As United Methodists, we believe that Jesus Christ is 'the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).'  We confess that we have an obligation to bear a faithful Christian witness to Jesus Christ, the living reality at the center of the Church’s life and witness. As mainline Protestant Christians we confess the Apostles Creed, the Doctrine of the Trinity and confess the Bible as the source of all that is "necessary" and "sufficient" unto salvation (2 Timothy 3:16, Articles of Religion) and "is to be received through the Holy Spirit as the true rule and guide for faith and practice" (Confession of Faith).
We all share a faith in Jesus Christ, but The United Methodist Church encourages us to think for ourselves, so we don’t necessarily share the same opinions about every faith issue or social concern. And there are lots of us: 8.5 million United Methodists live in the U.S., and 1.5 million more worldwide, with the largest growth in membership occurring in Africa and the Philippines.
John Wesley (the founder of Methodism) and the early Methodists were particularly concerned about inviting people to experience God’s grace and to grow in their knowledge and love of God through disciplined Christian living. They placed primary emphasis on Christian living, on putting faith and love into action. This emphasis on what Wesley referred to as "practical divinity" has continued to be a hallmark of United Methodism today.
We invite you to learn more about our rich theological heritage. We hope you will read more about our beliefs, our heritage and where we are going in Christ!