United Methodists

1
United Methodists

• Written by
• Wendell Hannaford and Megan Gring

2
Quick Facts

• Founder John Wesley British
• Founded 1739 in London England (The Methodist
  Church)
• United Methodist Church founded on April 23rd,
  1968 in Dallas Texas.
• This was result of many schisms and divisions
  within the church uniting.
• Size The Church's latest reported numbers (from
  1998) claim a total of approximately 9,752,303
  members worldwide. Of these, 8,411,503 are
  members residing inside the United States. These
  figures represent both clergy and lay members,
  with lay members accounting for 9,705,250 of the
  total number
• Ultimate Concern To spread Gods love through
  the sanctification process.

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Brief History of John Wesley

• Born on June 17th, 1703 in Epworth Rectory
  England to Susana and Samuel Wesley.
• Attended Oxford University where he was a
  leader/founder, along with brother Charles
  Wesley, of the Holy club.
• Were dubbed Methodists because of their
  methodical approach towards religion.
• Was an ordained Minister of the Church of
  England.
• Sent to the Americas with Charles to perform
  missionary work in converting individuals to the
  Church.
• Came in contact with the Moravians.
• Enraptured by their commitment and love of God.
• Underwent a religion conversion which led to the
  development of the Methodist Church

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History of Wesley Contd

• Began several small-faith restoration groups
  within the Anglican church called United
  Societies.
• However he did not wish to form a new church.
• Though he always claimed to be committed to the
  Anglican Church, he still underwent extreme
  criticisms from many in the community.
• Sent Richard Wright, Francis Asbury, Richard
  Boardman, and Joseph Pilmore to the Colonies to
  help Methodism in America be able to prosper.
• First conference held was in 1773 by Francis
  Asbury, determining the organizational structure
  of the NRM.
• Took on the name Methodist Episcopal Church led
  based on Welseys General rules which were
  established in England in 1744.

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History of the Church and its formation

• In 1769, Richard Boardman, Joseph Pilmore,
  Francis Asbury and Richard Wright were sent to
  America to help formally organize the Methodist
  Church.
• 1773 marked the first organized meeting of
  Methodist preachers.
• 10 individuals attended and laid down the
  foundation for the movement.
• They based the organization on Wesleys teachings
  and emphasized a strict discipline among its
  followers and instituted regular conferences to
  be held.
• In December 1784, the Christmas Conference of
  preachers was held in Baltimore at Lovely Lane
  Chapel
• Decided upon the future course that the movement
  would undergo and became known as the Methodist
  Episcopal Church. Set the General rules
• The Methodist Episcopal Church published its
  first Discipline (1785), adopted a quadrennial
  General Conference, the first of which was held
  in 1792, drafted a Constitution in 1808, refined
  its structure, established a publishing house,
  and became an ardent proponent of revivalism and
  the camp meeting. (http//karchives.umc.org/interi
  or.asp?mid523)
• In 1800, the United Brethren in Christ was formed
  by Martin Boehm and in 1803 the Evangelical
  Association was formed by Jacob Albright
• These two churches united in 1964 and then united
  with The Methodist church in 1968 to form the
  United Methodists.

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History of the Church Contd

• Many divisions occurred within the organization
  of the church based mostly on differences in
  theologies and pro/anti-slavery issues.
• 1816, Richard Allen, an emancipated slave and
  African Methodist preacher broke away from the
  Methodist Episcopal Church and formed the African
  Methodist Episcopal Church.
• African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church was also
  formed for likewise reasons in 1821.
• The Methodist Episcopal Church underwent a major
  split around the beginning of the American Civil
  War.
• The General Conference of 1844 had a major debate
  over the issues of slavery
• A Plan of Separation was formed by slave holding
  states during this conference which led to the
  division of the Methodist Episcopal Church North
  and South.
• In May of 1845, the southern states formed their
  own organization and developed their own
  discipline and hymnals

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History of the Church Contd

• The second World War brought about the beginning
  of the union for the United Methodist Church.
• The Evangelical Church and the United Brethren in
  Christ churches united to form the Evangelical
  United Brethren Church on November 16th, 1946
• Were able to unite because of a mutual concern
  for church union against war issues to strengthen
  their stance.
• The War also brought about many institutions
  being formed
• World Council of Churches, founded in 1948, and
  the National Council of Churches, founded in
  1950. These assemblies provided a means for their
  members to engage in cooperative mission and
  other ministries. (http//karchives.umc.org/inter
  ior.asp?mid1221).
• In 1939, The Methodist Protestant Church, The
  Methodist Episcopal Church North and South united
  as the Methodist Church
• This was mad possible due to an agreement reached
  by all three branches on racial theological and
  laity issues.
• Bishop Reuben H. Mueller of the Evangelical
  United Brethren Church and Bishop Lloyd C. Wicke
  of the Methodist Church formed the United
  Methodist Church in 1968 at the General
  Conference held in Dallas, Texas.

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Doctrines

• Twenty-Four Articles of Religion
• basic statements of beliefandthe standards for
  preaching within the Methodist movement
  (Foundational Documents of The United Methodist
  Faith)
• Wesleys Sermons
• Wesleys own understanding of the Christian faith
  and his ideas of how a person is supposed to
  carry out this faith in their everyday life.
  Used to try and help members understand the true
  meaning of the faith.
• Wesleys Notes on the New Testament
• Wesleys own insight in interpreting the Bible
  and through these notes helping his followers
  better understand the Bible
• The Bible
• Primary authority beliefs are based off of

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Role of the Doctrines

• The doctrines are used as a foundation of the
  United Methodist Church in which all other
  beliefs are based off of.
• The Twenty-Four Articles of Faith and the
  articles of the Confession of Faith are both used
  to teach the followers the main beliefs of the
  religion as well as provide a basis of how to
  preach the religion and spread it to others.
• Both Wesleys sermons and his notes upon the New
  Testament are used to help the followers
  interpret and understand the Christian faith and
  the Bible.

10
Religious Influences

• The Methodists have a large influence from the
  Christian faith present in their religion.
• These similarities are
• There is a God
• God being split into 3 persons
• The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
• Beliefs concerning Jesus
• He was human is the Son of God risen from
  death and Jesus is our Savior
• Beliefs concerning The Holy Spirit
• Is God with us empowers us to live obediently
  and comforts us when we are in need and stray
  from our faith.
• Beliefs about human beings
• God created humans and humans can accept/reject
  relationship with God

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Secularization and the Church

• Examples of Secularization
• Wesley reformed his movement and made it into a
  church which was done to please the followers.
• Less tendency to stress emotionalism and more
  emphasis on the decision of a trustful and
  obedient will.
• Belief about homosexuality
• They welcome all people into their church now.

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Evidence of Conversion Models

• The Rational Choice Model
• The United Methodist Church has changed some of
  its beliefs so as to become more likable to a
  larger amount of people and to compete with other
  churches for members.