In a landmark moment for the Global Methodist Church, the Assembly of Bishops gathered for their inaugural meeting from December 3-5, 2024, in Dallas, Texas. This pivotal event signified a major milestone in the life of the denomination as the bishops came together to reaffirm their shared mission, embrace the church's visionary purpose, and strengthen their collective commitment to Spirit-led leadership for the global body of Christ.
Rev. Mike Schafer, Connectional Operations Officer of the Global Methodist Church, participated in this gathering, demonstrating his and the bishops' commitment to fostering collaborative and aligned leadership.
Centering on Mission, Vision, and Covenant
The Assembly of Bishops began their time together by reaffirming the Global Methodist Church’s shared mission and vision: to make disciples of Jesus Christ, spread scriptural holiness across the globe, and, through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, multiply disciples who flourish in scriptural holiness by worshiping passionately, loving extravagantly, and witnessing boldly. This unified purpose served as the foundation for their collaboration.
“We want to operate as a leadership team, not just a team of leaders,” said Bishop Mark J. Webb on behalf of the Assembly, underscoring their reliance on the Holy Spirit and their commitment to prioritizing the church’s mission over personal preferences. A key focus of the meeting was creating a covenant to guide their work, inspired by the principles of unity, service, and transparency outlined in Ephesians 4:4-13.