Ganta, Nimba County – Following the completion of its first Annual Conference, which was held over the weekend in Ganta, Nimba County, the Global Methodist Church Liberia formally terminated its association with the United Methodist Church (UMC), certifying its complete separation.
The Nigerian Bishop John Pena Auta was appointed the Presiding Bishop of the Liberia Episcopal Area by the new denomination’s convention, which is currently called the Grain Coast Annual Conference. L. Orlando Boyce was chosen as Conference Lay Leader, while Rev. Dr. Jerry P. Kulah was named Conference Superintendent.
The church currently has over 50,000 members and over 100 churches spread over 14 districts and circuits in Liberia, according to Dr. Kulah. Evangelism, discipleship, church planting, and sustainable development are the four main areas that the church would concentrate on, he stated.
“The past is no longer our main concern. We do not consider the United Methodist Church, our former denomination, to be a rival. Instead, we welcome them to join us,” Dr. Kulah said to the audience, indicating that despite the breach, peace is possible.
Years of disputes over the UMC’s stance on LGBTQ+ issues, specifically the ordination of homosexual clergy and same-sex weddings, led to the decision to quit the church. These initiatives were fiercely contested by conservative members, particularly in Africa.
The UMC approved a plan in 2019 that permits congregations to sever ties over these issues. As a new, traditionalist church for people who want to preserve what it refers to as biblical ideals, the Global Methodist Church was established in 2022.
Dr. Kulah was one of the prominent voices in Liberia advocating for a change in direction, having long criticized the UMC’s progressive behavior. Since the church’s local debut in February of this year, the Ganta conference marks the breakaway group’s first official meeting in Liberia. According to Dr. Kulah, “we are paving a new course that is consistent with our calling and religion. Our current goals are to increase the church’s membership, gain souls, and enhance Liberia’s citizens’ quality of life.”
According to the church, it plans to expand by establishing more churches and engaging in spiritual outreach in addition to community development initiatives. In Harper, Maryland County, early this year, the church held leadership trainings as part of its attempts to strengthen its Liberian network.
