Final answer:
The lack of ordained ministers after the Revolution led to an inability to perform sacramental rites, sparking controversy and the eventual organization of American Methodism into an official church, influenced by the egalitarian spirit of the Second Great Awakening and the creation of African American churches like the AME Church.
Step-by-step explanation:
Early American Methodism became an official church because of the lack of ordained ministers after the Revolution caused a great controversy in the societies over the lack of sacramental rites. The shortage of ordained clergy meant that many societies could not perform important ceremonies such as Communion, Baptisms, and Marriages, leading to a demand for an organized structure that could ordain ministers. This situation, coupled with a growing spirit of independence and the influence of the Second Great Awakening, which had already seen Methodism and Baptism gain popularity due to their more accessible and egalitarian ideologies, facilitated the transition of Methodism from a movement to a structured, official church. Notably, itinerant preachers and laypeople led the charge in spreading the word, appealing to the disenfranchised and contributing to the formation of African American churches, such as the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, which was founded due to both a desire for religious self-determination and as a response to the racism and discrimination within white congregations.