DOTHAN, Ala. (WDNews) – A lawsuit involving a Dothan church and the United Methodist Church is expected to continue into 2026, as more than 20 similar cases remain unresolved across Alabama.
Harvest Church of Dothan sued the Alabama-West Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church in 2022, arguing the local congregation owns its church property. The case went to trial in Houston County Circuit Court from Dec. 1–8, 2025, and a judge has not yet ruled on who owns the church’s multimillion-dollar campus.
At the center of the dispute is the United Methodist Church’s “trust clause,” which states that local church property is held in trust for the denomination. Harvest Church attorneys argued the congregation never agreed to such a clause and did not publicly identify as United Methodist.
During testimony, the Rev. Jeff Wilson, a former district superintendent and senior assistant to Bishop Jonathan Holston, said the trust clause still applies even if church members were unaware of it. He testified that churches are not required to use the denomination’s cross-and-flame logo or follow certain branding practices to be considered United Methodist.
While the Harvest Church case awaits a ruling, other church property lawsuits across the state are also moving forward. Judges have denied requests from the United Methodist Church to dismiss several of the cases, allowing them to continue.
In a related but separate ruling, the Alabama Supreme Court dismissed a 2023 lawsuit filed by the Auburn Methodist Coalition, saying courts cannot require a vote to determine who controls a congregation. That case did not involve property ownership.
With no final ruling yet in the Dothan case, the outcome could affect how similar church property disputes are handled in Houston County and across the Wiregrass.
More court decisions are expected in 2026.
