Greetings, Trinity Family,
Yes, I wept in Johannesburg as Global Methodists from across the globe stood together and adopted the Articles of Faith, because I knew we were doing more than approving a document. We were declaring the faith that will shape our Church for generations.
Since that vote, I’ve been thinking about how this shared teaching will take root in our local churches. In the newest episode of the Voices of Trinity podcast, Rev. Dr. Matt O’Reilly and Rev. Dr. John Wayne McMann join me to share what it took to bring the Articles together and to explore what comes next: how the Articles will shape the way we worship, teach, and make disciples.
In this episode, Matt and John Wayne also take us inside the prayerful work behind the Articles. Matt served on the writing team, and both men helped carry this work through the General Conference vote. You’ll hear why this was about more than putting words on a page: the Articles give us a shared language for proclaiming the Gospel, forming disciples, pursuing holiness, and bearing witness to Jesus Christ across cultures and generations.
If you have wondered what a doctrinal statement could possibly have to do with your local church, I think you’ll appreciate the practical stories in this episode. Matt tells us how he used the Article on baptism with families preparing for a baptism class. We talk about bringing the Articles into sermons, Sunday school, small groups, and conversations with people who have honest questions about Jesus. They can help us teach the faith clearly and invite others into a living relationship with Christ.
This edition of Voices of Trinity will be greatly enhanced when you read the Articles of Faith for yourself! I encourage you to read, watch, listen and then take this conversation into your own church community. As we prayed at the end of the episode, words on a page need the Holy Spirit’s work in us.
My prayer is that our new Global Methodist Articles of Faith will help our churches across the globe know God more deeply, grow in His love, and carry the good news of Jesus Christ to our neighbors and into the nations everywhere.
Peace,
Jason Burnham
Conference Superintendent
Trinity Conference
