"Free"quently Asked Questions ...
What is the difference between
the Methodist church and the "Free" Methodist church?
Both the United Methodist Church (commonly referred to as Methodist) and the Free Methodist Church share a common heritage, hearkening back to the Wesleyan revival in England during the middle 1700s.
However, by the middle 1800s concern arose over the waning of several
key expressions of the Wesleyan revival. So the Free Methodist Church
began as an attempt to restore those vital "Wesleyan" convictions,
such as the doctrine of entire sanctification, the concern for the poor,
the vision to end discrimination and racism, and Christian growth through
small groups.
Since that time the Free Methodist church has proven itself capable of
preserving a sound commitment to classic conservative Christian doctrines
such as the infallibility of scripture, salvation by faith, and the deity
of Jesus Christ.
What is a "connectional" church system?
The Free Methodist church government is a "hybrid"
system blending valuable features of hierarchical and congregational systems.
Hierarchical church governments, such as Roman Catholic and Episcopal,
govern local churches through "higher"archies which oversee
and rule over the affairs of the local church. Pastors are appointed by
overseeing bodies; they are not "called" by local congregations.
This is one trait the Free Methodist church shares in common with hierarchical
churches.
Congregational forms of church government are purely local in scope. Each
congregation is "autonomous" and any associations they have
with other churches is purely voluntary. They write their own constitutions
and administrate their own local ministry independent of any overseeing
body.
In this regard local Free Methodist churches have a great deal of liberty
to set their local mission and devise methods and ministries that fulfill
that mission.
However, the historic conviction of the Free Methodist church is that
local churches are safeguarded from error and extremism through accountability
to overseeing leaders and governing policies. In addition, there is the
conviction that churches working together regionally and nationally can
effect greater change and bear more fruit through combining resources
and efforts. So for the sake of greater effectiveness and for preserving
doctrinal integrity Free Methodist churches "connect" with one
another in systems and structures of accountability. (The Free Methodist
Book of Discipline contains the vital information about these systems
and structures that govern and connect all Free Methodist churches.)
How big is the Free Methodist church?
(based on statistics ending 12/31/2004)
The Free Methodist church in the United States numbers 77,173 members
with nearly 105,000 attenders in Sunday worship services.
There are 1,032 churches in the U.S. and the average size congregation
is 100 attenders.
Interestingly, in the past 30 years the Free Methodist church
around the world has increased by 500%. That growth has largely been seen
in Africa, especially in war torn countries, such as the Congo, Rwanda
and Burundi. For example, Rwandan church grew by 250% even during the
years of widespread violence and tribal genocide. The Democratic Republic
of Congo is the largest FM conference worldwide with 139,755 members —
nearly two times the number of U.S. Free Methodists!
The FMC in India has recently seen astonomical growth — nearly 1200% in the past five years. The church in Brazil has also experienced
significant growth in the last five years — 215%.
The burgeoning FMC overseas is certainly related to the dedicated missionary emphasis of the North American church during the past century.
The FMC is in 72 countries worldwide and the grand total world membership is 736,582.
When and why did the Free Methodist
church begin?
The Free Methodist church began August 23, 1860 in Pekin, New York, in
response to a growing desire for a church denomination that would stay
true to the principles of the Wesleyan revival, particularly regarding,
the work of the Holy Spirit, the way of holiness and the necessity of
ministry to the poor.
The founder, Benjamin Titus Roberts, was an outspoken critic of many current
practices of the Methodist Episcopal church, including pew rental and
other discriminatory practices that favored rich over the poor, the failure
of the Methodist church to stand against slavery, and the increasing "formalism"
in worship, including the hiring of professional musicians.
In addition he joined a number of other exponents of the necessity of
a "second work" of grace beyond salvation during which a believer
was thoroughly sanctified, made holy, and set apart to serve God with
a whole heart, mind and strength.
This "radical optimism" concerning just how thoroughly transformed
and how victorious over sin a person could be made by the power of God
gave Roberts, though reluctant to start a new denomination, the motivation
to do whatever was necessary to revive the message of entire sanctification.
This message referred to as"scriptural holiness." When Roberts
no longer had a way to influence the Methodist Episcopal church with this
message, he gave his energies to the founding of the Free Methodist church
with its central mission of spreading scriptural holiness across the land
and ministering the gospel to the poor.
What do we mean when we say
the Free Methodist Church is a part of the Holiness movement?
In the 19th century in America, the call to holiness as a distinct aspect
of the experience of salvation spread through a wide variety of denominations
— the Free Methodist Church among them. This emphasis had been made
earlier by John Wesley, leader of the Methodist movement in Great Britain
during the 18th century (from 1738 until his death in 1791). Wesley preached
that God not only wants His children to take seriously His call to be
"justified by faith" (Romans 5:1-2) — thus to be acquitted
of their sins and given a whole new start — but He also wants them
to take seriously His call to be holy in heart and life (1 Thessalonians
4:1-8). Christians are to be cleansed and empowered by the Holy Spirit
so they can live a life of undivided love for God and neighbor. This emphasis
became so broad in the 19th century that it was referred to as the Holiness
movement. We hold that, with the moral defilement of modern life, the
need for a renewal of the call to holiness is now even more urgent.
Where does the Free Methodist Church stand on issues like abortion?
The Free Methodist Church is firmly opposed to abortion. Abortion is selfish and malicious when it serves the
ends of population or birth control, personal preference, convenience andsocial or economic security.
We recognize there are those whose views are contrary to ours. We believe they should be treated with
respect and dignity since God’s forgiveness is offered to all.
What is distinctive about the Free Methodist
Church?
Every evangelical denomination shares certain doctrinal commitments
with all other evangelical bodies. For instance, all believe that the
Christian Scriptures are the Word of God, and are completely trustworthy
in teaching what we must believe and how we must live. And, we share
the belief that just as one must enter the human family by a human birth,
so one must enter the kingdom of God by a second and spiritual birth.
Moreover, we hold the conviction that God's people have a mandate to
spread the gospel far and wide.
Beyond such essential beliefs, however, denominations differ in their
distinctive emphases: Evangelical Baptists tend to emphasize the believer's
baptism by immersion; evangelical Presbyterians and other Reformed bodies
speak much of the sovereignty of God; and the Christian and Missionary
Alliance emphasizes the missionary task of the church. A distinctive
of the Free Methodist Church is the call to holiness of heart and life
resulting in a life of consecrated service to God and man (Matthew 22:37-40;
Romans 12:1-2).
But, even beyond these, by the unfolding of history Christian bodies
become marked by other distinctive features. For example, the Free Methodist
Church, since its inception in 1860, has shown strong interest in liberal
arts education from a Christian perspective. As a result the denomination
has founded a chain of liberal arts colleges or affiliates across the
United States. In addition, the denomination is distinctive for its
large developments in missions around the world. On Aug. 23, 1860, fewer
than 100 laymen and ministers gathered in western New York to found
the Free Methodist Church. Today the denomination has workers in more
than 60 countries.
What is an annual conference?
An annual conference is a grouping of churches in a geographical region
for purposes of administration, mutual support and growth. The number
of churches may vary from a few to as many as 70 or 80. An annual conference
elects its own superintendent, assuring regional leadership, oversight
and accountability. Ideally, the annual conference is responsible for
finding, training, ordaining, assigning and disciplining its ministers.
It is called an "annual conference" because it meets once a
year to conduct its business, hear reports, receive inspiration and clarify
vision. All ordained ministers hold permanent membership in an annual
conference, and local churches send elected lay delegates to this annual
meeting. Thus, approximately equal numbers of clergy and laity carry out
the business of an annual conference. This puts into practice a basic
principle of Free Methodism that, whenever possible, ministers and laypeople
work side by side. Annual conferences may be considered the building blocks
of the Free Methodist Church.
