Above Board A Position Paper of the Free Methodist Church - USA¡
associated with light that Jesus declares, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people
loved darkness instead of light ...” (John 3:19). Light reveals; darkness conceals. Light liberates; darkness
enslaves. Secrets have the attributes of darkness.
Commit to Living Above Board: In the Light
The Free Methodist Church commits to openness and light. Our freedom is endangered by efforts to
marginalize some members through closed classes, cliques, or groups. Denominational and local church
finances and budgets are open to inspection of our members. Our board meetings, with few exceptions,
are open for members to attend. The minutes of official meetings are open to review by our members.
Matters remain confidential only in rare circumstances such as when disclosure risks the trust and confidence
of our most vulnerable members.
Our leadership is accessible, and our churches are open, as evidenced by openly offering the Lord’s Supper.
Members have voting privileges and access to information that helps them vote. Conference boards and
committees include local church members. This open distribution of leadership helps local churches access
information. The general conference is similarly led by leaders of our 24 annual conferences. Leaders are
openly evaluated from bishops to superintendents to pastors and ministry leaders on local levels. Our
leaders and members aim to live an exemplary life as revealed by living above board, in the light.
Above Board with Electronic Communication
Therefore, members of the Free Methodist Church are to exhibit a commitment to walk in light, remain
open in their communication, and remove all clouds of darkness that signify secrecy. Whether through
email, social media, websites, or directly through leadership relationships, we commit to openness,
information flow, and full disclosure.
Members are to keep themselves from creating private/secret social media groups/pages, websites,
systems, networks, clubs, cliques or fraternities that cloak, mask or withhold information in ways that violate
our principle to love God and people. Furthermore, using the name Free Methodist for such secret groups
misrepresents the denomination and our heart, polity, and distinctives. Further, members are expected to
advocate for all people, refraining from creating classes through varying levels of information, opportunity
and participation. Our social media, websites, systems, networks, and other interaction should be as open
and accessible as the doors of our churches and the sharing of the gospel with the world.
In local church leadership, lay leaders and members are to refrain from secret meetings that exclude
pastoral leaders. The Bible is clear as to how God’s people are to resolve conflict and disagreement, and
our Book of Discipline provides additional guidance.
In Closing
Free Methodist churches are to ensure equality and love for all people in church structures and activities.
No member should be marginalized or discriminated against through secrecy of programs, structures,
or media. Collectively and individually we commit to walk in the light as He is in the light. The result is a
unique and incomparable fellowship (1 John 1:5–7) that is not reflected in any other institution.
This document was authored by Bishop Emeritus Matthew A. Thomas and authorized by the Board of Bishops of the Free Methodist
Church – USA.
September 2020 — pg. 17