What We Believe

The Holy Bible

The one and only, unique revelation of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is the final authority in the search for all truth determining the origins and existence of all that is and all we must know for the eternal salvation of our souls. The Bible is to be studied and received under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

2 Peter 1:20-21; Acts 17:24-28; John 14:16-17, 26

Salvation

Salvation is the saving work of God accomplished when Jesus Christ gave His life on the cross. Our sins, the sins of the whole world, were placed upon Jesus. The wages of sin is death. Jesus paid the debt for our sins. His blood removes the curse and the power of sin from us when we trust in Christ as Lord and Savior. We are restored to God and we receive the gift of eternal life only when we believe and trust in Christ, repenting of our sins, declaring that Jesus is Lord and believing with our whole heart that God raised Him from the dead. It is the gift of God, by grace, and not earned by any good that we do. It is God’s desire that all should be saved and come to know true life in Christ.

Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10; 2 Peter 3:9; Titus 3:4-7

God, The Holy Trinity

God is the one true, holy, and living God. God exists in 3 persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; distinct but inseparable, eternally one in essence and power. Existing forever in perfect relationship and fellowship, co-equal and co-eternal, and perfect in love. God is love and has always existed in relationship as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Love does not exist unless there is a relationship, therefore, we can truly say that God is love.

Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; Luke 1:35; John 14:25-26

The Church

The Church is the community of true believers under the lordship of Christ. Saved and forgiven by the redemptive sacrifice through Jesus Christ on the cross, the church is empowered and given authority through the Holy Spirit to fulfill the Great Commission given to the first disciples by Jesus before He ascended back to Heaven. All believers enjoy the fellowship of being one in the body of Christ, who is the head of the church, in the unity of the Holy Spirit. The active life of the church is practiced through the fellowship of the local churches in worship, prayer, study, and service. Every person who is a baptized, born-again believer is called to joyfully assemble and participate in the ministry and life of the local church.

Acts 2:42-47; Ephesians 1:22-23; 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27; Hebrews 10:24-25; Matthew 28:18-19

The Sacraments

As Global Methodists and believers in the Wesleyan Tradition, we believe there are 2 sacraments ordained by the Lord Jesus, Baptism and Holy Communion.

Baptism is the outward sign of our new life in Christ and the washing away of our sins. The scriptures teach that all believers are to be baptized as soon as possible after coming to faith in Christ. It is practiced and performed in the presence of the fellowship of believers. Generally speaking, baptism takes place under the guidance of your pastor and in the company of your local church.

Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 6:1-7; Acts 22:16

Holy Communion is also an outward sign of the inner workings of God’s grace through Christ. At Wilmer Methodist Church, all who earnestly repent of their sin recognizing their need for God’s grace through Christ are invited to the Lord’s table to share in Holy Communion. None of us receive communion because we “deserve” it. On the night that Jesus was betrayed, He offered the bread and the cup to all of His disciples, even the one who betrayed Him. The bread and the cup represent the body and the blood of Christ which was given for our salvation and the forgiveness of our sin. When we eat the bread and drink from the cup, in a spiritual manner we are saying that we believe and accept Christ’s redemptive work for ourselves, trusting in Him alone as our Lord and Savior.

Matthew 26:26-28; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26