First United Methodist Church
Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Nine Practices of Our Faith

Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14).” Why do we settle for so much less?
Beliefs are not worth much unless they are translated into action. Based on what the Bible teaches, we feel very strongly about the following nine practices.
  1. Membership: Membership in the Church is for all who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives.
  2. Acceptance: Everyone who accepts Jesus Christ is numbered among the "Priesthood of Believers."  “You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God.” I Peter 2:9 (NL T)  Every Christian is therefore called to “full-time” Christian service (our vocation) regardless of his or her livelihood. As such ever believer is a minister encouraged to find a place of service and ministry, having a direct access to God through prayer and study of the Scriptures.
  3. Tithing: Although there is no New Testament requirement that a believer tithe, God established the Old Testament requirement as a physical, earthly demonstration of humanities commitment to God. God understood our greedy, selfish nature and provided a readily identifiable sign of our sincerity. We believe that the principle is still applicable today as Scripture tells us “I the LORD do not change.” 
  4. Holy Sacraments of Baptism and Communion: The Sacraments open the way for God's grace to be poured into us, to strengthen and confirm our Faith.
  5. The Bible: Our Book of sole authority: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right.” Timothy 3: 15 (NLT)  Since God’s Word is the only completely reliable and truthful authority, we accept the Bible as our manual for Christian living. Our first question when faced with a decision is “What does the Bible say that informs my situation?” We practice daily Bible reading, Bible study, and Bible memorization. The Bible is the basis for all we believe.
  6. Diversity in non-essentials: As followers of John Wesley we hold that
    In essential beliefs, we have UNITY
    In non-essential beliefs we have LIBERTY
    In all our beliefs we show CHARITY
  7. Inclusive living: We believe that the Bible clearly teaches that God’s love is for everyone. We believe that we are called to reach out and receive with joy all who respond to the invitation of Jesus Christ; to encourage all people in their relationship with God through Jesus Christ; to provide opportunities for all who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior to grow spiritually; and, support all lovingly and justly as faithful disciples. Remember we are to love the sinner not the sin.
  8. Spirit-led living: We believe that the only way possible to live the Christian life is to rely on God’s power with us. We seek to practice a daily dependence on God's Spirit to enable us to live a life of faithfulness in God’s eyes.
  9. Telling others about Christ: We believe that it is the responsibility of every Christian to share the Good News of what Jesus Christ is doing in our life to those whom God sends across our path. It is our privilege and responsibility to give our testimony and share our story about how we came into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.