- 2026 General Conference Livestream
The 2026 General Conference of the Global Methodist Church will be livestreamed here and through the Global Methodist Church’s official YouTube channel. Please return when General Conference begins to watch the official broadcast—and invite your congregation, family, and friends to join… Read more: 2026 General Conference Livestream - 2026 General ConferencePreliminary Schedule
- Joburg Journal: Welcome to South Africa!
STG is excited to bring you news, travelogue, and reflections throughout the happenings of General Conference 2026. Please subscribe, follow, and tune in wherever you listen to podcasts! Below are links mentioned in this conversation - Considering Johannesburg – “Church Discipline” – Panel 5
Some legislation before the coming General Conference is more theological or theoretical than other legislation. One category of legislation is more immediately practical than perhaps any other: How are we to govern our churches? Specifically, how will we protect one… Read more: Considering Johannesburg – “Church Discipline” – Panel 5 - Considering Johannesburg – “What Kind of Holiness?” – Panel 7
Holiness is a primary concern, not just of the Wesleyan/Methodist tradition, but of the Bible. Without holiness, no one will see the Lord. Our Lord is holy, and He has called us to be holy as He is holy. Even… Read more: Considering Johannesburg – “What Kind of Holiness?” – Panel 7 - Considering Johannesburg – “Judicial Administration” – Panel 6
Yesterday’s panel on Church Discipline figured a good deal into the conversation around judicial administration. The rules we already have in place may or may not be sufficient for protecting good order in our covenant body. The reality of our… Read more: Considering Johannesburg – “Judicial Administration” – Panel 6 - Considering Johannesburg – “How Global, Really, Is the GMC?” – Panel 8
Talk is talk; action is action. These things don’t always match up. My previous denomination, The United Methodist Church, talked a big game about international respect and the global nature of the church, but then they resegregated themselves from nonAmericans… Read more: Considering Johannesburg – “How Global, Really, Is the GMC?” – Panel 8 - Basic Courtesy
In 1788, John Wesley published portions of a famous work on manners by the Italian author Baldassare Castiglione which first appeared in English in 1528. Manners, or civility, was a topic of great interest in eighteenth-century Britain. And Wesley, like… Read more: Basic Courtesy - A Case & Renaming for “Methodism 2.0”
The first thing you’ll find below is a PDF of this article, below that you will find the same content. The only difference is the PDF will contain the endnotes as footnotes (if you are like me and hate turning… Read more: A Case & Renaming for “Methodism 2.0” - Made Perfect in Love: A Theological Understanding of Sanctification
How ought we to think about sanctification theologically? Let us begin with an analysis of the word itself. The verb to sanctify simply means “to make holy.” On this definition, to sanctify is very close in meaning to the verb… Read more: Made Perfect in Love: A Theological Understanding of Sanctification - What Makes Theology Wesleyan? with Tom McCall and Jason Vickers
Is John Wesley enough to sustain the tradition he started? What’s the difference between studying John Wesley’s theology and doing theology as a Wesleyan? How much must Wesleyan theology agree with John Wesley? Those are the questions up for discussion… Read more: What Makes Theology Wesleyan? with Tom McCall and Jason Vickers - The GMC Articles of Faith
Much has been written about the Articles of Faith, drafted for the consideration of the delegates at next week’s General Conference of the Global Methodist Church. The idea of the document was proposed to the 2024 Convening Conference as a potential… Read more: The GMC Articles of Faith - The Holy Spirit and the GMC’s Episcopal Election Process
The 2026 General Conference of the Global Methodist Church is upon us. Among the important work before the delegates are adjustments to our Book of Doctrines and Discipline, including a fresh restatement of our core beliefs. We are also electing bishops… Read more: The Holy Spirit and the GMC’s Episcopal Election Process - Methodist Roots Lesson 1
John Wesley once asked a simple but powerful question: “What may we reasonably believe to be God’s design in raising up the people called Methodists?” The answer shaped a movement that continues to impact lives around the world today. Join… Read more: Methodist Roots Lesson 1 - Considering Johannesburg “Our Sacraments”- Panel 4
Sacramental theology is a deep concern for many in the Global Methodist fold. John Wesley had a good deal to say about both. But we also care a great deal about making disciples and carrying forward effective evangelism. How is… Read more: Considering Johannesburg “Our Sacraments”- Panel 4 - Highland Park UMC pastor compares standoff with regional conference to Cain and Abel
A regional body of the United Methodist Church and Highland Park United Methodist Church (HPUMC) in Dallas continued their public disagreement this week over changes to the megachurch’s governing documents, with both sides issuing statements defending their positions in the… Read more: Highland Park UMC pastor compares standoff with regional conference to Cain and Abel - The Divorce Glow-Up
There’s a viral TikTok trend of women posting images of themselves before and after their relationship ends and calling it a “divorce glow-up.” Their point is that after their separation they are fitter, have better skin, and have upgraded their… Read more: The Divorce Glow-Up - The Proposed Articles of Faith: A Few Final Comments
Since the final publication of the proposed Articles of Faith for the Global Methodist Church, I have followed the online discussion from a distance. At times this discussion has been helpful and enlightening. It has helped me to understand where… Read more: The Proposed Articles of Faith: A Few Final Comments - Will the Tail Wag the Dog? Practice and Theology at the General Conference of the GMC
Long before the creation of the new Global Methodist Church, faithful Wesleyans debated how this new church would guard orthodox Wesleyan theology and practice fruitful ministry. A successful convening General Conference in Costa Rica two years ago established this new… Read more: Will the Tail Wag the Dog? Practice and Theology at the General Conference of the GMC - GC Talk Joburg with Will Gregory, Maggie Vowell, and Rev. Dr. Adam Thornton
Is it global?Does it strengthen the local church?Does it advance the mission?Does it build a movement?Can it actually work? General Conference 2026 is almost here. These are the key questions that are the filter by which the MidTexas delegation is… Read more: GC Talk Joburg with Will Gregory, Maggie Vowell, and Rev. Dr. Adam Thornton - Methodist Pastor Insists the Bible is Full of Mistakes and Contradictions- Compares it to ‘Aesop’s Fables’
First Church is a mid-sized progressive United Methodist Church located in the bustling downtown of Birmingham, AL. Led by pastors Kevin Thomas, Jonathan Goss, Katie Gilbert, and Rea Green, their website’s stated missional priorities include: Practicing Hospitality, Embodying Diversity, Doing Justice, Encouraging Authenticity, Creating an Inclusive… Read more: Methodist Pastor Insists the Bible is Full of Mistakes and Contradictions- Compares it to ‘Aesop’s Fables’ - Apologetics Calmly Considered interview with Todd Christine.
Today, in a collaborative effort with Jeffrey Rickman of Plain Spoken, we interview Todd Christine, author of Apologetics Calmly Considered and explore what apologetics should look like in a Wesleyan context. Book link below. “”What has too often been separated—truth… Read more: Apologetics Calmly Considered interview with Todd Christine. - Balancing Autonomy and Unity: Looking Ahead to the GMC General Conference with Matt O’Reilly
In this episode of More to the Story, I welcome Dr. Matt O’Reilly (Lead Pastor of Christ Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and Director of Research at Wesley Biblical Seminary) for a timely conversation about the upcoming Global Methodist Church General… Read more: Balancing Autonomy and Unity: Looking Ahead to the GMC General Conference with Matt O’Reilly - John Wesley: This Is One of the Most Important (and Most Misunderstood) Doctrines
You aren’t especially likely to hear a lot about the doctrine of divine providence in Wesleyan circles. We tend to associate that sort of thing with the various expressions of the Reformed tradition. How does God govern his creation? How… Read more: John Wesley: This Is One of the Most Important (and Most Misunderstood) Doctrines - Considering Johannesburg – “Which Methodism?” – Panel 2
A month or so ago, Petey Bellini, one of our episcopal candidates, published an article on Firebrand Magazine called “Which Methodism?” In it, he highlights five current expressions of Methodism currently found in the Global Methodist Church. Here’s a link,… Read more: Considering Johannesburg – “Which Methodism?” – Panel 2