An Overview of the Methodist Church
Organisation, Views and Beliefs in Wesleyan Christian Religion
The Methodist movement traces its origin to the evangelical awakening in 18th century Great Britain.
The Methodist Church is still organised in a methodical way using many of the structures introduced by its founder, John Wesley, who was an Anglican clergyman. Thus ‘Methodism’ is commonly taken as ‘Wesleyan Methodism’.
The structure of the Church is organised in such a way that decision making is undertaken by consultation with the entire movement, rather than depending on a hierarchical structure. The process takes account of all concerns and views within the Church. No one is given supreme authority. At the same time, churches cannot simply arrange their own affairs, but have some shared disciplines and ways of working.
Methodists are linked together in a connection of churches, circuits and districts. Methodist members attend local churches as a congregational place of worship, where members and attendees are supported and nurtured.
A group of local churches which are served by a team of local preachers and ministers, including the superintendent minister, is known as ‘The Circuit’. The district serves a geographical group of circuits and is led by the district chair.
Methodist Beliefs and Doctrine
The Methodist Church is a mainstream Christian Church. It works in partnership with other denominations whenever possible. But there are certain emphases in the Methodist culture which make it distinctive.
Methodists have always maintained that no-one is beyond the reach of God's love. Salvation is there for everyone who turns to God, and not just for a chosen few.
It is a strong feature of Methodism that ordinary lay people play a major part in the running of the Church. A recent survey of Methodist congregations revealed that three out of four individuals who responded held some sort of church role.
Local lay people called 'stewards' take responsibility for the fabric of church buildings and manses and for the handling of money. They share with ordained ministers the role of setting direction for the churches in a particular area or 'circuit'.
Worship each week is not always led by an ordained minister, but often by a local preacher - a lay person who has been trained and authorised to lead worship and preach. Every ordained minister in the Methodist Church was first a local preacher.
At all levels of the Methodist Church, lay people are involved in decision making, and the vice-president of the Conference is always a lay person.
Facts about John Wesley
John Wesley was a folk theologian who wanted to speak ‘plain truth to plain people'. He was a respected and dedicated person who took the views and ideals of people seriously. His preaching drew large crowds in the streets or hillsides.
Wesley trusted those that he preached to with responsibilities. In building the local Methodist groups or 'societies', he trained many lay people who then maintained the meetings and gave pastoral care to the members. He also trained preachers, who led worship locally, rather than travelling the country as Wesley himself did.
The Methodist Faith
Methodists traditionally use a fourfold approach to learn about the Christian faith and apply it to contemporary issues and practices. This approach focuses on the subjects of scripture, tradition, reason and experience. These subjects shape and guide Methodist teachings and practices, forming the cornerstone of the Methodist Christian faith.
The Annual Methodist Conference
The annual Methodist Conference meets in different places and is the supreme decision making body of the Church. At the start of Conference a new president and Vice-president are appointed to preside over that Conference and spend the year travelling around the Connexion, and abroad representing the Methodist Church.
Source:
The Methodist Church of Great Britain Official Web site
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