If you truly want to know what United Methodists believe, ask any UM pastor if you can borrow their Book of Discipline. The BOD is our "rule book" but it also contains our Doctrinal Standards and History, our Constitution (the Methodist Church in this country was formed just after the country itself!), as well as those beliefs that are unique to us as Methodists.
What we believe that other Christians believe:
- "We hold in common with all Christians a faith in the mystery of salvation in and through Jesus Christ" [God loves us SO MUCH, God gave his only Son to pay the price of our sins.]
- "We share the Christian belief that God's redemptive love is realized in human life by the activity of the Holy Spirit, both in personal experience and in the community of believers. [We find the Holy Spirit in individuals AND in the church.]
- "We understand ourselves to be part of Christ's universal church when by adoration, proclamation, and service we become conformed to Christ." [We become more Christ-like.]
- "With other Christians we recognize that the reign of God is both a present and future reality." [Christ HAS come and IS coming. This makes more sense, the more you study Scripture.]
- "We share with many Christian communions a recognition of the authority of Scripture in matters of faith, the confession that our justification as sinners is by grace through faith, and the sober realization that the church is in need of continual reformation and renewal." [The Bible guides how we live our lives, we are saved by God's grace alone, and as fallen people we are constantly in need of God's help!]
Things that are unique to United Methodists ...
We have four theological guidelines, called "The Quadrilateral." These are Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience.
The core of our Christian faith is revealed in Scripture (start here), illumined by Tradition (faith is not defined anew in each generation), confirmed by Reason (our brain is a blessing from God), and enlivened by Experience (our personal interactions with God).
Think about your faith: if you are a person of reason, then be prepared to answer why you believe what you believe. Then, look for evidence in your life that supports your understanding. It's hard work reconciling faith with your lived experience, but it is well worth it when you're able to see evidence of God's movement in your life!
We can help you get started. (And ask us about prevenient, justifying, and sanctifying GRACE!)
