What We Believe
We hold to the historic Christian faith outlined in the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds. Additionally, our theology is based on a Wesleyan understanding of Scripture, aligning with the doctrines of the Global Methodist Church.
The Apostles' Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic* Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
*universal
The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son
is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic* and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
*universal
Wesleyan Theology Distinctives
Since its inception, God’s Spirit has enlivened the Methodist movement. In the 1720s John and Charles Wesley and friends at Oxford University met together to deepen their Christian faith through daily, practical spiritual disciplines. Derided by others as a “new sect of Methodists” for their “methodical” ways of practicing the faith and holding one another accountable to it, the small group embraced the insult and persevered in their fellowship. And so they and the millions who followed after them have ever since been known as “the people called Methodists.”
Wesleyan theology emphasizes
- a high view of Scripture
- God's grace as power and presence to save and transform lives
- holiness of heart and life
- a sacramental view of baptism and communion
- both men and women serve at all levels of church leadership
- community and accountability
- justice and compassion ministries
Global Methodist Doctrine
The doctrine of the Global Methodist Church is detailed in the denomination's governing document, the Book of Doctrines and Discipline.
Download the Book of Doctrines and Discipline here.
The catechism of the Global Methodist Church a resource for teaching, study and spiritual growth. It provides a summary of our core beliefs, rooted in Scripture, in the Wesleyan tradition and is designed to help people of all ages grow in their faith.
We believe in one God in three persons - the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Father is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, visible and invisible. He created a perfect world and created humanity in His image to govern the earth, but humanity chose to rebel against God, introducing sin and death to the world.
Through the power of the Spirit, the Father sent the Son to be born of the virgin Mary, fully human and yet fully God, so Jesus might redeem all aspects of humanity and destroy the power of sin and death.
We believe that humanity is born with a fallen nature, inclined to do evil, and in this natural state, humans cannot respond to God.
We believe that God desires for all people to be saved, and that the Holy Spirit is at work in every person, restoring one’s ability to respond to God. Through this prevenient grace, the Spirit draws us to God, convicts us of sin, and enables us to accept or reject God’s offer of relationship and salvation.
We believe salvation, or being restored into right relationship with God, is available only through the work of Jesus Christ. All who repent and believe in Jesus and follow Him are made right with God and rescued from the power of sin and eternal separation from God.
We believe that one can never be saved by doing good works, but those that are saved will do good works and the fruit of the Spirit will be produced in their lives as evidence of their relationship with God. God expects us to grow in holiness and become perfect in love, like Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit. We believe the Spirit calls and empowers both men and women to do all aspects of His work, including ordained ministry.
We believe the Holy Spirit is active in the world today, empowering each Christian to not only submit their life to God and grow in holiness, but also to reveal God to the world, including through signs and wonders, such as healing and miracles.
We believe the Bible is the inspired word of God and contains all we need for salvation. Scripture is our authority for what we believe and how we live.
We believe that God extends grace to us in many ways, but particularly through the two sacraments of baptism and holy communion. These sacraments are outward and visible signs of God’s inward, invisible grace given to us.
- We believe baptism is a sign of being included in the Kingdom of God by the grace of God. Infants are baptized as a sign of God’s grace already at work in their lives and their inclusion in the church until the time they can actively choose to confirm their own relationship with God. Adults who come to faith are also baptized as a response to God’s grace at work in their lives and their initiation into the Church. We practice all forms of baptism: sprinkling, pouring, and immersion.
- We believe that we experience the grace of God in holy communion as we remember Jesus’ last meal of bread and wine with His disciples. While we do not believe Jesus is physically present in the elements of bread and wine that represent His body and blood, we experience God’s presence in a unique way through holy communion that restores and transforms us, enabling us to be the body of Christ for the world. We celebrate holy communion on the first Sunday of every month, using bread (or gluten free wafers) and grape juice so all may participate.
We believe that Jesus will return to earth at the end of the age, judging the living and the dead and resurrecting those who believe in Him. God will restore the world, bringing heaven to earth and making all things new, and He will dwell among His people again.
Our Values & Virtues
At First Methodist Carrollton, we have four values that we embrace as a community. We also identified eight virtues or characteristics we want to help each other develop as we become faithful followers of Jesus.
