(AgapePress) - A pro-family activist and ordained Methodist minister says the United Methodist denomination would be better served by stressing more evangelism, rather than dialoguing with another denomination.

The United Methodist News Service reports that Methodist leaders got together last month with representatives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to discuss the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper. It was the second such meeting. Methodist Bishop Melvin Talbert says the goal of these dialogues is "for full communion and fellowship between the ELCA and the UMC."

But Don Wildmon, president of the American Family Association, thinks the church needs to put more effort into winning people to Christ. "It probably would be more beneficial if we put more evangelism in our church efforts and ... less emphasis on trying to join with other denominations," Wildmon says.

The activist and Methodist minister does not think much will come out of these recent dialogues. "This appears to be something that's coming from the top down," he says. "We've had these kinds of talks with other denominations for [at least] thirty years or longer. I really don't look for much to come out of this."

UMNS says the teams will meet again in September, and then twice in 2003. Topics of discussion at those meetings include sanctification, justification, and possible free exchange of clergy between the two denominations.

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