Terms Interim Leadership as “Illegal and Unrecognized”
The leadership and congregation of the Stephen Trowen Nagbe United Methodist Church (STNUMC) have issued a formal statement rejecting what they describe as an “illegal and unrecognized” interim leadership installed during a disputed Charge Conference allegedly held on October 21, 2025. The Church’s Administrative Council denounced the meeting as unlawful and contrary to both the ruling of the Civil Law Court and the constitutional rights of its congregation. In their statement, the STNUMC leadership expressed deep concern over what they termed a “purported Charge Conference” convened by the District Superintendent of the Monrovia District Conference, Rev. Charles Eddie S. Langama Sr.
The Church asserts that this meeting violated a court order issued on August 5, 2025, which mandated all parties to maintain the status quo ante pending final resolution of an ongoing legal dispute concerning church governance and doctrine. According to the STNUMC statement, the controversy arises from the United Methodist Church (UMC) General Conference of 2024, which amended Paragraph 161.G of the Book of Discipline to redefine marriage as “a sacred, lifelong covenant” between two persons of consenting age, regardless of gender.
The leadership of STNUMC maintains that this new definition contradicts the biblical and traditional Christian understanding of marriage as a covenant exclusively between one man and one woman. The Church emphasized its commitment to Scripture as the ultimate authority over all doctrine and practice, citing passages from Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4–6, Romans 1:26–27, and Leviticus 18:22 in defense of its position. STNUMC declared that the amended UMC position on marriage represents a departure from both biblical truth and Liberia’s moral and legal standards, which recognize marriage only between a man and a woman.
In response to these developments, the congregation filed a declaratory-judgment lawsuit before the Civil Law Court of Montserrado County, seeking constitutional protection for their freedom of worship and conscience. The August court ruling, which froze all administrative changes within the church until the case is resolved, remains in force. The STNUMC leadership stated that the attempt to install an interim leadership structure under Rev. Langama is therefore illegal and in contempt of the court’s directive. “The leadership elected and installed during the 2024 Charge Conference remains the only lawful leadership of the Church until a proper, transparent, and biblically guided process is conducted following the final court ruling,” the statement affirmed.
The Church further cautioned the public, institutions, and partners not to transact or engage with the so-called interim leadership, warning that any such dealings would be considered illegitimate and against the interests of the congregation. The Administrative Council also issued a direct appeal to Bishop Samuel J. Quire Jr. and the Liberia Annual Conference (LAC/UMC) to uphold biblical integrity and avoid what it described as doctrinal compromise. The statement criticized what it called “misleading and unchrist-like” public assurances that the UMC “will never allow same-sex marriage,” pointing out that the 2024 Book of Discipline explicitly redefines marriage to include same-sex unions.
Such contradictions, the Church said, threaten the moral authority and spiritual credibility of the denomination. For over fifty years, the Stephen Trowen Nagbe United Methodist Church has served as a center of faith, education, and community service in Liberia. The congregation reaffirmed its commitment to the Gospel of Christ, the traditional Methodist Articles of Religion, and the Confession of Faith. “We shall continue to worship peacefully, uphold lawful order, and trust in God’s justice through the courts and the conscience of the faithful,” the statement read. STNUMC appealed to the Government of Liberia to safeguard its constitutional rights, called upon the Liberia Council of Churches and all faith leaders to stand in defense of biblical truth, and urged the Press Union of Liberia and the general public to remain vigilant against misinformation intended to divide the Christian community.
Concluding its statement, the Church emphasized that its struggle is not against individuals but against false doctrine. “Our mission is not to separate from the United Methodist Church,” the leadership declared, “but to preserve its true heritage of holiness, scriptural fidelity, and moral courage.” The statement was issued by the Administrative Council of the Stephen Trowen Nagbe United Methodist Church in Monrovia, Liberia, on November 7, 2025, and was endorsed by key leaders of the congregation, including representatives of the Youth Fellowship, Women’s Organization, Men’s Unit, and other ministry groups.
Author: Zac T. Sherman
