Published: February 24, 2025
Once, the church was our last refuge, a sanctuary from the corruption, broken promises, and deep divisions sown by our politicians. But now, even the pulpit is becoming a battlefield, mirroring the dysfunction of our political sphere. The bitter divide within the United Methodist Church (UMC) in Liberia has escalated into a public spectacle, marked by police arrests, accusations of theft, and deep-seated ideological rifts.
The recent turmoil in Gbarnga serves as a stark reminder that no institution is immune to division. Worshippers, outraged by the church’s controversial regionalization plan, arrived at Jorquelleh District First United Methodist Church for service only to find its doors locked. What should have been a day of worship quickly turned chaotic when accusations surfaced against the newly assigned pastor, Rev. George T. Gargboe, of conspiring to remove church assets. When he finally unlocked the doors, congregants were met with another shock: musical instruments and other church equipment were missing. Some members pointed fingers at the senior usher, accusing her of secretly relocating the items to her home in a bid to cripple their protest.
The division within the UMC is no longer a matter of simple administrative disagreements; it has become an ideological war, threatening the very fabric of the church. The arrests of Joseph S. Voker and David T. Dolo, who protested by removing the “United Methodist” emblem from the church’s symbol, only added fuel to the fire. District Superintendent Anthony Karpee, arriving with police officers, ordered their immediate detention, citing charges of desecration of venerated objects and criminal mischief. In response, a defiant protester declared, “This is an outright attempt to silence us. We are standing for biblical truth, and we will not be bullied into accepting what we do not believe in.”
This is not just about church property disputes—it is about trust, doctrine, and identity. The issue of regionalization has fractured the UMC, with accusations flying that the church’s leadership is surreptitiously endorsing same-sex marriage and other doctrinal changes. The result? An exodus of congregations. From the 72nd United Methodist Church to the New Georgia and E.D. McGill Memorial churches, several congregations have severed ties, instead pledging allegiance to the Global Methodist Church (GMC), a denomination that firmly upholds traditional biblical teachings.
The rift is not limited to Gbarnga. In Lower Margibi County, members of the Duazon United Methodist Church have attempted to rebrand themselves as the Duazon Methodist Church in protest. However, their actions have been met with fierce condemnation, with United Methodist Human Rights Monitor Program Director Jefferson Knight labeling the move as “spiritual gangsterism.” Similarly, at St. Matthew United Methodist Church in Upper Caldwell, leaders have vowed to sever ties with the UMC should the 2020/2024 Book of Discipline adopt changes to its definitions of marriage, LGBTQ+ rights, or abortion policies.
For decades, the church stood as a beacon of unity in Liberia, offering moral guidance and social cohesion when political institutions faltered. Today, that role is slipping away. The UMC’s descent into factionalism mirrors the failures of our politicians—leaders more concerned with power and control than with their duty to serve. The question now is: can the church pull itself back from the brink, or is it destined to become just another broken institution, another casualty of our national disunity?
If our places of worship continue down this path, if they too succumb to the forces of division, then where will Liberians turn for hope? When the sacred becomes indistinguishable from the corrupt, the people will be left with nothing but despair. The church must choose—will it stand as a moral compass, or will it join the ranks of those who have failed us?
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