UMC Considers Restructuring to Boost Church Growth

The Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church is meeting about the implementation of “The Call to Action,” a multiyear process aimed at revitalizing congregations and reversing decades of declining membership.

In a sermon delivered Monday morning to over 100 active and retired Methodist bishops, Bishop Larry M. Goodpaster, president of the Council of Bishops, stressed the need for CTA.

“The Call to Action has been generating lively debate and discussion at every level of our denomination. The recommendations from the Interim Operations Team and many of the subsequent conversations and debates have centered on the institutional organization,” said Goodpaster.

“We know that to increase the number of vital congregations fully living out the mission that has been given to the church will take an intensive and long-range commitment on the part of the whole church.”

In his message, Goodpaster talked about how although proposed changes may contain some uncertainty the UMC “cannot maintain the status quo.”

A major change proposed would involve consolidating nine of the UMC’s 13 general agencies into a new entity called the United Methodist Center for Connectional Mission and Ministry. To read more, click here.