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Symbolics
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Free Methodist Free Methodists are people who follow Christ's teachings. These are explained in the Holy Bible, God's Word. The Bible is the guide to a satisfying life. Free Methodists earnestly seek to spread His Word throughout the world. They proclaim Christ's love for all people. The Free Methodist Church is a well recognized Christian denomination emphasizing holy living.
Why Free? Why Methodist? In 1860, the "free" in Free Methodist emphasized certain basic freedoms found in the Scriptures: Human freedom, upholding the right of every person to be free, denying the right of anyone to hold slaves; Freedom and simplicity in worship; Free seats in church, so the poor will not be kept out or discriminated against; Freedom and openness in relationships and loyalties so the truth may always be spoken freely (avoiding vows of secrecy); Freedom of lay persons to be fully involved at all levels of decision making; Freedom from materialism in order to help the poor. The biblical principles on which these freedoms are based are as important today as ever. We are "methodists," believing in a disciplined, simple lifestyle. Our witness to the world is through enthusiastic, orderly methods.
The Mission Statement The Free Methodist Church declares that God's call is to people everywhere who want to be whole. The Free Methodist Church offers training for service, and membership in a group of people who share similar beliefs and values. The Free Methodist Church will help you find a relationship with Jesus. Through Him you can receive forgiveness and strength for living a holy life. In short, the Free Methodist Church will help you to be the best you can be.
Distinctive Principles
1.Scripture
holiness
2.Practical
godliness
3.Social concern
4.Christian education
5.Evangelism
and foreign missions The mission statement declares that the church is to make known to people everywhere God's message of good news. The Free Methodist Church maintains an active foreign missions program of evangelism and Christian education.
Free Methodists Are Family
Historical Heritage and Perspective God has used these and others across the ages to make the unchanging Christian gospel known more clearly. In sum, Free Methodists identify with the flow of history of the Christian church while maintaining distinctive evangelical and spiritual emphases. The Methodist heritage is shown in theological, ecclesiastical and social concerns articulated by the Reverend John Wesley and his associates in the eighteenth century and reaffirmed through the holiness movement of the nineteenth. Theologically, they are committed to the Wesleyan-Arminian affirmation of the saving love of God in Christ. Through prevenient grace He seeks to bring every individual to himself but grants to each the responsibility of accepting or rejecting that salvation. Salvation is a living relationship with God in Jesus Christ, giving the believer a legal position of righteousness, and therefore affirming the security of all who continue in fellowship with Him. Along with the Arminian emphasis on the universal offer of salvation, John Wesley rediscovered the principle of assurance through the witness of the Holy Spirit. He declared a scriptural confidence in a God who is able to cleanse the hearts of believers from sin here and now by faith, fill them with the Holy Spirit, and empower them for carrying out His mission in the world. Ecclesiastically, the Methodist heritage is continued in Free Methodist organization. There are lines of responsibility connecting local, district, conference, and denominational ministries. Small groups of believers are accountable to one another for growth in Christian life and service. Free Methodists are concerned for the whole church, not just the local congregation. They value the leadership of bishops, superintendents, pastors, and lay leaders who provide counsel and direction to the church. Born at a time when representative government was being developed by free societies, the Free Methodist founders reaffirmed the biblical principle of lay ministry. Free Methodists recognize and license unordained persons for particular ministries. They mandate lay representation in numbers equal to clergy in the councils of the church. Socially, from their early days, Free Methodists displayed an awakened conscience characteristic of the early Wesleyan movement. Their outspoken action against the institution of slavery and the class distinction inherent in the rental of pews to the wealthy demonstrated the spirit of true Methodism. Although issues change, the sensitive social conscience remains, evidenced by continuing active participation in the social concerns of the day. During the nineteenth century, the holiness movement, arising in American Methodism but spreading through other nations and denominations, called Christians to deeper levels of relationship with God and greater concern for the needs of hurting humanity. Within this context, the Reverend Benjamin T. Roberts and other ministers and laypersons in the Genesee Conference of the Methodist Church in western New York, raised a protest against theological liberalism, unhealthy compromise on pressing social issues, and loss of spiritual fervor. Between 1858 and 1860, a number of these leaders were excluded from the Methodist Episcopal Church on various charges and allegations. In reality, the primary issue was their proclamation of the basic principles of Methodism, especially the doctrine and experience of entire sanctification. Appeals made to the General Conference of May 1860 were denied. Those excluded could not join any other Methodist body, for there was none that agreed with them on the issues on which they were thrust out. Therefore, the Free Methodist Church was organized by a convention of lay members and ministers which met at Pekin, Niagara County, New York, on August 23, 1860. The first General Conference met on the second Wednesday of October, 1862, at Saint Charles, Illinois. The Free Methodist Church, since its inception, continues to expand around the world through missionary outreach, the development of additional general conferences, and a coordinating world organization.
Distinctive Principles Free Methodists today seek to continue the mission of first-century Christianity which was recovered by John Wesley and the early Methodists who declared they existed "to raise up a holy people." Free Methodists are a fellowship of Christians in earnest to get to heaven and committed to working in the world for the salvation of all men. They place their commitment to Christ and His church above all others. They keep themselves free from alliances which would compete for their highest loyalty and from all which would encumber and compromise their effective witness to the Trinitarian faith and man's dependence upon the grace of God. The Christian denies himself, takes up his cross daily, and follows Jesus. He conforms to all the will of God as made known in His Word, and believes the conditions of salvation are the same now as they were in the days of the apostles. In doctrine, Free Methodists' beliefs are the standard beliefs of evangelical, Arminian Protestantism, with distinctive emphasis on the scriptural teaching of entire sanctification as held by John Wesley. In experience, Free Methodists stress the reality of an inner cleansing and power that attests the doctrine of entire sanctification, both in the inward consciousness of the believer and in his outward life. Their worship is characterized by simplicity and freedom of the Spirit, untrammeled by elaborate ritual. Free Methodists maintain a life of daily devotion to Christ that springs from inward holiness and separates the Christian from the world, even while the lives in the world. They believe the best way to keep worldliness from invading the church is for the church to invade the world with redemptive purpose. They practice a complete consecration of every power and possession to the service of God and man. They believe so strongly in the mission of the church that they are committed to responsible stewardship in finance. Therefore they do not need to resort to commercial efforts to support the cause of Christ. Free Methodists sense a special obligation to preach the gospel to the poor. The provisions of the gospel are for all. The "glad tidings" must be proclaimed to every individual of the human race. Free Methodists are committed to the New Testament ideals of simplicity and modesty as a style of life. They wish to call attention, not to themselves, but to their Lord. These distinctives of the Free Methodist Church from its origin are still living issues. In every era and every land these distinctives are the witnesses of the church, needing utterance clear and strong that they may be heard and heeded amidst the world's confusing and misleading voices.
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