About UMChurchLaw.com
UMChurchLaw.com exists to equip clergy, laity, bishops, district superintendents, chancellors, and church leaders with clear, practical, and theologically grounded resources on the law and polity of The United Methodist Church (UMC).
Currently serving over 2,400 active users from 52 countries, the site is built on the conviction that church law is not merely a set of rules but an expression of covenantal grace. Rooted in Scripture, Wesleyan tradition, and constitutional Methodism, UMChurchLaw.com helps leaders navigate complex questions about property, trusteeship, finance, complaints, clergy status, and the evolving global structure of the UMC.
Here you’ll find:
- Guides and Articles explaining the Book of Discipline 2020/2024 with careful references to Judicial Council decisions.
- Practical Tools for pastors, trustees, and committees dealing with property, finance, and governance.
- Downloadable Toolkits (print-ready handouts) for Church Council, Board of Trustees, Finance Committee, SPRC, dCOM, BOM, and Conference Board of Trustees—ready to use in meetings, trainings, and membership classes.
- Downloadable Sample Lease Agreements for United Methodist churches sharing space with non-UMC congregations or with other UMC congregations.
- Downloadable PowerPoint presentations on judicial processes for District Superintendents, Assistants to Bishops, and Chancellors.
- Regional-Conferences-related resources and downloadable toolkits in English, French, and German.
- Scholarly Insights on constitutional law and theology of the UMC, drawing from the author’s research, experience, and expertise.
- Commentary and News Analysis that connect denominational developments—such as disaffiliation, regionalization, and episcopal authority—to the broader life of the church.
- Glossary of Acronyms and Terms used in the UMC.
- Topical Index of Statutory and Case Law for legal research.
- Case Law Concordance to be used with Topical Index
The purpose of UMChurchLaw.com is simple: to make the dense world of church law accessible, reliable, and practical—while never losing sight of the church’s ultimate mission: “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world” (¶120).
The goal is not just to interpret rules but to equip the church to live into its covenantal life with wisdom, grace, and faithfulness.
Disclaimer: The content of this website is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. For specific legal concerns, consult a qualified attorney.
Click on tabs below for more information:
NEW: Constitutional Grace in the Regionalized UMC (5-part series originally featured on MinistryMatters.com)
Part 1: How church structure shapes faith, authority, and the way we do ministry
Part 2: What actually changed: A plain-language guide to UMC regionalization
Part 3: From global default to one region among many
Part 4: Why structure can either block or bless the work of God
For Pastors and Lay Members:
For Local Churches:
Facility Sharing Covenant Sample (Two UMC Congregations)
Facility Sharing Covenant Sample (Multi-Ethnic UMC Congregations)
Guideline for Approval of Building Projects
Guideline for Approval of Property Leases
Guideline for Approval of Property Sales
Lease Agreement Sample (UMC-Non-UMC Congregations)
Merger of Local United Methodist Churches (with toolkit)
Permanent Endowment and Planned Giving Ministry Committee (with toolkit and sample guidelines)
Staff-Pastor-Parish Relations Committee (with toolkit)
Ten Best Practices for a Lawful and Trustworthy Merger Resolution
For Bishops:
A Bishop’s Guide to Decisions of Law (with PowerPoint)
For Assistants to Bishops and Chancellors:
Administrative Complaint Process
Comprehensive Guide to Legal Research
Judicial Complaint Process (with PowerPoint)
Judicial Council Case Law 101 (with PowerPoint)
For District Superintendents:
Closing a Local Church Under ¶2549 (with toolkit)
Consultation and Appointment Process (with PowerPoint)
Merger of Local United Methodist Churches (with toolkit)
Role of District Superintendents
Rulings of Law by District Superintendents (with PowerPoint)
Ten Best Practices for a Lawful and Trustworthy Merger Resolution
For Districts:
District Board on Church Location and Building
For Annual Conferences:
Administrative Review and Appeals Process (with PowerPoint)
Discontinuance from Provisional Membership
Readmission of Disaffiliated Churches
Reinstatement of Clergypersons Terminated for Reasons of Human Sexuality
For Regional Conferences/Conférences régionales/Regionalkonferenzen:
Adaptations by Central Conferences
Adaptation du Livre de Discipline par les conférences centrales
Adhésion ecclésiale (avec toolkit)
L’inclusivité du «genre» et de la «capacité» dans l’Église
Vue d’ensemble du Plan de régionalisation
Anpassung der Allgemeinen Kirchenordnung durch Zentralkonferenzen
„Geschlecht“ und „Fähigkeit“ – Inklusivität der Kirche
Kirchenmitgliedschaft (mit Toolkit)
For Students and Candidates for Ministry:
For All Leaders:
Discipleship in the Wesleyan Tradition
Organization and Structure of The United Methodist Church After Regionalization
Administrative and Judicial Process
Administrative Complaint Process
Administrative Review and Appeals Process (with PowerPoint)
Discontinuance from Provisional Membership
Judicial Complaint Process (with PowerPoint)
Specialized Advisory Services
UMChurchLaw.com provides Specialized Advisory Services for clergy, congregations, bishops, cabinets, conferences, and denominational leaders navigating complex questions of United Methodist constitutional, disciplinary law, and governance.
These services draw on extensive experience in UMC law and polity, Judicial Council jurisprudence, denominational governance, pastoral leadership, and local church ministry.
In a season of structural transition and global regionalization, institutional clarity requires more than opinion — it requires disciplined constitutional analysis, careful interpretation of the Book of Discipline, and strategic assessment of governance risk.
Our advisory services are designed to assist leaders in matters such as:
- Interpreting and applying the Book of Discipline 2020/2024
- In-depth analysis of Judicial Council decisions
- Trust Clause (¶ 2501) compliance and enforcement issues
- Assessing governance structures and accountability mechanisms
- Evaluating regionalization implications and structural alignment
- Reviewing trustee responsibilities and property considerations
- Drafting or reviewing policy and structural reforms
- Preparing written analyses for boards or conference leadership
- Providing expert opinion on church law in civil litigations
- Focused training in administrative and judicial procedures
Engagements are analytical and structural in nature. They are not partisan advocacy and do not advance factional or political interests. All work is grounded in constitutional integrity, institutional coherence, and principled legal reasoning.
Services may include:
- Focused advisory consultations
- Written constitutional or governance memoranda
- Policy development and review
- Governance risk assessments
- Expert opinions
- Strategic advisory sessions with leadership teams
- Training workshops and retreats
All engagements are confidential and undertaken by formal agreement.
Availability is limited to preserve the depth and quality of analysis.
To inquire about a potential engagement and fees, please submit a brief description of the matter through the contact form below.
About the FOUNDER
Rev. Dr. Lui Tran
Rev. Dr. Lui Tran is Assistant Chancellor for Church Law and Assistant South District Director in the California-Pacific Annual Conference and also Senior Pastor of Garden Grove United Methodist Church. A former member of the UMC Judicial Council (2016–2025), he is the author of Trust Clause Stands as Connectional Cornerstone and Human Rights and Federalism: A Comparative Study on Freedom, Democracy, and Cultural Diversity.
Born in Vietnam and raised in Switzerland, Dr. Tran worked as a lawyer for the Swiss Federal Justice Department and missionary in Africa with Wycliffe Bible Translators prior to entering the ordained ministry. An elder in full connection with over two decades of cross-cultural ministry experience in southern California, he combines legal and theological scholarship, judicial expertise, and pastoral leadership to serve the church. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Bern, Harvard Law School, Claremont School of Theology, and earned his Ph.D. in constitutional law from McGill University.
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