The United Methodist Church (UMC) has historically regarded itself as a “big tent” denomination. But as member churches across the United States vote to disaffiliate from the UMC, the denomination has been losing congregations by the thousands. The number of churches headed for the exit increased from just 10 churches in 2019 to 5,643 in 2023.
Norman Hubbard works in Minneapolis as a staff representative for The Navigators, a nonprofit Christian organization focused on outreach and mentoring.
