Our roots go back to the 1700s in England. The Methodist movement began with John Wesley who had become a priest in the Church of England in 1728. He joined his brother, Charles, in 1729 and, along with a group of students, routinely studied the Bible and visited prisoners at Oxford prisons. The group became known as Methodists due to their methods of serious study and devotion. John became a leader for the group.
In 1735 John and Charles went to the American Colonies to become pastors to the colonists, and missionaries to the Native Americans. Their experience was pretty much unsuccessful, and the brothers returned to England feeling that they were lacking in true faith. They looked to members of the Church of the Brethren (dedicated to following Jesus Christ, and with protestant Moravian roots going back to the 1500s) for help toward understanding faith. At the time, The Church of the Brethren were also known as the New Baptists. At one of the Moravian church services, John had an intense experience of faith that left him with a feeling of deep trust in Christ for salvation, and a belief that Christ had taken away his sins and saved him from the doctrines of sin and death. Charles had a similar experience a few days before that.
Soon after that experience, John Wesley began preaching with his friend, George Whitefield. They preached in the open air to coal miners in Bristol and the activities became known as the Methodist Revival. Eventually, the two stopped working together due to a difference in beliefs. Whitefield believed that God has already determined whom will be saved and whom will be damned (predestination). John Wesley held an insistence that God’s love was universal.
The Methodist Revival grew quickly among folks who felt neglected by the Church of England, although Wesley never wanted to leave the Church of England. He held that he did not differ in church doctrine but, rather, in emphasis. He merely reinstated the biblical doctrines that we are assured of salvation and the Holy Spirit allows us to attain perfect love for God and each other.
The heart of religion lies in our personal relationship with God and in simplicity of worship. The work and life of the ministers and laity of the church share concern for the underprivileged and for social improvement. We accept the Scriptures as our guide to faith and practice.
We believe in baptism as the entrance to Christianity with the support of the Trinity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Our churches follow the historical creeds and believe that they are part of the tradition of the Protestant Reformation. And, thanks to Charles and John Wesley, we are buoyed by song.
Adapted from an article by : Davies, Rupert E. , "Methodism". Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Aug. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Methodism. Accessed 5 October 2022.
A traditional recitation of our beliefs: The Apostle's Creed
Please go to the National United Methodist Church website to further explore our activities and faith as Methodists.
