Global Methodism’s New Church This week conservative United Methodists unveiled The Global Methodist Church, which will launch when the denomination formally splits. When will that split occur? In 2019 the 13 million–member global church stunned American liberals by strengthening its official teachings that affirm sex only within male-female marriage. United Methodism is the only major liberal American mainline Protestant denomination that has not weakened its sexuality teachings. Faithful Africans: Major Force Unlike other mainline denominations, United Methodism has millions of members overseas, mostly in Africa, where Christianity is conservative. Nearly half, and perhaps more, of the church’s members are now in Africa. Successive governing General Conferences have refused to compromise Christian teaching, thanks to growing numbers of African delegates.