What do we believe?
United Methodists are a diverse group, so not every person in the pews or pulpit will believe exactly the same things. And that's OK. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism in the 1700s, said, "If your heart is as my heart, give me your hand." We take that to mean that all who love God and want to follow Jesus can do so together, even if we don't agree on every detail of Christian faith. United Methodists are methodical. That's how we got our name! Our method of deciding what to believe and how to behave involves what is called the "Wesleyan Quadrilateral." That's a fancy way of saying that we consult four sources of authority: scripture, church tradition, reason (logic, science), and experience (personal and societal). As each United Methodist faithfully engages with those four sources of wisdom, they will come to their own sense of what is right to believe and practice. Because new information becomes available over time, this method allows our beliefs to adapt and stay relevant.
United Methodists are a diverse group, so not every person in the pews or pulpit will believe exactly the same things. And that's OK. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism in the 1700s, said, "If your heart is as my heart, give me your hand." We take that to mean that all who love God and want to follow Jesus can do so together, even if we don't agree on every detail of Christian faith. United Methodists are methodical. That's how we got our name! Our method of deciding what to believe and how to behave involves what is called the "Wesleyan Quadrilateral." That's a fancy way of saying that we consult four sources of authority: scripture, church tradition, reason (logic, science), and experience (personal and societal). As each United Methodist faithfully engages with those four sources of wisdom, they will come to their own sense of what is right to believe and practice. Because new information becomes available over time, this method allows our beliefs to adapt and stay relevant.
FUMC's Purpose Statement
First United Methodist Church will meet spiritual needs
by developing relationships
with Christ, community, and the world.
We would love for these relationships to include you!
First United Methodist Church will meet spiritual needs
by developing relationships
with Christ, community, and the world.
We would love for these relationships to include you!
What does it mean to be a United Methodist member? (Video link)
