Former UMC Large-Membership Churches Start New Network

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This story has been updated with new information. See corrections below and click here for the full update.

A United Methodist Insight Exclusive

A collaboration of former United Methodist large-membership churches has announced the creation of an association that intends to provide accountability and resources without the constraints of a denomination.

The Foundry Network will begin officially in September, according to an announcement posted on Facebook by the Rev. Eric Huffman, pastor of The Story Church in Houston that has disaffiliated from The United Methodist Church. Rev. Huffman declined United Methodist Insight's request for an interview about his Facebook post.

The establishment of The Foundry Network changes the binary nature of the United Methodist Church's splintering since it gives disaffiliating churches an alternative to joining the Global Methodist Church, the fledgling traditionalist denomination founded by the Wesleyan Covenant Association in May.

Rev. Huffman's post described Foundry's purpose: "The Foundry Network ... seeks to forge a network of like-minded pastors and churches who are aligned theologically and work together to reawaken the movement for Jesus in our communities."

In addition to The Story Church, other founding congregations listed in Rev. Huffman's post are:

One of the churches originally listed in Rev. Huffman's announcement, Mt. Bethel in Marietta, Ga., stated after this story was originally published that it was not joining the network and didn't give permission for its name to be used. Click here for the additional article.

The name Foundry refers to a congregation known as the Foundery that was started by Methodism's founder John Wesley in a former English cannon factory. The network is not related to any of the dozens of United Methodist congregations that are also named Foundry including the most prominent progressive namesake, Foundry UMC in Washington, D.C.

The Rev. Dr. Bryan Collier, founder and lead pastor of The Orchard Church, said in a podcast called "Changing Churches" that Foundry Network organizers wanted accountability and connection without the constraints of belonging to a denomination. The Orchard and Granger left the UMC before the 2019 General Conference enacted the so-called "gracious exit" provision known as Paragraph 2553 in the Book of Discipline.

"Changing Churches" podcast is produced by Christ United Methodist Church in Mobile, Ala. Dr. Collier was interviewed by Christ's senior pastor, the Rev. Rob Couch.

Both Rev. Huffman's post and Dr. Collier in his interview said their church's leaders had considered joining other Wesleyan/Methodist denominations before forming The Foundry Network. However, as Dr. Collier phrased it, "We didn't think it was a good idea to get remarried so quickly after getting divorced."

On the podcast, Dr. Collier explained in detail the motivation of leaders in his multi-site church about withdrawing from the Mississippi Annual Conference in 2016-2017.

"We kept feeling pressured to pick a side in the debate [over LGBTQ acceptance]," Dr. Collier said. "Our position has always been that the Bible's very clear about sexuality and you don't have to have an extreme view of sexuality that doesn't embrace people where they are. You need to be able to say you stand on the truth. We wanted to be full of truth and full of grace. ... We felt like the argument that was brewing in United Methodism was going to force us to be one or the other."

Dr. Collier said his church's leadership decided to place a one-year moratorium on whether to join another denomination after The Orchard left United Methodism.

"We had calls from the Church of the Nazarene, the Anglican Church in North America, the Free Methodist Church, the Wesleyan Church – the Global Methodist Church wasn't thought of then," Dr. Collier said. "We declared a moratorium on that decision for a year. And now we are five years into that moratorium. We had to make that decision again since the Global Methodist Church launched in May, but it was pretty easy to make that decision."

In the "Changing Churches" interview, Dr. Collier said that The Orchard's decision was not a criticism of the Global Methodist Church, because the two share the same views that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian faith.

"Global is a great answer for some," he said. "I love those guys. [Global Methodist executive] Keith Boyette and I were in seminary together. I was on the WCA board that hired Keith. I have a great affinity for [them] but that doesn't mean we're just going to jump on board."

Dr. Collier said the appeal of The Foundry Network for him and other disaffiliating pastors was its accountability and "nimbleness" to make ministry decisions independent of denominational structures.

"Denominations typically are just not nimble," he explained on the podcast. "They cannot make decisions in a quick way. When you're in a network you can be very Kingdom-focused. A network does not have employees, it doesn't manage funds, it doesn't require a lot of attention. It's more about connection and Kingdom resourcing. If we want to plant a church, we don't have to have multiple meetings, we don't have to ask for funding, we just do it."

The Orchard pastor said his affinity for the Foundry Network also was influenced by a book he read during the coronavirus lockdown, "The Permanent Revolution" by Alan Hirsch.

"Hirsch says that If a church can be self-organizing, self-generating, self-sustaining, and self-reflecting, it does not need a denomination to provide those functions for it. The Orchard is all that," he said.

"We're in a post-denominational age," said Dr. Collier. "Young people not going to make a decision on joining a church based on the label on a sign. Our mission for Jesus is better served by some nimble kinds of networks that are in sharp contrast to denominations as we know them today."

Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011. To reproduce this content elsewhere, please email Insight for permission.