The leadership and congregation of the Stephen Trowen Nagbe United Methodist Church (STNUMC) have issued a statement to clarify facts, defend truth and reaffirm its unwavering commitment to the Holy Bible as the supreme authority over all doctrine, practice and conduct of the church.
According to the statement, the current tension within the church stems from a global doctrinal shift adopted by the United Methodist Church (UMC) General Conference 2024, which amended Paragraph 161.G of the Book of Discipline (2024 edition) to redefine marriage as “a sacred, lifelong covenant that brings two people of faith, an adult man and woman of consenting age, or two adult persons of consenting age, into union with one another and into deeper relationship with God and the religious community”.
This new formulation, the statement said, opens the door for same-sex marriages and departs from the original and Biblical definition of marriage as a covenant solely between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4—6; Romans 1:26—27; Leviticus 18:22). “The congregation of ST Nagbe United Methodist Church, deeply rooted in the Word of God and faithful to its Wesleyan heritage, rejects this alternation as both unbiblical and inconsistent with Liberia’s moral and legal order, which recognizes marriage exclusively between a man and a woman,” the statement noted.
In defense of their faith and Constitutional rights, STNUMC congregation filed a declaratory-judgment lawsuit before the Civil Law Court of Montserrado County, seeking protection under the Constitution of the Republic of Liberia, which guarantees freedom of worship and conscience.
On August 5, 2025, the Civil Law Court issued a ruling ordering all parties to return to status quo ante pending final determination of the case.
Regrettably, the statement added, in defiance of that court order, the District Superintendent of the Monrovia District Conference, Rev. Charles Eddie S. Langama, Sr., convened a purported Charge of Conference on October 21, 2025 to unlawfully remove the legitimate leadership of STNUMC and install an interim administration.
“In this regard, we, the legitimate Administrative Council and congregation of STNUMC, categorically reject this illegal and unrecognized action. 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.
“Accordingly, we caution the general public, all partners and institutions not to transact or engage with any purported “interim leadership”. Any such dealings are illegitimate, unlawful and against the interests of the church,” the statement continued.
“In this turbulent time, we call upon Bishop Samuel J. Quire, Jr. and the Liberia Annual Conference (LAC/UMC) to return to the Biblical foundations of our faith and demonstrate spiritual integrity by rejecting deception and doctrinal compromise. It is misleading and unchrist-like to affirm publicly that ‘the UMC will never allow same-sex marriage’ while at the same time endorsing the 2024 Book of Discipline, which explicitly redefines marriage to include same-sex unions. Such contradictions sow confusion and undermine the moral authority of the church.
“The Stephen Trowen Nagbe United Methodist Church has stood for over five decades as a beacon of Christian faith, education and community service in Liberia. We remain anchored in the Gospel of Christ, faithful to the Articles of Religion and the Confession of Faith, and committed to the traditional Methodist teaching that upholds the sanctity of marriage and the authority of Scripture. We shall continue to worship peacefully, uphold lawful order, and trust in God’s justice through the courts and the conscience of the faithful.
“We appeal to the Government of Liberia (GOL) to ensure that the Constitutional rights of our congregation are protected; the Liberia Council of Churches and all faith leaders to stand with us in defense of Biblical truth; the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) and the Liberian public to remain vigilant and discerning against misinformation intended to divide the body of Christ.
“We reaffirm that our struggle is not against individuals but against false doctrine. Our mission is not to separate from the UNC, but to preserve its true heritage of holiness, Scriptural fidelity, and moral courage,” the statement observed.