The 2026 General Conference of the Global Methodist Church has concluded in Johannesburg, South Africa. It was a historic week filled with worship, prayer, holy conferencing, and a renewed commitment to make disciples of Jesus Christ and spread scriptural holiness across the globe.
We covered a lot of ground in seven days! But what does it all mean for laity and clergy in local churches across the Trinity Conference? Here are six important takeaways:
Throughout the week, worship was not an interruption to the business of General Conference. It was the foundation that guided it. Each day began with worship, preaching, prayer, and holy communion that were intensely focused on the beauty of holiness.
As Global Methodists, we are invited into a deeper relationship with God through Spirit-filled holiness: experiencing the presence of God, surrendering to Jesus Christ, and allowing the Holy Spirit to fill and transform every part of our lives.
This understanding is deeply Wesleyan. Holiness is not merely avoiding what is wrong; it is being filled with the love of God so completely that His character becomes visible in His people.
John Wesley called this entire sanctification, or Christian perfection: the Holy Spirit’s work of cleansing the heart from sin and filling it with wholehearted love for God and neighbor. (See Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:15–16; Matthew 22:37–39.)
In a historic vote, General Conference in Johannesburg overwhelmingly voted to adopt the Articles of Faith that will be published as part of the Global Methodist Church’s revised Book of Doctrines and Discipline.
The Articles form a firm foundation for what we preach and teach in our local churches across the Trinity Conference: what we believe about Holy Scripture; the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the saving work of Jesus Christ; and the Triune God’s power to make us new and perfect in His love.
Pastors and congregations can answer essential questions with confidence and invite people into a living relationship with Jesus Christ via formational discipleship pathways.
We will see the importance of these Articles in the everyday ministry of our churches: in the truths proclaimed from our pulpits, the faith taught in membership classes and small groups, the conversations we have with children and students, and the way we explain our beliefs with a distinctively Wesleyan accent.
The discussion, development, and refinement of these doctrinal statements have taken decades. Their formation brought together Wesleyan theologians and church leaders from across the global connection, resulting in a beautiful exercise of holy collaboration.
The General Conference elected the first regular, full-time Assembly of Bishops in the history of the Global Methodist Church. Bishop Luther Oconer was elected to serve Episcopal Area 1, which comprises Tanzania, Covenant Philippines, India, Mega Manila Philippines, Panama, Mississippi-Western Tennessee, and Trinity Annual Conferences.
Oconer was consecrated as a bishop during worship on Saturday, September 5, 2026, along with Jonathan Lee, Lyndol Loyd, Jerry Kulah, and Paul Lawler. Their six-year terms of service begin November 1, 2026.
Global Methodist Assembly of Bishops
Global Methodist bishops are called to be teachers, spiritual leaders, and general superintendents of the whole Church, entrusted with strengthening and defending its orthodox Wesleyan doctrine.
Please pray for Bishop Oconer and the entire Assembly of Bishops as they continue the work begun by the part-time, interim bishops elected at the 2024 General Conference.
The Church gives thanks for the faithful service of the retiring bishops, including Bishop Scott Jones and our own Bishop Kenneth Levingston, whose active episcopal leadership is concluding this fall. They helped guide the denomination through its formative years, and their leadership has left a positive and lasting impact on the office of bishop within the GMC.
Lay and clergy delegates considered 451 petitions addressing doctrine, ministry, local church life, episcopal leadership, governance, finances, and the Church’s witness in the world.
This work began in eight legislative committees before proposals came before the full General Conference. Clergy and lay delegates from across the worldwide connection prayed, listened, debated, and discerned together. Their resulting work clarifies and strengthens the content within the GMC Book of Doctrines and Discipline.
A sub-committee of the GMC's Connectional Council unveiled a new Church-wide strategic framework to the General Conference which closely aligns with our own three-year, “Equipping for the Harvest” strategic plan approved at Annual Conference last June.
The GMC's framework focus on making disciples, developing spiritual leaders, strengthening existing congregations, and planting new faith communities closely aligns with Trinity's commitment to equip every leader, every disciple, and every church for fruitful ministry. Grounded in Scripture and dependence upon the Holy Spirit, it connects our local efforts to a shared global mission, with annual conferences and the wider Church working together to equip and support the ministry happening in our congregations and communities.
The General Conference also elected lay and clergy leaders to the Connectional Council, commissions, and committees. These leaders will help guide the Church’s doctrine, mission, ministry, and governance between sessions of General Conference.
Through the Mission Experience, Global Methodists served alongside churches and ministry leaders throughout Johannesburg and Soweto. Participants engaged in evangelism, prayer, Vacation Bible School (VBS), discipleship, and health ministries. Many activities were planned for 100 participants, and the numbers grew to 600–700 each day!
The General Conference also unanimously approved a covenant of understanding with the Korean Methodist Church, strengthening a relationship rooted in more than a century of shared Methodist history.
During the Celebration of Africa, the Global Methodist family gave more than $23,000 to support Global Methodist congregations and ministries in South Africa. It was a beautiful expression of what it means to be connected not only in name, but through worship, service, and generosity.
This was the first Global Methodist General Conference held in Africa and only the second in the denomination’s history. Delegates gathered for the seven-day meeting from across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
The Global Methodist Church has grown from approximately 4,700 congregations following the 2024 General Conference to 7,250 congregations today. It now includes 55 annual conferences, along with six emerging areas that may become annual conferences. General Conference materials were available in nine languages: English, Spanish, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese, Korean, Russian, Thai, and Amharic.
The 2026 General Conference will be remembered for historic decisions, new leaders, and important legislation. But its deeper story is about a young denomination discovering more fully what it means to be global, Wesleyan, and wholly devoted to Jesus Christ.
And now we are headed home to our family of churches in Eastern Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas with a passionate, joyful, holy energy to advance the work of ministries in our local churches.
In every Trinity congregation, we are called to grow in holiness of heart and life. We give thanks for all God has done and look forward to what He will do next.
Trinity’s presence in Johannesburg extended well beyond our faithfully dedicated, servant-hearted lay and clergy delegates. Members from across the conference served in key leadership and ministry roles throughout General Conference. We give God thanks and praise for:
