Monrovia — The United Methodist Church (UMC) has suspended Rev. Dr. Jerry P. Kulah, Vice President for the Bishop John G. Innis Graduate School of Professional Studies at the United Methodist University (UMU). The decision, effective immediately, was based on recommendations from the investigative committee and the Church Counsel of the Board of Ordained Ministry, citing violations under Paragraph 2702.1 (c, d, e, & f) of the UMC Discipline.
Rev. Kulah faces allegations of undermining UMC teachings, unity, and policies by promoting the agenda of the Global Methodist Church (GMC). Among the accusations, he is alleged to have prioritized the GMC's Transitional Book of Doctrines and Discipline over the UMC's Book of Discipline 2016. He is also accused of serving as a coordinator for GMC-related activities, including his involvement with the Mt. Horeb Global Methodist Church, a breakaway group that severed ties with the UMC in 2022.
Further allegations suggest that Rev. Kulah managed GMC-funded projects such as the Boway Development Association, reportedly operating in Liberia under the GMC banner. He is also alleged to have participated in a Nairobi meeting in September 2023, where GMC members reportedly strategized the disaffiliation of African churches from the UMC to form independent conferences and elect new bishops aligned with the GMC. Additionally, his affiliation with the Wesleyan Covenant Association (WCA) and coordination of The Africa Initiative are said to have contributed to fostering division within the church, actions that UMC Bishops have publicly criticized.
The suspension prohibits Rev. Kulah from preaching, teaching, counseling, or representing the UMC. He has been directed to return all properties belonging to the UMC and UMU and restrict his access to activities involving only the retrieval of personal belongings.
In the wake of this decision, Rev. Dr. George Weagbe has been appointed as the new Vice President for the Graduate School. The UMU administration has assured students and faculty that academic and administrative operations will continue without interruption. To maintain institutional order, the administration has warned students against attending any unauthorized meetings organized by Rev. Kulah, emphasizing that the university operates under established governance, not individual authority.
