Stillwater Church is a Global Methodist Church rooted in the Wesleyan tradition. The Global Methodist Church exists to make disciples of Jesus Christ and spread Scriptural holiness across the globe.

At Stillwater, we affirm and believe in the sacred Scriptures and the sanctified reasoning of the holy catholic and apostolic church as seen in the first seven ecumenical councils. We affirm the creeds and edicts thereof, and proclaim our faith in the words of the Nicene Creed:

• We believe that the Bible is the inspired and infallible* Word of God. It is our primary authority* and it contains all truth necessary for salvation, faith, and life.

(Psalm 119:105; Proverbs 30:5-6; Matthew 4:4, 24:35; 2 Thessalonians 2:15; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 1 Peter 1:23-25)

• We believe that all human beings are made in the image of God. Yet, humanity has fallen from righteousness and, apart from the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, is destitute of holiness and inclined to evil. We cannot free ourselves of the misery of our depravity, and without God’s grace, we cannot do good works that are pleasing and acceptable to God. The truth of the Gospel*, conveyed through the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures, is the divine solution to the problem of human depravity and the human inability to attain righteousness. The entirety of our salvation, from the first prompting to repent* to the last moment of perseverance in love and holiness in this life, relies on God’s initiative and intervention.

(Genesis 1:26-27, 6:5; Psalm 14:1-3, 51:5; Ecclesiastes 9:3; Romans 3:9-18, 3:23, 5:12-13; Ephesians 2:1-10)

We believe that salvation is eternal life; a present deliverance from sin*, a restoration of the soul to its original purity, and a recovery of the divine nature in righteousness, holiness, justice, mercy, and truth. Good works are the necessary fruits of faith and follow regeneration*, but they do not remove our sins or allow us to avert divine judgement. Our salvation is in the Gospel, which is the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. All humanity stands under the righteous judgment of Jesus Christ, both now and in the last day. We cannot be made righteous inwardly or accounted as righteous before God based on our own merit. God alone is who justifies, or makes righteous, repentant sinners who confess faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and in his atoning work on the cross. The Holy Spirit leads us through faithful response to the Gospel and into fellowship with the Church.

(Psalm 51:10-12; Jeremiah 31:33-34; John 3:5, 3:16, 3:36, 5:25, 6:40; Romans 5:8-10, 5:15, 8:1-30; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:1-10; Colossians 1:21-22; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 2:11-14, 3:5; James 2:26; 1 John 1:9)

• Within the confines of the Wesleyan tradition, we believe that God saves us by his preventing (or prevenient), convincing, justifying, sanctifying, and glorifying grace. God’s prevenient grace lies within each person to some degree and lightens the effects of original sin even before we are aware of our need for God. The prevenient grace of God prevents the full consequences of our alienation from God and awakens conscience, giving an initial sense of God and the first inclinations toward life. Received prior to our ability to respond, prevenient grace enables genuine response to the continuing work of God’s grace. As the prevenient grace of God invites us initially toward God, the convincing grace of God brings us to repentance. As the convincing grace of God awakens us to flee the wrath of God for our sins and begin to fear the Lord, we realize our need for the saving power of Jesus. Through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, we can accept the free grace of God through our faith in his completed work. This is what is known as justifying grace, the reconciliation of us to God through the atonement of Jesus Christ. Finally, God’s sanctifying grace happens when we are born again*. The sanctifying grace of God is constantly perfecting us in his love. As sin is continuously replaced by the fruit of the Spirit, the Wesleyan view of sanctification includes “entire sanctification,” the goal of every believer to be perfected in love and have true holiness of heart and life. We long await glorification when we are reunited with the Lord, are made perfect, are not free to sin, and are completed in his grace. Until then, we walk out our salvation with fear and trembling, seeking to be perfected in love, as we hope for and await the resurrection from the dead and the life of the world to come.

(Deuteronomy 7:6-8; Isaiah 53:4-11; Ezekiel 36:26-27; Hosea 6:1; John 1:9-12, 6:44-45, 15:5; Acts 15:8, 17:27; Romans 3:21-26, 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 7:9-10; Philippians 2:12-13, 3:20-21; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:7-13; 2 Peter 1:3-4, 3:9; Revelation 3:20)

• We believe that the expressions of grace in the life of the believer culminate in the sanctifying grace of God. Justification, which is what God does for us by the Son, is the gateway into sanctification, which is what God does in us by the Spirit. When it comes to Christian faith and life, Methodism places particular emphasis on the universal work of grace and the fullness of salvation, which is entire sanctification. As Methodists, we believe that sanctification is the work of God's grace through the Word and the Spirit, by which those who have been born again (justified) are cleansed from sin in their thoughts, words, and acts, and are enabled to live in accordance with God's will, and to strive for holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. Sanctification, as with all other expressions of grace, is purely the work of God in us. As Methodists, we believe that as the children of God receive this grace of sanctification, it is both gradual and instantaneous. Gradual means that sanctification is a lifelong process, and instantaneous means that some (or all) areas of our lives are immediately sanctified.

• We believe entire sanctification is possible to the born-again believer, attained by being delivered from the power of sin, loving God with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving one’s neighbor as themself. Entire sanctification is most often defined as a state of perfect love, righteousness, and true holiness. Being perfected in love (entirely sanctified) is not a deliverance from ignorance, infirmities, and mistakes, nor from the possibilities of future sin.

• Repentance is fundamental to the Wesleyan understanding of sanctification. The repentance of sanctification is different from the repentance of justification. The repentance of justification is typically what happens within the believer as they come into saving faith through the convicting and justifying grace of God. The repentance of sanctification is the continual repentance of the believer, brought by the Holy Spirit, as a conviction of our proneness to evil, of a heart bent to backsliding, and of the continuing tendency of the flesh to lust against the Spirit. Repentance is part of what God does in us by the Spirit, even after justification, for the sake of pursuing holiness of heart and life in the fellowship of the Church. As seen in Scripture, the Wesleyan tradition, and the Catechism of the Global Methodist Church, entire sanctification is the work of God in us to save us to the utmost, perfect us in love, and bring us to a state of original righteousness and true holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

(Leviticus 11:45, 19:2, 20:26; Deuteronomy 7:6, 14:2; Matthew 5:43-48; 2 Corinthians 3:18, 7:1; Ephesians 4:22-24; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 6:1-3, 12:14; 1 Peter 1:13-16; 1 John 3:2-3; Revelation 2:2-7)

• We believe that there is one holy catholic and apostolic Church made up of all true believers who are under the lordship of Jesus Christ. The true believers of the Church would be those who believe in the Triune God, submit to the authority of Scripture, hold to the sacred traditions of the Church passed down across the centuries, and seek to walk out their faith led by the Holy Spirit. The Church itself is the redemptive fellowship in which the Word of God is preached by those divinely called, and the sacraments are duly administered according to Christ’s own appointment. Under the discipline of the Holy Spirit, the Church exists for the maintenance of worship, the edification of believers, the making of disciples of Jesus Christ, and the redemption of the world. The assembly of the people of God for worship is necessary for Christian fellowship and spiritual growth. It is our duty and privilege as the Church to bow in adoration, humility, and dedication in the presence of God.

(Matthew 16:16-20, 28:19-20; John 10:16; Acts 2:41-47; 1 Corinthians 1:2-3, 11:23-27; 12:12-31, 14:12; Galatians 6:1-2; Ephesians 2:11-22, 4:11-13, 5:25b-27; Hebrews 3:12-14, 10:23-25; 1 Peter 2:9-10; Revelation 5:9-10, 7:9-10)

• We believe that the Sacraments are an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. Sacraments are spiritual mysteries made physically present to us by God as a means of grace for the Church. We do not believe that the Sacraments are merely symbolic; rather, they are means of grace by which God works invisibly in us, quickening, strengthening, and confirming our faith in Him. We believe there are two Sacraments ordained by Christ, which are Holy Baptism and Holy Eucharist (also called the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion). The Sacraments are not to be taken, but rather received. We can receive the Sacraments only by faith in Christ, with repentance and thanksgiving. The grace of God is given through the Sacraments, and as obedience to Christ follows, so too do the benefits of the Sacraments in bearing fruit.

• In both the Sacrament of Holy Baptism and Holy Eucharist, there are the signs of words and objects. A word sign is what is said as the sacraments are administered, and an object sign is the physical element that signifies the real presence of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit within the sacrament. In Holy Baptism, the word sign is, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” and the object sign is the water, signifying salvation, spiritual regeneration, and the seal of the covenant. In the Holy Eucharist, the word sign is “Do this in remembrance of me,” and the object sign is the bread and the cup, signifying the body and blood of Christ our Lord, forgiveness, and the New Covenant. Sacraments ordained of Christ are not only badges or tokens of the Christian’s profession, but rather, they are certain signs of grace and God's goodwill toward us. By which, he works invisibly in us, not only to quicken, but also to strengthen and confirm our faith in him. The sacraments are to be conducted by and presided over only by ordained* Elders of the Global Methodist Church, unless a Deacon is charged with the authority to do so by their presiding Bishop.

• Holy Baptism signifies entrance into the household of faith and is a symbol of repentance and inner cleansing from sin, a representation of the new birth in Christ Jesus, and a mark of Christian discipleship. Holy Baptism is not only a sign of profession and a mark of difference from those who are not baptized, it is also a sign of the new birth. It is through Holy Baptism that we are united in Christ’s death in repentance of our sins; raised to new life in Him through the power of the resurrection; incorporated into the Body of Christ; and empowered through the work of the Holy Spirit to go on to perfection. Holy Baptism is a gift from God that regenerates the soul, unites Christians into fellowship with the body of Christ, and separates them from the world.

• In the Holy Eucharist, we are invited into fellowship with Jesus Christ, who is spiritually present in the whole of the Sacrament; we participate in the communion of saints with the Church universal; and we are given a foretaste of God’s eternal banquet, the marriage supper of the Lamb. According to Wesley, it is the duty of every Christian to receive the Lord’s Supper as often as they can. Anyone who repents of their sin and desires to draw near to Christ in a life of obedience may receive the Holy Eucharist in the Global Methodist Church and here at Stillwater. As the bread is the body and the cup is the blood of Christ our Lord, we believe that it is a Sacrament of redemption, edification, sanctification, and unification.

(2 Kings 5:14; Isaiah 44:3; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 18:15-17, 22:19-20; John 3:5, 6:25-58; Acts 2:38, 10:44-48, 16:15, 16:30-34, 18:8, 22:16; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Corinthians 1:16, 10:15-17; 11:17-34; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:11-12; 1 Peter 3:20-21)

• We believe that the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Triune God, who proceeds from the Father and the Son and with the Father and Son is worshipped and glorified, is still present, active, and bringing constant revival to the Church. As Methodists, we believe that both the fruit and gifts of the Spirit are for today, not just for the Christians in the first century. The Holy Spirit has also been and is still bestowing his fruit and gifts for the edification of the Church and for the individual believer to pursue holiness of heart and life. The Holy Spirit leads each member of the body of Christ in ministry for the sake of unity in the Church and the continual coming of the kingdom of God on earth.

(Isaiah 61:1-3, Acts 2, Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, 1 Corinthians 14:12)

• We believe that God has entrusted His work in this world to the whole people of God. All Christians are called through their baptism to be in ministry to others, both as individuals and as a part of the Church, using the gifts and graces with which they have been equipped by the Holy Spirit. Every layperson bears the responsibility for carrying out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). As with the variety of spiritual gifts described in the scriptures, so too is the diversity of our ministerial efforts as the body of Christ. We embrace the notion of "the priesthood of all believers" and we call upon both laity and clergy to work together in a partnership of servanthood. As suggested in Ephesians 4:12-13, Christ has not given to pastors the task of doing the ministry by themselves, but of equipping those in the church for such works of service, so that "the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." 

• We believe that it is only as each individual, whether lay or clergy, bears witness to God’s grace that the world may come to know Christ and respond to His invitation to have life in abundance. Each member is therefore expected to be a witness for Christ in the world, identifying with the agony and suffering of the world and radiating and exemplifying Christ. Beyond the diverse forms of ministry is this ultimate concern: that all persons will be brought into a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ and be renewed after the image of their creator (Colossians 3:10). This means that all Christians are called to minister wherever Christ would have them serve and witness in deeds and words that heal and free. Toward that end, the full participation of all who believe is vital and cannot be evaded if the gospel is to be heard and received. 

• Clergy are those who have been called out from among God's people for particular service to His Church. A calling from God may take many expressions and come at any age in the life of an individual. Scripture bears witness to both the young (1 Samuel 3) and the old (Genesis 12 and Exodus 3) being summoned by God into His work, as well as men and women. He calls those whose encounters with God were sudden and dramatic, and those whose call may have been more gradual, naturally unfolding over a period of many years. In addition to those specifically charged with preaching and teaching (I Peter 5:1-4), the early church also set apart seven disciples who were “full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” to distribute food to the widows among them (Acts 6:1-6). Individuals such as Stephen, Phoebe, and Timothy served in various ways to benefit the people of God. Whether a deacon or elder, all clergy are required to live lives of integrity and self-control as they hold fast to the mystery of faith (1 Tim. 3:1-13). 

• Orthodox: Coming from the words orthos and doxa, which literally mean “right” and “belief,” orthodox means to have right belief about God and all things thereof, in accordance with the Word of God and the sacred traditions of the Church.

• Scriptural Holiness: “The work of God we receive through faith to make us a new creation, freeing us from the power of sin so we can live in joyful obedience to his will.” -Dr. David Watson

• Catholic: Meaning “universal” the word catholic as its used in the Creed and elsewhere in our beliefs refers to the universal Christian Church, made up of all followers of Christ who believe in the Triune God, submit to the authority of Scripture, hold to the sacred traditions of the Church passed down across the centuries, and seek to walk out their faith led by the Holy Spirit.

• Apostolic: Coming from the word apostolos, apostolic means to be sent or one who is sent out. In the Creed and elsewhere in our beliefs, this word is used in reference to the Church that was handed to the Apostles by Jesus Christ and is still standing against the gates of hell today.

• Ecumenical: Coming from the word oikoumene, ecumenical means “the inhabited world.” As it’s used in our beliefs, it means the coming together (typically in a council, declaring creeds and edicts) of the whole catholic and apostolic Church.

• Infallible: Based on its root in Latin, infallible means “incapable of error.” We believe the Word of God is incapable of error when it comes to being our primary authority, containing all truth necessary for salvation, faith, and life.

• Primary Authority: Based on its root in Latin, primary means “first.” As it’s used in our beliefs, it means that the Word of God is the first in rank of authority when it comes to all matters of Christian doctrine and Church governance, but it is not our only authority. The sacred tradition of the whole catholic and apostolic Church also has authority in all matters of Christian doctrine and Church governance, but sacred Scripture comes first.

• Repent/Repentant/Repentance: Coming from the word metanoia, repentance means “to change one’s mind or turn.” As it’s used in our beliefs and in Scripture, repentance is a necessary precursor to professing faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, as well as a constant work of the believer as they walk in sanctification.

• Gospel: Coming from evangelion, the Gospel means “good news.” As it’s used in our beliefs and in Scripture, the Gospel is the good news of where salvation is to be found, which is in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. Through repentance and faith in the good news of Jesus Christ, the believer receives eternal life, a present deliverance from sin, a restoration of the soul to its original purity, and a recovery of the divine nature in righteousness, holiness, justice, mercy, and truth.

• Sin: Coming from the word hamartia, sin means “to miss the mark.” As it’s used in our beliefs and in Scripture, sin is what separates us and all of creation from God. Because of the fall of humanity in Genesis 3, all of creation is affected by sin and is destitute without the salvific work of Jesus Christ.

• Regeneration/ Born Again: Two ways of referencing something similar, regeneration/being born again is what happens when the salvation of God is received by those who confess their sin and profess faith in Jesus Christ. It is what God does in us by his Son, bringing our fallen nature back into alignment with its original design and purpose, and the beginning of the sanctifying work of God, which God does in us by the Holy Spirit.

• Ordained/Ordination: The action by which the Church sets apart those who have been so elected to a particular order of ministry for the good of the whole Church. Ordination is conferred by the laying on of hands by a bishop and others among the people of God in conference.