What We Believe Matters: An Invitation to Explore our Preliminary Articles of Faith

What we believe matters. Our beliefs shape how we understand God, how we see ourselves, how we relate to one another, and how we live out our calling as followers of Jesus Christ.

At the 2026 General Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, delegates of the Global Methodist Church adopted a new, unified set of Articles of Faith. This historic action provides our growing worldwide denomination with a shared expression of the Christian faith, firmly grounded in Scripture, faithful to historic Christian orthodoxy, and deeply rooted in our Wesleyan-Methodist heritage.

Now, a preliminary version of these Articles of Faith is available online, and every pastor, church leader, and layperson throughout the MidSouth Conference will want to take time to read, study, and reflect upon them.

These Articles are much more than theological statements to which we give our intellectual assent. They express the faith we proclaim and the life we are called to live.

The fifteen Articles address the foundational convictions of our Christian faith: the Holy Trinity, the person and work of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the authority of Scripture, the nature of humanity, sin and grace, the Church, the sacraments, salvation, and the hope of Christ’s return.

Particularly significant is their clear articulation of our Wesleyan understanding of salvation and sanctification. We proclaim a God whose grace not only forgives our sins but transforms our lives. We believe that the Holy Spirit is at work within us, renewing us in the image of Christ and enabling us to grow in holiness and love.

Our doctrine of entire sanctification reminds us that God’s grace offers more than a change in our standing before God. It offers a transformation of our hearts. We are called to love God with all that we are and to love our neighbors as ourselves. This is the beautiful, optimistic vision of Christian discipleship that has distinguished the Methodist movement from its beginning.

Sound doctrine is not an end in itself. It should lead us into deeper worship, stronger faith, greater love, and more faithful discipleship.

Pastors will want to consider incorporating the Articles of Faith into preaching and teaching. They could provide the foundation for a sermon series, Sunday school curriculum, small-group study, or membership class. Church leaders might use them to strengthen their understanding of our theological identity and the mission we share.

Laity need not leave theology to the theologians! These Articles are written for the whole Church. Read them with your Bible open. Reflect on what they teach about the character of God, the work of Christ, and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Consider how these truths might shape your daily life, deepen your prayers, and strengthen your witness.

The Articles themselves declare that they are to be taught in our churches. They are intended not merely to preserve doctrinal integrity but to equip God’s people for faithful service in his kingdom.

As Global Methodists, we have an extraordinary opportunity to recover the richness of our theological heritage while looking forward with confidence to what God desires to accomplish through our churches.

We are a people of Scripture, grace, holiness, and mission. Our new Articles of Faith help us understand what those commitments mean and why they matter.

Our hope is that these Articles will become more than a document we adopt. May they become a resource we study, a faith we celebrate, and convictions that inspire us to pursue the abundant life that God makes possible through Jesus Christ.

Read the Preliminary Articles of Faith

The Global Methodist Church has made the preliminary Articles of Faith available at:

www.globalmethodist.org/articles-of-faith

Important Note: The Articles of Faith were adopted by the General Conference on September 5, 2026. However, the version currently available is an unofficial, preliminary publication provided for study and reference. Additional editorial updates or corrections may be made before the official text is published in the forthcoming Book of Doctrines and Discipline. Readers should consult that official publication when it becomes available.