- The United Methodist Church is a denomination of over 13 million believers around the world. We are an outgrowth of the Wesleyan movement. John Wesley was an Anglican priest who sought to have a closer and more dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ. He and some friends began meeting regularly discussing ways in which they could live their faith more actively. They engaged in certain practices, which is why some critics tried to insult them by calling them “Methodists.”
- Our way of thinking about God is very similar to most well known Christian denominations, but there are a few features that we believe make us distinct.
- First is our emphasis on the grace of God. We believe that God is actively working to establish a loving active relationship with all of God’s children. God does this before we are aware of God in our lives. God also continues to work in us and on us to help us keep growing in holiness to be more like Jesus after we enter into a relationship with God.
- Methodists believe that faith is lived in our lives every day. Our lives should mirror Jesus in that we should be doing things like feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, seeking justice for the oppressed.