Methodism and Membership

Greetings All,

Methodism and Membership is a twelve week class that provides an opportunity for those curious about Methodist history, theology, practices and social beliefs and how they relate to Church history and theology as a whole to have a comprehensive overview of those areas and more.  It is designed to help someone understand the larger historical and theological issues of Christianity, the specifics of the Methodist denomination within Christianity and finally how their personal beliefs line up with those.  Each week involves lecture, discussion and personal reflection.  The only homework is an invitation to read some of John Wesley's sermons and pertinent excerpts from the Methodist Book of Discipline.  Below is a topic list for each week with a link to that weeks homework sermon.

• Week One - Where did we come from? A quick look at Church history from the Apostles forward.
• Catholic Spirit (Sermon 39) - 2 Kings 10:15
• Audio recording of class
• Week Two - Who was this John Wesley fellow? The life of John Wesley and how it shaped his beliefs
• Almost Christian, The (Sermon 2) - Acts 26:28
• Week Three - Why did Wesley start a new church? The history of the United Methodist Church
• More Excellent Way, The (Sermon 89) - 1 Cor 12:31
• Week Four - Does theology really matter? A quick look at theology as a whole and why it is important
• Scripture Way of Salvation, The (Sermon 43) - Eph. 2:8
• Week Five - What do we believe? The Articles of Religion and the Confession of Faith
• Christian Perfection (Sermon 40) - Phil 3:12
• Week Six - What do we believe about Salvation? Grace, assurance and works
• Means of Grace, The (Sermon 16) - Mal 3:7
• Week Seven - What do we believe about sacraments? Holy Communion and Holy Baptism
• This Holy Mystery (A United Methodist Understanding of Holy Communion)
• click the download PDF link under "This Holy Mystery: A United Methodist Understanding of Holy Communion."
• By Water and the Spirit (A United Methodist Understanding of Holy Baptism)
• click the download PDF link under "By Water and the Spirit full text."
• Week Eight - Do we have rules? The General Rules and how they apply to life.
• The General Rules of the Methodist Church
• Week Nine - What are our beliefs about social issues? Homosexuality, abortion, divorce, etc.
• The Social Principles of the United Methodist Church
• Week Ten - How are we organized as a denomination?
• Structure and Organization
• Week Eleven - What does it mean to be a member?
• Causes of the Inefficacy of Christianity (Sermon 116) - Jer 8:22
• Week Twelve - Anything we have left out, questions and celebration!