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General Book of Discipline – new Parts VI and VII, draft 2020

The General Book of Discipline reflects the Wesleyan way of serving Christ through doctrine and disciplined Christian life in the worldwide United Methodist Church. Parts I – V are in effect in the 2016 Book of Discipline.

The Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters has received the mandate to complete the work by subdividing the present Part VI of the 2016 Book of Discipline into two new parts:

  • A new Part VI General Organization and Administration; it shall contain what is connectionally essential for a world-wide church and cannot be adapted by central conferences outside the US;
  • A new Part VII Additional Organization and Administration; it shall contain what is adaptable by central conferences according to the Constitution ¶ 31.5.

The Standing Committee presents several elements of its work on the General Book of Discipline in full text in the ADCA, translated into the official languages (Download a PDF copy of the Advance Daily Christian Advocate from Resource UMC here):

  • The report of the Standing Committee [ADCA p. 725-732]
  • The disciplinary petition for revision of BOD ¶ 101 [Petition # 20157, ADCA p. 616]
  • The non-disciplinary petition for a General Book of Discipline requesting a consultation process and feed-back in the worldwide denomination [Petition # 20660, ADCA p. 824]
  • The draft of General Book of Discipline, new Part VI, chapters 1-7 [ADCA p. 729-730]

On this website, you can find additional documents of the Standing Committee (English only), related to the Draft of a General Book of Discipline, new Parts VI and VII. You may download each of the following documents for your study. The Standing Committee welcomes feed-back according to the leading questions outlined in the non-disciplinary petition mentioned above:

  1. What elements of the new Part VI do not reflect essentials for a worldwide connection of The UMC and/or are not applicable in your own context and mission? 
  2. What essentially connectional elements are missing in the new Part VI? 
  3. What inconsistencies or inaccuracies are found in the new Part VI and are thus in need of correction?

Please send your feedback here.

Important basic documents on the General Book of Discipline

Introduction with underlying principles and detailed explanation of downloadable documents:


General Book of Discipline, new Part VI, overview (Overview of structuring of sections in chapters 1-7):


General Book of Discipline, new Part VI, chapters 1-7 (Finalized text as in the ADCA):

New Part VI: General Organization and Administration (with tracking changes)

General Book of Discipline, new Part VI, chapter 1 (full text with tracking changes and comments):
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General Book of Discipline, new Part VI, chapter 2 (full text with tracking changes and comments):
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General Book of Discipline, new Part VI, chapter 3 (full text with tracking changes and comments):
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General Book of Discipline, new Part VI, chapter 4 (full text with tracking changes and comments):
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General Book of Discipline, new Part VI, chapter 5 (full text with tracking changes and comments):
Not yet developed for GC2020 

General Book of Discipline, new Part VI, chapter 6 (full text with tracking changes and comments):
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General Book of Discipline, new Part VI, chapter 7 (full text with tracking changes and comments):
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New Part VII: Additional Organization and Administration (with tracking changes)

General Book of Discipline, new Part VII, chapter 1 (full text with tracking changes and comments):
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General Book of Discipline, new Part VII, chapter 2 (full text with tracking changes and comments):
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General Book of Discipline, new Part VII, chapter 3 (full text with tracking changes and comments):
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General Book of Discipline, new Part VII, chapter 4 (full text with tracking changes and comments):
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General Book of Discipline, new Part VII, chapter 5 (full text with tracking changes and comments not yet developed):
Not yet developed for GC2020

General Book of Discipline, new Part VII, chapter 6 (full text with tracking changes and comments):
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General Book of Discipline, new Part VII, chapter 7 (full text with tracking changes and comments):
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