Top 2024 Moments in the Global Methodist Church
December 28, 2024
2024 has undoubtedly been the most consequential year yet for the Global Methodist Church. While I hesitate to label these as “The Top Stories,” they represent some of the moments and developments that continue to stand out in my mind from this transformative year.
The Emergence of Global Methodist Influencers
The year 2024 has brought about an intriguing media phenomenon: the emergence of prominent influencers within the Global Methodist community. While Jeffrey Rickman and Andy Miller III had already been active in media prior to this year, their influence has grown significantly.
Jeffrey’s Plain Spoken youtube channel experienced a surge in engagement during the spring, as his coverage encompassed broader Methodist topics. Meanwhile, Andy solidified his reputation as a leading voice in the community by securing exclusive interviews with episcopal candidates for the Global Methodist Church during the latter half of the year.
As someone who has been podcasting for nearly five years, I am genuinely impressed by their ability to consistently produce such a high volume of thoughtful, impactful content. Their dedication and work ethic are truly inspiring.
The Rise of Wesley Biblical Seminary
Just a few years ago, I couldn’t have told you much about Wesley Biblical Seminary or even where it was located. In my conference, the Asbury Seminary-to-pulpit pipeline had long been the gold standard for producing our most effective pastors.
Now, however, we’re witnessing a remarkable shift as more pastors and ministry candidates gravitate toward Wesley Biblical Seminary. This growth can be attributed to several factors, chief among them being the seminary’s early and intentional focus on serving the Global Methodist Church, coupled with their exceptional course of study.
Adding to their momentum is the leadership of Andy Miller III, who, as mentioned earlier, is not only a gifted influencer but now also serves as the seminary’s president. Andy’s visionary leadership, teaching ability, and genuine kindness have further elevated Wesley Biblical Seminary’s reputation and appeal.
The First General Conference
The Global Methodist Church held its historic convening General Conference in Costa Rica, marking a vibrant celebration of God’s work and an eager anticipation of what lies ahead.
Hosting the conference outside the United States was a significant and deliberate statement, reflecting the church’s commitment to being truly global in its mission, ministry, and practice. It underscored the church’s vision of embracing a worldwide community and shared faith.
The success of the event was made possible by the extraordinary efforts of leaders like Beth Ann Cook and countless dedicated staff and volunteers, whose hard work and passion brought this inspiring gathering to life.
New and Decentralization of Leadership
In the early days of the Global Methodist Church, leadership and decision-making were primarily concentrated in the hands of two bishops, a chief connectional officer, and the Transitional Leadership Council. Each of these individuals and groups played a vital role, laying the foundation for the church’s mission and vision through their exceptional efforts.
The convening General Conference, as mentioned earlier, marked a turning point by introducing a new leadership structure. Among the most notable developments was the election of six new bishops, each bringing a rich and diverse background in Methodism to their roles. These men and women are already making a significant impact, serving the church with dedication, wisdom, and a shared commitment to its global mission.
Global Methodist Member Killed in Donald Trump Assassination Attempt
On July 11th, during an assassination attempt on then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, a member of the Global Methodist Church, Corey Comperatore, tragically lost his life while shielding his family.
Corey was remembered with heartfelt words from his pastor: “Corey’s love for Jesus was clear in the way he lived his life. He served his family, his church, his community, and his country [U.S. Army Reserves], and he did all that with a heart of service to the Lord.”
Bishop Mark Webb also honored Corey’s legacy, stating, “Everything I have heard about Corey points to a man who loved his family deeply and lived his faith in very significant ways.”
As another political cycle concludes, this family faces a loss that can never be undone. Let us continue to lift them in our prayers.
Keith Boyette Retires
Keith Boyette, both a pastor and a lawyer, may well have been the single most influential figure in the establishment of the Global Methodist Church. Recently, Keith retired from his role as the Global Methodist Church’s Chief Connectional Officer.
During his tenure, he provided invaluable legal expertise and spiritual counsel to churches and pastors navigating the complex reorganization of Methodism. His leadership and dedication were pivotal during this transformative period.
You can learn more about Keith’s remarkable contributions and his retirement in a feature article published by Christianity Today.
- The Man Who Made Global Methodism Possible – Christianity Today Feature by Daniel Silliman
- Global Methodist Church Announces Keith Boyette Retirement
What Did I Miss?
So much more happened in 2024 that deserves to be celebrated and remembered! What moments stand out to you? Comment below and share what you’ll remember most. What significant events or milestones did I miss that absolutely should have been included? Let’s honor this incredible year together!
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This past September, the Global Methodist Church held its historic Convening General Conference. Reflecting on the event over the past few months, I wanted to document some surprises that stood out to me. These moments captured the spirit of this pivotal gathering and left a lasting impression.
1. Worship That Sounded Heavenly
Watching the worship services during the conference, I was blown away by how incredible the music sounded—even through the livestream. Mixing live worship bands for an online audience is notoriously challenging, yet the result was stunning.
This is a testament to the hard work and talent of the worship team, including Rev. Sterling Allen and Rev. Tesia Lee Mallory. Their efforts helped bring a sense of connection and reverence to all who participated, whether in Costa Rica or tuning in from afar.
2. Outstanding Coverage by Christianity Today
I was pleasantly surprised by the exceptional coverage of the event by Christianity Today. Daniel Silliman’s on-the-ground reporting brought the heart of the conference to life, capturing both its historical significance and joyful spirit.
Silliman’s insights on social media and articles like:
- “It’s Okay to Say We’re Born Again”: Global Methodists Embrace Evangelical Identity
- Global Methodists Find Joy in Costa Rica
- Global Methodist Bishops to Dance
Silliman’s writing highlighted the distinctive ethos of the Global Methodist Church, including its focus on sanctification and renewal. In an age where Methodism often receives less-than-favorable media coverage, it was refreshing to see the vibrancy of our tradition celebrated so widely.
3. Jimmy Towson’s Brief Candidacy as Bishop
A touching surprise was seeing Jimmy Towson briefly considered as a candidate for bishop. Each delegation was asked to present someone as a nominee alongside the existing slate of candidates, and Jimmy’s name was offered.
Jimmy has been a vital leader in the South Georgia Conference of the Global Methodist Church, and I have no doubt he would have made an excellent bishop. True to his humble nature, he graciously withdrew his name early in the process to help streamline the voting. Even so, his brief nomination was a moment of pride for many of us in South Georgia.
4. Missing Out on the Experience
The biggest surprise for me personally was not being able to attend the conference in Costa Rica. My daughter, who was recovering from a broken tibia, had an unfortunate fall just 30 hours before my departure, breaking her femur. While my wife encouraged me to go, I felt it was best to stay home and care for her during such a challenging time.
Although I couldn’t be there in person, I am deeply grateful to our South Georgia delegation. Both clergy and laity represented us with grace and faithfulness, helping to pave the way for a bright future in the Global Methodist Church.
The Convening General Conference was a historic moment for our denomination, full of worship, joy, and vision for the future. Though I watched from afar, I continue to reflect on how these surprises reveal God’s faithfulness and the promise of renewal within our church.
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A Firm Foundation: Three Hopes for the Global Methodist Convening Conference 2024
September 18, 2024
The Convening General Conference of the Global Methodist Church begins September 20th, 2024 and will run through September 26th, 2024. One of my writing topics has been the future of Methodism. With this historic event happening, here are three outcomes I hope to see happen.
#1 – I Hope Everyone Has Fun
This first outcome might sound flippant. For far too long, I have known people from all theological sides return from these types of global gatherings who are upset, crestfallen, and disillusioned. They have been upset about politics, attitudes, and outcomes.
Hopefully, there will be more smiles than scowls, more hugs in the hallways than emergency strategy huddles in backrooms, and more laughter and joy than anger and confusion.
There have been many global conferences where pastors get up the next Sunday and have to put lipstick on a pig. We have pretended it was a good idea to kick the can down the road for another four years or explain how a horrible decision really does not affect the local church too much. What if instead it was fun and work was done that we are proud of?
Important work will be done. It will be long days which can lead to exhaustion. My expectation is delegates may return home tired but the good type of tired after a great spiritual retreat.
#2 – I Hope We Build Trust
Tesia Mallory shared on facebook this screen shot from Ryan Burge.
The gist of these stats are they show decline in trust in almost every American institution, including organized religion.
The past few years I have documented my thoughts on how it was trust issues breaking up the former denomination I served in. It will be a mistake if we simply say “trust us, we are the good guys.” We have to continually earn trust. We have to ask again and again, “How can we earn your trust? How can we earn each other’s trust? How can we earn the trust of the people in the pews?”
While not perfect, we are laying a firm foundation of trust. Personally, I have met both our active American Bishops, I shared lunch with Keith Boyette at a conference. I have met with several people in the Transitional Leadership Committee. They are all high caliber people of God who have my trust.
I pray we continue to build on this and demonstrate this at our convening conference. When in the future we squander this trust we must humbly admit our guilt, clarify how we will correct, and continue to build trust.
If we fail to do this, with no way to keep churches from leaving, the Global Methodist Church will splinter into nothing.
As Tesia summarized on her facebook post, “In a climate of mistrust relationships are important. Build something. Contribute to the common good. Serve.”
#3 – I Hope We Honor God
My greatest hope is that we honor God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I hope this conference pleases God in everything we do. Here is a list of ways I hope we do this.
- I hope we leave the venue and hotels better than we found them.
- I hope San Jose is blessed by the way we contribute to the economy but even more the way we appreciate their culture.
- I hope the worship moves us to tears and glorifies the Lord.
- I hope the fire of the Holy Spirit gets spiritual gasoline dumped over it so we continue to do amazing things for Jesus in the world.
Finally, I hope we make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.
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David Donnan 