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PRESIDENT

PRESIDENT

Rev. Dr. Jong Chun “J.C.” Park

Rev. Dr. Jong Chun (J.C.) Park is a Korean Methodist pastor serving the Methodist Theological University in Seoul for 30 years in the position of professor and president. He graduated from Emory University and received a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology. He has published five books and many articles. His most recent academic work is Systematic Theology as Church Didactics: theologia cordis dei. J.C.’s first experience of the World Methodist Council was the 1991 Singapore conference. He has been the chair of the Theological Education committee of WMC as well as the co-chair of Oxford Institute of Methodist Theological Studies. J.C. is a prominent Christian leader working for the Methodist Churches in Asia and the Ecumenical Churches in Korea. He is committed to revitalizing churches through affirming the worldwide Methodist unity in fulfilling the Great Commission to make disciples through vibrant evangelism and prophetic engagement.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ!

John Wesley, sending Thomas Coke to America in 1784, said, “Offer them Christ.” People called Methodists are peacemaking evangelists. We are living in the hurting world ridden by all sorts of conflict. Religious, ideological and ethnic differences among nations in the globe have constantly caused tensions and clashes manifesting through building walls and waging wars. From Palestine in the middle east to Korea in the far east if you search peace all around the world, you can scarcely find even a hint of peace. When we preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are offering the peace from God. We have been baptized and born again to the new family of God. We are the church called out of the world as God’s people of different tribes and nations reconciled as sisters and brothers. Despite we were the enemy of God and former historic enemies to each other, God in Christ reconciling us to himself and to each other committed to us the message of reconciliation.

As president of World Methodist Council I would like to call upon the Methodist churches and Wesleyan churches and Uniting and United churches to develop a commitment to catechesis for all people called Methodists through attention to the distinctive witness of our Wesleyan doctrine, discipline and spirit of self-denial. First, the Methodist great blessing is the evangelical doctrines of saving faith such as doctrines of original sin, justification by faith and entire sanctification both of heart and life. Second, doctrine without discipline cannot make altogether Christians. Honoring discipline as the rule for authentic discipleship, our zeal for the church as the body of Christ provokes members to love, holy tempers, and good works of both piety and mercy. Third, the most serious danger of evangelical Christianity is always the temptation of serving two masters. Let’s recover the spirit of self-denial through taking up our cross by the renewal of giving all we can after we gain and save all we can in the Wesleyan tradition. May the people called Methodists rediscover the power and joy of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Amen.

Past Presidents of the Council

YearNameNationality
1881Rev. E.E. JenkinsUnited Kingdom (British Wesleyan Church)
Bishop Matthew SimpsonUnited States (Methodist Episcopal Church
1891Bishop John  F. HurstUnited States (Methodist Episcopal Church)
1901Rev. W. T. DavidsonUnited Kingdom (Wesleyan Methodist Church)
Bishop John F. HurstUnited States (Methodist Episcopal Church)
1911Bishop E. E. HossUnited States (Methodist Episcopal Church, South)
1921Rev.  John E. WakerleyUnited Kingdom (Wesleyan Methodist Church)
Bishop J.W. HamiltonUnited States (Methodist Episcopal Church)
1931Rev. F. Luke WisemanUnited Kingdom (Wesleyan Methodist Church)
Bishop F.D.  LeeteUnited States (Methodist Episcopal Church)
1947Rev. Wilbert F. HowardUnited Kingdom (Wesleyan Methodist Church)
Bishop Ivan Lee HoltUnited States (The Methodist Church)
1951-1956Bishop Ivan Lee HoltUnited States (The Methodist Church)
1956-1961Rev. Dr. Harold RobertsUnited Kingdom (The Methodist Church)
1961-1966Bishop Fred Pierce CorsonUnited States (The Methodist Church)
1966-1970Bishop Odd HagenSweden (United Methodist Church)
1970-1971Dr. Charles C. ParlinUnited States (United Methodist Church)
1971-1976Bishop Prince A. TaylorUnited States (United Methodist Church)
1976-1981Rev. Dr. Kenneth GreetUnited Kingdom (The Methodist Church)
1981-1986Bishop William R. CannonUnited States (United Methodist Church)
1986-1991Bishop Lawi ImathiuKenya (Methodist Church in Kenya)
1991-1996Rev. Dr. Donald EnglishUnited Kingdom (The Methodist Church)
1996-2001Dr. Frances AlguireUnited States (United Methodist Church)
2001-2006His Eminence Sunday MbangNigeria (Methodist Church of Nigeria)
2006-2011Rev. Dr. John C.A. BarettUnited Kingdom (The Methodist Church)
2011-2016Bishop Paulo de Tarso Oliveira LockmannThe Methodist Church of Brazil

Note: Until 1956, the Chief officer of the Ecumenical Methodist Conference/World Methodist Council was the chair of the Executive Committee of the Conference.  The Western (United States) and Eastern (Great Britain) sections would nominate co-chairs in most years to lead the Executive Committee.