Story by Wellington Makonese
SCORES of congregants gathered in Murehwa this Saturday to commemorate Easter, a sacred event which also marked the official launch of the Global Methodist Church (GMC) in Zimbabwe.
The formation of the new denomination follows a doctrinal rift within the United Methodist Church (UMC), particularly concerning the issue of homosexuality.
Conservative members who opposed recent liberal shifts in UMC policy have now aligned themselves with the Global Methodist Church, which advocates for traditional biblical values.
Reverend Forbes Matonga has been appointed to lead the Zimbabwean branch of the church on an interim basis, pending formal organisational procedures.
“The church is now established and is set to host its inaugural General Conference here on the African continent in 2026. By August of this year, Zimbabwe will be formally recognised as a member. Our guiding principle is unwavering adherence to biblical teachings,” Reverend Matonga said.
This development has been met with widespread approval from traditional leaders and the general populace.
“What they are doing aligns with the core tenets of the Bible. As traditional leaders, we commend this stance in safeguarding our cultural values,” Traditional Leader, Chief Goronga said.
“If we have individuals and institutions that stand firm on the truth and identify what is wrong, our nation will thrive. Practices such as child marriages and foreign ideologies that undermine our values must be rejected,” Traditional Leader, Chief Mangwende said.
“This represents a positive step in eradicating certain detrimental practices. It is commendable when a church can clearly discern and act against these issues,” Traditional Leader, Chief Negomo said.
“We do not embrace foreign doctrines that erode our values. This marks a significant separation and a reaffirmation of our family principles,” Traditional Leader, Chief Nyajina said.
Despite the official position of the UMC General Conference, the Zimbabwean branch has explicitly distanced itself from the stance which is supporting homosexuality.
Last month, 12 Zimbabwean pastors within the United Methodist Church tendered their resignations, citing their disagreement with the General Conference’s stance on homosexuality.
This followed a resolution passed last year by the General Conference, the highest decision-making body of the United Methodist Church (UMC) at the international level, which allows for same-sex marriages and the ordination of openly homosexual clergy.
Numerous churches across Zimbabwe and Africa have adopted a firm stance against homosexuality, asserting its incompatibility with biblical scripture.
The Global Methodist Church is a Protestant Methodist denomination, founded in May 2022, which emphasizes traditional Wesleyan theology as a result of these disagreements.
