Yes, We Are United Methodists

Last week we had some friends over. In the midst of shared food and stories about life, someone asked a thoughtful question: “What’s unique about being a Methodist?” This friend had only ever experienced “non-denominational” churches, and they were genuinely curious.

It’s not the first time I’ve heard the question. Over the last few years—especially in seasons of denominational upheaval and personal discernment—I’ve had more than a few chances to ask myself the same thing: Why am I a United Methodist?

There are many ways to answer. We could talk about our historic commitment to both personal holiness and social justice, or our structure that connects churches across communities and continents. But if I had to name one thing, one distinctive heartbeat that animates our identity, I would say it’s grace—our particular way of understanding and living out the grace of God.

But what is grace?

Theologians from Augustine to Aquinas to Wesley have wrestled with that question. For us as United Methodists, grace is not just a doctrine—it’s a journey. We speak of grace in three movements: prevenient grace that goes before us, awakening us to God; justifying grace that reconciles us through Christ; and sanctifying grace that transforms us ever more into the image of God. Grace is not just a moment of conversion—it is the continual work of the Holy Spirit in every aspect of life. It is a gift that invites a response: to grow, to serve, to be made new.

This week, over 800 clergy and lay members of the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference gathered in Collierville to worship, pray, discern, and direct the shared mission of the people called United Methodists. It was a glimpse of the connectional nature of our church—one of the aspects that continues to give me hope. We are not just individual congregations doing our own thing. We are a people held together by covenant, by calling, and yes, by grace.

That covenantal identity also means we choose relationship over simplicity. We stay at the table even when it would be easier to walk away. We trust that God does not abandon the Church in moments of disagreement or strain, but continues to shape it through prayer, holy conferencing, repentance, and hope. To be United Methodist is to believe that God’s grace is patient enough to hold our tensions, strong enough to heal our wounds, and expansive enough to keep drawing us forward. It is to confess that faithfulness is rarely neat, but it is always rooted in love.

Being United Methodist isn’t always easy. But it is beautiful. We believe God is still speaking, still reaching, still healing and reconciling the world. And we believe we’re called to join in that work—not alone, but together.

So let me ask you: Why are you United Methodist? Or what are you seeking in a church community? I’d love to hear your story.