Liberia: UMC Leaders Condemn ‘Unwarranted Disturbance’ at Closed S.T. Nagbe Church — Property Dispute at Heart of Rift

Monrovia – The Executive Committee of the Liberia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church (LAC/UMC) has condemned what it described as an “unfortunate and unwarranted” disturbance outside the closed Stephen Trowen Nagbe United Methodist Church on Sunday, August 10.

The confrontation occurred despite the church’s temporary closure on August 6, ordered after months of escalating disruptions, including service interruptions and the obstruction of weddings and funerals. LAC/UMC officials say the latest incident, allegedly led by suspended church lay leader Cooper Tomah and others, reinforces the necessity of the shutdown to protect worshippers, property, and public order.

The committee also rejected viral social media claims that the Bishop of the United Methodist Church in Liberia was set to officiate a same-sex wedding, calling the rumors “false” and “malicious.” Leaders reaffirmed the church’s stance that marriage is “a sacred union between one man and one woman,” consistent with both the Bible and Liberian law.

“Contrary to recent social media speculation and videos circulated on TikTok and Instagram, the narratives being promoted are far from the truth, and the Liberian public should not be misled by such falsehoods. There is also speculation from a group of young people who, without fear of God or respect for Liberia’s laws, are spreading the false claim that the Bishop of The United Methodist Church was about to officiate a marriage ceremony between a same-sex couple,”the LAC/UMC said in a release late Sunday.

“The Liberia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church and the West Africa Central Conference categorically reject this falsehood. As a traditional church grounded in the Holy Bible, The United Methodist Church reaffirms its unwavering stance that marriage is defined as a sacred union between one man and one woman, in alignment with the laws of the Republic of Liberia, which clearly define marriage in the same terms.”

UMC officials insist the ongoing crisis is not about same-sex marriage but about church property rights. They accuse Tomah’s group—linked to the breakaway Global Methodist Church—of trying to seize S.T. Nagbe UMC and exclude loyal UMC members, in violation of the denomination’s trust clause.

“The Cooper Tomah group is seeking to vandalize and unlawfully seize church property,” the statement read, adding that anyone who incites unrest or disrupts worship will face legal consequences.

But the group contend that the true cause of the dispute is their “Faithful Opposition to Doctrinal Change.” “The real issue is not “disruption of worship,” but rather our unwavering stance against the altered definition of marriage adopted by the 2024 General Conference of the United Methodist Church and incorporated into the 2024 Book of Discipline (BOD) currently in use by the Church.”

For over three months, the premises of S.T. Nagbe UMC have been the scene of repeated acts of disorder, including the obstruction of church services and the disruption of sacred occasions such as weddings and funerals. Church leaders say these actions have undermined the peace, unity, and spiritual discipline of that congregation that our faith calls us to uphold.

According to the leadership of the LAC/UMC, “since April 2024, after the General Conference in the United States, no same-sex marriage has taken place in the United Methodist Church in Liberia or anywhere in Africa — not a single one — and such will never occur under the leadership of the LAC/UMC. At the West Africa Central Conference in Ghana in December 2024, and again at the 192nd Annual Session of the United Methodist Church in February 2025, two key resolutions were passed: Defining marriage as solely between one man and one woman as in the Holy Bible, and mandating the Annual Conference Trustees to protect and defend all UMC properties across the country for the use of all United Methodists.”

The Executive Committee says it remains committed to ensuring that all members of S.T. Nagbe UMC have the opportunity to worship without fear or disruption from the cult-like behavior of the newly formed breakaway denomination, the Global Methodist Church, and its surrogates, who have been illegally seizing and attempting to seize additional United Methodist Church properties. The United Methodist Church reaffirms its belief in the biblical truth and the traditional definition of marriage between one man and one woman, consistent with the Bible and civil marriage laws of the Republic of Liberia.

It added: We further affirm that anyone who perpetrates violence, instigates unrest, or disrupts worship in any United Methodist Church facility will be held fully accountable under the laws of the Republic of Liberia.

They added that in the interim, while S.T. Nagbe UMC remains closed, members are encouraged to attend services at other United Methodist churches in Monrovia, under the guidance and pastoral care of the District Superintendent and Senior Pastor, until the situation at S.T. Nagbe UMC is brought under control.
The LAC/UMC thanked the Liberia National Police for swiftly deploying officers to prevent violence during Sunday’s disturbance and urged members to attend other UMC congregations until tensions ease.

Church leaders called for prayer, reconciliation, and unity as they navigate one of the most high-profile disputes in the denomination’s Liberian history.