About Us

At The Way, we are committed to following Jesus together. That means we share life together, pursue God together, and share God’s love with our community together.

What We Belive

As a conservative, church in the Wesleyan-Methodist theological tradition, we are firmly committed to the Bible as the basis of our beliefs and practice. Below are selections from the twenty-five articles of religion of the Methodist church that are especially relevant today. 

ARTICLE 1. OF FAITH IN THE HOLY TRINITY. There is only one true and living God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness: the maker and preserver of all things, visible and invisible. In unity of this Godhead, there are three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are of one substance, power, and eternity.

ARTICLE 2. OF THE WORD, OR SON OF GOD, WHO WAS MADE VERY MAN. The Son, who is the Word of the Father, the very and eternal God, of one substance with the Father, took man’s nature in the womb of the blessed virgin; so that two whole and perfect natures—that is to say, the Godhead and manhood—were joined together in one person, never to be divided, whereof is one Christ, very God and very man, who truly suffered, was crucified, dead and buried, to reconcile his Father to us, and to be a sacrifice for sin.

ARTICLE 3. OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. Christ truly rose again from the dead, and took again his body, with all things appertaining to the perfection of man’s nature, wherewith he ascended into heaven, and there sits until he return to judge all people at the last day.

ARTICLE 4. OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. The Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and glory with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God.

ARTICLE 5. THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES FOR SALVATION. The Holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any person, that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture, we understand those sixty-six canonical books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church.

ARTICLE 6. OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. The Old Testament is not contrary to the New; for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and man, being both God and man. Wherefore, they are not to be heard who feign that the old fathers looked only for transitory promises. Although the law given from God by Moses, as touching ceremonies and rites, does not bind Christians, nor ought the civil precepts thereof of necessity be received in any commonwealth; yet, notwithstanding, no Christian whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments which are called moral.

ARTICLE 7. OF ORIGINAL OR BIRTH SIN. Original sin does not stand in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians vainly talk), but it is the corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to evil, and that continually.

ARTICLE 8. OF FREE WILL. The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and works, to faith, and calling upon God; wherefore we have no power to do good works, pleasant and acceptable to God, without the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us, when we have that good will.

ARTICLE 9. OF THE JUSTIFICATION OF MAN. We are accounted righteous before God, only for the merit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by faith, and not for our own works or deservings: Wherefore, that we are justified by faith only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.

ARTICLE 10. OF GOOD WORKS. Although good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification, cannot put away our sins, and endure the severity of God’s judgments; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and spring out of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known as a tree is discerned by its fruit.

ARTICLE 11. OF WORKS OVER AND ABOVE GOD’S COMMANDMENTS. Voluntary works, — besides, over, and above God’s commandments — which are called works of supererogation, cannot be taught without arrogance and impiety. For by them men do declare that they do not only render unto God as much as they are bound to do, but that they do more for his sake than of bounden duty is required: whereas Christ says plainly, “When you have done all that is commanded you, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants.’”

ARTICLE 12. OF SIN AFTER JUSTIFICATION. Not every sin willingly committed after justification is the sin against the Holy Spirit, and unpardonable. Wherefore, the grant of repentance is not to be denied to such as fall into sin after justification: after we have received the Holy Spirit, we may depart from grace given, and fall into sin, and, by the grace of God, rise again and amend our lives. And therefore they are to be condemned who say they can no more sin as long as they live here: or deny the place of forgiveness to such as truly repent.

ARTICLE 13. OF THE CHURCH. The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithful people in which the pure word of God is preached, and the sacraments duly administered, according to Christ’s ordinance, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same.

ARTICLE 14. OF PURGATORY. The Romish doctrine concerning purgatory, pardon, worshiping, and adoration, as well of images as of relics, and also invocation of saints, is a fond thing, vainly invented, and grounded upon no warrant of Scripture, but repugnant to the word of God.

ARTICLE 15. OF SPEAKING IN THE CONGREGATION IN SUCH A TONGUE AS THE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND. It is a thing plainly repugnant to the word of God, and the custom of the primitive Church, to have public prayer in the Church, or to minister the sacraments, in a tongue not understood by the people.

ARTICLE 16. OF THE SACRAMENTS. Sacraments, ordained of Christ, are not only badges or tokens of Christian people’s profession; but rather they are certain signs of grace, and God’s good-will toward us, by which he works invisibly in us, and does not only enliven, but also strengthen and confirm our faith in him.

There are two sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the gospel: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. 

Those five commonly called sacraments—that is to say, confirmation, penance, orders, matrimony, and extreme unction—are not to be counted for sacraments of the gospel, being such as have partly grown out of the corrupt following of the apostles; and partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures, but yet have not the like nature of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, because they have no visible sign or ceremony ordained of God. 

The sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be carried about; but that we should duly use them. And only in such as worthily receive the same, they have a wholesome effect or operation: but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves judgment, as St. Paul says.

ARTICLE 17. OF BAPTISM. Baptism is not only a sign of profession, and mark of difference, whereby Christians are distinguished from others that are not baptized: but it is also a sign of regeneration; or the new birth. The baptism of young children is to be retained in the Church.

18. OF THE LORD’S SUPPER. The Lord’s Supper is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another, but rather is a sacrament of our redemption by Christ’s death; insomuch that, to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith receive the same, the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of Christ; and likewise the cup of blessing is a partaking of the blood of Christ.

Transubstantiation, or the change of the substance of bread and wine in the supper of our Lord, cannot be proved by Holy Writ, but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture, overthrows the nature of a sacrament, and has given occasion to many superstitions. 

The body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten in the supper, only after a heavenly and spiritual manner. And the means whereby the body of Christ is received and eaten in the supper, is faith.

The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was not by Christ’s ordinance reserved, carried about, lifted up, or worshiped.

ARTICLE 19. OF BOTH KINDS. The cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the lay people: for both the parts of the Lord’s Supper, by Christ’s ordinance and commandment, ought to be administered to all Christians alike.

ARTICLE 20. OF THE ONE OFFERING OF CHRIST, FINISHED UPON THE CROSS. The offering of Christ, once made, is that perfect redemption, propitiation, and satisfaction for all the sins of the whole world, both original and actual: and there is no other satisfaction for sin but that alone. Wherefore the sacrifice of masses, in which it is commonly said that the priest offers Christ for the living and the dead, to have remission of pain or guilt, is a blasphemous fable, and dangerous deceit.

ARTICLE 21. OF THE MARRIAGE OF MINISTERS. The ministers of Christ are not commanded by God’s law either to vow the estate of single life, or to abstain from marriage: therefore it is lawful for them, as for all other Christians, to marry at their own discretion, as they shall judge the same to serve best to godliness.

ARTICLE 22. OF THE RITES AND CEREMONIES OF CHURCHES. It is not necessary that rites and ceremonies should in all places be the same, or exactly alike; for they have been always different, and may be changed according to the diversity of countries, times, and men’s manners, so that nothing be ordained against God’s word. Whosoever, through his private judgment, willingly, purposely, and openly breaks the rites and ceremonies of the Church to which he belongs, which are not repugnant to the word of God, and are ordained and approved by common authority, ought to be rebuked openly, that others may fear to do the like, as one that offends against the common order of the Church, and wounds the consciences of weak brethren. 

¶54. Every particular Church may ordain, change, or abolish, rites and ceremonies, so that all things may be done to edification.

ARTICLE 23. OF CIVIL AFFAIRS. It is the duty of Christians, and especially all Christian ministers, to be subject to the supreme authority of the country where they may reside, and to use all laudable means to enjoin obedience to the powers that be.

ARTICLE 24. OF CHRISTIAN MEN’S GOODS. The riches and goods of Christians are not common, as touching the right, title, and possession of the same, as some do falsely boast. Notwithstanding, every man ought, of such things as he possesses, liberally give alms to the poor, according to his ability.

ARTICLE 25. OF A CHRISTIAN MAN’S OATH. As we confess that vain and rash swearing is forbidden Christian men by our Lord Jesus Christ and James his apostle; so we judge that the Christian religion does not prohibit, but that a man may swear when the magistrate requires, in a cause of faith and charity, so it be done according to the prophet’s teaching, in justice, judgment, and truth.

On Gender and Sexuality: On matters of gender, marriage, and sexuality, we are committed to historic Christian beliefs and ethics. There are only two sexes, male and female, and a person’s gender identity should correspond with their biological sex. Marriage is a lifelong covenant between one naturally-born man and one naturally-born woman, and no intimate sexual activity should be engaged in outside of this holy union.