United Methodist megachurch cuts ties with denomination

One of the largest United Methodist churches resolved to sever ties with the denomination in a two-day vote on Sunday and Monday. Out of the nearly 4,800 votes cast, 90% of members of Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas approved a resolution to cut its connection to the United Methodist Church. The vote stems from a legal battle between the church and UMC’s Horizon Texas Conference over changes Highland Park leaders made to their church bylaws.

In a letter, the church’s council said it will drop the word “united” from the ministry’s name starting the following Sunday. The megachurch will remain committed to its Wesleyan heritage and Christ-centered mission, the council said. Additionally, church leaders hope to complete all the changes required for separation by Dec. 1.

But the Horizon Texas Conference argued in its own statement that a church doesn’t have the ability to vote to end its relationship with The United Methodist Church under denominational rules.

With more than 15,000 members, the 110-year-old church has the largest membership of any United Methodist church, according to UMData. Its members include former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush, according to The Dallas News.

What is the legal battle? The UMC’s regional conference sued Highland Park in August, contending that the church wrongly removed denominational oversight. The church changed its bylaws in 2022 to give itself more autonomy, which the conference says violated the denomination’s Book of Discipline. The conference said it has asked the church to revert to its previous governing structure since 2025. The conference then filed an amended suit earlier this month that also accused Highland Park church of a breach of contract and said its bylaw changes were void. Ultimately, the conference hopes for the church to revert its bylaws and be restored to the UMC denomination, the conference said.

The church contended that its bylaw changes were in line with Texas law and governing documents from the conference. It accused the conference of not offering mediation and of seeking money damages in its amended suit. The denomination has broken the trust of the church, Highland Park leaders said. Because of that, the church council adopted a resolution to cut ties with the denomination this month.

A trial in the case is set for October 2027.

Dig deeper: Read Mark Tooley’s column for WORLD Opinions on the split of the United Methodist Church.