Friday's Catch: 'United Methodists redefine marriage, end official condemnation of homosexuality" And More

United Methodists redefine marriage, end official condemnation of homosexuality
A condemnation of homosexuality that has riven the denomination for 52 years was eliminated from the United Methodist Church’s rule book.

Also see Church ends 52-year-old anti-gay stance and UMC removes rule that homosexuality is ‘incompatible with Christian teaching’

United Methodists strike down ban on ordination of gay clergy 

With a simple vote call and without debate, delegates to the General Conference removed the ban on the ordination of ‘self-avowed practicing homosexuals’ — a prohibition that dates to 1984.

Also see: UMC delegates remove ban on LGBTQ clergy by consensus vote

Global Methodist Church reacts to UMC votes to allow LGBT clergy, same-sex weddings
The Global Methodist Church has issued an official response to the United Methodist Church's General Conference votes to drop the denomination's decades-old ban on ordaining noncelibate homosexuals and allow the blessing of same-sex weddings.

Methodists Approve Full Communion with Episcopal Church
The United Methodist Church’s General Conference has agreed by a 95 percent majority to accept a proposed full-communion agreement with the Episcopal Church. The Episcopal Church’s General Convention must also approve the agreement before full communion becomes a reality.

Deacons can now preside at sacraments in their appointments 

Deacons can now preside at the sacraments in their appointments without needing explicit permission from their bishop.In what presiding Bishop David Graves called a “historic moment,” General Conference on May 2 passed new legislation granting authority to deacons to preside at the sacraments in their ministry settings. This means deacons can now offer Holy Communion and conduct baptisms where they have been appointed to serve, whether that is a church, outreach ministry or mission.

This development and the existing rules in the UMC Book of Discipline permitting licensed local pastors (LLPs) to preside at the Lord's Supper, consecrating the elements as well as distributing them, may prove an obstacle to the proposed full-communion agreement with the Episcopal Church. LLPs are lay persons who are authorized to preach sermons, plan and lead worship services,administer the sacraments, and provide pastoral care in a specific circuit. In the Methodist Church in Britain they are known as licensed lay preachers.

How a beloved worship song became the theme song of Christian nationalism
‘How Great Is Our God’ has long been one of the most popular worship songs in Christian churches. Since 2020, it’s also become a theme song for Christian nationalist protesters.

This paragraph of the article particularly caught my eye. "'How Great Is Our God' also harks back to an earlier era of worship music, she said, before megachurches such as Hillsong, Bethel and Elevation dominated the industry. The hit songs churned out by those churches often rely on vocal acrobatics and sophisticated arrangements — filled with white space and instrumentals, which makes them harder to pick up spontaneously." It is the dominance of the songs from these sources that accounts in part for the decline of congregational singing. The older worship songs are much more accessible and memoriable.

Christianity's Future
Now Christians face another challenge. If current trends continue, using Bishop Doyle’s sea imagery, the receding tide of Boomers will mean that by 2035, Christianity in North America will drop to 10 percent or less of the population...This story of decline should give every Christian leader today, especially the leaders of the Episcopal Church, a sober awakening, and a sense of urgency.

8 Dangers of "A La Carte" Christianity 

Literally, “à la carte” means, “at or according to the menu”—and we’ve understood it to mean choosing what we want from a smorgasbord of options. Chuck Lawless fears that description fits how many believers live out their Christianity, too: they pick what they want and leave the rest on the counter. Here are some dangers of that approach—dangers that might also signal if we’ve moved in this direction....

What Did Jesus Teach about Total Depravity?
There are various texts within the Gospels where our Lord highlights man’s inner and outer depravity. Perhaps the clearest example is recorded in Mark 7:15–16, 18–23, where he taught....

Three Commonly Held Objections to the Gospel in India
Every culture and nation has its own unique objections to the gospel. Here are some of the most commonly held objections to the gospel in India.