The United Methodist split represents the largest denominational realignment in modern American history, concluding decades of theological disagreement over biblical authority and human sexuality. Between 2019 and 2023, roughly a quarter of all United Methodist congregations in the United States disaffiliated, with thousands joining the newly launched Global Methodist Church.
The roots of division: Fifty years of debate
To understand the united Methodist split, one must look back to the denomination's creation. In 1968, when The Methodist Church merged with the Evangelical United Brethren, the newly formed United Methodist Church (UMC) inherited diverse theological viewpoints spanning traditional evangelicalism and theological modernism. For the broader background of this merger, read our comprehensive overview of the history of the Methodist Church.
In 1972, during its General Conference in Atlanta, delegates added a sentence to the Book of Discipline stating that homosexuality was "incompatible with Christian teaching." Over subsequent decades, the denomination explicitly barred self-avowed practicing homosexuals from ordination and forbade clergy from presiding over same-sex weddings. However, theological progressives in the western and northeastern United States increasingly challenged these rules, resulting in public civil disobedience, trial boycotts, and the election of openly partnered gay bishops like Karen Oliveto in 2016.
A crucial factor in this protracted debate was the demographic transformation of the denomination. While United Methodist membership declined steadily in the United States from 11 million in 1968 to less than 7 million by 2018, membership expanded rapidly across sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, and Liberia. By 2019, roughly 40 percent of voting delegates at the General Conference represented international annual conferences, the overwhelming majority of whom held strongly conservative biblical convictions regarding marriage and sexuality.
At successive General Conferences in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016, traditionalist voting coalitions composed of conservative American delegates and African representatives consistently defeated progressive petitions to amend the Book of Discipline. Conservative traditionalists argued that church leadership in progressive American jurisdictions was willfully violating the denomination's constitution and abandoning the supreme authority of Scripture. In contrast, progressive leaders contended that the restrictive rules were unchristian and unjust, resulting in an institutional stalemate. To explore the foundational theological principles uniting and dividing both camps, consult our summary of what Methodists believe.
The 2019 Special General Conference and Paragraph 2553
In an effort to resolve the impasse, the Council of Bishops called a Special General Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, in February 2019. Delegates narrowly passed the Traditional Plan, which reaffirmed traditional marriage and increased penalties for clergy who violated church rules.
Recognizing that deep divisions made continued unity impossible, the 2019 conference also enacted a temporary, five-year exit provision known as Paragraph 2553 in the Book of Discipline. Under this rule, a local church could vote to disaffiliate from the denomination "for reasons of conscience" related to human sexuality, taking its physical property and assets with it. To do so, the congregation had to secure a two-thirds majority vote of its professing members, pay two years of denominational apportionments, fund its share of clergy pension liabilities, and gain approval from its regional annual conference before December 31, 2023.
For departing congregations, meeting these financial conditions required monumental sacrifice. Under the denomination's historic trust clause dating back to John Wesley, local church deeds were held in trust for the wider denomination rather than owned outright by local members. To buy out of the trust clause, churches had to pay their actuarial share of unfunded clergy pension liabilities managed by Wespath Benefits and Investments, alongside two full years of apportionments. In many large congregations, these exit payments totaled hundreds of thousand—nd in some cases million—f dollars, requiring special congregational sacrificial giving campaigns or bank financing before annual conferences granted final approval.
Disaffiliation numbers: UMNews official tallies
When the disaffiliation window officially closed at the end of 2023, the scale of the umc split surprised even seasoned church observers. According to official historical tracking by the United Methodist News Service (UMNews), a total of 7,659 congregations formally disaffiliated between 2019 and 2023.
This exodus represented approximately 25 percen—ne in every fou—f all United Methodist congregations in the United States. Geographically, departures were heavily concentrated in conservative, rural, and Southern regions. In Texas, over 50 percent of all UMC congregations voted to depart, with massive numbers also leaving across North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and western Pennsylvania. In contrast, annual conferences in New England and the Pacific Northwest saw fewer than 10 percent of churches leave. To examine state-by-state congregational distributions, review our geographic analysis of Methodist churches by state.
The founding of the Global Methodist Church (GMC)
As the disaffiliation process gained momentum, traditionalist leaders prepared to launch an alternative denomination. On May 1, 2022, the global Methodist church officially launched as a conservative evangelical body committed to historic Wesleyan doctrine.
The Global Methodist Church distinguishes itself through several key characteristics:
- Theological Orthodoxy: The GMC strongly affirms the primary authority and reliability of Scripture, classical Wesleyan theology, and traditional Christian sexual ethics, defining marriage exclusively as the union of one man and one woman.
- Streamlined Governance: Rejecting large denominational bureaucracies, the GMC eliminated guaranteed pastoral appointments, giving local congregations a direct voice in hiring their pastors.
- Affirmation of Women Clergy: Unlike many conservative Baptist traditions, the Global Methodist Church wholeheartedly ordains women as pastors, elders, and bishops, honoring John Wesley's legacy of female lay preaching.
- Global Accountability: The GMC operates as a global movement with conferences spanning the United States, Africa, Europe, and the Philippines, maintaining strict theological accountability for clergy and leadership.
During its initial launch, the Global Methodist Church was guided by a Transitional Leadership Council led by veteran advocate Keith Boyette, operating under a transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline. The new denomination prepared for its historic Convening General Conference held in San Jose, Costa Rica, in September 2024, where delegates from across the globe met to adopt permanent constitutional bylaws, consecrate bishops, and establish international mission partnerships.
Thousands of disaffiliated congregations immediately joined the Global Methodist Church upon exiting the UMC, while others chose to remain completely independent or affiliate with smaller traditional bodies like the Free Methodist Church; to see how these groups compare, explore our guide on Methodist denominations in America.
The landmark 2024 General Conference in Charlotte
The departure of thousands of traditionalist delegates dramatically shifted the demographic balance of the remaining United Methodist Church. At the delayed General Conference held in Charlotte, North Carolina, from April 23 to May 3, 2024, delegates took historic votes to fundamentally restructure the denomination:
- Removal of Restrictive Language: Delegates voted by an overwhelming margin of 93 percent to remove the 1972 declaration that homosexuality is "incompatible with Christian teaching," as well as all prohibitions on the ordination of LGBTQ+ clergy.
- Same-Sex Weddings: The conference eliminated mandatory penalties against pastors who officiate same-sex weddings, while explicitly protecting the right of pastors and local churches to decline officiating ceremonies if it violates their conscience.
- Worldwide Regionalization: Delegates approved a constitutional amendment establishing worldwide regionalization, allowing annual conferences in Africa, Europe, and the Philippines to set distinct moral and administrative policies that reflect their local cultural contexts.
These historic decisions repositioned the United Methodist Church as a fully inclusive, progressive mainline denomination, ending fifty-two years of contentious internal debate.
How to tell which denomination a local church belongs to
Following this nationwide Methodist church split, community members often wonder which denomination their local neighborhood church belongs to today. You can determine affiliation through several practical steps:
- Church Signage and Logos: United Methodist churches prominently display the iconic Cross and Flame insignia alongside "United Methodist Church" in their official name. Global Methodist congregations typically display the GMC emblem or have updated their roadside sign to read "Methodist Church" or "Global Methodist."
- Online Presence: Check the church website's "About Us" or "Our Beliefs" page, which will explicitly state whether the congregation is part of an annual conference of the UMC, a provisional conference of the GMC, or an independent fellowship.
- Historic Black Methodist Churches: Remember that many Methodist churches belong to historic African American denominations that were completely unaffected by the recent split, such as the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) or AME Zion Church.
Visiting a Methodist church today
Regardless of whether a local congregation chose to remain United Methodist or join the Global Methodist Church, both traditions share the foundational spiritual heritage of John Wesley. Services center on the warm singing of classic hymns, thoughtful expository preaching, and an open communion table where all are welcomed to receive Christ's grace. For the life and ministry of the movement's founder, see our profile of John Wesley and Methodism.
If you are planning to attend a service, consult our visitor resource on what to expect at church, or locate local congregations in your neighborhood through our comprehensive directory of Methodist churches.