Church splits: Unfortunately, they aren’t all that uncommon. And like most, a rather large one in Michigan is taking place because of different interpretations of the Bible and, more specifically, LBGT issues within the church.
This comes to us from Caledonia, Michigan, where the largest United Methodist congregation in the state resides. However, that very same congregation, Cornerstone Church of Caledonia, has recently decided to leave the denomination.
According to The Christian Post, the vote to split off from the mainline Protestant denomination came in at 616-9, not a close one at all.
Additionally, it was noted that the departure of Cornerstone from UMC has not been all that problematic. There’s been no drama, no real infighting.
If any rebellion could be called peaceful, this is it, I guess.
As Pastor of Cornerstone Ken Nash said, “This isn’t a renegade spirit we have.” In fact, he noted that while the church is definitely pulling away from the denomination, it isn’t cutting all ties. “We want to have a connection in the future. It just doesn’t have to be as formalized.”
But there is still a bit of a problem with the church’s decision.
As I mentioned before, the split is largely due to differing interpretations of homosexuality within the church. More progressive members and even UMC leaders somehow believe that homosexuality is alright. Hell, some pastors and churches even perform same-sex marriages and approve of homosexual pastors.
More conservative members find themselves on the other side of the fence, believing homosexuality to be a sin and, therefore, not endorsing it in the church.
So, what side does Cornerstone find itself on?
Well, that’s the problem. The whole reason they are leaving is, apparently, so they don’t have to decide.
They are kind of in the middle of the debate and don’t want anyone telling them to pick a side. According to their website, the church does not “perform same-sex marriage ceremonies”; however, they do invite LBGTQ+ persons to attend and participate in all levels of church membership.
They do know that they are only putting off the inevitable, right? At some point, they are going to have to decide. And when they do, another split will likely occur.
