The Hinesville First United Methodist Church is deeply rooted in the historical foundations of the Christian faith.
These are unchanging beliefs and doctrines that guide us in how we are to live with character and integrity. These biblical principles call us to live out our faith and confirm our identity as genuine and faithful disciples and followers of Christ.
‘Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ And Jesus replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This is the first and greatest commandment, and the second is equally important. Love your neighbor as yourself. All the other commandments are based on these two'” – Matthew 22:37-40.
We believe in God
We believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
When you are born, you are born as a creation of God. God created each of us and is the Creator of all that is.
God’s love is revealed in His words and actions. God loves us even when we do not show love back. God acts lovingly toward us even when we behave indifferently towards Him. But we know long before any of us was born, God demonstrated His love for us by sending His Son, Jesus Christ … so that we can have a relationship with Him.
This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sin” – 1 John 4:10.
We believe in Jesus Christ
We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was crucified, dead, and buried. The third day Jesus rose from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and now sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
As human beings, none of us is perfect. We constantly mess up, and the biblical word for that is sin. Sin means missing the mark and falling short of the goals that God has set for us. Unfortunately, we all miss the mark — every one of us.
The truth is we cannot work ourselves free from sin or the consequences of sin, not even by living a good life or being a good person. It is the belief in Jesus who provides freedom from past mistakes. Even though we did not deserve it, Jesus loved us so much that He died on the Cross so that we could be forgiven and have a real relationship with God.
Jesus said to the people, ‘I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life’” – John 8:12.
Because there is so much more to life than just existing, this is what Jesus offers. Jesus offers forgiveness for your past, significance for your life today, and security for your future in eternity.
We believe in the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit reminds you how much God loves you and that God’s goodness and forgiveness can overcome any sin. As human beings, we are most happy, fulfilled, and contended when our beliefs determine our behavior and actions.
I pray that from God’s glorious, unlimited resources, He will give you mighty inner strength through His Holy Spirit” – Ephesians 3:16.
The Holy Spirit leads the Christian believer, so your behavior will match your beliefs perfectly. Every action you take is based on your beliefs.
That is how to live a life of integrity, consistency, and character.
We believe in the Church
When you commit your life to Jesus Christ, you become part of the fellowship of worldwide believers. But because you now have millions of Christian brothers and sisters worldwide, the truth is you can’t physically rub elbows with them. You don’t get to see them all, and you don’t get to talk to them all. You don’t get to know them and to do community with them. And that’s where the local church comes into meaning.
That family is the church of the living God, the support and the foundation of the truth” – 1 Timothy 3:15.
You can be a part of the universal church by committing your life to Christ. And when you get involved in the local church, you can take your faith even deeper by getting connected with other believers. It’s all about learning to love other people in God’s family. God wants you to invest your talents, your gifts, your abilities, your money, your time, your intelligence, your energy, your physical skills, and your opportunities to impact the lives of others.
The Hinesville First United Methodist Church is passionate about our biblical calling to love God and all people.