The Bible Methodist Connection of Churches is an Arminian, Evangelical, Wesleyan Holiness Protestant denomination with roots in the Methodist movement founded by John Wesley.
The denomination separated from the Wesleyan Methodist Church in 1966, in opposition to the adoption of a proposal to merge with the Pilgrim Holiness Church, forming the Wesleyan Church. Other issues included what was viewed as a decline of Holiness within the former Wesley Methodist Church, as well as a trend toward greater centralization.
The departing group formed what was originally known as the Bible Methodist Connection of Tennessee, and later the Bible Methodist Church, a name that is often used as an abbreviation for the Bible Methodist Connection of Churches today.
The new denomination began at a meeting in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1966. The meeting was called by D.P. Denton, an editor of the independent monthly magazine, The Evangelist of Truth. Those attending the meeting were opposed to the merger of the Wesleyan Methodist Church and Pilgrim Holiness Church to form the Wesleyan Church, which came about 1968.
There were some at the meeting who wanted a greater emphasis and spiritual healing, and they eventually separated from the Bible Methodist Connection to form the Bible Holiness Church, with a small number of members in Tennessee and Virginia.
Shortly afterward, the Bible Methodist Church united with the Wesleyan Connection of Churches to form the Bible Methodist Connection of Churches. The older name, Bible Methodist Church, is sometimes used as an abbreviation for the denomination today.
In 1994, the United Holiness Church, which had broken from the Free Methodist Church in 1955, joined the Bible Methodist Connection of Churches, and the Pilgrim Nazarene Church joined the Bible Methodist Connection of Churches in 2019.
In doctrine, the denomination is characterized by the Holiness tradition. It's doctrine concentrates and the Second Blessing of Perfection, which follows the First Experience of Salvation. The first experience is that I've been born again, also known as the new birth, which precedes the experience of gradual growth in grace, and gradual death to sin, which leads to entire sanctification brought about by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
As with other Holiness churches, the Bible Methodist Connection of Churches is Arminian rather than Calvinistic. This allows for both the possibility of entire sanctification, as well as the prospect of falling away from sanctification through sin.
Another distinctive of the denomination is that its members are expected to refrain from the use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. Members also dress soberly and modestly, in line with John Wesley's General Rules. Church members are encouraged to use honest business practices and to avoid uncharitable conversation.
The Bible is accepted as the inspired and infallible Word of God, as well as the complete revelation of God's plan for mankind. The church holds to a Trinitarian belief, and observes the ordinances of baptism and the Lords Supper.
Concentrated in the United States, the denomination has five regional conferences: the Southwest, Southern, Heartland, Great Lakes, and Mid-America, with congregations in Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Ontario, Canada.
Although not formally affiliated with the Bible Methodist Connection of Churches, a small Bible Methodist Church was formed in Queensland, Australia, in 1969. Other congregations were formed in Queensland and New South Wales. The Australian churches similarly emphasize the inerrancy of the Bible, and insist on simplicity of lifestyle for its members.
The focus of this category is on the denomination known as the Bible Methodist Connection of Churches. Online resources relating to this denomination are appropriate for this category, although local congregations are generally placed in the Local and Global category representing the geographic location of the church. Where a local congregation website includes significant information about the denomination, however, it might be placed in both categories.
Recommended Resources
The denominational website for the Bible Methodist Connection of Churches includes links and contacts for its regional conferences and a directory of member congregations, sorted by state or province. The denomination's branding, core values, discipline, forms, and rituals are stated, its correctional team is identified, and its magazine, The Bible Methodist, may be subscribed to, and an archive of past issues is included. An online shopping area is included.
https://www.biblemethodist.org/
The discipleship arm of the Bible Methodist Connection of Churches features lessons on becoming a disciple of Christ and offers discipleship tools, informational texts, and video. The Scriptures are arranged in the order in which the events occurred, with events that are recorded more than once presented in parallel columns of text in PDF format, with a blended narrative in various versions. Bible studies, answers to various questions, and videos of Israel are included.
https://comeafterme.com/
Rock Lake Bible Methodist Church
Located on North Pine Grove Road in Vestaburg, Michigan, the congregation is affiliated with the Great Lakes Conference of the Bible Methodist Connection of Churches. The core values of the local church, regional conference, and denomination are outlined, and an introduction to the local church is provided for those who are new, giving them a better idea of what to expect during a service. Schedules, an event calendar, and live video streaming are included.
https://www.rocklakebiblemethodistchurch.com/
SGC was founded to equip Christian leaders around the world with the resources needed to continue their biblical education, including a comprehensive curriculum for theological training. The need for the resources is stated, along with SGC's mission and vision, and its plan to spread discipleship around the world. Classes are included in apologetics, Bible survey, biblical interpretation, Christian leadership, church history, doctrine, and evangelism. An online store is included.
https://www.shepherdsglobal.org/
The SouthWest regional conference of the Bible Methodist Connection of Churches includes member congregations in Colorado, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas, contacts for each of which are included here, along with an overview of the mission fields supported by the conference. Available in PDF format, Thoughts and Travels, a newsletter from the conference president, may be downloaded. Regional conference schedules, media, camps, and contacts are included.
https://www.swbiblemethodist.org/
