What’s the Difference?
A Short Primer on the People Called Methodists

In our culture today there are a lot of churches.  A LOT of churches.  Short of trying out every single one, you want some guidance as to which church fits your spirituality.  This brief overview will help you know a few things that are distinctive about the United Methodist Church so you can make an informed, prayerful decision.  Please understand that there are many good, strong church fellowships in the Garner area that would be happy to receive you, but we believe Garner United Methodist is special.

How is United Methodism Like Other Churches?
United Methodists share most important beliefs with other mainline churches that confess Jesus Christ as savior.  These are what we call “Essential” Christian beliefs:

• Belief in God revealed in three persons: the Father (Creator), Son (Redeemer) and the Holy Spirit (Counselor and Comforter)
• Jesus Christ was God in flesh, fully human AND fully divine.
• Jesus Christ was crucified and died to atone for the sins of humankind.
• Jesus Christ physically arose from the dead and showed himself to the disciples before ascending to his Heavenly reign.
• Jesus Christ will return at some time to restore all creation to righteousness in God.
• We have relationship restored with God through faith in Jesus Christ.
• The Holy Bible, in the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired Word of the One triune God, and tells us everything we need to be saved.

How are United Methodists Different?
United Methodists emphasize certain doctrines differently from other Christian churches.  The following are a few distinctive emphases you’ll hear about in our churches.

• Grace is the love of God that is given to us because of God’s goodness, not because of our worthiness.  Therefore, salvation comes from willingly receiving and returning God’s love in Jesus Christ rather than our ability to be “good enough (Romans 5:6-10).”  In many churches, you will hear legalism, i.e. “If you straighten up and fly right, God will love you.”  In the Methodist Church, you hear it the other way.  “God loves you.  Believe it and God will help you straighten up and fly right.”  That’s grace.
• Salvation is not a single event, but a living process (Philippians 2:12-13).  Some churches proclaim that salvation comes and is complete and irrevocable at a moment of conversion.  United Methodists believe our salvation began on the cross of Calvary where Jesus died for our sins.  Salvation is God’s grace at work with us before we confess him.  Salvation is born at the time of our decision for Christ and new birth.  But salvation continues to grow out of that conversion as we learn to live in God’s grace more abundantly.
• United Methodists celebrate sacraments.  When we baptize people or share in Communion, we believe God shows up and does something miraculous to change our being (1 Corinthians 10:16-17).  Some other churches believe that baptism and communion are merely memorial activities, practiced because God told us to.  These are called ordinances.  But in sacraments, God is an active participant!
• United Methodists celebrate open communion.  This means that any believer is welcome to come to the table, whether or not they are members of our church (Romans 15:7-9).  God knows you, and knows your heart.
• United Methodists are ecumenical.  This means we share with other Christian denominations in mission to God’s kingdom (Romans 12:3-5).  We don’t believe we have the “only way to be saved.”  Furthermore, we acknowledge the baptismal practices of other Christian churches and honor the ordination of their clergy.
• United Methodists are connectional.  When you drive down the road and pass two United Methodist churches in two neighboring towns, those churches are linked together (1 Corinthians 3:8-9).  Local Churches meet together in conferences, share together supporting missions, and even swap their pastors occasionally in an itinerant system.
• “Practical divinity” was a term our founder, John Wesley, coined to urge works of compassion.  United Methodists believe that faith in Jesus Christ is not something strictly between us and God, hidden in our hearts.  The grace of God compels us to act out our faith in caring for those around us and far away.  Our salvation must become manifest in our lives, words and deeds (James 2:14-16).