It is a church committed to making disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. The Global Methodist Church is filled with warm-hearted, Jesus loving, and Holy Spirit inspired people. They are grounded in Scripture and the life giving confessions of the Christian faith found in the Apostles’ and the Nicene Creeds.
To join the Global Methodist Church, the following motion must be adopted by a simple majority at a congregational meeting:
“I move that _____________ Church become a member congregation of the Global Methodist Church, that it affirms and endorses the doctrinal standards (Part One), Social Witness (Part Two), and church governance of the Global Methodist Church as set forth in its Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline, and agrees to be accountable to such standards, witness, and governance. Our leadership and trustees are authorized to take all actions necessary to implement this motion.”
A person authorized by the church must then complete and submit a digital church application. As part of completing the digital church application, you must upload the minutes of the meeting at which the motion above was adopted. Church applications can only be submitted using the digital church application. If you have questions about the church application process, please email [email protected].
Yes, there will be a directory in the future. However, most local UM churches seeking to disaffiliate from the UM Church are still awaiting for their UM annual conferences to approve their disaffiliation requests. Some of those local churches then plan to affiliate with the GMC. Once this sorting process is further along, the GMC website will provide a directory. Thank you very much for your interest in a directory. We ask for your patience and prayers as theologically conservative local UM churches navigate challenging transitions.
The Global Methodist Church is recognized as a tax-exempt organization under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) § 501(c)(3). The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) determination letter is attached here. All contributions, made on and after March 18, 2022, to the Global Methodist Church are deductible as charitable contributions to the extent applicable by governing federal and state laws.
The IRS suspended receiving and processing group exemption applications in 2020. Thus, the Global Methodist Church cannot apply for a group exemption covering local churches which are part of the Global Methodist Church.
However, the law firm of Gammon & Grange, PC, which represents the Global Methodist Church, has issued its opinion letter stating that local churches are exempt from taxation pursuant to a mandatory exception in IRC § 508(c)(1)(A). Local churches are not required to file an application (IRS Form 1023) with the IRS to qualify as tax exempt under IRC §501(c)(3). Contributions to such local churches in the United States are eligible for tax deduction pursuant to IRC §170(b)(1)(A).
While affiliated churches are automatically considered 501(c)(3), certain vendors and local governments may require additional documentation from a third party to prove their 501(c)(3) status. Churches that complete the Tax-Exempt Confirmation Form will receive an official letter via email within one week that can be used to prove their 501(c)(3) status.
When the IRS reopens the process for applying for a group exemption under IRC §501(c)(3), the Global Methodist Church will file for such a group exemption to cover local churches who are members of the Global Methodist Church. To preserve the opportunity to be included in a group exemption granted to the Global Methodist Church in the future, local churches who are members of the Global Methodist Church should not file a separate application for recognition of IRC §501(c)(3) status, but instead should rely on the automatic exemption pursuant to IRC §508(c)(1)(A).
To apply to be a clergy member of the Global Methodist Church, the clergyperson must complete and submit a digital clergy application. As part of completing the digital clergy application, you will upload certain documents such as a copy of ordination certificates or licenses evidencing your current ministerial credentials, diplomas from educational institutions, and transcripts of courses completed. During completion of the digital clergy application, you will initiate a background check as part of completing the digital clergy application. Clergy applications can only be submitted using the digital clergy application. If you have questions about the clergy application process or need assistance, please email [email protected].
According to the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline of the GM Church ¶ 407.1 provides that persons pursuing GM Church ordination may complete the educational requirements set forth in ¶ 407.3 at any approved alternative educational pathway or in a bachelor’s degree program in ministry (for persons residing other than in the United States and Western Europe), a joint Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Divinity program, a program for a Master of Arts or equivalent degree in the practice of ministry or a Master of Divinity degree program at any accredited educational institution.
Please visit our Benefits page here to access information about our benefits program and to locate members of the Benefits Team.
Officially, the 17 member Transitional Leadership Council is leading the Global Methodist Church during its transitional phase. However, over a thousand people have had a role in giving shape to it and bringing it into existence. Clergy and lay people in Africa, Europe, Eurasia, the Philippines and the United States have sacrificially given of their time, talent, and resources to discern God’s will for the formation of the Global Methodist Church. During its transitional phase, the church will be governed by the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline. Ultimately, duly elected delegates to the Global Methodist Church’s convening General Conference will prayerfully seek God’s will for the church’s future. The convening General Conference will adopt a Book of Doctrines and Discipline to replace the transitional document.
The convening General Conference is September 20-26, 2024 in San Jose, Cost Rica. Stay informed with the latest General Conference news by going to our dedicated website www.sotheworldwillknow.org. Read the following articles for additional information:
Global Methodist Church’s Convening General Conference Date Set for San Jose, Costa Rica
The Journey to the GM Church’s Convening General Conference
GM Church Continues Preparing for its Convening General Conference
GM Church Reveals General Conference Theme
Plans for GMC’s Convening General Conference Gather Pace in New Year
Making Room for Delegates and Others at the Global Methodist Church’s Convening General Conference
Critical Document Released for the GM Church’s Convening General Conference
GM Church General Conference Delegates Allocated to Provisional Annual Conferences and Districts
Constitution for the Global Methodist Church Recommended to Convening General Conference
Convening General Conference Update
That the one God – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – has created all things; that Jesus Christ, through the power of his cross and Resurrection, is the Lord and Savior of all the world; and that the Holy Spirit empowers the people of his church to worship and praise God and to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world in word and deed. (For a full accounting of the church’s core beliefs see its Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline, pages 4–19.)
Yes! As a truly global church the denomination is ethnically and racially diverse and it insists on the equal treatment of all the church’s members.
Yes! Women, like men, are called to serve in the Global Methodist Church and are entitled to serve at all levels of the Global Methodist Church.
Local churches can begin the process of joining the Global Methodist Church immediately. (See paragraph 355 in the Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline for further details on when and how a current local UM church or other churches can join the Global Methodist Church.)
According to the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline local churches own all their property and assets. Since it is widely assumed that the local churches, and annual conferences and central conferences that are strongly inclined to join the Global Methodist Church do not want to be part of a denomination with a “trust clause” (i.e., where local church property is held in trust for a general church), it is almost certain the Global Methodist Church will never adopt one. Therefore, local churches in the Global Methodist Church will own all their property and assets in perpetuity.
Within five years of its official initiation date (May 1, 2022), we believe the Global Methodist Church will have local churches in a number of countries all around the world. Some local churches will join one-by-one, and other local churches will join in regional groups. And new churches will be planted in missional settings around the world.
According to the Global Methodist Church’s Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline (see paragraph 516.2) bishops will only serve for defined term limits. Once they serve their terms, they will either return to ministry in a local church or to some other area of service in the general church. It is widely assumed the delegates to the Global Methodist Church’s convening General Conference will endorse term limits for bishops.