The United Methodist Church is struggling with budget cuts as thousands leave due to progressive policies. In order to right the ship, Bishops agreed to a spending plan on Dec. 11 that did not include a pay raise. The number of active bishops has decreased from 39 to 32 and most of them now lead more than one conference. The board did approve a one-time bonus for office staff.
The board approved a one-time grant of $20,000 to each of the 15 U.S. episcopal areas where the church was forced to consolidate. This will help the staff that may have been laid off. The total of these funds will be $300,000. None of this money will go to individual bishops but to their organizations to help with the transition between jobs.
Rev. Moses Kumar, top executive of the General Council on Finance and Administration, told the board, “Let us be purposeful that mission drives finance.” He commanded the board for the long hours they spent reviewing the spending plans. “May our collective efforts be blessed as we embark on this new quadrennium with hope and conviction,” he concluded.
This year’s budget has been especially difficult. Roughly a quarter of U.S. churches have disaffiliated. This spending plan was historically low. The 2025 total was between $353.6 million and $373.4 million. The four-year budget represents about a 40% reduction of the previous denominational budget that the General Conference passed in 2016.
Similar budget woes have plagued several Methodist organizations. After announcing it would close earlier this year, Good News Magazine is being revived. The publication has been active in United Methodist Church politics and is theologically conservative. Mark Tooley, President of The Institute on Religion & Democracy, announced they will start operating the magazine under a program known as the John Wesley Institute.
The leaders of that magazine their membership from the UMC to the Global Methodist Church, a theologically conservative denomination launched in 2022. They credited Good News for helping thousands of congregations leave the UMC due to its theologically progressive push. But they spoke well of their old church and took a conciliatory tone.
“We are immensely thankful for the lives and ministries God has given us and for the opportunities provided to us by the UM Church,” they added. “It was the UM Church that recognized our gifts, affirmed our calling, and allowed us to serve its congregations.” They continued to explain that “Welcoming us with open arms over 40 years ago may be a decision some within the UM Church have come to lament. But we are grateful for a church that made a place for us to be in ministry, to do the work of God, and to fulfill his calling on our lives.”
The most painful part of the process for the UMC was been the fact that many office workers would need to be let go. “When we talk about the office allowance, I want to make sure that everyone understands that we’re talking about people,” the Rev. Sheila Ahler told the finance agency board. “Any time you have a merger, there is always a reduction somewhere in staff, and that’s difficult,” she said. “And it’s especially difficult whenever it’s the bishops’ staff and the staff has been with the bishop for years.”