Adultery, Fornication, Abortion, and Same-Sex Acts No Longer Sin in UMC: Aggrieved ST Nagbe Members Reveal

Michael T
Aug 11
2 min read

Scenes at ST Nagbe on Sunday, August 10, 2025 — Scene at ST Nagbe on Sunday, August 10, 2025

On August 10, 2025, the historic S.T. Nagbe United Methodist Church in Monrovia found itself at the center of national controversy when police cordoned off its premises, escalating months of internal strife within Liberia’s UMC. The police intervention followed intensifying protests by church members who accuse leaders of endorsing “unorthodox practices”—among them, claims that adultery, fornication, abortion, and same-sex relationships are no longer considered sinful under new amendments attributed to worldwide UMC policy changes.

At the core of these tensions sits the controversial “Regionalization Policy,” interpreted by some as a gateway to legitimizing same-sex marriage and other reforms that clash with traditional Christian values. Resistance in Liberia has been fierce: for many UMC Church leaders, these changes threaten the core of Christian doctrine. Some dissenting pastors have gone as far as severing ties with the United Methodist Church entirely, triggering bitter property disputes as each side claims ownership over the sanctuaries they built and shepherded

The national debate resurfaced recently when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of 72nd United Methodist Church, declaring illegal the church’s removal by the Annual Conference (LAC/UMC). The victory has rekindled a simmering legal and spiritual fight that had faded from public glare in recent weeks.

Aggrieved members at S.T. Nagbe argue that their congregation refused to pay tithe to the Annual Conference, standing firm against what they see as non-biblical changes infiltrating the church.

In response, the LAC/UMC—led by Bishop Samuel Quire—stated that the church was temporarily closed on August 6 due to prolonged disruptions allegedly orchestrated by suspended lay leader Cooper Tomah and associates tied to the breakaway Global Methodist Church. LAC/UMC dismissed viral social media rumors of an imminent same-sex marriage officiation, reaffirming its stance that marriage in Liberia remains between one man and one woman, following both Liberian law and church resolutions. According to Bishop Quire, the real battle is over church property, not doctrine.

However, across Liberia, UMC disputes keep following the same script: pastors and members rejecting new teachings they see as unbiblical, refusing to bow to the Annual Conference, and resisting what they call a takeover of church assets. Backed by a Supreme Court win and growing public support, they insist this fight isn’t just about buildings — it’s about faith, identity, and the very soul of the church.

With S.T. Nagbe’s doors still locked, the UMC in Liberia stands at a crossroads. What happens next could decide not only who controls its sanctuaries, but what it truly means to be Methodist in a time of rapid change.liberiaumc+2

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