Methodist Roots: Discovering Who We Are and How We Grow
Methodist Roots: Discovering Who We Are and How We Grow
What does it mean to be Methodist?
Our Methodist heritage is about much more than a name on a church sign. It is a way of following Jesus that emphasizes God’s grace, growing together in faith, serving others, and sharing the good news of Christ with the world.
In our Methodist Roots series, we’ll explore some of the beliefs and practices that have shaped Methodists for generations—and discover how they can continue to shape our lives today.
Growing in Grace
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” — 2 Peter 3:18
How do we actually grow as followers of Jesus?
John Wesley taught that God has given us “means of grace”—ordinary practices through which we open our lives to God’s transforming work. These include prayer, searching the Scriptures, worship, Holy Communion, fasting, Christian fellowship, and acts of mercy and service.
Methodists believe that we grow in faith both individually and together. That understanding is reflected in practices such as infant baptism and our open Communion table, where all who seek Christ are invited to receive.
God’s grace is always at work, inviting us to grow closer to Christ and become more like him.
It’s All God’s Grace!
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith…” — Ephesians 2:8
Grace is at the very heart of Methodist belief.
So what is grace? Put simply, grace is God coming to help us.
Before we recognize our need for God, grace is already reaching toward us. Grace brings us into a restored relationship with God, and grace continues working within us throughout our lives, transforming us into the people God created us to be.
The story Jesus tells in Luke 15 beautifully illustrates this kind of grace: a God who seeks, welcomes, forgives, restores, and celebrates when the lost come home.
From beginning to end, our relationship with God is grounded in grace.
The Character of a Methodist
What should the life of a Methodist look like?
Ultimately, the answer is simple: we want to become more like Jesus.
Our faith isn't intended to remain only in our thoughts or within the walls of the church. Methodists have historically emphasized holiness of heart and life—loving God deeply and allowing that love to change how we treat other people.
John Wesley gave early Methodists three simple rules for living faithfully:
Do no harm.
Do good.
Stay in love with God.
These principles echo Jesus’ command to love God and love our neighbors and the biblical call to “do good to all people” (Galatians 6:10).
They may sound simple, but living them faithfully can transform our relationships, our community, and our lives.
Circuit Riders & Women Preachers. Oh My!
“You will be my witnesses…” — Acts 1:8
Methodists have never been known for simply sitting still.
From the earliest days of the Methodist movement, men and women answered God’s call to take the gospel wherever people were. Early Methodist circuit riders traveled enormous distances—often under difficult conditions—to preach, organize churches, and bring Christian community to places without established congregations.
Women also played important roles in proclaiming the gospel and leading within the Methodist movement, reflecting the promise of Acts 2 that God would pour out the Spirit upon both sons and daughters.
The methods may look different today, but the calling remains the same.
Go. Share. Serve. Tell others about Jesus.
The church doesn't exist only for those already inside it. We are called to carry the love and good news of Christ beyond our walls and into our community and world.
We Need Each Other
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” — Matthew 28:19
Methodism was never intended to be a faith practiced alone.
The early Methodist movement grew through small groups of people who met regularly to pray, study, encourage one another, serve their neighbors, and ask an important question: How is it with your soul?
Those relationships helped people grow as disciples of Jesus.
We still need one another today.
We need people who will pray with us, encourage us, challenge us, serve beside us, celebrate with us, and walk with us when life becomes difficult. Worship matters. Communion matters. Scripture matters. Service matters. And Christian community matters.
Following Jesus is personal—but it was never meant to be solitary.
Rediscovering Our Roots
Learning about our Methodist roots isn't simply an exercise in church history. Our heritage reminds us who we are and points us toward who God is calling us to become.
We are a people shaped by grace.
We are a people committed to growing more like Jesus.
We seek to do no harm, do good, and stay in love with God.
We are called to go and share the good news.
And we know that we need each other along the way.
These are our Methodist roots—and they continue to offer us a strong foundation as we grow together in Christ.