What a United Methodist Believes About the Church

Reader

review

Bible

is our standard

The Church is God’s Idea

A CHURCH HELPS ME CenterMY LIFE AROUND GOD

A CHURCH HELPS ME CONNECT WITH OTHER BELIEVERS

THE BIBLE CcALLS THIS: FELLOWSHIP

Romans 12:10 CEB

Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other.

How CAN I join THIS church family?

Choose to belong!

members class.

Show your commitment by baptism

Ephesians 2:19 Now you are no longer strangers to God and foreigners to heaven, but you are members of God’s very own family, citizens of God’s country, and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian.

“This is what we proclaimed in word and action when we were baptized. Each of us is now a part of his resurrection Body.”

“Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are My disciples.” John 13:35 (LB)

A CHURCH HELPS ME cultivate SPIRITUAL MATURITY

Ephesians 4:16 NIV

From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Ephesians 4:12–13 GW

Their purpose is to prepare God’s people, to serve, and to build up the body of Christ. This is to continue until all of us are united in our faith and in our knowledge about God’s Son, until we become mature, until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard.

THE BIBLE CALLS THIS: Discipleship

Ephesians 4:15 The Message

God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do.

2 Peter 1:5 The Message

So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding,

A CHURCH HELPS ME contribute SOMETHING BACK

Ephesians 2:10 NIV

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

1 Corinthians 3:9 NLT

For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.

THE BIBLE CALLS THIS MY ministry

Ecclesiastes 4:9 NIV

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:

2 Timothy 4:5 NLT

But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

A CHURCH HELPS ME communicate GOD’S MESSAGE.

THE BIBLE CALLS THIS MY mission

1 Peter 2:9 CEB

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who are God’s own possession. You have become this people so that you may speak of the wonderful acts of the one who called you out of darkness into his amazing light.

THE GREAT COMMANDMENT

Matthew 22:37–38 NIV

Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.

THE GREAT COMMISSION

Matthew 28:19–20 CEB

Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.”

A Great Commitment

to the Great Commandment

and the Great Commission

will produce GROWING Christians

and a GREAT Church

John Wesley, founder of Methodism, said, My Prayer is that the Pastors of thy Church may feed their flocks with true wisdom and understanding, and the people all may submit unto them, and follow their godly counsels; that the rich and mighty may have compassion on the poor and miserable; and all such distressed people may bless the rich, and rejoice in the prosperity of those that are above them!

John Wesley, The Works of John Wesley, Third Edition., (London: Wesleyan Methodist Book Room, 1872), 11:247–248.