May 01, 2024
We are grieved, if not surprised, by the UMC General Conference’s decision to officially abandon the unchanging standards of the Bible for human sexuality. The denomination has turned its back on the historic teaching of Jesus and the Church, which is for the created goodness of male-female marriage and against all harmful practices of sexual immorality, including homosexuality.
We pray for our brothers and sisters (including some of our own students) in congregations who desire to disaffiliate but have not been able to, especially those in the Central Conferences, that they may find ways to continue in faithful ministry. We also pray for those who supported this change, that even now they might find repentance for their own sake, and the sake of the generations they will influence. We pray for those who wrestle with sexual temptations, gender confusion, and the emotional and spiritual hurts that come with those struggles, that they may find their way to faithful churches that will show them the deep love of God that provides true healing grace, not by redefining the gospel but by proclaiming it more fully.
The sad descent of the UMC into spiritual blindness on this issue is the inevitable result of those who reject the authority of God’s Word and rebel against its call to holiness by grace through faith. Therefore, we renew our commitment to stand on the inerrancy of the Scripture and the real hope of entire sanctification, and we encourage others to do the same.
For those who desire to learn more about the Bible’s teaching on human sexuality, we are pleased to share that Dr. Robert Gagnon, the foremost expert on the topic, will teach a course this fall through WBS entitled “The Bible, Sexuality, and Transgenderism.” To sign up as an auditor, visit wbs.edu/apply.