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God-The Holy Trinity

We believe that there is but one living and true God, who is everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom, justice, goodness and love. God is the maker and preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. God reveals Himself as the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, distinct but inseparable, eternally one in essence and power.


The Son Of God-Jesus Christ

Jesus is the Son of God sent to relate God’s love for us. Jesus helps us understand that God wants to forgive us. God joined together in one person, never to be divided—Jesus the Man and Jesus the Divine. Therefore, Jesus is very God and very Man, who through his humanness suffered, was crucified, dead and buried. Through his divinity he triumphed over death and sin giving us a promise of reconciliation with God and eternal life by the way of God. We are forgiven of our sin, justified by faith by faith in Christ, and granted eternal salvation through His sacrifice and resurrection.


The Holy Spirit-God’s Loving Presence

The Holy Spirit is of one substance, of majesty and glory with God and Jesus Christ. Through God and Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells within us to empower, renew, restore, pardon, assure, and reassure us of God’s loving presence in our lives. The Holy Spirit is God’s loving powerful presence with us.

   
Humans-Sin and Free Will

Humans are created in the image of God. Humans have God’s creating Grace and humans also have “free will.” When God gives free will, we are provided the opportunity to choose a relationship with God or choose not to have a relationship with God. Adam and Eve chose to disregard God’s command, causing a break in their trusting relationship with God. From that broken relationship, humans became tainted and unable to escape sin.  But through God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, we are given the resources to avoid sin and walk with God.


Salvation

We are saved by faith alone. There is nothing we can do to earn salvation, but believe in God and the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ. Through God’s Grace, our willingness to repent for our sins and believe in God’s love for us, we are saved by faith.


Grace

Prevenient Grace-John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, believed that the Holy Spirit is present with everyone even before conversion. No one is without the activity of the Holy Spirit on the basic level. Therefore, Prevenient Grace is the Grace or the presence of the Holy Spirit that precedes the Grace that comes with the acceptance of Jesus Christ. 


Justifying Grace-The Holy Spirit is present also in helping us have faith in God’s forgiving love in Jesus Christ. God has already done everything needed in order to forgive us. But we do not always easily accept God’s forgiving Grace through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit helps us repent and gratefully receive God’s act of wiping the slate clean.


Sanctifying Grace-The Holy Spirit moves mysteriously into our souls to enable us to grow in Grace. God’s purpose is that each of us moves toward perfection in love toward God and toward other human beings. Wesley said, “When we are born again, then our sanctification, our inward and outward holiness, begins.” Christian growth is not merely a human process, but a divine reality.


Theological Guidelines: Sources and Criteria


As United Methodists, we believe as John Wesley that the living core of the Christian faith is revealed in Scripture, illuminated by tradition, vivified in personal experience, and confirmed by reason.


Scripture is primary, revealing the word of God. Through scripture, the living Christ meets us in the experience of redeeming Grace. We are convinced that Jesus Christ is the living Word of God in our midst that we can trust in life and in death. All things necessary for salvation and for pleasing God are found in the inspired Bible. 


Tradition is understood both in terms of process and form whereby the passing on and receiving of the Gospel among persons, regions, and generations, we learn of God, Christ, and ourselves. We examine our history and reflect critically upon the doctrinal stance of our church and the broader Christian tradition within which we are able to recognize and welcome one another in love.


Experience authenticates in our own lives the truths revealed in Scripture and illuminates tradition, enabling us to claim the Christian witness as our own. Our experience interacts with Scripture, whether individually or corporately. We interpret experience in the light of Scriptural norms, just as our experience informs our reading of the biblical message. In this respect, Scripture remains central in our effort to be faithful in making our Christian witness. 


Reason is a tool that assists believers in understanding scripture, testing tradition and evaluating experience. Although Scripture is still primary, God also provides the ability to reason so that spiritual formation happens on a very personal level.