Distinctive Wesleyan Doctrines::

Before discussing the Distinctive Wesleyan Doctrines, we must first define a few topics.  

First, what is meant by Wesleyan?
John Wesley was the founder of the Methodist Movement within the Anglican Church in England during the 18th century.   This movement emphasized works of piety (working with the Holy Spirit to grow in personal relationship with God) and works of mercy (working with the Holy Spirit to help others grow in relationship with God by addressing their spiritual and physical needs).  The doctrines and beliefs that came from John (and his brother Charles) through this movement have become the Wesleyan Emphases of the United Methodist Church.  

Second, what is meant by Grace?
This is the unmerited favor and love of God which we all experience.  In simpler terms, this is the love that God has for all of us, even though we do not deserve it because of our sinful nature.  John Wesley believed that this grace affects us in primarily three (3) different ways (Prevenient Grace, Justifying Grace, & Sanctifying Grace).  

Prevenient Grace - This is the divine love of God that surrounds all humanity and precedes any and all of our conscious impulses and actions.  This is the action of God pursuing a relationship with us and urging us to turn towards God (repent) so that we may be delivered from the bondage of sin and death through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Justifying Grace - Justification and Assurance - We believe God reaches out to the repentant believer with a grace of accepting and pardoning love.  In justification, we are, through faith alone, forgiven and restored to God's favor through the action of Jesus Christ.

Sanctifying Grace - Sanctification and Perfection - We hold that the wonder of God's acceptance and pardon does not end God's saving work.  Rather, through the action of the Holy Spirit, God continues to nurture our growth in grace in a continual journey toward "having the mind of Christ and walking as he walked."    John Wesley would say this is our "going on to perfection" through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Faith and Good Works – We see God’s grace and human activity working together in the relationship of faith and good works.  God’s grace calls forth human response and discipline as appropriate signs of faith.  This can be seen through works of piety (our working with the Holy Spirit to grow in personal relationship with God) and works of mercy (our working with the Holy Spirit to help others grow in relationship with God by addressing their spiritual and physical needs).

Mission and Service - We insist that personal salvation always involves Christian mission and service to the world.  Scriptural holiness entails more than personal piety.  Love of God is always linked with love of neighbor, a passion for justice, and renewal in the life of the world.

Nurture and Mission of the Church - Finally, we emphasize the nurturing and serving function of Christian fellowship in the church.  The worshipping community nourishes the personal experience of faith.