D
dano
Guest
Can anyone provide the key doctrines of Free Methodists…and what keeps them from UMC?
Semper Fidelis,
Dano
Semper Fidelis,
Dano
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I
Irenicist
Guest
T
Teresita
Guest
My reflex response to the title of this thread was “Which Methodists are imprisoned, then?”
Sue
Sue
Z
Zooey
Guest
I grew up in the FM church. As an adult, I joined the UMC.Theologically the two are similar. FMs are more conservative, however. The “Free” not about “imprisoned” ( I just have to 
share that with my pastor!) In the 19th century, many Methodist churches rented pews. The poorer people had to sit in the back–since the only heat was a stove near the front, it was cold in winter, too. When the Free Methodists left the Methodist church (because of liberal/conservative thing above), they put signs out on the church buildings saying “free” so people would know that in *their *Methodist churches there was no rental for pews…
FM churches have traditionally been ‘evangelical’, the UMC ‘mainline’…At present, there is not a lot of difference. I know of several cases of FM pastors who serve UMC churches, & at least one UMC bishop is a FM pastor.
All Methodist groups emphasize holy living, with a life of prayer & study of the Bible.There is emphasis on small group-- ‘class meetings’ for mutual support & sharing of spiritual growth-or lack of same.You will,however, still find more conservatives(theologically, socially, etc) among FMs the in the UMC. (Again IMHO), I think we *all *need to ‘get over it’…(Unfortunately, I,the
source of all knowledge on the subject, am not in charge of these things…)
The FM website is probably the best source of official info on the church. (I bet they won’t tell you the pew story though!) A small factoid: the first FM church ever built in the denom. is only about 5 miles down the road from me, as I write this…
share that with my pastor!) In the 19th century, many Methodist churches rented pews. The poorer people had to sit in the back–since the only heat was a stove near the front, it was cold in winter, too. When the Free Methodists left the Methodist church (because of liberal/conservative thing above), they put signs out on the church buildings saying “free” so people would know that in *their *Methodist churches there was no rental for pews…FM churches have traditionally been ‘evangelical’, the UMC ‘mainline’…At present, there is not a lot of difference. I know of several cases of FM pastors who serve UMC churches, & at least one UMC bishop is a FM pastor.
All Methodist groups emphasize holy living, with a life of prayer & study of the Bible.There is emphasis on small group-- ‘class meetings’ for mutual support & sharing of spiritual growth-or lack of same.You will,however, still find more conservatives(theologically, socially, etc) among FMs the in the UMC. (Again IMHO), I think we *all *need to ‘get over it’…(Unfortunately, I,the
source of all knowledge on the subject, am not in charge of these things…)The FM website is probably the best source of official info on the church. (I bet they won’t tell you the pew story though!) A small factoid: the first FM church ever built in the denom. is only about 5 miles down the road from me, as I write this…
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