John Wesley (1703–1791), the founder of Methodism, was born in a rectory at Epworth, Lincolnshire. He was the fifteenth child of an Anglican rector. He was trained at Oxford University. While there, around 1729, he and his younger brother Charles (1707–1788) began meeting with a group at a stated time for “prayer and religious exercises.” They were quite serious about their spirituality. Because they were so methodical—meeting precisely on time and systematically engaging in a strict regimen of prayer, fasting, Bible reading, and ministry—they soon acquired the name Methodists. In jest, some referred to them as Bible bigots, Bible moths, and the Holy Club. With this humble beginning, John and Charles would soon cause a spiritual revolution—John by preaching evangelistic sermons, and Charles by writing hymns.
John was ordained a deacon in the Church of England in 1728 and even served at his father’s church for a few years before his father passed away. Following this, he returned to Oxford and was ordained a priest in 1735.
Later that year, John and Charles visited America as missionaries—a mission trip destined to become a failure. Nevertheless, while on the ship to Savannah (a port in the colony of Georgia), he met some Moravian Christians whose simple piety and morality greatly impressed him. He continued his association with them in Georgia, and upon his return to England in 1738, he again sought them out.
On May 24 of that same year, John attended a Moravian service on Aldersgate Street in London. During the meeting, he experienced a religious awakening that would change the course of his life. He came to understand the revolutionary concept of justification by faith alone and became convinced that salvation was possible for every person who exercised faith in Jesus. He recalls his response after a person at the meeting read from Martin Luther’s Preface to the Epistle to the Romans.
About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ; Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me, that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.1
Wesley was revitalized. He was finally at peace with God. His religion was no longer just an intellectual faith but rather a personal relationship with God. He soon sought the revitalization of church life in England. He was enthusiastic about his work, but because his methods seemed somewhat unorthodox, he did not find a welcoming hand from Anglican pulpits. After some encouragement from evangelist George Whitefield, he decided to preach in the open air. The response was so enthusiastic that he decided this was the best method for reaching the masses. He preached to the poor, the downtrodden, and the dispossessed—anyone who would listen to him. He preached in open fields, on street corners, and at town squares, often to very large crowds. He preached on repentance, regeneration, and justification by faith. He preached on sanctification and the need for holiness. His meetings led to a revival of religious fervor throughout England, especially among the poor. He also wrote books that were sold so cheaply that even the poor could afford them.
Wesley’s converts organized not into distinct churches, but into “societies” that generally met in homes. In these small societies, members supported each other and were accountable to each other. Members were honest in sharing their weaknesses and failings, and they encouraged one another to stay true to the faith. They also prayed for each other and sang hymns.
In the latter half of the eighteenth century, early Methodist societies began to take root in the American colonies. In 1766, minister Philip Embury organized a “connection” of Methodist societies in New York—the first organized Methodist group in America. Societies quickly formed in other states, including Pennsylvania and Maryland. In 1769, Wesley sent his first missionaries to America, the greatest of these being the dynamic Francis Asbury (1745–1816), who was instrumental in establishing the American Methodist church.
In 1773, the first annual Methodist conference was held in Philadelphia. Methodism was on the rise! At a conference in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1784, the Methodist Episcopal Church was formally organized as a body separate from the English Methodist structure. Asbury and an associate, Thomas Coke (1747–1814), became bishops in authority over the new church. Wesley then sent to the new church his 25 Articles of Religion, adapted from the 39 Articles of the Church of England. This document served as the statement of faith for the church.
Under Asbury’s capable leadership and the ministry of circuit riders, Methodism expanded across America. Circuit riders traveled from one location to another across the American frontier, preaching distinctively Methodist sermons with an emphasis on the need for conversion and regeneration. Camp revival meetings happened everywhere. Sometimes thousands of people attended. The Methodist emphasis on personal religious experience and practical ethics attracted large numbers of people. By the mid-1800s, there were about 1.3 million Methodists in the United States.
After Wesley died in 1791, his followers eventually divided into a number of separate church bodies. During the nineteenth century, various Methodist denominations emerged in Britain and the United States, each holding to its own version of the Wesleyan tradition.
Methodists follow Wesley’s lead in rejecting the Calvinist emphasis on predestination and instead opt for Arminianism, which emphasizes human free will and the belief that the death of Christ provided an atonement for all human beings. (Calvinism taught that Christ died only for the elect.) Methodists also advocate belief in God’s prevenient grace. This is the idea that God reaches out to every person, providing each person with prevenient (anticipatory) grace, offering him or her salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Those who use their free wills as empowered by God’s grace to positively respond by faith in Jesus become justified (acquitted of the guilt of sin and declared righteous by God).
Regarding other issues, Methodist bodies tend to have varying beliefs today. Most Methodist churches pay more attention to quality of life than to defending specific doctrines. Many, however, subscribe to some form of Wesley’s doctrine of perfectionism—the idea that believers can be enabled by the Holy Spirit to say no to sin and become perfect in love in this present life if they completely surrender to God.
Three major doctrinal statements define Methodist belief.
• the Apostles’ Creed, which is often recited during church services
• the 25 Articles of Religion, which is John Wesley’s revision of the 39 Articles of the Church of England
• the Doctrines and Discipline of the Methodist Church, which is reissued every four years
Distinctive Ideas in Methodist Churches
• Most Methodists today reject the idea of an inerrant Bible.
• Methodists reject the five points of Calvinism (with its strong emphasis on the sovereignty of God in matters of salvation). Rather, they hold to Arminianism (which stresses human free will).
• “Entire sanctification” is a work of the Holy Spirit that purifies one from all sin. This state of perfection is maintained by faith and obedience.
• Defending doctrine is less important than attaining quality of life.
AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Founded: 1816
Members: 1,850,000
Congregations: 6200
Beginnings
In 1787, a group of African-American parishioners at Saint George’s Church in Philadelphia left the congregation over the racial prejudice they encountered there. The church had predominantly white members, but African-Americans had also been welcome with the understanding that they would be segregated away from white worshippers (in the gallery of the church).
One day an African-American, Absalom Jones, was kneeling in prayer in the wrong section of the church when some white trustees forcefully pulled him up from his knees and removed him to the back of the church. When the congregational leadership went along with this open display of racial discrimination, former slave Richard Allen led the African-American membership away from the church in protest.
Allen promptly purchased a blacksmith shop with his own money, and this facility became the meeting place for a new church of African-Americans—the Bethel Church for Negro Methodists in Philadelphia. Allen became their preacher. For a time, the whites in the Methodist denomination tried to prevent Allen and his congregation from controlling their own property. (To be fair, local Methodist churches do not normally control their own property, even among white churches.) In 1816, however, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court sided with Allen.
About this same time, Allen became aware that similar congregations of African-Americans had cropped up around the city. In 1816, he took the lead in organizing the groups into a new denomination—the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Allen was elected the denomination’s first bishop, and he was personally ordained by the Anglo-American bishop Francis Asbury of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Beliefs
The Bible. The Bible contains all things necessary to salvation. The Holy Spirit guides people in understanding Scripture.
God. The one true and living God is everlasting, infinitely powerful, all-wise, and good. He is the Creator and Preserver of all things. The unity of the Godhead includes three persons who are of one divine substance—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. Jesus, the Son of God, is eternal God, of one substance with the Father. He is Lord and Savior. In the Incarnation, He took on man’s nature, having been born of the Virgin Mary, so that two natures—the human and the divine—were joined together in one person. He suffered on the cross for human sin, thereby reconciling human beings to God. He was dead and buried, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven. Jesus is the only Mediator between God and man.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son and is one in substance, glory, and majesty with the Father and the Son. He is eternal God.
Sin and salvation. Because of Adam’s sin, all human beings are born with such a corrupt nature that they are very far from original righteousness and are continually inclined to evil. Human beings cannot turn in their own natural strength and works to faith, and therefore they are in need of the grace of God. Those who respond to God’s grace by faith are justified—accounted righteous before God. After people have been justified, they can fall back into sin and depart from God’s grace. However, if they repent and turn back to God again, restoration to God is possible.
The church. The visible church is a congregation of faith in which the pure Word of God is preached and the sacraments are properly administered. The mission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is socially oriented. Members seek to preach the gospel, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, house the homeless, bring cheer to the fallen, provide jobs for the unemployed, encourage thrift and economic advancement, and minister to those in prison, hospitals, nursing homes, senior citizen’s homes, and other social facilities.
Government involves conferences with increasing levels of authority: the Local Church Conference, the District Conference, the Annual Conference, and the General Conference. Women are welcome to serve in any official capacity in the church.
The sacraments. Baptism is not only a sign of one’s profession of faith in Christ but also a sign of regeneration and the new birth. Young children may participate in the sacrament. The mode can be pouring, sprinkling, or immersion. The Lord’s Supper is not only a sign of the love Christians share among each other but also a sign of our redemption in Christ.
The end times. Christ will one day come again to judge the living and the dead. Heaven is the abode where believers will enjoy eternal fellowship with God. Hell is the abode where there will be a complete absence of God.
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• God loves all human beings (John 3:16).
• All human beings descended from Adam (Acts 17:26).
• God does not desire that any perish (2 Peter 3:9).
• God’s redeemed will be from every tribe and tongue and people and nation (Revelation 5:9).
• Conclusion—all human beings are equal in God’s sight.
CHRISTIAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Founded: 1870
Members: 850,000
Congregations: 3500
Beginnings
Following the emancipation of slaves, African-American members of the Methodist Episcopal Church (South)—embracing some 80,000 African-Americans—amicably split off from white members and organized the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America in Jackson, Tennessee, in 1870. More than 80 years later, at its 1954 General Conference in Memphis, Tennessee, an overwhelming majority voted to change “Colored” to “Christian.” The official name of the denomination became Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. The denomination presently reaches not only across the United States but also into Haiti, Jamaica, Nigeria, Ghana, and Liberia.
Beliefs
The Bible. Scripture is the work of inspired human beings. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the words of Scripture are “God-breathed.”
God. There is one true and living eternal God. Within the unity of the Godhead are three persons of equal divine substance, power, and eternity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Son of God. In the Incarnation, He was very God and very man, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He died for the sins of all human beings on the cross. He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity.
Sin and salvation. Man is fallen in sin, but salvation is a gift of God through Jesus Christ. It is received through faith in Christ as made possible by the grace of God. Those who are truly Christians receive a witness from the Holy Spirit that gives them a sense of inner certainty that they indeed are children of God. Christians can live in such a way that they reject the grace of God and fall from salvation.
The church. The church is the people of God. Church government is episcopal, with bishops overseeing the denomination. The General Conference has highest legislative authority. Women can be ordained as pastors, elders, and deacons.
The sacraments. A sacrament is a visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace instituted by Christ. In baptism, the believer is cleansed and incorporated into Christ by death, burial, and resurrection. It is for children, youth, and adults, and the mode can be sprinkling, pouring, or immersion. In infant baptism, the parents must commit to raise the child in Christian nurture and support.
The Lord’s Supper involves use of the bread and the cup as a memorial of Christ’s sacrifice. The broken bread and shared cup are vessels that bear the presence of Christ.
The end times. Jesus will one day come again to judge the living and the dead. Heaven is the destiny of believers, who will there enjoy a perfect relationship with God. Hell is the destiny of unbelievers, where no such relationship with God will be possible.
Distinctives. This denomination espouses a form of Christian perfectionism. It is believed that even though a perfect, sinless life has never actually been attained, nevertheless such a life is possible through God’s enabling grace. Every Christian must therefore strive toward perfection and should give some evidence in that direction.
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CONGREGATIONAL METHODIST CHURCH
Founded: 1852
Members: 14,750
Congregations: 185
Beginnings
The Congregational Methodist Church was founded in 1852 as a result of lay members who were dissatisfied with certain policies of the Methodist Episcopal Church (South). There were three primary objections:
• Lay members had no voice in the government of the church.
• They desired more church autonomy, including the freedom for the church to own its own building and call its own ministers.
• Many of these individuals were already involved in ministry, winning souls to the Lord, but were not permitted to serve as pastors until they met their denomination’s stringent educational qualifications for ordination. They wanted more reasonable requirements for ordination.
The dissatisfaction continued to escalate until a group of laypeople and lay ministers in the north-central part of Georgia decided to sever their relationship with the Georgia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church (South). They organized a new church that gave a voice to laypeople, allowed affiliate churches to call their own pastors and own their own land, and had reasonable requirements for the ordination of ministers. The church met in the home of Mickleberry Merrit on May 8, 1852, and elected William Farbough as its chairman.
The Bible. The Bible is preached and taught in every church. All Scripture is divinely inspired.
God. The one true living God is infinite in power, wisdom, and goodness. He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things in the universe. Within the unity of the Godhead are three persons who are equal in substance, power, and eternity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. Jesus is full Deity. He was born of a virgin, died on a cross for the redemption of humankind, physically rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, equal in substance to the Father and the Son.
Sin and salvation. Man is fallen in sin. The new birth (regeneration) is necessary for salvation. Redemption is based on the death of Christ at the cross and is received through faith. Christians can be assured of salvation because the Holy Spirit bears witness in their hearts that they are children of God. Entire sanctification is viewed as a second definite work of grace that is subsequent to regeneration.
The church. Unlike most other Methodist churches, in this denomination each local church calls its own pastor, owns its own property, and sets its own budget. There are no bishops. There are, however, local church conferences, an Annual Conference, and a General Conference. Women may participate in church ministries and government.
The sacraments. Baptism is a sign of regeneration or the new birth. It is administered in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and it is performed by a licensed minister. The mode may be sprinkling, pouring, or immersion. The Lord’s Supper is open to all Christians.
The end times. The second coming of Christ will be premillennial. The final destiny of the righteous is heaven. The final destiny of the wicked is hell.
www.congregationalmethodist.net
Three Graces in Wesleyan Theology
prevenient grace
enables one to respond to the gospel and can prevent one from straying too far from God
justifying grace
produces salvation in those who, by prevenient grace, respond positively to the gospel
sanctifying grace
can produce entire sanctification in the life of the believer
EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA
Founded: 1968
Members: More than 15,000
Congregations: 135
Beginnings
The Evangelical Church of North America was established in 1968 by members of the Evangelical United Brethren who refused to participate in the planned merger of their denomination with the Methodist Church, a merger that would form the United Methodist Church. Their new denomination was organized at Portland, Oregon, and affiliate churches are scattered across the nation, with heaviest concentration in the Northwest.
Beliefs
The Bible. The Bible is the written Word of God. Scripture is inspired and inerrant in its entirety.
God. The one true living God is eternal, infinitely powerful, all-wise, and all-good. He is the Creator and Preserver of the universe. Within the unity of the Godhead are three persons equal in substance, power, and eternity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Son of God and is full Deity. He is the eternal Savior and Mediator. In the Incarnation, He was truly God and truly man, the eternal Word made flesh. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He suffered and died on the cross, was buried, rose from the dead, and ascended bodily into heaven.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit proceeds from and is one being with the Father and the Son. He convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He comforts, sustains, empowers, and sanctifies the faithful. He guides them into all truth.
Sin and salvation. Because of Adam’s transgression, humanity is fallen from original righteousness and is separated from the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, entirely destitute of holiness. Human beings are inclined to evil, and that continually. A person in his or her own strength, without divine grace, cannot do good works pleasing and acceptable to God. However, people who are influenced and empowered by the Holy Spirit and the prevenient grace of God are enabled to exercise their will to turn to God, place their faith in Jesus Christ, and do good works. Those who repent of their sins and place faith in Jesus are regenerated (born again) and justified (accounted righteous before God).
The Holy Spirit bears witness to this work of God in people’s hearts and assures regenerate believers that they have passed from death to life. However, after the experience of regeneration, believers may depart from grace, fall into sin, and, if remaining unrepentant, lose salvation. Through renewed repentance and faith, the person can be restored to righteousness and true holiness.
The church. The church is a community of born-again believers under the lordship of Christ. It is a fellowship of the redeemed who hear the preaching of the Word of God and receive the sacraments. The denomination is split into districts, with conference superintendents overseeing each district and Annual Conference. The highest authority is a General Conference that meets quadrennially.
The sacraments. Baptism signifies entrance into the household of faith and symbolizes repentance and inner cleansing from sin. It is administered only to those who receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. Since children are heirs to the kingdom, they too can be baptized. Believing parents must see to it that they are nurtured and led to a personal acceptance of Christ and that they confirm their baptism by profession of faith. The mode can be sprinkling, pouring, or immersion.
The Lord’s Supper signifies our redemption and is a memorial of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. It points to the love and union Christians have with Christ and with each other. It is to be celebrated until He comes again.
The end times. Christ will one day bodily return, thereby fulfilling many biblical prophecies. He will triumph over all evil. Both the righteous and the unrighteous will be resurrected. Heaven is the final destiny of the righteous; hell is the final destiny of the wicked.
Distinctives. Entire sanctification is viewed as a second, definite, instantaneous work of God that is wrought in the heart of the fully consecrated believer. It is subsequent to regeneration. In this act, God cleanses the heart from all inherited sin and fills the soul with the Holy Spirit, enabling people to love God with their entire heart. It involves total death to inherited sin. This work, however, does not deliver believers from the infirmities, ignorance, and mistakes common to humanity or from the possibility of further sin. The Christian must continue to guard against temptation and seek spiritual victory.
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EVANGELICAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Founded: 1928
Members: 19,350
Congregations: 150
Beginnings
In 1796, Methodist itinerant preacher Jacob Albright (1759–1808) founded a movement known as the Evangelical Association. Long after his death, the organization suffered a division in 1891 due to differences of opinion and practice, especially relating to episcopal authority. This led to the formation of a split-off group in 1894 called the United Evangelical Church. These two groups reconciled and reemerged in 1922, but some of those affiliated with the United Evangelical Church did not approve of the merger. They remained separate and in 1928 took the name of Evangelical Congregational Church.
The Bible. The Bible is inspired by God. It contains all one needs to know regarding salvation in Jesus Christ.
God. The one true God is eternally manifest in three persons who are equal in substance and power—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Son of God. In the Incarnation, two natures—the human and the divine—were perfectly united in the one person of Christ. He is the sole Mediator between God and man.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is equal in substance to the Father and the Son.
Sin and salvation. Man is fallen and depraved. Salvation is only through repentance and personal faith in Jesus. Those who believe are justified (acquitted of guilt and declared righteous) and regenerated (born again). Members reject the Calvinist idea of limited atonement (salvation for the elect only), arguing instead for human free will and the belief that God’s grace is available to all.
The church. The church is a fellowship of followers of Jesus Christ. Local churches are partially autonomous in the sense that they can own and manage their own property. They are governed by local conferences, Annual Conferences, and a General Conference (the highest authority).
The sacraments. Baptism is performed in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is a visible sign and seal that the participant stands in a covenant relationship with God and His people. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial of the sufferings of Christ in attaining our salvation. Participants who partake of the elements receive the body and blood of Christ in a spiritual manner.
The end times. Jesus will one day come again in great power and glory. All people will be resurrected, the righteous to eternal life and the unrighteous to punishment. All human beings will be judged. Heaven is the final destiny of believers. Hell is the final destiny of the wicked, where they will be tormented eternally.
Distinctives. Like many Methodist churches, the Evangelical Congregational Church espouses the doctrine of entire sanctification. This is a state of Christian perfection attainable by every Christian through the power of the Holy Spirit, and it should be earnestly sought by all. Such a state of perfection, however, does not prohibit one from making human mistakes.
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Founded: 1946
Members: More than 7300
Congregations: 110
Beginnings
The Evangelical Methodist Church was founded in 1946 in Memphis, Tennessee, in reaction to the modernism that had infiltrated their parent body, the Methodist Church. Those who participated in the founding meeting saw an ever-widening chasm developing between the conservative and liberal elements in the church, and they felt that this chasm could never be healed. Therefore the Evangelical Methodist Church was founded to preserve the distinctive biblical doctrines of the historic Wesleyan position. Dr. J.H. Hamblen was elected chairman of this meeting and the first general superintendent at the organizational conference in November of that year.
Beliefs
The Bible. The Bible is the inspired Word of God and is to be received as the revealed will and way of God for daily life.
God. The one true and living God is the Creator, Sustainer, and Ruler of the universe. He is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable. Within the unity of the Godhead are three persons of one substance, power, and eternity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, was both God and man. He lived a sinless life and died a substitutionary death on the cross, thereby attaining human redemption. He physically rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. He is now our High Priest and Advocate.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, reveals Jesus to Christians and empowers them to serve God.
Sin and salvation. All people are fallen in sin. Salvation is a gift of God’s grace. It cannot be gained or made more secure by good works but is freely bestowed on all who place faith in the finished work of Jesus at Calvary. All who believe in Jesus are redeemed by His shed blood. Each person must acknowledge the lordship of Jesus to be born again. Every Christian is expected to live a holy life, one that is truly Christian.
The church. The denomination affirms both the local and the universal church, which is the body of Christ on earth. Church government is congregational yet connectional. It is congregational in the sense that each congregation calls its own pastor and owns its own property. It is connectional in the sense that the denomination as a whole is governed by the conference system. The highest body is the General Conference, which meets every four years.
The sacraments. The two sacraments are baptism and Holy Communion. The mode of baptism is left to the conscience of the individual.
The end times. Jesus will one day literally return. Church members are premillennialists. All human beings will be resurrected from the dead, believers to eternal life and unbelievers to everlasting punishment.
Distinctives. Entire sanctification follows regeneration, whereby believers are cleansed from the pollution of sin, saved from its power, and enabled through grace to love God with all their heart.
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Founded: 1860
Members: 77,000
Congregations: 975
Beginnings
The Free Methodist Church of North America was founded in western New York in 1860 by ministers and laypeople who had been expelled from the Methodist Episcopal Church for insubordination. The reason for the expulsion is that these individuals, under the leadership of Reverend Benjamin Titus Roberts (1823–1893), voiced concern that the church had departed from the doctrines and lifestyle of early Methodism. The expelled individuals therefore called a meeting, and on August 23, 1860, the Free Methodist Church of North America came into being. The new denomination dealt with all the issues that caused them concern with the Methodist Episcopal Church:
• The Methodist Episcopal Church refused to take a stand on the issue of slavery. The Free Methodist Church of North America felt that all people—including African-Americans—should be free.
• The Methodist Episcopal Church rented and sold pews to wealthier members, thereby forcing the poor to sit in the back. The Free Methodist Church of North America believed that all seating should be free.
• Dissenters felt that the Methodist Episcopal Church had dead formalism in its church services. The Free Methodist Church of North America felt that worship style should be free.
• The Methodist Episcopal Church was open to members participating in secret societies. The Free Methodist Church of North America felt there should be no participation in such societies so that truth might be shared openly and freely.
Beliefs
The denomination is among the most conservative of Methodist bodies.
The Bible. The Bible is God’s written Word and is uniquely inspired by the Holy Spirit. It bears unerring witness to Jesus Christ, the living Word. It is a trustworthy record of God’s revelation and is completely true in all that it affirms.
God. The one true and living God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. In the unity of the Godhead are three persons who are equal in eternity, purpose, power, wisdom, and goodness—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. In the Incarnation, Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin, thereby joining in one person perfect Deity and perfect humanity. The Son of God suffered, was crucified, died, and was buried. He poured out His life as a blameless sacrifice for human sin and transgressions. He rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and now sits at the right hand of the Father as exalted Lord.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. He is equal in Deity, majesty, and power with the Father and the Son. He seeks to reveal, interpret, and glorify the Son. He is also the effective agent in conviction of sin, regeneration, sanctification, and glorification. He equips the church with witnessing power.
Sin and salvation. Because of Adam’s sin, Adam’s offspring are corrupted in their nature from birth so that they are inclined to sin. They are unable in their own strength to restore themselves to God and merit eternal salvation. However, the Holy Spirit acts to impart new life and put people into a right relationship with God as they repent and their faith responds to His grace. Those who respond are justified, regenerated, and adopted into God’s family.
Christians can willfully sin and sever their relationship with Christ. By repentance before God, however, forgiveness can be granted and the relationship with Christ restored.
The church. The church is the people of God, a fellowship of the redeemed and the redeeming—preaching the Word of God and properly administering the sacraments. Jesus is the head of the church. Local congregations exist in 32 districts across the United States. Church government involves Annual Conferences and a General Conference that meets every four years. Women are permitted to participate in all areas of church leadership and ministry.
The sacraments. The sacraments are means of grace through faith and tokens of our profession of faith. By them, God works within us to quicken, strengthen, and confirm our faith.
Baptism signifies acceptance of the benefits of the atonement of Jesus Christ and is administered to believers. It is a declaration of faith in Jesus as Savior. It is a symbol of the new covenant of grace, just as circumcision was a symbol of the old covenant. Baptism is for infants too because they are included in the atonement. Parents must give them Christian training so that in time they can express personal faith in Christ for themselves.
The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament of our redemption by Christ’s death. Those who partake of the elements spiritually partake of the body and blood of Christ. The sacrament is a sign of the love and unity Christians have among themselves. It is only for those who are repentant and trust in Christ alone for salvation.
The end times. Jesus will one day come again and triumph over evil. There will be a bodily resurrection from the dead. Those who have done good will be resurrected to life, whereas those who have done evil will be resurrected to damnation. God will judge the world in righteousness. Those who trust in Christ will live in eternal glory and blessedness in heaven. Those who do not believe in Christ will experience everlasting punishment in hell.
Distinctives. Entire sanctification is that work of the Holy Spirit, subsequent to regeneration, by which fully consecrated believers, upon exercise of faith in the atoning blood of Christ, are cleansed in that moment from all inward sin and empowered for service. The resulting relationship is attested by the witness of the Holy Spirit and is maintained by faith and obedience. Entire sanctification enables believers to love God with all their heart and love their neighbors as themselves.
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Founded: 1939
Members: More than 6,000
Congregations: 100
Beginnings
The Southern Methodist Church was founded in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1939. The founding congregations were a part of the Methodist Episcopal Church (South) who did not go along with the 1939 merger of this denomination with the Methodist Episcopal Church (North) because they believed this latter body was tainted with apostasy and heresy. They also felt that such a merger would overly centralize ecclesiastical control in one body. Rather than go along with the merger, they began a new denomination.
Beliefs
The Bible. The Bible contains all things necessary to salvation. The Holy Spirit guides people in understanding Scripture.
God. The one true and living God is everlasting, infinitely powerful, all-wise, and good. He is the Creator and Preserver of all things. The unity of the Godhead includes three persons who are of one divine substance—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. Jesus, the Son of God, is eternal God, of one substance with the Father. He is Lord and Savior. In the Incarnation, He took on man’s nature, having been born of the Virgin Mary, so that two natures—the human and the divine—were joined together in one person. He died on the cross for human sin, thereby reconciling human beings to God. He was buried, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven. Jesus is the only Mediator between God and man.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son and is one in substance, glory, and majesty with the Father and the Son. He is eternal God.
Sin and salvation. Because of Adam’s sin, all human beings are born with such a corrupt nature that they are very far from original righteousness and continually inclined to evil. Human beings cannot turn in their own natural strength and works to faith, and therefore they are in need of the grace of God. Those who respond to God’s grace by faith are justified—accounted righteous before God. People who have been justified may fall back into sin and depart from God’s grace, thereby losing salvation. However, if they repent and turn back to God again, restoration to God is possible.
The church. The visible church is a congregation of faith in which the pure Word of God is preached and the sacraments are properly administered. Local churches can control their own property and call their own pastors, but the call must be approved by the Annual Conference. The highest legislative body is the General Conference. Women cannot be ordained into the ministry, though they can be involved in a variety of lay ministry roles.
The sacraments. Baptism is not only a sign of one’s profession of faith in Christ but also a sign of regeneration and the new birth. Young children may participate in the sacrament. The mode can be pouring, sprinkling, or immersion. The Lord’s Supper is a sign of the love Christians share among each other and of our redemption in Christ.
The end times. Christ will premillennially come again to judge the living and the dead. In heaven, believers will enjoy eternal fellowship with God. In hell, God’s presence will be completely absent.
Website
www.southernmethodistchurch.com
Founded: 1968
Members: About 8,000,000
Congregations: 34,375
Beginnings
The United Methodist Church emerged in Dallas, Texas, on April 23, 1968, as a result of a merger of two other Methodist bodies—the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church. The merger became a reality when Bishop Reuben H. Mueller, representing the Evangelical United Brethren Church, and Bishop Lloyd C. Wicke, representing the Methodist Church, joined hands at the constituting General Conference in Dallas, Texas, and said, “Lord of the Church, we are united in Thee, in Thy Church, and now in the United Methodist Church.”
A merger seemed to make good sense because the two groups shared similar doctrines and similar books of discipline, and their preachers often spoke in each other’s pulpits. These two denominations themselves had formed through earlier mergers in Methodist history.
When founded, the denomination had some 11 million members. Today it has less than 8.3 million. Membership has declined significantly in the United States and Europe, though it has increased in Africa and Asia.
Beliefs
The Bible. Scripture is the primary source and criterion for Christian doctrine. Scripture is an authority in matters of faith. It reveals all that humans need to know about salvation. High value is given to human reason, for it is by reason that one reads and interprets the Bible.
God. The one true and living God is everlasting, infinitely powerful, all-wise, and all-good. He is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Within the unity of the one God are three persons of equal substance, power, and eternity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ. Jesus is eternal Deity and is of the same substance as the Father. In the Incarnation, Jesus took on a human nature so that in one person, there was a perfect unity of very God and very man. Jesus truly suffered, was crucified, died a sacrificial and atoning death on our behalf, and was buried. He rose from the dead, thereby triumphing over evil and death.
The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity.
Sin and salvation. Man is fallen in sin, having broken his covenant with God, and is therefore estranged from Him. God truly loves us despite our willful sin. Salvation is provided in and through Jesus Christ. God summons us to repentance, seeking to pardon us and to receive into fellowship those who respond to the grace given to us in Jesus Christ.
Prevenient grace is available to all humanity, which makes acceptance of God possible. Through faith in Jesus Christ we are forgiven, reconciled to God, and transformed as people of the new covenant. One’s justification and conversion may be sudden and dramatic, or it may be gradual and cumulative.
Christians can have an assurance of salvation when the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. It is possible, however, for Christians to depart from grace and fall into sin. They can be restored only by repentance and turning back to God, as enabled by God’s grace.
The church. United Methodists confess one holy, catholic, and apostolic church. They understand themselves to be a part of Christ’s universal church. The local church is the community of believers, which the Spirit has brought into existence for the healing of nations. The church should be a community in which all persons, regardless of racial and ethnic background, can participate in every level of its connectional life and ministry. One is initiated and incorporated into this community of faith by baptism.
Church government involves a hierarchy of conferences: Annual Conferences (divided into districts), Jurisdictional Conferences (encompassing certain geographical areas), and the General Conference (the main legislative body).
Women are welcome to participate at all levels of church life, including pastoral positions. Presently, 17 percent of ordained clergy are women.
The sacraments. Baptism is a sacrament that initiates a covenant that connects God, the church (faith community), and the believer being baptized. The mode can be sprinkling, pouring, or immersion.
The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament of redemption. People who partake of the elements spiritually receive the body and blood of Christ. Communion may be celebrated as often as desired and is open to all Christians.
The end times. Jesus will one day return in glory to judge humankind. All humanity will be resurrected from the dead—the righteous to eternal life and the unrighteous to endless condemnation.
Distinctives. Similar to other Methodist bodies, this denomination espouses a doctrine of sanctification whereby those who are born again can be cleansed from sin in their thoughts, words, and deeds. They are enabled to live in full accordance to God’s will. All Christians should therefore strive for holiness, without which no one will see God.
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