In November 2025, The United Methodist Church took a historic step with the ratification of regionalization, a set of constitutional amendments that fundamentally redraws the governance of this global denomination.
United Methodist voters from four continents ratified a major restructuring that aims to give the denomination's different geographic regions equal decision-making power.
The Council of Bishops announced on November 5 the ratification of the restructuring — known as "Global Regionalization" — along with three other amendments to the denomination's constitution.
"The ratification and certification of these constitutional amendments mark a watershed moment in the ongoing renewal and unity of The United Methodist Church," Tracy S. Malone, chair of the Council of Bishops, said in a news release. She also leads the Indiana Conference.
For Africa, this institutional transformation represents much more than a simple administrative reorganization: it embodies a long-awaited recognition of the continent's autonomy, ecclesial maturity and capacity to define its own missionary and pastoral directions. With a massive 91.6% ratification vote in annual conferences around the world, regionalization now paves the way for what Bishop Mande Muyombo — chair of the College of African Bishops — calls "the Africanization of United Methodism," allowing African churches to contextualize their ministry according to their local realities while maintaining doctrinal unity with the global connection. Mande also leads the Northern Katanga and Tanzania Episcopal Region.
Understanding regionalization: a renewed institutional architecture
Regionalization transforms the organizational architecture of The United Methodist Church by creating nine regional conferences with equal legislative powers: one in the United States and eight in the former Central Conferences of Africa, Europe, and the Philippines. This constitutional reform—adopted by 78% of delegates at the 2024 General Conference and then ratified by 34,148 votes to 3,124 in the annual conferences—aims to "decentralize" American influence on global church decisions.
In concrete terms, the new system establishes a clear distinction between the parts of the Book of Discipline that apply to the entire denomination and those that can be adapted regionally. Parts I through VI of the Book of Discipline contain essential doctrinal and connectional elements, which can only be modified by the General Conference, while the new Part VII brings together organizational and administrative aspects that each regional conference can adapt to its missional needs and legal contexts. This structure allows African regions to develop their own regional books of discipline, hymnals, liturgical resources, ordination standards and marriage practices in accordance with the laws and cultures of each country.
The regionalization process will not be fully operational until after the 2028 General Conference, when the reorganized Part VII of the Book of Discipline will be presented and adopted. Until then, a transitional period allows regional conferences to prepare their adaptations, with the support of the Standing Committee on Regional Conference Affairs (formerly the Central Conferences Committee). This committee works in collaboration with the Connectional Table, the Committee on Faith and Order and the Commission on Ministry to identify precisely which elements of the Book of Discipline are essential on a global scale and which can be adapted locally.
Regained autonomy: what regionalization means for Africa
For African Conferences, regionalization represents the culmination of a long aspiration for autonomy and recognition of equality within the global connection. Bishop Gaspar João Domingos of West Angola eloquently expresses this vision: "We don't need to bring our cultural issues to the General Conference. The same would be true for America, which would not need to submit its local issues for consideration by other continents." This perspective highlights Africa's desire to focus on its primary mission—disciple-making, church growth, and evangelism—rather than devoting time and energy to debating issues that do not directly pertain to its context.
Bishop Mande Muyombo, president of the College of African Bishops, emphasizes that regionalization allows African regions to "make decisions tailored to their contextual and missional needs, which promotes church growth." He cites Bishop Daniel Lunge of Central Congo, who speaks of the "Africanization of United Methodism," a vision that resonates deeply across the continent. This Africanization does not mean a break with Methodist tradition, but rather an authentic appropriation of that tradition within African realities.
The practical benefits of regionalization are already visible in several areas. Bishop Muyombo cites the possibility of adapting certain parts of the Book of Discipline as an aspect that is already operational and "increases the effectiveness of mission and ministries in Africa." The incorporation of African cultural practices into worship is another celebrated benefit. In the North Katanga-Tanzania Episcopal Area, for example, the church is continuing the two-track ordination process and developing strategies to generate local financial contributions through income-generating projects. These initiatives illustrate how regionalization allows for more creative and contextualized management of leadership and resources.
Responding to African Socioeconomic Realities: Mission and Development
One of the most promising aspects of regionalization for Africa concerns its ability to strengthen the church's response to the continent's pressing socioeconomic realities. Bishop Muyombo asserts that regionalization "gives us the opportunity to focus on our missional priorities, which are poverty eradication, healthcare provision, community development and the promotion of peace and justice for our people."
This focus on local needs translates into greater flexibility in adapting church practices to the economic, cultural, and social contexts of each region. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, for example, conferences such as the North Katanga Conference want to adapt church practices to local realities, particularly in the fight against poverty and disease, which are issues of great concern to local churches. In Liberia and Mozambique, the linguistic and cultural realities of rural areas require adapted liturgical resources—such as worship books and hymns in local languages—which regionalization makes possible.
Retired Bishop Eben K. Nhiwatiwa of Zimbabwe sees regionalization as a form of contextualization already in practice, enabling the church to comply with local laws and better respond to specific missional needs. This perspective emphasizes that regionalization is not a radical innovation, but rather the formalization and extension of contextual practices that have always existed in Central Conferences.
In East Africa, Bishop Daniel Wandabula emphasized at the 2024 Kenya-Ethiopia Annual Conference that regionalization would offer “more power and freedom, enabling ministries to engage people in their unique cultural contexts.” This freedom of cultural engagement is crucial in a continent characterized by immense ethnic, linguistic and social diversity. It will allow the church to develop missionary approaches that respect and value local identities while proclaiming the universal gospel.
Shared governance and redistribution of ecclesiastical power
Regionalization marks a turning point in the distribution of power within the worldwide United Methodist Church. Historically, Central Conferences—originally established as mission areas—occupied a subordinate position to the United States, the birthplace of the denomination. Regionalization corrects this structural imbalance by granting all regions, including the United States, the same status and powers of adaptation.
This institutional equality represents a symbolic and practical decolonization of church governance. As Bishop Gaspar João Domingos puts it, "maintaining the current state of the church is a form of colonization where ideas come from a single point, which acts like the big brother who will solve all our problems." Regionalization puts an end to this paternalistic model by recognizing that each region has the wisdom, maturity and capacity to make its own decisions regarding the organization and administration of the church.
Leadership structures in African episcopal areas already illustrate this organizational creativity. Bishop Muyombo reports that in episcopal areas with multiple annual conferences, "we have found creative ways to share leadership, such as creating the position of legal representatives of bishops who are assigned to the following portfolios: church life and mission, health and development, education and leadership training." These innovations demonstrate that African conferences are not waiting for regionalization to experiment with new forms of governance that are more suited to their realities.
The African voice in global church governance is also strengthened by regionalization. At the 2024 General Conference, African delegates represented 32% of the 862 voting delegates, constituting the second largest delegation after the United States. With regionalization, these African voices are no longer marginalized or silenced in debates on issues that concern only a specific region, allowing the General Conference to focus on truly global issues of doctrine, church growth and evangelism.
Challenges, resistance, and misinformation
Despite overwhelming support from African bishops and a supermajority of delegates, regionalization faced significant challenges, including misinformation and organized resistance. Bishop Muyombo acknowledges that "we faced serious misinformation around the concept of regionalization coming from outside Africa."
This misinformation was largely orchestrated by the Africa Initiative, a traditionalist group aligned with the Wesleyan Covenant Association and the Global Methodist Church. These groups spread false information that the United Methodist Church had become a "gay church" following the removal of official discrimination against LGBTQ+ people, and that regionalization was a ploy to impose acceptance of homosexuality in Africa.
These disinformation campaigns have led to sometimes violent public confrontations in Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Liberia. United Methodist bishops have been physically assaulted while attempting to administer church policies. In Liberia, Pastor Jerry Kulah, coordinator of the Africa Initiative, was suspended from active ministry in December 2024 for promoting the agenda of the Global Methodist Church and undermining the authority of Bishop Samuel J. Quire.
In response to this misinformation, African support groups have mobilized. The United Methodist Forum of Africa (UMAF) and Africa Voice of Unity have emerged as powerful voices in favor of UMC unity and regionalization. Gabriel Mususwa Banga, UMAF general secretary, issued a statement in early December 2024 titled "They are back, disguised in sheep's clothing," urging African United Methodists to be wary of false representations by supporters of the Africa Initiative.
The communication and regionalization training held in Dar es Salaam in October 2024 brought together more than 80 African United Methodist communicators and leaders to counter misinformation and clarify the real issues at stake in regionalization. Bishop Muyombo emphasized the biblical basis for regionalization: "Throughout the Bible, God has recognized the diversity of cultures and nations included in the diversity of God's plan of redemption for humanity."
The theological foundation and values of regionalization
Regionalization is not based solely on pragmatic or administrative considerations; it is rooted in a deep theological vision of the church as the universal and contextualized body of Christ. The Christmas Covenant—the founding document that inspired the legislation on regionalization—articulates theological principles and values drawn from African, European and Filipino traditions.
Among these values, the African concept of Ubuntu occupies a central place. Ubuntu embodies a vision of humanity based on interdependence and community life, recognizing that all are created in God's image and should treat others as they wish to be treated themselves. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa puts it: "The profound truth is that you cannot be human by yourself... You are human because you participate in relationship. It says that a person is a person through other people."
This philosophy of Ubuntu resonates with Methodist connectional theology, which values mutual relationships and interdependence in mission. It supports the idea that church unity does not require uniformity, but rather the recognition and celebration of diversity as an expression of divine creativity.
The Christmas Covenant also affirms principles of respect for contextual ministry settings, connectional relationships rooted in mission and legislative equality for regional church bodies. It deplores "calls to dissolve or dismember The United Methodist Church, liquidate its assets, and distribute them to the highest bidder," insisting that such plans are "harmful to the body of Christ."
Regionalization is therefore part of a theological vision that affirms that the universal Gospel must be proclaimed and lived out in contexts, that God's grace is present everywhere and in everyone, and that we are called to respond humbly to that grace by recognizing its many expressions throughout the world.
Prospects: building a more contextual and sustainable church
As regionalization enters its implementation phase, African leaders express both enthusiasm and awareness of the challenges ahead. Bishop Muyombo emphasizes that "this paradigm shift requires significant training as well as deep theological and ecclesiological reflection." Ongoing training will be essential to help annual conferences, districts and local churches understand and embrace the new governance structures.
African bishops meeting in Luanda in September 2025 reaffirmed their "unwavering commitment to the unity of The United Methodist Church" and their conviction that "regionalization is a faithful and strategic path forward." In their statement, they encouraged Central Conferences to adapt parts of the Book of Discipline to better serve their contexts, while maintaining doctrinal unity.
This dual requirement—doctrinal unity and contextual diversity—defines the delicate balance that regionalization seeks to achieve. As Bishop Muyombo puts it: "We must continue to joyfully serve our people where they are, boldly love our United Methodist brothers and sisters around the world, and courageously lead by advocating for peace, justice and development in our respective countries on the African continent." Q-R-Bishop-Mande.docx
Regionalization also opens opportunities for greater financial sustainability for African conferences. By enabling the development of income-generating projects adapted to local contexts, such as those already in place in North Katanga-Tanzania, regionalization can help reduce financial dependence on foreign countries and strengthen the economic autonomy of the church in Africa.Q-R-Bishop-Mande.docx
The election of new bishops committed to unity and regionalization—such as Bishop Ande Emmanuel in Nigeria and Bishop James Boye-Caulker in West Africa December 2024—demonstrates the determination of African conferences to continue on this transformative path. The United Methodist Africa Forum hails these elections as "inspiring examples for other Central Conferences in Africa" and encourages all African delegates to "prioritize leaders who consistently champion the message of remaining united within the UMC."
Conclusion: a truly connected global church
Regionalization represents a watershed moment in the history of The United Methodist Church, particularly for its African members. It marks the transition from a centralized and sometimes colonial church structure to a more equitable connectional model that values diversity while preserving unity.
For Africa, regionalization means recognition of its ecclesial maturity, its capacity to make its own decisions and its essential contribution to the global mission of The UMC. It allows African churches to develop authentic, contextualized ministries that respond to the spiritual, social and economic needs of their communities while remaining faithful to the Wesleyan tradition.
As Benedita Penicela Nhambiu of Mozambique, who has been involved in promoting regionalization legislation at every stage, affirms, "We celebrate this historic and successful ratification of global regionalization as a powerful affirmation of the global United Methodist connection. With regionalization, The United Methodist Church enters an era of equity where each region is an empowered partner."
Regionalization is not an end in itself, but rather the beginning of a new chapter in which The United Methodist Church can truly become what it aspires to be: a global church that honors cultural diversity, strengthens mutual connections and empowers each mission context to share God's love, make disciples and transform the world. For Africa, this new chapter promises to be rich with opportunities for a deeper, more authentic and more fruitful mission.
Chadrack Tambwe Londe coordinates French-language content in Africa for United Methodist Communications and is a UM News correspondent. He is based in Congo.