Many times in casual conversations we are asked,
"What's the difference between the Evangelical Methodist
Church and the United Methodist Church?" This question comes from the
merely curious as well as those who are sincerely seeking to learn more about the EMC and
want to know if we are "really" Methodist.
History shows us that both denominations share roots in
the 18th century English Methodist movement of John Wesley's day, as well as in the later
U. S. Methodism of Francis Asbury, Thomas Coke and the tireless circuit riders of the
1800's. The "old fashioned" Methodism grew rapidly, largely because of its Bible
based emphasis on "free will" and on individual personal responsibility before
God for all. Camp meetings and missions thrusts gave it a lively vitality and inspired
adherents to share their faith to the lost of the whole world. Methodism was on the march
and became a true worldwide blessing.
In our century, things began to change. Slowly the revival
fire that had driven the expansion of U. S. Methodism began to die out. Methodist
leadership, literature and educational institutions became increasingly liberal and
humanistic. The message being declared was no longer a consistent church-wide declaration
of the infallible authority of the Bible nor of the deity of Christ, His virgin birth,
sinless life, bodily resurrection and second coming. The imperative of a personal
religious experience (including the "new birth" and " sanctification"
[the spirit filled life] ) was dropped as a requisite for membership or even leadership.
Methodism in this country stagnated and no longer grew as a church.
In such a dismal spiritual climate the Evangelical
Methodist Church, an authentic Methodist movement, was born in 1946. Most of our early
leaders were from the Methodist Church and for their insistence that true Methodism be
proclaimed, they paid with their pulpits, pensions and church property. The EMC preaches
the Biblical imperatives of true Methodism, including the beliefs summarized above and
more.
The Evangelical Methodist Church's distinctive includes a
congregational system of church government which affords a great degree of freedom for the
local church. Each one sets its own budget, calls its own pastor and operates its own
program free from any coercive hierarchical pressure. The young and dynamic denomination,
based in Indianapolis, Indiana, primarily exists as an umbrella, resource, encouragement
and stimulus for the most important unit of the group, the local Evangelical Methodist
Church.
Standards of professional ministry are carefully
maintained and jealously guarded so that every EMC pastor or conference official can be
counted on to believe and preach the timeless Bible based truths of early Methodism. Both
the Bible depreciating heresy of liberalism, as well as the emotion based modern
charismatic movement, are rejected in favor of a Bible based view of God, man, sin and
salvation.
People who consider themselves true Methodists and who
find the gospel message central to life and eternity, who are tired of the Bible being
relegated to second place in church life, who weary of a steady diet of social action
issues, who believe in Jesus, His sinless birth and life, atoning death, literal
resurrection and sure return will find a welcome haven in their local Evangelical
Methodist Church.
