2016 Wesleyan Discipline:Objectives: Wesleyan Church, of The

100. The Wesleyan Church has grown out of a revival movement which has historically given itself to one mission—the spreading of scriptural holiness throughout every land. The message which ignited the Wesleyan revival was the announcement that God through Christ can forgive men and women of their sins, transform them, free them from inbred sin, enable them to live a holy life, and bear witness to their hearts that they are indeed children of God. The message was based on the Scriptures, was verified in personal experience, and came not only in word but in the power of the Spirit. It was dynamic and contagious, and was communicated from heart to heart and from land to land. It adapted itself and gave new vitality and purpose to various kinds of church organizations.

105. The Wesleyan Church believes that to spread scriptural holiness throughout every land involves joining the entire church of Christ in a full-orbed mission to the world, including the following:

(1) Sharing the divine revelation of full salvation through Christ as recorded in the Holy Scriptures so as to evangelize the lost and to minister redemptively to human society and its institutions.

(2) Relating new converts to local churches and providing Spirit-filled and well-trained pastors and leaders for the same.

(3) Developing in the converts patterns of worship to God and of fellowship with other believers.

(4) Discipling new believers in turn to be witnesses for their Lord.

(5) Guiding believers to experience entire sanctification so they are enabled to live whole and holy lives.

(6) Providing for developing Christians lifelong nurture and instruction, encouraging each to grow toward spiritual maturity in Christ Jesus.

(7) Helping maturing Christians to develop a Christian interpretation of life and the universe, training them to be good stewards of the talents, time, opportunities, and resources with which Christ has entrusted them.

(8) Equipping believers for lives of dynamic service toward God and humanity, so that the full potential God has designed for each of them may be realized.

200. In order that we may wisely preserve and pass on to posterity the heritage of doctrine and principles of Christian living transmitted to us as evangelicals in the Arminian-Wesleyan tradition, and to ensure church order by sound principles of ecclesiastical polity, and to prepare the way for more effective cooperation with other branches of the church of Christ in all that makes for the advancement of God’s kingdom among all people, we, the ministers and lay members of The Wesleyan Church meeting in official assemblies, do hereby ordain, establish, and set forth as the fundamental law, or constitution of The Wesleyan Church, the articles of religion, rules of Christian living, privileges and conditions of church membership, and articles of organization and government, here following: