Wesley's Questions #8 and 9

  

 I have been recently asked by someone in the Global Methodist Church if could answer the 19 questions that John Wesley had his bishops ask those wanting to enter the ministry in regard to the GMC. I believed I could so in taking on that challenge I am going to post my answers. They probably won't be perfect or how you might answer them but they will be mine. Perhaps you might ask yourself how you might answer them.  

John Wesley’s Questions

 

8. Have you studied the doctrines of the Global Methodist Church?

Yes, I have studied the doctrines of the global Methodist Church. I find they very close to the doctrines of the Church of the Nazarene which I have followed and taught for the last 25 years. I was never a member of the Wesleyan Covenant Association nor the committee setting up the doctrines that are Global Methodist Church, but my association with Reverend Samuel Padgett has given me the opportunity over the last several years to talk about the Creeds and the doctrines which were becoming the foundation of the global Methodist Church. I was excited about what I was seeing develop in this new branch of Methodism. I had no idea at the time that I would request to join.

The reason why I was so excited about the doctrines is answered in question 9.

9. After full consideration do you believe that our doctrines are in harmony with scripture?

We have the example of basing our doctrine on scripture from Jesus and the disciples. Jesus expounded from the scriptures. The Disciples found the truth of who Christ was not just from his miracles but through the Old Testament scriptures that Jesus taught them about himself (Luke 24:13–32).

I find in my study of the doctrines of the global Methodist Church that they do, in fact, line up with scripture or as this question puts it, they are in harmony with all of scripture. This is vital because doctrine needs to be founded in the full understanding of all of Scripture. Church history has taught us that any time a single doctrine, reason, tradition, or experience trump/exceed the teaching of all of Scripture, the church goes into error. In choosing what it has, I would say the doctrines are based not only in Scripture but as those Scriptures have been understood throughout church history without trying to change them to be culturally acceptable.

In the past, the United Methodists have had a doctrine they did not all practice nor all believed in, so having a proper doctrine though helps in keeping people from going into error but does not prevent it. At this time, it does appear that those who are leading and joining the Global Methodist Church are not just interested in having Biblical doctrine but living into it as well.