Essential Beliefs of The United Methodist Church

1. God. We believe in one God who is infinite in wisdom, power, and love. We affirm our trust in God as the Creator, Sustainer, and Ruler of all things, the One who comes to us as The Holy Spirit. We believe that the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ give us a clear, full, and true revelation of God. Through prayer, and in fellowship with God, we grow in our understanding of the divine purpose and will for our lives.
2. Jesus Christ. We believe in Jesus, the Christ – the promised Messiah and Deliverer, our Savior and the Savior of the world, “the world’s true light.” We believe that Jesus lived a life that was truly human and truly divine. He was tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning. He lived in perfect obedience to God.
3. Holy Spirit. We believe in the Holy Spirit as God present with us for guidance, comfort, and strength. We affirm the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives, inspiring those qualities known in the New Testament as “the fruits of the Spirit” – “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”. Likewise, the Holy Spirit inspires gifts that a re to be used for our mutual upbringing: “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good”.
4. Forgiveness. We believe in the reality of sin and in the forgiveness of sin. When we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We confess that we have alienated ourselves from God by our self-centeredness and disobedience. Forgiveness re-establishes our broken relationship and enables us to begin again.
5. Scripture. We believe in the Word of God contained in the Old and New Testaments is the sufficient rule both of faith and of practice. Although God is revealed in many ways, we believe the testimony of the Bible is crucial in helping us to live in terms of God’s will. We believe the Bible was written by persons who were inspired and challenged by the Spirit of God. We believe that God speaks to us through the Scripture when we interpret the ancient witness in light of both its original meaning and its message for us today.
6. Church. We believe in the Church as a community of faith and love, and as a fellowship for worship, study, and service of all who are united to the living Lord. The Church is more than a place, a building, and an institution. The Church is present when we come together as a gathered community, as well as when we express our faith in witness and service to the world about us.
7. Kingdom of God. We believe in the kingdom of God as the divine rule in human society. Jesus spoke of the kingdom in several ways: within us, around us, among us, beyond us. The kingdom is already here; it is yet to come. It is a present reality; it is a future hope.
8. Eternal Life. We believe in the final triumph of righteousness and in the life everlasting. We believe that eternal life is not simply an extension of life beyond death, but is also a quality of life in Christ lived here and now.
9. Human Dignity. We believe that God endows each person with dignity and moral responsibility. The alienation and discrimination many individuals feel is painful to them and to us. We seek to be sensitive to each person’s longing for self respect and the desire of all people to share in a good life.
10. Grace. We believe in the primacy of grace. Grace is the un-merited, un-deserved, un-earned, un-conditional free gift of love from God. It is freely given to us because we need it. Prevenient grace is that grace which comes before we are aware God in our life. Justifying grace is our acknowledgement of Jesus Christ as our savior and the son of God and it reflects our restored relationship with God. Sanctifying grace is our growth in the Spirit and our further growth in our relationship with God. It is our going on towards perfection as a part of our faith journey.
11. Conversion. We believe that a decisive change in our lives can and does occur, prompted by grace and by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This new birth, or conversion, may be sudden or dramatic, or gradual or cumulative.
12. Faith and works. We believe that faith and works belong together. What we believe must be confirmed by what we do. We believe that Christian doctrine and Christian ethics are inseparable, that faith should inspire service.
13. Inclusive church. The United Methodist Church is part of the church universal and includes people of all races, and cultures, people with handicapping conditions, people of all ages – children, youth, and adults. Therefore all persons without regard to race, color national origin, disability, or economic condition, shall be eligible to attend its worship services, participate in its programs, and upon taking vows, be admitted into any local church in the connection.
14. Connectional church. Our local churches are part of a connectional system. It is in essence a network of interdependent relationships among persons and groups throughout the life of the whole denomination.
15. Sacraments. The United Methodist Church recognizes with many other protestant churches the two sacraments ordained by Christ -- Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism celebrates God’s grace bestowed upon us and our initiation into Christ’s holy church. Baptism marks the beginning of our new life in Christ and points us towards a life of Christian discipleship. Holy Communion, or The Lord’s Supper, or the Eucharist – celebrates God’s love freely given to us in the life and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. The Lord’s Supper is God’s invitation to ‘commune” and be in fellowship with Jesus Christ. The United Methodist Church practices open communion. This means that all who “truly and earnestly repent of [their] sins, are in love and charity with [their] neighbors, and intend to lead a new life, following the commandments of god” are invited to the table of the Lord.