About Methodist Churches

The Methodist church is a result of the Methodist movement that has occured within denominations that are Protestant. It was first founded during the 1800s in Great Britain, and due to extensive missionary work on the part of the followers, the membership of the church has now spread throughout the world. When it was first introduced, Methodism was favored by many people of the lower classes such as slaves or farmers. As of this writing, there are well over 70 million members of the Methodist church around the world. This would make it one of the largest Christian groups on Earth, and it is only surpassed by the Baptist and Catholic church. The Methodist movement begin within the Church of England. John Wesley and his brother were the principle founders, and they led a group of men in starting the movement.

Methodists place a high emphasis on the study of the Bible. The word "Methodist" is taken from the root word "methodical," and Methodist will approach the study of the Bible and the daily operations of their life in a methodical manner. The original founders of the Methodist movement would meet together frequently, and they would obstain from such things as riches. They would also spend a great deal of time working with the poor. The Methodists felt that the Church of England had become highly apathetic, and they created Methodist groups wherever they traveled.

The members of the Methodist church are well known for their sermons, and their critics have often accused them of being fanatics in the past. As can be expected, those of the Church of England feared the rise of the Methodist and their teachings. The Methodist church does not employ the use of bishops for their teachings. Like many religious movements, there are a number of schisms that have occured sense the original Methodist movement was initiated, which has led to a number of denominations that exist within Methodist churches.

Methodists believe in the concept of the trinity, or the Son, Father, and the Holy Spirit. Many of their teachings are very similar to other Christian religions, such as the divinity of Christ. In addition to this, many Methodist churches also follow the Nicene Creed, which is shared by other Christian denominations. Some of the beliefs of Methodists are directly connected with Anglicanism. The reason for this is because the members of this church were originally members of the Church of England, which was an Anglican institution. One of the most important characteristics of the Methodist church is that members believe that a person will gain a salvation through service rather than through mere piety. The Methodists also follow a system that has connections to the Book of Common Prayer.

Another distinctive feature of the Methodist church is the introduction of the Covenant. While the procedures among various churches may differ, many members are greatly interested in building a strong covenant with God. The Covenant Service may be held once a year, and the Wesley's Covenant Prayer may be used.