¶ 101. The General Book of Discipline reflects our Wesleyan way of serving Christ through doctrine and disciplined Christian life. We are a worldwide denomination united by doctrine, discipline, and mission through our connectional covenant. The General Book of Discipline expresses that unity. Each central conference may make changes and adaptations to the General Book of Discipline to more fruitfully accomplish our mission in various contexts. However, some portions of the General Book of Discipline are not subject to adaptation. The following parts and paragraphs are not subject to change or adaptation except by action of the General Conference. The Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters has primary responsibility for proposing to General Conference revisions to this paragraph.
Parts I -V
I. Constitution ¶¶ 1-61
II. General Book of Discipline ¶ 101
III. Doctrinal Standards and Our Theological Task ¶¶ 102-105
IV. The Ministry of All Christians ¶¶ 120-143
V. Social Principles Preface, Preamble, and ¶¶ 160-166
The Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters, in consultation with the Committee on Faith and Order, will bring legislation to the 2020 General Conference to change the structure of the General Book of Discipline to include a Part VI, General Organization and Administration not subject to change or adaptation by central conferences, and a Part VII, Additional Organization and Administration, adaptable by central conferences according to ¶ 31.5. The content of Part VI of the 2016 Book of Discipline will be included in either Part VI or Part VII of the General Book of Discipline. For the work on Part VI, Chapter 2 (The Ministry of the Ordained) and Chapter 3 (The Superintendency) of the 2016 Book of Discipline, the Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters will work in consultation with the Commission for the Study of Ministry, and for Part VI, Chapter 5 (Administrative Order) of the 2016 Book of Discipline, the Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters will work in consultation with the Connectional Table.
The Commission on the General Conference is directed to set aside adequate time in the first three days of the 2020 General Conference for plenary consideration and action on Part VI, General Administration and Organization, submitted by the Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters. Subsequent changes to Part VI shall be reviewed by the Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters for submission to General Conference.1
1. See Judicial Council Decision 1272.
From The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church - 2016. Copyright 2016 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission.
