Nazarene/Christ In Christian Union/Wesleyan

[drfuss]

"In spite of the bushel being rotten at the top, as it were, there are still good Christian people that needed a Christian pastor."

True. We just visited an old friend who is now attending the same Methodist Church that I was saved out of many years ago. During that time many years ago, my sister went forward for salvation at a Billy Graham Crusade and was later told by that Methodist pastor that she didn't need any of that conversion stuff because she was okay without it.

Today that same Methodist church, with another pastor of course, teaches the need for conversion and even had revival services. The Methodist church is rotten at the top, but some of the churches and ministers still preach salvation anyway. Apparently there is a strong denominational tradition among Methodists.

 

[Mike Stidham]

Are there any on here?

I am looking for a simple explanation as to the differances in doctrines. I was asked the other day and had to admit that I did not know.

It's largely a difference in church government. With the inclusion of the Free Methodist Churches, I've known ministers in those denominations to move very freely from one group to another.

 

[Mike Stidham]

My last year with the UMC was the year the Episcopal church elected an openly homosexual man to Bishop. Our bishop wrote a letter encouraging the Conference to be tolerant and understanding of the question of human sexuality - including the issue of this Episcopal bishop. I replied that I could not support any person who demanded a right to live in sin and for me to be accepting of their disobedience because it was culturally popular. That was the beginning of the end. Between the candidating process, credentialing and pastoral ministry I had over sixteen years invested.

I had a different experience with the UMC, and I think it differs by conference. In 2004 when the issue of homosexuality came before the UMC General Conference, our pastor wrote a letter on the subject which could be summed up as "No way Jose!" But apparently you can get away with bucking the system when you're the second largest church in the state.
But yeah, the UM's around southern Illinois are fairly conservative doctrinally.

 

[Michael Wrenn]

What is the difference between the Congregational Methodist Church and the First Congregational Methodist Church?