THE SODOMITE/HOMOSEXUAL-AFFIRMING UNITED METHODIST CHURCH THREATENS TO CUT FUNDING FROM THE 1 MILLION-MEMBER IVORY COAST METHODIST CONFERENCE . . .
THE SODOMITE/HOMOSEXUAL-AFFIRMING UNITED METHODIST CHURCH THREATENS TO CUT FUNDING FROM THE 1 MILLION-MEMBER IVORY COAST METHODIST CONFERENCE, WHICH RIGHTLY VOTED TO SEPARATE FROM THE DENOMINATION BECAUSE THE UMC VOTED TO AFFIRM AND SUPPORT THE ABOMINATION OF HOMOSEXUALITY IN EVERY WAY.
DANIEL WHYTE III, PRESIDENT OF GOSPEL LIGHT SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL, TELLS TRACY MALONE AND THE COUNCIL OF BISHOPS, SINCE YOU ALL CAUSED THIS RIFT BY VIOLATING THE WORD OF GOD AND THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH, DO NOT CAUSE MORE HARDSHIP ON THIS INDEPENDENT CHURCH IN AN IMPOVERISHED AREA OF THE WORLD BY CUTTING THEIR FUNDS AND TAKING THEIR BUILDINGS. SINCE YOU CAUSED THIS RIFT, SHOW LOVE AND GRACE TO THE IVORY COAST METHODIST CONFERENCE BY EXTENDING THEIR FUNDING THROUGH 2028 AND LETTING THEM KEEP THE PROPERTY AND LANDS. WHYTE SAYS HE DOES NOT BELIEVE THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WOULD BE “VINDICTIVE” IF THEY PULLED THE FUNDING AND TRIED TO SEIZE THE PROPERTIES AS SOME CLAIM BECAUSE SEPARATION MEANS SEPARATION WITH ALL OF ITS BENEFITS AND HARDSHIPS. HOWEVER, THEY WOULD BE UNCHARITABLE AND UNCHRISTIAN IF THEY DID.
The United Methodist Church has garnered criticism for a plan to possibly cut funding to the 1-million-member Côte d’Ivoire Conference, which voted to leave the denomination earlier this year before the original deadline to do so.
The UMC Council of Bishops recently asked the UMC General Council on Finance and Administration to cut funds for the Ivory Coast church immediately and is also looking into securing control of denominational properties in the West African nation.
At issue is the alleged failure of the Côte d’Ivoire Conference to properly exit the global denomination. Had it followed the process, the conference would be given denominational funding until 2028, reported UM News.
The UMC bishops also want to secure control of assorted United Methodist properties in the African country, citing the denomination’s trust clause as justification for retaining control.
Mark Tooley, president of the theologically conservative Institute on Religion & Democracy, told The Christian Post that he believes these proposed measures looked “very punitive and vindictive.”
“They can successfully cut off funding from the United Methodist Church based in the U.S.,” said Tooley. “I don’t know how successful they will be in seizing property based in Ivory Coast. I would guess Ivory Coast will not be very sympathetic to United Methodist officials in the U.S.”
Tooley thinks the bishops’ action “communicates to other United Methodist churches around the world that the UMC USA will be punitive and vindictive.”
“This might intimidate some from trying to quit the UMC. But it also might motivate others to get out as quickly as they can,” Tooley continued.
Regarding the claims to the denominational properties, Tooley said it’s “unclear what this action means about UMC property in Ivory Coast.”
“Are they talking about the church buildings or other denominational property?” he added. “Local church buildings are held in trust not by the global denomination but by the local annual conference, which in this case is the Ivory Coast church, and which has now become independent.”