United Methodists at a Tipping Point

As United Methodist leaders gather in Fort Worth, Texas for the 2008 General Conference they will focus on a number of key issues related to the ongoing vitality of the denomination. While the number of United Methodists has grown outside the United States, the U.S. Church has continued to decline in numbers. In a paradoxical way, this ongoing loss of members is bringing leaders to a critical juncture in the life of the largest of the mainline denominations with just under 8 million members and over 34,000 local churches in the United States. In order to connect with a younger, more diverse population it will need to have a major focus on starting new churches and revitalizing existing congregations.


If you already have thousands of churches, why would you need more? Because the population of the United States will grow by over 100 million people by 2050 and without new churches the UMC will not have an opportunity to offer ministry to a population that increasingly lives in urban America.


In 7 Myths of the United Methodist Church, I point out that in the best-selling book, The Tipping Point, the strategy of the John Wesley is highlighted. Wesley realized that in order for people to grow in faith and practice as followers of Jesus Christ you have to create a community around them that would nurture them and encourage them in their faith journey. Because of his strategy the Methodist movement exploded in the 1780s from 29 thousand to 90 thousand in the course of six years. This principle holds true today. Whether we are talking about Christian discipleship or educating our young people, without a community of people who care individuals easily get lost in our rapidly changing society.
The UMC is at another tipping point in its history. While it is still strong and has great resources, by focusing on sharing the gospel to new generations of people both in the United States and around the world, it can create communities where individuals can flourish and mature in faith. A choice for the future means focusing our efforts in a way that creates new faith communities that embrace newcomers with the grace and love of Jesus Christ.



For additional resources go to http://www.gbod.org/7myths