Congregational Methodist Church
Encyclopedia
The Congregational Methodist Church is a Christian
denomination
located primarily in the southern United States and northeastern Mexico. It is within the Holiness movement
and has its theological roots in the Wesleyan teachings of John Wesley
.
The Congregational Methodist Church was founded in Georgia
in 1852 when several churches split from the Methodist Episcopal Church, South
out of a desire to blend Methodist doctrine with congregational
polity.
The Congregational Methodist Church is Wesleyan-Arminian
in doctrine, congregational in its system of worship, republican or representative in its system of government, connectional in nature, missionary in outlook, evangelistic in endeavor, and cooperative in spirit. Each local church calls its pastor, owns its property, and sets its budget.
Its congregations are located from Georgia
and Florida
westward to Texas
and northeastern Mexico
. They extend northward to southeastern Missouri
and southern Indiana
. It also has missionaries in the United States, Mexico
, Belize
, and Bolivia
.
In 1944, the Congregational Methodist Church, then headquartered in Dallas, Texas
, established The Dallas Bible School, an institution of higher education. The school was moved to Tehuacana, Texas
, for several years, and was renamed Westminster College and Bible Institute. The school was permanently relocated to Florence, Mississippi
in 1972, and was renamed Wesley College, a name that more reflected its Wesleyan/Armenian tradition. Wesley College was closed in July 2010.
Congregational Methodist Headquarters are located in Florence, Mississippi, serving churches and programs of the denomination.
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
denomination
Religious denomination
A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity.The term describes various Christian denominations...
located primarily in the southern United States and northeastern Mexico. It is within the Holiness movement
Holiness movement
The holiness movement refers to a set of beliefs and practices emerging from the Methodist Christian church in the mid 19th century. The movement is distinguished by its emphasis on John Wesley's doctrine of "Christian perfection" - the belief that it is possible to live free of voluntary sin - and...
and has its theological roots in the Wesleyan teachings of John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
.
The Congregational Methodist Church was founded in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
in 1852 when several churches split from the Methodist Episcopal Church, South
Methodist Episcopal Church, South
The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, or Methodist Episcopal Church South, was the so-called "Southern Methodist Church" resulting from the split over the issue of slavery in the Methodist Episcopal Church which had been brewing over several years until it came out into the open at a conference...
out of a desire to blend Methodist doctrine with congregational
Congregationalist polity
Congregationalist polity, often known as congregationalism, is a system of church governance in which every local church congregation is independent, ecclesiastically sovereign, or "autonomous"...
polity.
The Congregational Methodist Church is Wesleyan-Arminian
Arminianism
Arminianism is a school of soteriological thought within Protestant Christianity based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius and his historic followers, the Remonstrants...
in doctrine, congregational in its system of worship, republican or representative in its system of government, connectional in nature, missionary in outlook, evangelistic in endeavor, and cooperative in spirit. Each local church calls its pastor, owns its property, and sets its budget.
Its congregations are located from Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
westward to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and northeastern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. They extend northward to southeastern Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
and southern Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. It also has missionaries in the United States, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
, and Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
.
In 1944, the Congregational Methodist Church, then headquartered in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, established The Dallas Bible School, an institution of higher education. The school was moved to Tehuacana, Texas
Tehuacana, Texas
Tehuacana is a town in Limestone County, Texas, United States. The population was 307 at the 2000 census. From 1869 until 1902, the town was home to Trinity University.-Geography:Tehuacana is located at ....
, for several years, and was renamed Westminster College and Bible Institute. The school was permanently relocated to Florence, Mississippi
Florence, Mississippi
Florence is a town in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 2,396. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Florence is located at ....
in 1972, and was renamed Wesley College, a name that more reflected its Wesleyan/Armenian tradition. Wesley College was closed in July 2010.
Congregational Methodist Headquarters are located in Florence, Mississippi, serving churches and programs of the denomination.