Page 389 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

METHODIST

Pentecostal historian Vinson Synan (“The Great THE FREE METHODIST CHURCH OF NORTH
Methodist Awakening,” Charisma, May 1987). The AMERICA (membership 80,000) and the Southern
Methodist doctrine of “entire sanctification” produced Methodist Church (membership 7,500) were also
longings which could not be satisfied scripturally, as opposed to the liberalism of the larger Methodist
God does not promise sinless perfection, and this false Church. These latter two groups hold to the old-time
doctrine became a spring board to the pentecostal Methodist doctrinal platform, but are basically new-
doctrines of “second blessing” and “baptism of the Holy evangelical in mood and practice today.
Spirit” subsequent to salvation. Methodist camp The largest U.S. Methodist group, the UNITED
meetings became occasions for all sorts of fanatical METHODIST CHURCH (UMC), was formed in 1968 from
phenomena, such as “the jerks,” “slaying in the Spirit,” a merger of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical
“the holy dance,” and “the holy laugh.” Outsiders called United Brethren Church. The combined membership of
these the “Methodist fits.” It is easy to see that the devil the two bodies was 11 million in 1965, but by 1983 had
was having a heyday in leading people away from sound dropped to roughly 9 million members. Like most liberal
Bible experience into extremism and error. Out of this denominations, the UMC has been declining in
confused spiritual and doctrinal climate the Pentecostal membership each year. The UMC lost almost 2,000,000
movement of the late 19th century arose. The modern members in the 1970s and ‘80s. The United Methodist
interdenominational charismatic movement started in Church is extremely modernistic and ecumenical.
the Methodist denomination in the 1950s. After The UMC and Ecumenism. The United Methodist
Methodist Pastor Tommy Tyson experienced the Church is a member of the radical National and World
pentecostal second blessing and spoke in “tongues,” he Council of Churches; in fact, the UMC is the largest
traveled widely as a conference evangelist and spread financial supporter of the WCC. Roman Catholic Bishop
the charismatic message. Well-known pentecostal faith James Malone, speaking before the UMC conference in
healer Oral Roberts joined the United Methodist Church Atlanta in 1972, said that the United Methodists and the
in 1968. Today there is a powerful charismatic RCC are on the same spiritual wave length. He
movement within the UMC. United Methodist announced an ecumenical dialogue between the RCC
charismatic leader Ross Whetstone conducts a healing and the Methodists. Reporting on the success of RCC-
service once a week at the denomination’s Nashville UMC dialogue, Methodist Bishop William Cannon told
headquarters, and he estimates that 1.7 million United the pope in 1982 that “doctrinally and spiritually, our
Methodists—about 18 percent—are involved in the two churches have much more in common than there
charismatic movement (Christian News, May 19, 1986, are issues that separate us” and “there is a peculiar
p. 10). In 1980, the charismatic United Methodist affinity between Methodists and Roman Catholics.” At
Renewal Services Fellowship was given formal offices at its 1980 Quadrennial General Conference, the UMC set
the UMC national headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee. up a Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious
Pentecostalism has always fed on apostate Concerns to promote ecumenical activity. At his election
denominations. to the presidency of the National Council of Churches in
Today there are many different Methodist groups 1981, Methodist Bishop James Armstrong said, “I want
with varying beliefs and practices—23 groups in to be such a bridge, helping to create an atmosphere of
America alone. Some of the smaller groups have trust and mutual respect in which women and men can
maintained a conservative doctrinal position and still come together, races can come together, divergent
adhere to old-line Methodism. The Evangelical points of view can come together. ... we will continue to
Methodist Church was organized in 1946 in reaction to seize initiatives, pursuing dialogue with Roman
the modernism of The Methodist Church. The Catholics, Southern Baptists, the National Association of
Evangelical Methodists stand upon Wesley’s 25 Articles Evangelicals, and others who name the name of Christ
of Religion and seek to maintain a fundamentalist as well as humanizing groups and forces that do not
position against the onslaught of liberalism, neo- share our Christian confession.” Efforts to absorb
evangelicalism, psychology, and other destructive Methodists with other liberal denominations in the
influences of these hours. They also exercise a greater States have been in progress though the Consultation on
degree of local church autonomy than the United Church Union (COCU) since 1961. This attempted
Methodists, with each church owning and controlling its union of Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Methodists,
own property and calling its own pastors. They do not United Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ, and others
have bishops, but have district superintendents and a has been making steady progress through the years.
general conference which meets every four years. The United Methodist pastors participate in ecumenical
Evangelical Methodist Church has a membership of clergy associations, joining hands at the local level with
roughly 10,000. Roman Catholics, Unitarians, other Modernists, and

Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity 389