View source for World Methodist Council

{{Short description|Consultative body and association of churches in the Methodist tradition, founded in 1881}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox religion
| name                = World Methodist Council
| image               = World-methodist-council-logo.png
| alt                 = Logo
| caption             = Logo
| abbreviation        = WMC
| main_classification = [[Protestant]]
| type                = [[Communion (Christian)|Communion]]
| orientation         = [[Methodism]]
| scripture           = [[Bible]]
| theology            = [[Wesleyan theology|Wesleyan]]
| polity              = 
| governance          =
| structure           =
| leader_title        = General Secretary
| leader_name         = Revd. Dr. Reynaldo Ferreira Leão Neto<ref>{{cite web | url=https://worldmethodistcouncil.org/general-secretary/ | title=General Secretary - World Methodist Council | date=14 October 2019 }}</ref>
| leader_title1       = President
| leader_name1        = Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett
| leader_title2       = Vice-President
| leader_name2        = Joshua Rathnam
| leader_title3       =
| associations        = 
| full_communion      =
| area                = 
| language            = 
| liturgy             = 
| headquarters        = 
| territory           =
| possessions         =
| founder             = 
| founded_date        = 
| founded_place       = 
| independence        =
| reunion             =
| recognition         =
| separated_from      = 
| branched_from       = 
| merger              = 
| absorbed            =
| separations         = 
| merged_into         =
| defunct             =
| congregations_type  =
| congregations       = 
| members             = 39,790,197 (2014-2025)
| ministers_type      =
| ministers           = 
| missionaries        =
| churches            =
| hospitals           = 
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| aid                 = 
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| website             = 
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| footnotes           = 
}}
The '''World Methodist Council''' ('''WMC'''), founded in 1881, is a consultative body that represents churches within [[Methodism]] and facilitates cooperation among its member denominations. It comprises 80 denominations in 138 countries which together represent the majority of Methodists worldwide, along with [[united churches]] that include Methodist traditions. Altogether, its members make up the ninth-largest Christian communion (see [[List of Christian denominations|list of Christian denominations by membership]]).

It is among the largest global communions of churches, after the [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic Church]], [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], [[Oriental Orthodox Churches]], [[Anglican Communion]], [[World Communion of Reformed Churches]], [[Assemblies of God|World Assemblies of God Fellowship]], [[Lutheran World Federation]] and [[World Baptist Alliance]] (see [[List of Christian denominations by number of members|list of denominations by membership]]).

Affiliated organizations are the World Fellowship of Methodist and Uniting Churches, the Oxford-Institute of Methodist Theological Studies, the World Methodist Historical Society, World Council of Confederation of Methodist Youth, the World Council of Methodist Men, World Methodist Council of Teens, the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women.

== Members ==

In 2016, the World Methodist Council was made up of 80 member denominations:<ref name=MEMB>{{cite web|url=https://worldmethodistcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/WMC_2016_Annual_Report.pdf | title= Minutes of the 21st World Methodist Conference |date=2016 | accessdate=January 6, 2025}}</ref>

{| class = "wikitable sortable"
|-
! '''Country''' !! '''denominational subfamily''' !! '''Denomination''' !! '''Number of members'''!! '''Year'''
|-
| International || Methodist || [[United Methodist Church]]<ref group="n" name="n1" />
*Central African Conference
*Central and Southern European Central Conference
*Congo Central Conference
*German Central Conference
*Northern Europe Central Conference
*Philippines Central Conference
*West Africa Central Conference
*US Conferences
*Liberia Conference
|| 9,087,322<ref group="n" name="UMC" /> || 2022-2023<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.umdata.org/statistics | title= United Methodist Church Statistics in the USA in 2023 | accessdate = January 5, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.umc.org/en/content/united-methodists-at-a-glance|title=Global Statistics of the United Methodist Church|accessdate=May 3, 2024}}</ref>
|-
| International || Methodist || [[Church of the Nazarene]] || 2,666,845 || 2021<ref>{{cite web|url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57f80092b3db2b529d354654/t/61f560103e602618e2746aa6/1643470866119/Final_2021_Annual_Church_Statistical_Report_with_note+%281%29.pdf|title=2011-2021 Church of the Nazarene Statistics|page=3|accessdate=April 28, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://map.nazarene.org/sites/default/files/docs/GenSec/Statistics/2016AnnualStatistical.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220102402/http://www.nazarene.org/sites/default/files/docs/GenSec/Statistics/2016AnnualStatistical.pdf|archivedate=2016-12-20|title=2016 Church of the Nazarene Statistics, Page 26| date=2016|accessdate=July 8, 2020}}</ref>
|-
| International || Methodist || [[Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church]] || 1,432,795 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| International || Methodist || [[Wesleyan Church]] || 140,954 || 2017<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.wesleyan.org/gb-update | title=Jubilee of the Wesleyan Church | date=7 May 2018 | accessdate=January 6, 2025}}</ref>
|-
| International || Methodist || [[Free Methodist Church]] || 1,547,820 || 2018<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fmcusa.org/|title=Free Methodist Church Statistics |accessdate=January 6, 2024}}</ref>
|-
| International || Methodist || [[African Methodist Episcopal Church]] || 2,500,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Namibia || Methodist || [[Methodist Church of Southern Africa]] || 2,600,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Argentina || Methodist || [[Evangelical Methodist Church in Argentina]] || 5,599 || 2017<ref>{{cite web|url=https://iglesiametodista.org.ar/descargas/2019/10/Actas-XXV-Asamblea-General-IEMA-2017.pdf|title=Minutes of the XXV General Assembly of the Evangelical Methodist Church in Argentina|date=August 18, 2017|pages=109-113|accessdate=May 20, 2025}}</ref>
|-
| Australia || Methodist || [[Chinese Methodist Church in Australia]] || 3,588 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Australia || Methodist || [[Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia]] || 2,452 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Australia || United Churches (Presbyterians, Methodists and Congregationalists) || [[Uniting Church in Australia]] || 243,000 || 2018<ref>{{cite web|url=https://assembly.uca.org.au/about/uca|title=Official data of the United Church in Australia|accessdate=26 May 2023|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116205758/https://assembly.uca.org.au/about/uca|archivedate=November 16, 2018}}</ref>
|-
| Bahamas || Methodist || Bahamas Conference of the Methodist Church || 1,900 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Bangladesh || Methodist || Bangladesh Methodist Church || 18,201 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Belgium || United Churches (Continental Reformed and Methodist) || [[United Protestant Church in Belgium]] || 3,401 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Benin || Methodist || [[Protestant Methodist Church in Benin]] || 90,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Bolivia || Methodist || [[Evangelical Methodist Church in Bolivia]] || 9,053 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Brazil || Methodist || [[Methodist Church in Brazil]] || 262,449 || 2022<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.expositorcristao.com.br/estatistica-nacional-o-desafio-e-a-realidade-dos-seus-dados#:~:text=A%20Igreja%20Metodista%20no%20Brasil,ao%20pastorado%20e%201.015%20igrejas.  |title=National Statistics: the challenge and reality of your data|work=Christian Expositor|accessdate=April 4, 2024|date=March 4, 2024}}</ref>
|-
| Canada || United Churches (Presbyterians, Congregationalists and Methodists) || [[United Church of Canada]] || 325,315 || 2023<ref>{{cite web |url=https://united-church.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/united-church-statistics-2023.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250123044233/https://united-church.ca/sites/default/files/2024-10/united-church-statistics-2023.pdf |archivedate=January 23, 2025 |accessdate=January 23, 2025 |title=United Church of Canada Statistics 2023}}</ref>
|-
| ''Caribbean'' || Methodist || [[Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas]] || 62,120 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Chile || Methodist || [[Methodist Church in Chile]] || 9,882 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| China (People's Republic of China) || United Churches (Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Baptists and Methodists) || [[Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China]] || 35,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
|-
| China (People's Republic of China) || Methodist || Methodist Church, Hong Kong || 12,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Colombia || Methodist || Colombian Methodist Church || 1,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| South Korea || Methodist || [[Korean Methodist Church]] || 1,133,837 || 2023<ref name=decline>{{cite web |url= http://www.igoodnews.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=77716 | title= "More than 200,000 members are leaving mainline denominations" The decline of Korean churches is becoming a reality | date= September 24, 2024 | accessdate = January 6, 2025 }}</ref>
|-
| Costa Rica || Methodist || Evangelical Methodist Church in Costa Rica || 16,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Cuba || Methodist || [[Methodist Church in Cuba]] || 33,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Congo (Democratic Republic of Congo) || Methodist || Free Methodist Church of the Democratic Republic of the Congo || 151,695 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Dominican Republic || Methodist || [[Evangelical Church of the Dominican Republic]] || 10,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
 |-
| Ecuador || United Churches (Presbyterians and Methodists) || United Evangelical Church of Ecuador || 1,500 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Spain || United Churches (Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Waldensians, Methodists and Lutherans) || [[Spanish Evangelical Church]] || 3,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Fiji || Methodist || [[Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma]] || 212,860 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Gambia || Methodist || Gambia Methodist Church || 2,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Ghana || Methodist || [[Methodist Church Ghana]] || 634,689 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| India || Methodist || [[Methodist Church in India]] || 648,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| India || United Churches (Presbyterians, Anglicans, Methodists and Disciples of Christ) || [[Church of North India]] || 2,200,000 || 2023<ref>{{web cite|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250321011431/https://cnisynod.org/our-statistics/ |archivedate=March 21, 2025|url=https://cnisynod.org/our-statistics/|title=Church of North India Statistics|accessdate=May 22, 2025}}</ref>
|-
| India || United Churches (Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Continental Reformed, Anglicans and Methodists) || [[Church of South India]] || 4,500,000 || 2022<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cwmission.org/church-of-south-india-celebrates-75th-anniversary-calls-for-an-end-to-discrimination/|title=Church of South India Celebrates 75th Anniversary, Calls for an End to Discrimination Against the Outcast|date=October 11, 2022|accessdate=April 25, 2025}}</ref>
|-
| Indonesia || Methodist || [[Methodist Church in Indonesia]] || 119,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Ireland || Methodist || [[Methodist Church in Ireland]] || 15,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Italy || Methodist || [[Methodist Evangelical Church in Italy]] || 4,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Kenya || Methodist || Methodist Church in Kenya|| 450,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Malaysia || Methodist || [[Methodist Church in Malaysia]] || 97,197 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Mexico || Methodist || Methodist Church of Mexico || 40,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Myanmar || Methodist || Methodist Church, Lower Myanmar || 2,300 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Myanmar || Methodist || [[Methodist Church, Upper Myanmar]] || 27,543 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Nepal || Methodist || Nepal Methodist Church || 264 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Nigeria || Methodist || Methodist Church of Nigeria || 2,000,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| New Zealand || Methodist || [[Methodist Church of New Zealand]] || 14,736 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| New Zealand || Methodist || New Zealand Wesleyan Methodist Church || 794 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Pakistan || United Churches (Presbyterians, Methodists, Lutherans and Anglicans) || [[Church of Pakistan]] || 500,000 || 2014<ref>{{cite web| work=World Council of Churches|title=Church of Pakistan|date=January 1971 |url=https://www.oikoumene.org/member-churches/church-of-pakistan|accessdate=June 7, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| Panama || Methodist || Evangelical Methodist Church of Panama || 1,300 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Paraguay || Methodist || Methodist Evangelical Community of Paraguay || 1,025 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Peru || Methodist || [[Methodist Church of Peru]] || 32,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
|-
| Philippines || Methodist || [[Evangelical Methodist Church in the Philippine Islands]] || 27,793 || 2020<ref name=CensusPhilippines2020>{{cite web |title=2020 Philippine Census|url=https://psa.gov.ph/system/files/phcd/3_Statistical%20Table%20for%20Religious%20Affiliation%20%28for%20Posting%29_RML_12082022_PMMJ_CRD_1.xlsx |publisher=Philippine Statistics Authority |accessdate=October 9, 2024|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230310184554/https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/attachments/ird/pressrelease/3_Statistical%20Table%20for%20Religious%20Affiliation%20%28for%20Posting%29_RML_12082022_PMMJ_CRD_1.xlsx|archivedate=March 10, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| Philippines || United Churches (Presbyterians, Baptists, Disciples of Christ and Methodists) || [[United Church of Christ in the Philippines]] || 470,792 || 2020<ref name=CMM/><ref>{{cite web |title=2020 Philippine Census|url=https://psa.gov.ph/system/files/phcd/3_Statistical%20Table%20for%20Religious%20Affiliation%20%28for%20Posting%29_RML_12082022_PMMJ_CRD_1.xlsx |publisher=Philippine Statistics Authority |accessdate=October 9, 2024 |date=February 2, 2023}}</ref>
|-
| Portugal || Methodist || Portuguese Evangelical Methodist Church || 1,200 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| ''Puerto Rico'' || Methodist || Puerto Rico Methodist Church || 12,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Rwanda || Methodist || Rwanda Free Methodist Church || 108,559 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Samoa || Methodist || Samoa Methodist Church || 35,983 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Sierra Leone || Methodist || Sierra Leone Methodist Church || 50,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Sierra Leone || Methodist || West African Methodist Church in Sierra Leone || 4,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Singapore || Methodist || [[Methodist Church in Singapore]] || 38,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Sri Lanka || Methodist || [[Methodist Church in Sri Lanka]] || 25,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Sweden || United Churches (Baptists, PT and Methodist) || [[Uniting Church in Sweden]] || 58,569 || 2021<ref>{{cite web|url=https://chvnradio.com/articles/churches-flourish-in-one-of-swedens-bible-button-cities-by-caring-for-neighbors|title=Churches flourish in one of Sweden's Biblical Button cities taking care of neighbors|date=11 August 2023|accessdate=19 August 2024}}</ref>
|-
| Tanzania || Methodist || Tanzania Methodist Church || 3,681 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Taiwan (Republic of China) || Methodist || Methodist Church in the Republic of China || 4,500 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Togo || Methodist || Togo Methodist Church || 75,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Tonga || Methodist || [[Free Wesleyan Church]] || 38,692 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| United Kingdom || Methodist || [[Methodist Church in Great Britain]] || 136,891 || 2022<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.methodist.org.uk/media/30359/church-membership-summary.pdf | title=Statistical Summary of the Methodist Church of Great Britain for October 2022|accessdate=28 December 2023}}</ref>
|-
| United States of America || Methodist || [[Christian Methodist Episcopal Church]] || 858,670 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Zambia || United Churches (Presbyterians and Methodists) || [[United Church of Zambia]]|| 4,000,000 || 2024<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cwmission.org/cwm-visits-united-church-of-zambia-praises-strong-missional-outlook/ |title=CWM Visits United Church of Zambia, Praises Strong Missional Outlook |date=August 15, 2024|accessdate=May 22, 2025|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20241208154017/https://www.cwmission.org/cwm-visits-united-church-of-zambia-praises-strong-missional-outlook/|archivedate=December 8, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|work=World Council of Churches|title=United Church of Zambia|date=January 1966 |url=https://www.oikoumene.org/member-churches/united-church-of-zambia|accessdate=June 7, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| Zimbabwe || Methodist || Zimbabwe Methodist Church|| 111,723 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| Zimbabwe|| Methodist || African Methodist Church of Zimbabwe|| 12,000 || 2014<ref name=CMM/>
|-
| '''Global''' || '''Sub-total''' || '''Methodists''' || '''27,449,620''' || 2014-2025
|-
| '''Global''' || '''Sub-total''' || '''United Churches''' || '''12,340,577''' || 2014-2025
|-
| '''Global''' || '''Total''' || '''World Methodist Council''' || '''39,790,197''' || 2014-2025
|}

=== Member Profile ===

{{pie chart
| thumb=right
| title =Denominational sub-families at the World Methodist Council 
| label1 =[[United Methodist Church]] 
| value1 =22.84
| color1 =#c2593c 
| label2 =Other Methodist denominations 
| value2 =46.15
| color2 =#b33512 
| label3 =[[United Churches]] 
| value3 =31.01
| color3 =#9712c7 
}}

The WMC is made up of around 80 member denominations.

In 2014 it was estimated that together, the member denominations had about 39,745,196 members and 51,286,152 adherents.<ref group="n" name="n2" /><ref name=CMM>{{cite web|url=https://worldmethodistcouncil.org/statistical-information/|title=Statistics of World Methodist Council|date=9 November 2019 |accessdate=July 8, 2020 | archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20200710163106/https://worldmethodistcouncil.org/statistical-information/ | archivedate=July 10, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.expositorcristao.com.br/concilio-mundial-metodista-um-deus-uma-fe-um-people-a-mission|title=About the World Methodist Council|accessdate=July 8, 2020}}</ref>

According to the most up-to-date statistics available, among member denominations, the [[United Methodist Church]] represents 22.84% of individual members, other Methodist churches are 46.15% and [[United Churches|united churches]] represent 31.01% of individual members.

However, some of the largest WMC member denominations face a rapid decline in membership between 2000 and 2024.<ref name=decline/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2024/nov/23/united-methodist-church-membership-in-us-falls-by/ |title=United Methodist Church membership in the US falls 21.9% in 2023|date=23 November 2024 |accessdate=January 6, 2025}}</ref>

In 2018, the WMC disclosed that its 80 member denominations represented an estimated 80 million people<ref>{{cite web|url=http://worldmethodistcouncil.org/about/member-churches/|title=Member Churches|publisher=Worldmethodistcouncil.org|access-date=17 December 2018}}</ref> These numbers would supposedly include around 60 million members and 20 million adherents.<ref name="adherents">{{cite web |title=Member Churches |url=http://worldmethodistcouncil.org/about/member-churches/ |publisher=World Methodist Council |access-date=17 June 2013}}</ref>{{Needs verification|date=November 2023|reason=There is no such number as 60 million or 20 million on this page.}} 

Still, the 2018 figures oppose all independent statistics, based on national censuses.

A 2011 report by the Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life estimated that members of Methodist churches (excluding United churches) represent 3.5% of the world's approximately 801 million Protestants, or about 27,234. 000 people.<ref name="Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion and Public Life 21, 70">{{citation|author=[[Pew Research Center]]'s Forum on Religion and Public Life|date=December 19, 2011 |url=http://www.pewforum.org/uploadedFiles/Topics/Religious_Affiliation/Christian/Christianity-fullreport-web.pdf|title=Global Christianity|pages=21, 70|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20120104124710/https://www.pewforum.org/uploadedFiles/Topics/Religious_Affiliation/Christian/Christianity-fullreport-web.pdf|archivedate=January 4, 2012}}</ref>

According to ''Christianity Global: A Guide to the World's Largest Religion from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe'', in 2020, there were 31,683,000 Methodists in the world (not including United Churches), corresponding to 0.4% of the global population and 14,706,000 members of the [[Holiness Movement]] (0.2% of the world population), with a total of 46,389,000 members of the Methodism and Holiness Movement, or 0.6% of the global population .<ref name=Estatísticaglobal2020>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hdFTEAAAQBAJ&dq=Global+Christianity%3A+A+Guide+to+the+World%E2%80%99s+Largest+Religion&pg=PR1 |title=Global Christianity: A Guide to the World's Largest Religion from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe|author=Gina A. Zurlo|location=Grand Rapids, Michigan |page=5|date=2022 |isbn=9780310113614 |accessdate=January 2, 2025}}</ref>

The WMC does not represent all Methodists in the world and the organization's member [[united and uniting churches]] total only 10.390 million members, according to their own denominational statistics.

Therefore, WMC statistics from 2014 are considered more reliable compared to independent sources.

==World Methodist Conference==
The highest organ of the World Methodist Council is the '''World Methodist Conference''', which meets every five years. The next Conference, the 22nd, will be held in [[Gothenburg]], Sweden in 2024.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://worldmethodistconference.com/ |title=Welcome to the Conference|work=The World Methodist Conference |accessdate=December 26, 2022}}</ref>

The 21st Conference was held in 2016 in [[Houston]], Texas in the United States. The theme was "ONE". Organized around four sub themes – One God, One Faith, One People, One Mission.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://worldmethodistconference.com/press-and-media/ |title=Press and Media - About the 21st World Methodist Conference (past) |publisher=The World Methodist Conference |access-date=11 October 2017}}</ref>

The 2011 conference, gathered under the theme "Jesus Christ - for the Healing of the Nations", was held in August 2011 in [[Durban]], South Africa.<ref>[http://www.turnersconferences.com/conferences/WMC2011/index.asp 2011 World Methodist Conference]</ref> On 24 July 2006, Sunday Mbang stepped down as chairperson of the council and [[John C. A. Barrett|John Barrett]] took over his position as well as elected president for the council.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.umc.org/site/c.gjJTJbMUIuE/b.1885819/k.29EA/World_Methodist_Council_elects_Barrett_as_chairperson.htm|title=World Methodist Council elects Barrett as chairperson|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061010025736/http://www.umc.org/site/c.gjJTJbMUIuE/b.1885819/k.29EA/World_Methodist_Council_elects_Barrett_as_chairperson.htm|archive-date=10 October 2006|author-last1=LaBarr|author-first1=Joan B. |publisher=United Methodist Church|date=24 July 2006}}</ref>

In 2006, it formally approved the [[Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification]].

==World Methodist Council officers==
Current officers are:
* General secretary: Bishop [[Ivan M. Abrahams]]
* President: Rev. Dr. [[Jong Chun Park]]
* Vice-President: [[Gillian Kingston]]
* Treasurer: [[Kirby Hickey]]
* Youth and young adult coordinator: [[Sam Murillo]]
The World Methodist Council has offices in [[Waynesville, North Carolina]]; [[Nashville, Tennessee]]; [[New York City]]; and [[Atlanta, Georgia]].

== Activities ==

=== Continuous activities ===
The World Methodist Council has eight standing committees:
* Ecumenics and Dialogue is engaged in ecumenical dialogue with the [[Roman Catholic Church]], the [[Anglican Communion]], the [[Lutheran World Federation]], the [[Salvation Army]] and the [[World Alliance of Reformed Churches]]. It is also working towards a dialogue with the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] and with certain [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal churches]].
* Education is concerned with education in churches and with Methodist educational institutions. It has organized an international Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges, and Universities promoting quality and value-centered education. The association links representatives from over 700 Methodist related schools and colleges all over the world.
* Evangelism is coordinating worldwide evangelism efforts of Methodist churches
* Family Life is concerned with applying Christian values to issues like relationships in marriage, rights of children, rights of the aged, prevalence of violence and changing roles of women and men in society;
* Social and International Affairs is focusing currently on economic justice or injustice. It has worked out the World Methodist Social Affirmation which was approved in 1986 and is part of the literature of several Methodist denominations.
* Theological Education focuses on training for ministry based on basic Christian beliefs and distinctive emphases from the Wesleyan tradition.
* Worship and Liturgy encourages the study of liturgy and forms of worship, especially issues as language and culture, corporate and private worship, music and liturgy, cultural influences, and balancing Christian tradition with local emphasis. Develops hymnals and resources.
* Youth and Young Adults focuses on empowering young people, taking its motto from 1st Timothy 4;12 and Ephesians 4:12–13: "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set and example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ."

===Peace award===
The [[World Methodist Peace Award]] is the highest honor bestowed by Methodists around the world. Since 1977, it is given annually by the World Methodist Council. This award is given to individuals or groups "who have made significant contributions to peace, reconciliation and justice".<ref>Museum of Methodism and John Wesley's House, [https://www.wesleysheritage.org.uk/object/world-methodist-peace-award/ World Methodist Peace Award], accessed 27 December 2022</ref>

Recipients of the World Methodist Peace Award include [[Habitat for Humanity International]], [[Nelson Mandela]], [[Jimmy Carter]], [[Boris Trajkovski]], former President of Macedonia; the [[Community of Sant'Egidio]] in Rome, and the [[Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo]] in Argentina.
[[Image:World methodist council 9058.JPG|right|thumb|Former World Methodist Council Museum near the office building (hardly visible on the left) of its former headquarters at [[Lake Junaluska, North Carolina]]; nearby is a small park, the Susanna Wesley Garden]]

===Evangelism institute===
One ministry of the World Methodist Council is the World Methodist Evangelism Institute in Atlanta, Georgia. It is an educational institution committed to the task of world evangelization and connected to a major university, Candler School of Theology, [[Emory University]].

==Former headquarters and museum==
In the 1950s, area residents and Methodists from the [[Southeastern United States]] raised money for the construction of a building in [[Lake Junaluska, North Carolina]] to attract the World Methodist Council headquarters. Until the 1970s, the museum building was to go to the [[Lake Junaluska Assembly]] if no longer needed, although that plan was changed. The Royce and Jane Reynolds Headquarters building, intended to resemble the house where [[John Wesley]] lived when he was young, was added in the 1990s after a donation from the Reynolds family. The museum housed letters written by Wesley,<ref name=Hyatt/> a pulpit Wesley used,<ref name="100 years">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/113379086/|via=newspapers.com|title=Here's to 100 more years for Lake Junaluska|work=[[Asheville Citizen-Times]]|date=2013-07-08|page=A7}}</ref> and a 1594 [[Geneva Bible]], as well as ancient items from the [[Holy Land]]. Starting in 2013, with the museum having problems, the sale of the building was considered but the assembly made no formal offer. The [[COVID-19 pandemic]] finally made closing the museum necessary, and its contents went to Bridwell Library of [[Perkins School of Theology]], [[Southern Methodist University]] in [[Dallas, Texas]]. In Spring 2021, the World Methodist Council sold its headquarters building, including a museum, to the assembly for $1.25 million. The World Methodist Council moved to offices in nearby [[Waynesville, North Carolina]].<ref name=Hyatt>{{cite news|url=https://www.themountaineer.com/news/benefactors-discuss-significance-of-world-methodist-council-building/article_d30ebaee-cddc-11eb-80dc-6b660834a921.html|title=Benefactors discuss significance of World Methodist Council building|last=Hyatt|first=Vicki|work=[[The Mountaineer]]|date=16 June 2021|accessdate=18 June 2021}}</ref>

At a Lake Junaluska Board of Trustees meeting in March 2022, Lake Junaluska Executive Director Ken Howle announced a $1.1 million gift from Anne and Mike    Warren, who also gave $625,000 toward the purchase of the headquarters building and part of the Susanna Wesley Garden next door.<ref name="March 2022">{{cite web|url=https://lakejunaluska.com/our-story/news/whats-new/lake-junaluska-announces-1-1m-gift-for-renovations-to-former-world-methodist-council-building/|title=Lake Junaluska announces $1.1M gift for renovations to former World Methodist Council building|date=16 March 2022 |publisher=lakejunaluska.com|access-date=3 January 2023}}</ref> The gift from the Warrens helped with $2.5 million in renovations to what is now called the Warren Center, for smaller group events.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.themountaineer.com/news/making-the-grade-lake-junaluska-continues-multi-million-dollar-upgrades-with-new-event-venue/article_ecc2a510-8026-11ed-b479-5f2161f80fa5.html|title=Making the grade: Lake Junaluska continues multi-million dollar upgrades with new event venue|last=Johnson|first=Becky|work=The Mountaineer|date=22 December 2022}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[List of Methodist denominations]]
* [[List of the largest Protestant denominations]]

== References ==

{{Reflist|33em}}

===Notes===
{{reflist|group=n|refs=
<ref group="n" name="n1">Each of the internal conferences listed is considered a member of the World Methodist Council, even though it is a body part of the [[United Methodist Church]].</ref>
<ref group="n" name="n2">adherents are unbaptized people who participate in worship services. In Credobaptist denominations, the children of members, not yet baptized, are counted as adherents.</ref>
<ref group="n" name="UMC">Including 4,526,440 members (4,238,097 professed members and 288,343 baptized members) in the United States of America, according to 2023 statistics and 4,560,882 members in other countries in 2022. </ref>
}}

===Bibliography===
* [http://www.worldmethodist.org/IslamStatement.htm Statement on "Wesleyan/Methodist Witness In Christian and Islamic Cultures"] 2004
* [http://www.worldmethodist.org/EvangelismEmphasis.pdf Brochure World Evangelism Emphasis], 2004

== External links ==
* {{Official website|https://worldmethodistcouncil.org}}
* [http://www.worldmethodist.org World Methodist Evangelism]
* [http://www.wmei.ws/ World Methodist Evangelism Institute]
* [http://worldmethodistcouncil.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43&Itemid=63h World Methodist Peace Award]

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[[Category:International bodies of Protestant denominations]]
[[Category:Methodist denominations established in the 19th century]]
[[Category:Methodist organizations]]
[[Category:Religious organizations established in 1881]]