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Our Mission
At First Methodist, our mission is to turn faith into action and lead people to live like Jesus.
In East Texas, cultural Christianity is common, but practical, lived-out discipleship is not. Many people identify as Christians even if they rarely attend church, practice spiritual disciplines, or point others to Christ through their words and actions. There's a widespread idea that simply believing in Jesus is enough.
But we believe the call to follow Jesus goes much deeper.
To be a Christian is to be transformed by Him, growing in His likeness and living as He taught and modeled. While many churches focus on introducing people to Jesus, our purpose is to walk alongside the disengaged and help them discover what it truly means to follow Him in every area of life. Through our example, we invite others to embrace a faith that reshapes hearts, homes, and communities in the image of Christ.
Wesleyan Faith. Everyday Discipleship.
Our Beliefs
At First Methodist, our beliefs are rooted in the historic Christian faith, shaped by Scripture, and centered on the grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ.
We believe in one God, eternal and triune, in three persons as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who is the source of all life, love, and salvation.
- God the Father: Creator of heaven and earth, full of power and love, who desires a relationship with all people.
- Genesis 1:1 — “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
- Psalm 103:13 — “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.”
- God the Son: Jesus Christ, fully God and fully human, who lived, died, and physically rose again to redeem the world and reconcile us to God.
- John 1:14 — “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”
- Romans 5:8 — “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 — “Christ died for our sins… he was buried… he was raised on the third day.”
- God the Holy Spirit: The active presence of God in the world today, convicting, comforting, empowering, and guiding us into truth.
- John 14:26 — “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit… will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
- Acts 1:8 — “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…”
We believe every person is made in the image of God, created with dignity, purpose, and the capacity for relationship with Him.
- Created in God’s Image: God made us male and female, calling us very good and inviting us into loving communion with Him and one another.
- Genesis 1:27 — “So God created mankind in his own image… male and female he created them.”
- Genesis 1:31 — “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.”
- Original Sin: Through disobedience, humanity fell into sin, distorting God’s image in us and breaking our relationship with Him.
- Genesis 3:6–7 — “…she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband… then the eyes of both of them were opened.”
- Romans 5:12 — “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin…”
- Total Depravity: Apart from God’s grace, we are unable to save ourselves or restore what sin has broken.
- Romans 3:23 — “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
- Ephesians 2:1 — “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins.”
We believe God’s grace is the foundation of our salvation. It is unearned, undeserved, and freely offered to all.
- Prevenient Grace: God’s grace goes before us, awakening our hearts and drawing us toward Him, even before we’re aware of it.
- John 3:16 — “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
- Titus 2:11 — “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.”
- Justifying Grace: Through faith in Jesus, we are forgiven, made right with God, and welcomed as His children.
- Romans 3:24 — “…and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
- Ephesians 2:8–9 — “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith… not by works.”
- Sanctifying Grace: God continues to work in us, shaping us into the likeness of Christ and empowering us to live holy and obedient lives.
- Philippians 1:6 — “…he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
- 1 Thessalonians 4:3 — “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified…”
We believe salvation is the free gift of God, received by faith, accomplished through Christ, and grounded in Scripture.
- By Grace Alone: We are saved solely by the unearned and undeserved freely given grace of God.
- Ephesians 2:8-9 – "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast."
- Titus 3:5-6 – "he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit."
- Through Faith Alone: We are saved not by works, but by trusting in God’s grace through Jesus Christ.
- Romans 5:1 — “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
- Galatians 2:16 – "know that a person is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ."
- In Christ Alone: Jesus is the only Savior and the one mediator between God and humanity.
- John 14:6 — “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
- 1 Timothy 2:5 — “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.”
- According to Scripture Alone: The Bible is our ultimate authority in all matters of faith and practice and contains all things necessary for salvation.
- 2 Timothy 3:16–17 — “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…”
- Psalm 119:105 – "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."
- To the Glory of God Alone: We are remade in Christ to live in a way that brings honor to God and points others to him.
- Ephesians 2:10 – "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
- Romans 11:36 – "For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen."
We believe the Bible is God’s Word. It is divinely inspired, trustworthy, and central to our life together.
- Divinely Inspired: Scripture was written by human authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
- 2 Peter 1:21 — “For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets… spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
- Isaiah 40:8 – "The grass withers and the flower falls, but the word of our God endures forever."
- Infallible in Everything it Affirms: The Bible is true and reliable in all that it teaches about God, salvation, and how we should live.
- Psalm 119:105 — “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
- John 17:17 — “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
God created us male and female in his image and designed marriage as a covenant union between one man and one woman, calling husbands and wives to reflect Christ’s faithful love.
- Genesis 1:27 – "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."
- Matthew 19:4-6 – "'Haven't you read,' he replied, 'that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female, and said, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh?" So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.'"
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."