We Believe in the Bible
The things of this world come and go, however, the truly "classic" works that touch our hearts and inspire us survive the ages and become timeless. The Bible is just such a book -- and this because the Word of God contains truth about who we are as people. We are people who reflect the characteristics of our Creator God. We connect with the stories of the Bible and the parables of Jesus because we see our need for him in the mistakes and shortcomings of the great biblical characters.
We Believe in God
We believe in God because of our heritage in the Bible. Also, it makes sense to believe in God. He is too big and great to not leave us some knowledge about himself. One evidence for this is that there is value to the universe in "beauty" and "goodness." God created the earth and saw that its was very good. We look around us and see beauty and goodness, and desire to create more of it. We go to the beach for a tan because the beach is more beautiful than the landfill, but are there not UV rays at both places? We are the creations of a creative God, and his intelligent design speaks to us and lets us know of his reality.
We Believe in Jesus Christ
We United Methodist join with all other Christians in affirming that "in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself" (2 Corinthians 5:19). We believe that the eternal God was uniquely and redemptively present in what Jesus said and thought and did. God was in the birth and actual life that Jesus lived. Jesus had compassion on the multitude. (See Matthew 15:32; Mark 8:2, 10:46-52). Jesus was and is God's appointed path for this life - because of the crucifixion (Acts 2:36).
We Believe in the Holy Spirit
We believe that God is not only "high and lofty" (Isaiah 6:1) but also nearer than hands and feet and closer to us than breathing. The Holy Spirit is not some miracle worker or heart warmer who shows up on special occasions. He is with us in conversation, fellowship, and prayer. He works all things out to glorify Christ. The primary mission of the Holy Spirit is to magnify Jesus Christ as Lord in the world and in the community of faith.
We United Methodists believe that what people in their own strength cannot do, they can through the power of the Holy Spirit. This includes faith as well. One of the chief founders of the Methodist movement, John Wesley, termed the phrase "prevenient grace" which means the grace that is already present before we become Christians. It is this wonderful preparatory work of the Spirit which begins to open our eyes, hearts, and ears to the workings of God in our life.
We Believe in People
Nothing is easier than to lose faith in people. We United Methodist, however, join all Christians in holding fast to the God-given goodness that is in every human being.
We know that people are not good enough to be what they ought to be without God's help. We know also that the view of people as mean and sinful has its dangers. We are all sinners. Our sin becomes tragic only because we are much more than sinners. We have been created in God's image - with characteristics of the merciful and loving God. In spite of our sin, that image is engraved on our souls by the act of Almighty God. By birth God has set a mark and seal on us and claimed us for himself. (See Genesis 1:27).
We Believe in the Cross
The cross of Christ must always be seen against the background of our preciousness and of our failure. We were important enough and needy enough for Christ to die for us. So what does the cross mean? The first fact is that God in Christ took the initiative in our behalf. God loved us first. (Romans 5:8).
Second, God takes sin seriously. Sin breaks the heart of God, and when we know this we are moved to repentance that binds us to God's forgiving love. Therefore, only God can save since the punishment for sin is death. There is no limit to God's love, no length to which God will go on our behalf. As far as God is concerned, the way to God is wide open. The only obstacle then remains within our own selves.
We Believe in the Forgiveness of Sins
Hatred, war, prejudice, crime, the breakdown of character, greed, lust, dishonesty, meanness, pettiness, mediocrity - these and many other evils are with us because we are the kind of people we are. We need to be forgiven. Yet not even God can pardon us unless we put ourselves in a position to be forgiven. Repentance is that basic honesty before God.
The apostle Paul made it very clear, many times, "that through this man [Jesus] forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you; by this Jesus everyone who believes is set free from all those sins from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses" (Acts 13:38-39).