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Celebrating the Mission Statement of the Global Methodist Church

By Keith Boyette

Global Methodists in the Democratic Republic of the Congo prepare to greet Bishop Mark Webb in Kinshasa, DRC, and then celebrate their convening annual conference gatherings.

Since the announcement of its formation in March of 2022, the Global Methodist Church has proclaimed that its mission is “to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.” In just fourteen words, the challenging and joyful statement is rooted in Scripture, practiced by Christians down through the ages, and grounded in the preaching, teaching, and life of John Wesley and the people called Methodists.

In the Great Commission, Jesus told his followers to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” But what kind of disciples?

The psalmist calls God’s disciples to “Worship the LORD with gladness,” so our mission calls us to gladly bring our bodies, minds, and souls to the experience of worshipping God passionately! In the Gospels, Jesus calls us to love others extravagantly when he commands us to “Love [our] enemies, and do good to those who hate [us].” And in the New Testament Church, Peter and Paul, and so many other disciples, courageously proclaimed the Gospel to people from all walks of life, setting an example for us to boldly bear witness to the love of God poured into our hearts and minds by the power of His Holy Spirit!

For centuries great leaders of the Church have, by exhortation and example, reminded Christians of their mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship God, love their neighbors and enemies, and bear witness to the life-giving message of the Gospel. When leaders of the Church of England flagged in their zeal for this mission, the Lord raised up Wesley and the people called Methodists.

When fervent worship was lacking in the churches, Wesley and his followers took the Good News to the masses, preaching in church yards and fields, and inviting people to fervently worship God with thanksgiving and praise! In time, both John and Charles Wesley produced thousands of hymns that have enriched the worship of God for Methodists and millions of other Christians.

When the poor were not cared for and prisoners were treated harshly, Wesley and the Methodists went among them, showing them extravagant love! As Wesley preached, “Love suffers . . . all the malice and wickedness of the children of the world, . . . not only for a time, [or] for a short season, but to the end.” Methodists believe extravagant love is supremely revealed in the way of Christ’s cross.

And when people reviled Wesley and his followers for taking the Gospel message out to the lowly and downtrodden, he and his followers still boldly bore witness to Jesus Christ even as the learned ridiculed them and mobs threatened them with physical harm. Wesley taught us that a bold witness unapologetically puts our faith into action where we bring light to darkness, and where we confront lies with the truth. Indeed, we speak the truth in love to a world in need of hearing the Good News!

Wesley desperately desired that those who were far from God would be brought into a deep, abiding relationship with him through Jesus Christ. Famously, he proclaimed to his followers, “You have nothing to do but to save souls. Therefore spend and be spent in this work.” Wesley and his followers called for complete devotion to God (worship), to our being perfected in love (sanctification), and to the proclamation of the Gospel (witness) so others would come into a saving relationship with God.

Through Wesley’s teaching, preaching, and example, Global Methodists know in their hearts that they are nourished when they gather together for passionate worship. They also know godly worship infuses their hearts and minds with the love of Christ. And so fired by that love, they commit themselves to boldly bear witness to the Gospel so all people might come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Drawing upon the entirety of Scriptural Christianity, Wesley desired that the whole Gospel of grace should be proclaimed around the world. And so the GM Church’s mission statement is a call to action, to engage our bodies, minds, and souls as we worship God, and so love people from all walks of life that we are willing to witness among them to the transforming power of the Gospel.

It has been a great joy of mine to see how our local churches and provisional conferences have organized their work around our mission statement. Rooted in Scripture, embraced by Christian throughout the ages, and fired by a warm-hearted Wesleyan expression of the faith, Global Methodists are eager to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly!  All to the glory of God!

Subscribe to Crossroads to learn more about the Global Methodist Church and to stay abreast of developments regarding its convening General Conference.

Rev. Keith Boyette is the Transitional Connectional Officer of the Global Methodist Church – its chief executive and administrative officer. To learn more about the Global Methodist Church, visit its website at www.globalmethodist.org.

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