What do you believe?

We believe and teach the Bible, God’s holy Word, as it has been understood by Christians for centuries. Learn more on our Beliefs page. See also our church’s catechism, which answers questions like “Who is Jesus Christ?” and “What is the gospel?”

Why does your church have “Wesleyan” in its name?

We are not part of “The Wesleyan Church” or (at this time) any Wesleyan denomination. We have “Wesleyan” in our name because we have deep roots in the Wesleyan “branch” of the Christian “tree,” and hold to certain Wesleyan doctrinal distinctives. For example, we believe that all people, by God’s grace, can be saved. However, we are first and foremost mere Christians. Our focus is on the Trinity, incarnation, cross, and resurrection of Christ by which sinners may be saved and renewed in the image of God by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Learn more on our Beliefs page.

Why do you have the Lord’s Supper every week?

We share the Lord’s Supper every week because that was the practice of the apostles, of the churches that the apostles founded, and of the whole Christian church for over 1,500 years. Having the Lord’s Supper every week is a great blessing, as it constantly recenters us on the cross of Jesus Christ and the good news of salvation through him. See the article “How Often Should We Receive The Lord’s Supper?” See also Question 46 of our catechism.

Why does your church worship the way that you do?

Our core worship practices are taken directly from Scripture, and our service order is shaped by historic Christian norms. For more on how we worship, see the “Visit” page. See also the article “What Should a Sunday Service Include?” and the podcast series in which we walk through everything we do in a Sunday Service and why we do it: “Podcast Series on the Sunday Service.”

Why do you say the Creeds?

The Creeds are time-tested summaries of what the Bible teaches. They can be thoroughly proven by Scripture. For example, see the article “The Apostles’ Creed,” which provides Scripture proofs for every word or phrase of the Apostles’ Creed. We say the Creeds because the church exists is to be “a pillar and buttress of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15) which constantly confesses “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). Saying the Apostles’ or Nicene Creed every week is a blessing because it brings us back to the heart of our Christian faith (such as the resurrection of Jesus). It is also a symbol of our unity with believers all over the world and throughout history. Some churches get caught up in their disagreements with other Christians; the Creeds help us stay focused on what matters most. See the article “Theological Triage: Unity in Essentials, Charity in Nonessentials.” See also Question 4 of our catechism (especially the Notes).

Why do you use the word “catholic” in the Creeds?

When we say the Creeds, we confess that there is “one holy catholic church.” This does not refer to the Roman Catholic Church. The word “catholic” comes from the Bible. Acts 9:31 refers to “the church throughout all” (kata holos → katholikos → catholic). As early as 110 AD, just a few decades after the apostles, Christians used the word “catholic” to refer to the fact that there is one Church of Jesus Christ which is scattered throughout the whole world (not like it was in the Old Testament, where God’s people were in one nation). The word “catholic” is used constantly in Christian writings across the centuries. The Protestant Reformers refused to give up the word “catholic.” Roman Catholics claim that to be part of the catholic church, one must submit to Rome and its bishop, the pope. Protestants believe that the catholic church is much bigger than the Roman church. See the article “The Word ‘Catholic’ Is Worth Fighting For.” See also Question 38 of our catechism.

Why does your church have a catechism?

The word “catechism” comes from the Bible. One of the Greek words that is often translated as “teaching” or “instruction” is katecheo, from which we get the English word “catechesis.” A catechism is simply a book of teaching. It summarizes the basics of the Christian faith, usually in Q&A format. Pastors have been writing catechisms since the early church. It is a myth that catechisms are “a Roman Catholic thing.” In fact, it was the Protestant Reformers who felt that Roman Catholicism had failed to catechize the laity, leaving them vulnerable to error and confusion. The reformers published a flurry of catechisms. See the article “What is a Catechism? Introduction to Catechesis.”

Why does your church have “elders”?

An “elder” is another term for a “pastor.” While the word “pastor” is much more commonly used today, it is only used one time in the entire New Testament to refer to church officers (Eph. 4:11). Far more often (around 20 times), pastors are called “elders” or “overseers.” See the article “Making Sense of Elders, Pastors, and Bishops.” See also Question 42 of our catechism.

Why does your church have “deacons”?

Our church has deacons because the churches of the New Testament had both elders (aka pastors/overseers) and deacons. For example, 1 Timothy 3 gives a list of qualifications for both overseers and deacons, and Paul addressed the church at Philippi “with the overseers and deacons” (Php. 1:1). Deacons assist the elders with communion, visitation, and practical ministry. See the article The Honorable Office of Deacon in Scripture and Tradition. See also Question 42 of our catechism.

Does your church practice membership?

We place a high value on church membership; however, we believe that biblical membership is simply recognizing someone as a Christian by baptizing them or recognizing their baptism (if they were baptized in the past), and then entering into a formal relationship where we agree to care for them and they agree to care for us. Church membership is not a club for elite Christians. It is an opportunity for every true believer in Jesus to formally belong to his visible body and be fully accepted, even if their life is messy and they still have a lot of things to work out. As the church, we are here to help one another and hold one another accountable in the love and gentleness of Christ. See Questions 38–41 of our catechism. See also the articles “If You Love Jesus, Join a Church” and “A Primer on Church Membership.”