Too Much Uniting, Too Little Methodism?

Interesting article on the ongoing decline of the United Methodist Church:

Apparently even the motto "Open hearts, Open minds, Open doors" is causing problems in the United Methodist Church, according to Tooley. A conference by pro-gay Methodists will be hosted over Labor Day weekend by a church facility at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina. Conservatives in the church are objecting to "Hearts on Fire," which will featured the openly lesbian defrocked minister Beth Stroud, since UMC has rejected the ordination of practicing homosexuals as well as gay marriage. Those defending the use of church property for "Hearts on Fire" have justified it by citing the absolute inclusiveness implied in "Open hearts, Open minds, Open doors." "People on the conservative side of the church are concerned about the slogan because people on the left push their agenda using that," Tooley said.

So what Methodist convictions will attract the masses into its pews? A denomination's moral teachings usually indicate its theological strength. The church lists topics on its website. Where one might expect subjects like original sin, salvation, and the like, the curious find nods to modern liberalism: corporate responsibility, restorative justice, and women clergy. Dig a little deeper and you'll find that UMC opposes the death penalty in all circumstances, but is equivocal when it comes to abortion.


FIVE YEARS AND $20 MILLION of slick packaging haven't stemmed UMC's membership nosedive. In fact, the situation has only grown worse. According to UMC, the church only lost 34,000 members in 1999 and 36,500 in 2000, but saw 69,000 leave in 2003 and 71,000 depart in 2004. Such attrition is nothing to sneeze at when total membership is less than 8.2 million.

The slide isn't new for UMC. As a percentage of the American population, its membership has dropped from 5.3% in 1970 to 3% in 2000. And while U.S. population has increased by over 110% since 1940, Methodists only increased membership by less than 1% over the same period.

As is fairly well known, only mainline Protestant denominations suffer this fate while Catholic and fundamentalist denominations have experienced healthy membership growth. The National Council of Churches 2005 Yearbook reports that the Southern Baptist Convention increased its rolls by 7 percent since 1994, the Pentecostal Assemblies of God by 20 percent, and the Roman Catholic Church by 13 percent. Last year alone, the Catholic Church grew by 1.28 percent, the Southern Baptists by 1.18 percent, and the Assemblies of God by 1.57 percent, while the Methodists turned in 0.002 percent growth (this NCC figure contradicts the UMC's reported loss, but helps contrast UMC with other churches).

It's no coincidence that mainline Protestantism and its milquetoast morality is failing while churches with strong convictions are booming. People are drawn to strong convictions and churches that demand something of their lives. Americans don't need to be told in an ad campaign that the United Methodist Church -- the country's third largest denomination -- is there. The problem is that there's no there there.

I'm a lapsed Episcapalian who currently attends a UMC church. I haven't joined despite going to this church for well over a year. As attendance has plummeted, UMC has tried all sorts of gimmicks, such as adding "contemporary" services and Saturday evening services. For awhile, there were some strident liberals in the pulpit delivering mildly-disguised anti-Bush bromides from the altar. They embraced the "40 Days of Purpose" campaign marketed by Saddleback McChurch founder Rick Warren (and I used to attend that church too, back when I lived in Orange County, so kindly presume I know whereof I speak when it comes to big churches). They toned down the delightfully stern Methodist approach to liturgy in favor of a touchy/feely approach someone thought more welcoming.

Yet as squishy as the clergy are on morality, they are rock solid on fundraising. When you join the church, you are expected to commit to a certain level of donation, to seal that commitment in an envelope, and place it on the altar before the congregation at worship. It makes you wonder what's being worshipped, what's being honored, in that moment, doesn't it?

I like Bono's take on it---"The God I worship isn't short of cash." But hey, adding onto the parking lot and redoing the intersection in front of the church is way more important than teaching conventional ol' moral values anyway, right?

I do like a number of aspects of this church, and the tide may be turning with some more conservative clergy apparently winning a power play. It might turnaround, at least in this one congregation. If the rest of UMC is being infiltrated by Lefties who want the moral authority conferred upon the faithful without all the nasty business of wrestling with God, I don't know why they don't simply declare themselves Unitarians and be done with it.

Just give me that old time religion, any day.