coaching in particular person, creating movies, blogs and articles for publication, collaborating in podcasts and social media interplay. Nonetheless we will strengthen the theological core of the GMC, we’re dedicated to that process.
Our priorities for the GMC are consistency of doctrine, self-discipline and mission. We’re additionally dedicated to racial justice and gender fairness. And we need to operate with the thoughts of a revivalist. In our church buildings, we anticipate to emphasise a Spirit-filled Methodism characterised by accountable discipleship and the very Methodist distinctive of total sanctification.
We live out that precedence connectionally and theologically, but additionally movementally. Our deep hope is that the International Methodist motion can proceed as simply that — a motion that’s Spirit-driven, revivalist, spiritually fruitful with a tradition of name thick with the thrill of church planting as evangelism. Might we by no means lose our dedication to the least, final and misplaced. And will we all the time advocate for a Holy Spirit-inspired motion submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ — a real Spirit-filled Methodism. We consider that is the distinctive contribution we as International Methodists could make to the Physique of Christ. And we dedicated to creating this contribution globally—valuing all nations, tribes, and views as we stay with an evangelical zeal that ends in acts of mercy and justice.
Beneath all these aspirations is a dedication among the many Meeting of Bishops to stay by the values we educate. We wish you to know that we’re personally dedicated to being dependent upon the Holy Spirit — mutually related, praying for one another, holding one another accountable for our personal non secular formation. Every of us will attend weekly worship, take part in a small group, and follow the technique of grace, together with Sabbath practices. And we are going to converse and obtain arduous truths in an environment of grace and reconciliation. We are going to assume the most effective of one another and of these we serve, and we anticipate nothing much less from anybody who calls the International Methodist Church their dwelling.
We live right into a actuality that has at instances been messy. The Meeting of Bishops has launched a number of communications on the circumstances unfolding particularly in Nigeria. To paraphrase what has been written elsewhere, we proceed to be profoundly grieved by the lack of life and the devastation suffered by the Methodist neighborhood in Nigeria. The International Methodist Church unequivocally condemns all types of violence and calls on all folks—International Methodists, United Methodists, and others—to behave as brokers of peace. We urge the worldwide Church and neighborhood to hitch us in fervent prayer for these enduring unimaginable struggling. We pray and work for justice to prevail, and for peace to be totally realized each in Munga Dosa and all through Nigeria.
Given the continuing uncertainties surrounding the occasions of this battle, we’re dedicated to refraining from providing unverified accounts of the state of affairs in Nigeria, or from circulating accusations by public communications. We ask you to do the identical. As each United Methodists and International Methodists navigate this transitional season, we’re conscious of the potential for misinterpretation or misunderstanding. Feedback made prematurely or with out full context might inadvertently trigger additional hurt, and we’re dedicated to avoiding such outcomes.
We stay steadfast in our dedication to accountability throughout the International Methodist Church and can proceed to name upon all people to behave in love, understanding, and mutual respect for each other. Our prayers stay with the victims and their households of any denomination. As leaders of the International Methodist Church, we acknowledge the presence and ministry of the United Methodist Church together with different church buildings and denominations in Nigeria, and it’s our fervent prayer that the physique of Christ in all its expressions will work collectively to proclaim the excellent news of Jesus Christ to a hurting world. The International Methodist Church will persist in its mission to embody the love of Christ by prayer, motion, and steadfast dedication to peace and justice.
Be reminded (and excited!) for brand spanking new initiatives popping out of the Meeting of Bishops. We’re praying weekly by title for the precise wants of Annual Conferences. We’re working to refine the system of convention partnerships, in order that communication and mutual encouragement are maximized. We’re starting the work of supporting GMC commissions are they’re fashioned. We’re in weekly communication with teams around the globe who desire a nearer reference to the GMC, whether or not formal or casual. And we’re all hitting the street, touring annual conferences and assembly with leaders, getting ready for convening conferences and annual conferences. The following few months can be very full for all of us.
Look ahead to the discharge of our first instructing video on the subject of scriptural holiness (and be inspired to enter into that dialog and provides suggestions). Look ahead to the weekly prayer give attention to the wants of every Annual Convention as we journey collectively around the globe in prayer. Look ahead to rising conferences and covenant relationships as they type. And look ahead to progress in our continued formation of ministry as commissions start their work.
It’s such a privilege to serve the reason for Christ by this stunning motion. Thanks once more for permitting us the enjoyment of main and serving on this manner, as all of us work collectively to welcome and advance the Kingdom of God.
