Keeping the Connection: Upholding Polity in the Global Methodist Church (The 19)

In May, I was ordained an elder in the Global Methodist Church. Each clergyperson ordained in a Methodist denomination has to answer 19 historical questions asked by bishops going back to John Wesley’s (the founder of the Methodist movement) time. I thought I might share my responses to these questions in hopes of sharing a bit more about myself and about Methodism. This is the twelfth of the 19 questions. I hope it blesses you!

To read my other responses to the questions, check them out here:

Have you faith in Christ?
Are you going on to perfection?
Do you expect to be made perfect in love in this life?
Are you earnestly striving after perfection in love?
Are you resolved to devote yourself wholly to God and to God’s work?
Do you know the General Rules of our Church?
Will you keep the General Rules of our Church?
Have you studied the doctrines of the Global Methodist Church?
After full consideration do you believe that our doctrines are in harmony with the Holy Scriptures?
Have you studied our form of church discipline and polity?
Do you approve our church government and polity?
Will you support and maintain them?
Will you exercise the ministry of compassion?
Will you diligently instruct the children in every place?
Will you visit from house to house?
Will you recommend fasting or abstinence, both by precept and example? (Coming soon)
Are you determined to employ all your time in the work of God? (Coming soon)
Are you in debt so as to embarrass you in your work? (Coming soon)
Will you observe the following directions?
(a) Be diligent. Never be unemployed. Never be triflingly employed. Never trifle away time; neither spend any more time at any one place than is strictly necessary.
(b) Be punctual. Do everything exactly at the time. And do not mend our rules, but keep them; not for wrath, but for conscience’ sake. (Coming soon)

*_{^{Photo by Matt Reynolds; Shared by Firebrand Magazine}}*

12. Will you support and maintain [our church government and polity]?

While I was in seminary, I led the United Methodist Student Group at the seminary and was an active participant at a then-United Methodist Church in the area. In both of these roles, I had the privilege of keeping these United Methodists informed about what was happening in the denomination during the tumultuous years of 2018-2023. One thing I frequently said was that the reason a split was necessary was because of the “unmanageability” of the polity of the United Methodist Church. Most simply, I believe that many bishops and clergy of the UMC had not upheld the commitment to support and maintain the church government and polity, a commitment they had professed before their respective annual conferences. The polity of the UMC was not prepared to respond appropriately to those who willfully neglected its polity.

It almost seems as if John Wesley was anticipating that, at times throughout Methodist history, its clergypersons might disagree over what the best polity of the denomination should be. With the opportunity to change polity within Methodism through the work of General Conferences, I think this is to be expected and even embraced as we try to align our polity with how to best live out our doctrines in the world. But even when I as an ordained clergyperson disagree with whether the polity of the Global Methodist Church is the best polity we could have (and at this time, I do believe that it is the best polity we could have), I will always commit to supporting and maintaining it.

As an ordained elder, one way I will uphold my commitment to supporting and maintaining the polity and governance of the Global Methodist Church is by helping to craft, refine, and implement our governance structure at annual conference. I will see my voting rights as an ordained elder as a responsibility to support the polity of Global Methodism for all Global Methodists in the Alabama-Emerald Coast Conference. Additionally, as one of the pastors at my church, I will support and maintain the polity and governance of the Global Methodist Church by implementing and abiding by it as well as instructing laity in Global Methodist polity. One way we currently do this at Mulder is by making our committees and committee members known to the congregation through a flyer on our Resource Table and through an Installation Service at the beginning of the year. This helps to inform our congregants that Mulder is not run by the pastors, or a board of elders, or a bishop, but rather through a combination of committees and staff.

Thanks for reading! As I continue this series, if you’d like to get my newest blogs sent to your email, subscribe below!

To learn more about me, click here. Or, to get in touch, click here.

Also, to read my book review of GMC Bishop Carolyn Moore’s book The 19: Questions to Kindle a Wesleyan Spirit, check it out here.

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