From Christianity Today, July 2004 Issue, Page 16:

...Conference delegates voted to receive the Cote d'Ivoire mission into full membership, adding 1 million African Methodists to the global roster.

Why is this a pyrrhic victory?

The UMC did it. According to the article, the UMC has some 2.6 million members on the continent of Africa alone....up from 1.5 million just five years ago....

Hmmmmm......

-- Anonymous, June 25, 2004

Answers

Interesting Parson Perhaps if the AME church finds itself with more members in Africa than in America we can change the mindset set on how and who shall provide leadership and the elevation to Episcopal Honors. In ten years time if Missionary work continues effectively in Africa they will only need economic empowerment and they will not need to be associated to the African (American) Methodist Episcopal Church. Inclusion is the most important approach for this General Conference. All of us most be valued.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2004

This is a stunning development! The UMC is to be commended for carrying out the missionary mandate described in St. Matthew 28:19- 20. The AMEC could learn much from her sister denomination about church growth and development inside the continent of Africa. QED

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2004

I suspect that a true count would reveal that there are already more AMEs in Africa than America.

-- Anonymous, June 26, 2004

I marvel that there could be such as thing as a "true count" in African Methodism, at all.

Rev. Dr. Larry D. Coleman

-- Anonymous, June 28, 2004