Bishop Jerry Paye-Manfloe Kulah was inaugurated on Sunday, November 1, 2026, as head of Episcopal Area Five of the Global Methodist Church, with a call to strengthen Christ-centered discipleship, uphold biblical teachings and promote spiritual accountability.
The inauguration took place during a thanksgiving service at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Center in Congo Town, attended by members of the church, religious leaders and representatives of the Grain Coast Annual Conference.
In his inaugural address, Bishop Kulah said the church's primary assignment under his leadership would be to "raise Jesus followers"--Christ-centered disciples committed to making other disciples.
Assigned by the General Episcopal Committee to oversee conferences within Episcopal Area Five, which spans parts of Africa and the United States, he pledged to advance evangelism and strengthen the church's spiritual mission.
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He thanked President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, House Speaker Joseph Nagbe Koon, retired Global Methodist Bishop Kenneth R. Levingston and outgoing Grain Coast Annual Conference Bishop John Pena Auta for their support and contributions.
Reflecting on the church's development, Kulah recalled that the Grain Coast Annual Conference was established on February 14, 2025, in Gbarnga, Bong County, following a separation from its former denomination over disagreements concerning its recognition of LGBTQ practices, which he said contradicted biblical teachings.
The Global Methodist Church formally recognized the conference in July 2025 during a gathering in Ganta, Nimba County.
According to Kulah, the conference has since grown to approximately 30,000 members, more than 170 clergy and 220 congregations, with churches operating in 11 of Liberia's 15 counties and 11 additional congregations in neighboring Guinea.
"We accepted to be persecuted for standing up for Jesus Christ," he declared, reaffirming his commitment to the Holy Scriptures as the church's final authority.
He cautioned against compromise, hypocrisy, deception and spiritual corruption, urging church leaders and members to demonstrate genuine Christian character rather than rely on denominational affiliation or religious titles.
Kulah also called on the church to remain "scripturally correct, even when we are perceived by some in society to be politically wrong," while serving as a voice for the voiceless and speaking truth to ecclesiastical, socioeconomic and political authorities.
He pledged to collaborate with the wider Christian community in evangelizing Liberia and revitalizing the church, while working with government to promote peace, national unity and sustainable development.
Delivering the inaugural sermon under the theme "Everything to Him," based on Philippians 3:13-14, retired Bishop Kenneth Levingston of Houston, Texas, urged the new bishop and church members to place Jesus Christ above titles, achievements and institutional growth.
"Everything belongs to Him. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof," Levingston emphasized, warning against pursuing religious recognition without demonstrating Christlike character.
He encouraged Kulah to lead with humility, prayer and dependence on God, reminding him that his episcopal responsibilities extend beyond Liberia to conferences and congregations across Africa, the United States and other parts of the world.
Levingston, consecrated in September 2024 in Costa Rica as the Global Methodist Church's first African-American bishop, described his visit to Liberia as an emotional homecoming, citing genealogical research tracing both sides of his family to Guinea-Bissau.
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He also cautioned against measuring the church's success solely by membership figures, noting that spiritual commitment and faithful discipleship matter more than numerical growth.
The service concluded with the appointment of Prof. Dr. Julius Sarwolo Nelson as Conference Superintendent of the Grain Coast Annual Conference by Bishop John Pena Auta. Nelson is expected to officially assume office on Friday, November 6, 2026, at the conference's headquarters.
Bishop Kulah and his wife, Ruth Chea Kulah, expressed gratitude for the prayers and support received, calling for continued partnership as they begin a new chapter of leadership within the Global Methodist Church.
