In December he was moved 300 miles to the Central Prison in Kathmandu, the capital city, and is awaiting trial. Attempts by the Norwegian embassy to get him out on bail have been unsuccessful. If convicted of proselytizing, he could face up to six years in jail. Pastor Greg Dell, Broadway United Methodist Church, Chicago, is one example. Sadly, such practices are not uncommon.
Denominational organizations are notorious for their politics.
Their public and national statements are frequently ignored on a practical and local level. Though the denomination officially teaches that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching and prohibits homosexual ordinations, many congregations welcome unrepentant homosexual members who practice this abomination in their daily lives. In 1992 the UMC Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns declared itself open to the full participation of all people, including gays and lesbians, and the top judicial body of the UMC ruled that the agency was within its rights to make such a declaration. Barna surveys also found that two-thirds of teenagers do not believe in Satan or the Holy Spirit, while half of them believe that Jesus sinned. These facts remind us of the necessity of being careful and thorough in preaching the Gospel.