Monrovia, Liberia – August 8, 2025: A leadership segment of the Stephen Trowen Nagbe United Methodist Church (S.T. Nagbe UMC) has issued a strong rebuke against the Liberia Annual Conference (LAC) of the United Methodist Church, condemning what it calls the “unilateral and unjust” decision to shut down its sanctuary.
The closure announced through a press release on August 6, 2025, was ordered by Bishop Samuel J. Quire, Jr., and the LAC Executive Committee, citing alleged “disruption of worship, interruption of Holy Communion, and hostile behavior towards appointed pastors.”
But S.T. Nagbe UMC leaders insist the accusations are unfounded and that no formal written notice or consultation preceded the decision, which they say violates the church’s established protocols and undermines the dignity of their congregation.
In a press statement, the congregation asserted that the real source of conflict is their steadfast rejection of a controversial amendment adopted at the 2024 General Conference of the United Methodist Church. The change, now embedded in Paragraph 161.G of the Book of Discipline, redefines marriage as:
“A sacred, lifelong covenant that brings two people of faith, an adult man and an adult woman of consenting age, or two adult persons of consenting age, into union with one another and into a deeper relationship with God and the religious community.”
Church leaders say the new definition, by recognizing same-sex marriage, contradicts Scripture and stands in direct conflict with Liberia’s legal and cultural understanding of marriage as a union exclusively between a man and a woman.
The congregation accused the LAC of sidestepping the theological and legal implications of the change by relying on a non-binding resolution from the African Regional Conference bishops. That resolution reaffirms traditional marriage in principle but commits to honoring the global church’s decisions an approach S.T. Nagbe UMC says is inadequate and misleading.
They argued that the Book of Discipline remains the supreme law of the denomination, and no resolution can override it. The church also criticized the LAC for not offering a transparent process for congregations wishing to disaffiliate a path taken by more than 8,000 churches worldwide following the 2024 conference.
The S.T. Nagbe congregation issued three clear demands to Bishop Quire and the LAC:
Retract the closure order immediately. Enter into genuine dialogue aimed at a biblically faithful and amicable resolution.
Respect the conscience of congregations that reject the new marriage definition in the 2024 Book of Discipline.
The church also called on the Government of Liberia to safeguard the rights of worshiping communities under national law.
Founded in 1967, S.T. Nagbe UMC has been a prominent spiritual, educational, and social pillar in Monrovia for more than five decades. The congregation pledged to continue gathering in its sanctuary, proclaiming the Gospel, and defending what it calls “the unchanging truth of the Bible.”
“We remain prayerful, steadfast, and open to honest dialogue,” the statement declared, “but we will not compromise the faith once delivered to the saints.”
The statement was signed by leaders representing the church’s youth, young adults, women’s organization, men’s unit, lay delegates, and finance committee.
