What We Believe

We believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in His only Son–Jesus Christ our Lord. We do not believe that we have it all figured out. For moral, social and theological issues, we refer back to our source, the Holy Scriptures, through the lens of our rich Methodist heritage. (A more in-depth look at United Methodist beliefs can be found on the General Church’s website www.umc.org but here are a few):

  • We believe in one living and true God, who has revealed Himself in three ways: as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
  • We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, born of the virgin Mary, truly God and truly man, who for us and our salvation came down from heaven. He atoned for the sins of all believers when He died on the cross. Three days later, God raised Him from the dead. He now lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.
  • We believe the only way of salvation is to confess one’s sin and to trust in Jesus Christ as one’s personal Savior and Lord.
  • We believe one day Jesus will return to earth in triumph. He will receive all believers into His eternal Kingdom and will judge the unrighteous.
  • We believe the Bible was inspired by God and contains all things necessary for salvation. When read under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Bible is our sole true rule and guide for faith and practice.

Unfortunately, not all United Methodist Churches hold fast to the truths found within the pages of scripture and as a result live out a faith that looks quite different than orthodox Christianity. This has contributed to a decline in membership and crisis in belief throughout the United Methodist Church. At Chapin UMC, we are grieved with the state of our denomination, yet we refuse to stand by and let our great church fall by the wayside. We join with Jesus of Nazareth, Martin Luther and John Wesley in reformation efforts in our beloved church.

  • The United Methodist Church is experiencing exponential numerical growth in Africa. Since 1996, the UMC in North America has been experiencing a significant renewal, which is encouraging.
  • The denomination is becoming more biblically oriented, more theologically orthodox and more closely aligned with its Wesleyan roots.
  • Chapin United Methodist Church works in partnership with other large, orthodox UM churches in South Carolina to play a significant role in promoting this renewal.

 

 

 

 

Our Core Values

 

Biblical Authority  2 Timothy 3:16

 

We believe that the Bible is our ultimate authority as a church and as individuals. If we drift from this Core Value we will become irreverent and irrelevant. The Bible is God’s Word and our instruction manual for how we are to do life. Life is as good as it will get when we are surrendered to the authority of the Word of God. Maximum freedom is found under (not out from under) God’s authority.

 

 

Intimacy with God  Revelation 3:15-20

 

Have you ever been a part of a relationship that you wanted to go to a deeper level, but the other person in the relationship wouldn’t go there with you? The Bible describes God as One who desires to have an intimate relationship with us, but we politely stiff-arm God to keep Him at a safe distance. God desires a relationship that is much more than casual and respectful – He desires intimacy.

 

 

Authentic Community  Hebrews 10:23-24

 

Yes, your relationship with God is very personal - but it was never intended to be private. Intentionally doing life together (growing, praying, sharing together) so that there is a natural sense of accountability, belonging, and caring is critical – because life change happens best in the context of small groups. (Circles > Rows)

 

 

Relational Evangelism   1 Corinthians 9:19-23

 

If you had to turn over your life, your finances to: (a) a total stranger; or (b) a trusted friend – who would you choose? People (who normally stay away from church) come to church because of the consistent encouragement of a trusted friend. Lost people matter to God; therefore, they matter to us. We are to be about investing in trusted friendships for the sake of eternity. (Invest and Invite).

 

 

Strategic Service  Acts 6:1-7

 

A very complicated concept: Strategic Service means to serve strategically. The key for CUMC to be all that God has called us to be is for every one of us to ask the question, “Where am I needed most?” and then for every one of us to respond by saying, “I will apply my heart and my hands to the place of greatest demand.”