Catching the Culture: Methodism

I have decided to switch my topics up a bit for my blog. I will continue to do school activities and talk about my opinion on issues but I have recently found out that I am interested in differen't peoples cultures and the different cultures of the world. I will write about a couple of different aspects of cultures including religion, food etc. A little bit of everything. I will continue to write about other things but when I am writing about culture I will title it Catching the Culture: (Insert topic here). Today I am going to talk about Methodism. I myself am Methodist so I thought what better way to start off this new topic than something I know a lot about and am emersed in almost all the time. Methodism is a protestant Christian religion that was started by John Wesley. It was founded in 1739. There are four main points to being a Methodist, Proclamation (proclaim the Gospel); Evangelism (invite people to personal decision for and commitment to Jesus Christ for their salvation); Incorporation (call persons to be incorporated into the Body of Christ); and Servanthood (serve as agents of God’s liberation and reconciling grace among the nations). Methodist are strong believers that you not only have to be a good Christian by praying, going to church etc. but also that you have to SHOW through your actions that you are a good Christian by serving the church, and God. For example my church participates in many different mission trips which are trips that people can go on, youth, adults etc. and we go and help out people or communities that need our help. During spring break the youth group goes on a youth mission trip to Missouri where they help out a family on the "Possibility Alliance". The family had their own farm and lived off of the land and didn't use electricity or indoor plumbing or any kind of petroleum. They didn't drive cars instead they rode bikes. This summer we will be going down to an Indian reservation in South Dakota and we will be helping them roof their house and diffren't things. In the past we have also helped rebuild flood houses in downtown Cedar Rapids etc. Our adults in our church went to Guatamala and helped build a school for the Guatamalan children. In our church we have pastors. Sometime the pastors leave and switch churches when needed. Above the pastors are the bishops which help run the entire Methodist church throughout the United States. For communion Methodists believe that anyone who believes in God can take communion no matter what religion you are or what church you belong to. In the Methodist faith once you reach the age of about 14 (around 8th grade) you have the choice of being confirmed. This is a year long program where you go to classes and learn more about the Methodist faith and what it means to be a Methodist. At the end of the program you are "confirmed" as a member of the Methodist church. John Wesley taught four main points that he believed were fundamental to Methodism;

1. Man is free not only to reject salvation but also to accept it (free salvation) by an act of human will.2. All people who are obedient to the Gospel according to the measure of knowledge given them will be saved (universal salvation).3. The Holy Spirit assures man of his salvation directly, through an inner "experience" (sure salvation).4. Christians in this life are capable of Christian perfection and are commanded by God to pursue it (full salvation). And that is what it means to be a Methodist!! :) I got most of my information that I didn't already know about Methodism from this website, if you want to find more out about Methodism just click on that link!

~Mildred