African Methodists lament American Methodists are 'preaching a different gospel'

Although members of the United Methodist Church in Africa are grateful to their American counterparts for being instrumental in bringing the gospel to their continent, many of them are saddened to see the state that American United Methodist churches are now in.

The Rev. Jerry Kulah from Monrovia, Liberia is among those who are worried that United Methodists from the U.S. are not preaching the same gospel they once brought to African shores.

"The church has taken on strangely a new direction. People from the country that brought the Gospel to us are now preaching a different Gospel," Kulah said.

Coming from the recently concluded General Conference held in Portland, Ore., Kulah was part of the discussions revolving around the ordination of LGBT ministers and the question of allowing same-sex marriage in the church. As a church leader who considers the Bible as the "primary authority for faith and practice," Kulah was concerned that church leaders in America and other countries "are far going away from Scripture and giving in to cultural Christianity."

Such arguments have been present since 1972, but they are increasingly putting a strain on relationships within the church. If the church should decide to allow the LGBT to be ordained in the clery or same-sex marriage to be performed by ministers, the church could potentially break apart.

Betty Katiyo from the West Zimbabwe Conference commented that many United Methodist churches in Africa have preserved the "spirit of Methodism" introduced by founder John Wesley himself, and churches in the West can learn from the African churches.

Katiyo said her church still practices the traditional Wesleyan gatherings of small groups in homes for prayer and worship. Such gatherings, called "class meetings," help strengthen family relationships within the church.

Rev. Mande Muyombo from North Katanga, who is also the executive director of the General Board of Global Ministries' Global Mission Connections, shared that their church has retained the Wesleyan style of evangelism, wherein church members engage the community by helping build schools, wells, hospitals and others.

United Methodists from Africa are also concerned that many of the issues discussed at the General Conference concern the U.S. However, Global Ministries general secretary Thomas Kemper said there is a need to help the Western churches find "a relevant way" for their culture.

"We need to find a relevant way for the Western culture as they seem to find a way for African or Filipino or whatever culture. It's not that easy," he said.