WHAT UNITED METHODISTS BELIEVE

United Methodists affirm the historic doctrines of the Christian faith. We see ourselves as part of the Church Universal, and embrace with the love of Christ our brother and sister Christians of other denominations, as well as all people everywhere. We hope for, and work toward, a more visible unity with other Christians, and are evangelical in the sense that we gladly and eagerly share, in word and deed, the love and message of Jesus with the world.

United Methodists see the ‘historic doctrines of the faith’ not as statements that must be believed without doubt or question, which then separate one believer from another, and Christians from non-Christians, but, rather, as opportunities to make the love of Jesus more real, dynamic and practical in the lives of persons, and in the churches, communities and institutions of the world. For United Methodists, the ‘historic doctrines of the faith’ are to always be at the service of Jesus, not the other way around. That is why you will find in The United Methodist Book of Discipline doctrinal standards, by which our lives are guided, rather than doctrinal statements, which are to be either accepted of rejected.

The expectations United Methodists have of ourselves are that we are to employ all the means we can in order to grow in the knowledge and love and grace of God. In the terms of our ‘General Rules’ this means that we are to, first, do no harm; that we are to, also, actively do all the good we can, to all the people we can, by all the means that we can, for as long as we possible can; and that we are to actively participate in the life and ministry of the church. We do all of this not in order to earn grace, but as a response to the grace we have already received, with the understanding that the more we live out of God’s grace the more God’s grace will live out of us!

You can further investigate the beliefs of the United Methodist Church through other spots on this website, through the official website of the United Methodist Church, at www.umc.org, by contacting any United Methodist Church and visiting with a pastor, or by contacting the Heritage Church and asking to speak with the pastor.