Statement of Faith

Denomination

Chapel Ridge is part of the Free Methodist Church of Canada, a group of Christian congregations all across the country that are committed to sharing the good news of faith in Jesus Christ and encouraging believers into a life of ongoing transformation that impacts our families, our communities and our nation.

We are committed to the authority of the Bible and to the life of the Spirit. We seek to allow God to shape our whole lives – attitudes, thoughts and relationships. Free Methodists seek to help people find new life in Christ and to live lives of loving integrity.

We are committed to the biblical principle that all believers are participants in God’s purposes. Our churches are eager to help people discover how they can know God and serve others in meaningful ways and so bring about transformation in our world.

Free Methodist Church roots are deeply embedded in the spiritual awakening of 18th century England which gave rise to the Methodist movement. Today, the Free Methodist Church ministers in 70 countries around the world. In Canada, over 150 churches are located as far west as Vancouver and as far east as Sherbrooke, Quebec City, Quebec.

What’s with the Free?

Early Free Methodists were concerned about a number of issues in their historical setting that still have relevance today.

Formed in the early days of the American Civil War, these supporters of the anti-slavery movement believed in equality for all, regardless of racial background. They wanted a church “free” for all to attend.

The Methodist Church had a practice of renting seats in their churches as a way of collecting financial support from their members. Since this practice was seen as disenfranchising the poor, who could not afford the seats, Free Methodists wanted “free seats” for all, regardless of socio-economic status.

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, taught that all Christians could be “free from the domination of sin” in their daily lives through the renewing activity of the Holy Spirit and faithful adherence to spiritual disciplines. Free Methodists wanted to recover this expectation in their movement.

A lively spiritual refreshing was sweeping the United States in the mid 1800s, and the Free Methodists wanted this “freedom of the Spirit” in their worship services as well.

Finally, many members of Methodist churches were also members of secret societies that often divided their loyalties toward their Christian

commitments. Free Methodists wanted all their members to be “free” from such binding involvements outside the fellowship of Christian believers.

Source: Free Methodist Church of Canada

What we Believe

The Articles of Religion are the official doctrinal statements of the Free Methodist Church worldwide. The term “Articles of Religion” came to Methodism through John Wesley’s adaptation of the Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England.

Printable Resource: What we believe [PDF]

Source: Free Methodist Church of Canada