Aug. 19, 2022
VERO BEACH, Fla. – The Wesleyan Covenant Association-Florida regional chapter (“WCA-Florida”) This week three (3) council members of the Florida chapter filed formal charges against the leadership in the Florida conference of the United Methodist church. The complaints stem from the June 9, 2022, executive clergy session of the Florida Annual Conference. During that conference, the Board of Ordained Ministry submitted multiple candidates for commissioning as provisional elders and deacons.
During a lengthy debate, it was brought to Bishop Carter’s attention that three of the candidates recommended for commissioning by the Florida Board of Ordained Ministry did not meet the ordination standards because they were self-avowed, practicing homosexuals. Bishop Carter did not rule the candidates out of order. Instead, he proceeded to allow two separate votes on them. Paragraph 304.5 of The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church (2016) as amended in 2019, clearly states, “The…Board of Ordained Ministry shall not approve or recommend any person for candidacy, licensing, commissioning, or ordination who does not meet the qualifications.
“We have filed separate complaints against the executive committee of the Florida Board of Ordained Ministry for violating the ordination standards of The United Methodist Church and against Bishop Ken Carter for not ruling the candidates in question out of order” said WCA-FL President Jeremy Rebman.
This complaint was filed within minutes of the announcement by the global WCA that they are ending the self-imposed moratorium on filing charges against leadership in the Methodist denomination. They agreed to withhold filing complaints back in January of 2020 while the Protocol for Reconciliation and Grace through Separation (the Protocol) was being supported by the bipartisan group of sixteen (16) signers.
In June of 2022, progressive signatories, and centrist endorsing organizations to the Protocol announced they were no longer supporting its adoption. In their announcement, they stated, “…we can no longer in good faith support the Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace through Separation or work towards its adoption at the next General Conference.” Once this group of signers went back on their word and withdrew their support for the Protocol, the WCA global council announced it would end its cooperation with them on withholding the filing of charges against violators of the Book of Discipline. “It is a sad time for the entire United Methodist denomination” said WCA-Florida president Jeremy Rebman. “We had hoped that this coalition of men and women of faith would hold together and lead a graceful and equitable exit for traditional churches that wish to leave the UM denomination.”
Rebman also noted that what used to be undertones and whispers from many serving in the Florida conference leadership is now being stated plainly. This is a reference to a July 26, 2022, interview (link: https://tinyurl.com/3tevaww2) with the Ledger where Bishop Ken Carter, the bishop of Florida and Western North Carolina, was quoted as saying: “I have also, as a bishop, sought to strengthen churches across the labels of conservative or centrist or liberal,” he said. “And I don't like the labels, but I've sought to be fair across the spectrum of kinds of churches. And while I believe in our traditional, orthodox faith that's rooted in the Scriptures, I also have always believed that we have to adapt our doctrine and our Scriptures to changing life circumstances that people have.”
“This way of thinking is at the heart of the division within the United Methodist denomination,” Rebman said. “So-called progressive Christianity believes we must adapt our beliefs and the Bible itself to accommodate modern culture. We believe that God’s Word is eternal, and that God uses His Word to transform us according to the truth. We do not change the Word to suit ourselves or to gain the approval of the world. In the confusion and turmoil of our broken world, we offer the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” He went on to point out that the interview took place before the 60+ Western North Carolina traditional United Methodist Churches filed their legal process against Bishop Carter and the administration of the United Methodist church conference. That legal filing occurred late last week.
After announcing the filing of charges against Bishop Carter and against the Florida Board of Ordained Ministry today, Rebman offered this prayer: “Lord, by your Spirit, guard our hearts and minds, that we would not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but instead, would be transformed by the renewing of our minds.” He concluded with the now famous plea of many traditional churches throughout the United Methodist denomination: “Let us go!”