the United Methodist Church,# is experiencing a major split.

Since 2019, more than 7,000 congregations# across the country have received approval# to leave the Methodist Church.

That's about a# quarter of all Methodist churches in the U.S.,## and nearly three-quarters of those# departures happened this year.

United Methodist leaders gave congregations until# December 31 to decide to leave.

Fact the denominations split over disagreements# in theology, namely, how the church considers## LGBTQ+ ministers and congregants.

In Oklahoma,# where the United Methodist Church was one of the## most practiced beliefs in the state, more than# 120 congregations voted to leave the church.

Adam Kemp is one of our communities## correspondents.

He is based in So, Adam, just give us the background we need to# understand on this split.

How di ADAM KEMP: Yes, we're basically seeing# the conclusion of what's been decades'## worth of debate and discussion in the# United Methodist Church over It 's been a long time coming, and what experts# are saying, it's the largest denominational split## since the Civil War, basically.

And it's focused# on LGBTQ inclusion, whether or not the UMC wants## to have LGBTQ pastors or congregants or same-sex# marriages within -- in their congregation.

There's been a continuing push, despite the# fact that the church has kind of been committed## to their stance that homosexuality is not in# congruence with their teachings.

That push,## though, for more inclusion has made some# of the more conservative groups within the## denomination uncomfortable, ultimately with# them asking to be let out of the ch So, in 2019, a general conference was held in# St. Louis, where they decided to let individual## congregations vote to leave the United Methodist# Church, to disaffiliate.

Flash forward to now.## More than a quarter of all those churches have# voted to disaffiliate and leave the church.

AMNA NAWAZ: Adam, more than 7,000# congregations since 2019 getting## approval to leave.

What's been the# result of those churches leaving?

ADAM KEMP: Right.

it's also given rise to the Global# Methodist Church in the United States,## which is a more conservative branch of# the United Methodist Church.

They say## they're going to adhere to more Wesleyan# roots in their teachings and theology,## which would mean, yes, no LGBTQ ministers,# no same-sex marriages within those churches.

But also, interestingly, many churches# left the UMC to go nondenominational,## to kind of choose their own path, which experts# have said that, for five decades straight now,## has been a choice millions are making in# what they are seeing as becoming one of## the larger church denominations,# nondenominations, within the U.S. AMNA NAWAZ: You have been talking# to some people who grew up in the## church.

How are they grappling with this ADAM KEMP: Yes, I spoke with a# local pastor here, Aaron Tiger, who grew up basically in the United# Methodist Church, is -- fo his father's footsteps to become a UMC# pastor, just what that process was like.

He now himself is no longer a# United Methodist pastor and led a## church through the disaffiliation process as well.

AARON TIGER, Christ Church on Harvard: It's been# hard.

I While there was a day, October 31, when I# was no longer a United Meth I had been in my heart making that decision# over the slow process of four years.

So,## it was 35 years in the making of a connection# and has kind of been four years slowly## drifting away from seeing myself as a United# Methodist, what we call elder in the church.

AMNA NAWAZ: So, Adam, we mentioned# that December 31 deadline for## congregations to decide if they want# to leave or not.

What happens next?

ADAM KEMP: Yes, it's a time for analysis for# United Methodist Church in a lot of way They might have a better understanding of what# comes next at their next general conference,## which is this spring, where they will# -- experts say again will have a push## for more LGBTQ inclusion, including possibly# changing the rules to allow for gay ordination,## as well as same-sex marriages within the church.

But experts say the effects of this# could be long tail and that the ch might have some soul-searching to do as# they have to analyze whether they keep the number of employees they have,# as well as seminaries across the U.S.,## and ultimately whether they can keep the# number of churches they currently do have.

AMNA NAWAZ: That is Adam Kemp, our communities# correspondent based in Oklahoma City.

Adam, thank you for your# reporting.

Good to see you.

ADAM KEMP: Thanks.