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Pacific Northwest Evangelical UMs Organize, Issue Founding Document

NET COASTERS:

It's no secret that evangelicals are organizing. The need to self-identify and connect as evangelicals and to assert a credible Wesleyan evangelical witness within United Methodism in the Pacific Northwest was graphically highlighted by the frustration of discourse at our last annual conference.

Evangelicals are asking for conversations about theological substance; specifically, WHAT CONSTITUTES THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH and its authority for mission in the world?

We seem to have set aside our historic understanding of the Church, those gathered and sent out in mission by Jesus Christ, for human agendas and power aims. We have become, in effect, a "procedural church" bound together, not by declared commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of the world, but by frantic efforts to hold together what is coming apart at the seams. We are in serious denial that we are a house divided by the ideology of pluralism, a false salvation which masks itself as "inclusivity in diversity," but fails to excite or unify us with a common vision faithful to Jesus Christ.

It is clear that evangelicals in the Pacific Northwest must insist on a conversation about these matters. What follows is an invitation for a convening meeting of evangelicals in our conference.

Rev. Gary Starkey
Westpark UMC
3902 Summitview Avenue
Yakima, WA 98902

(509) 966-6210 (messages)
(509) 966-6282 (FAX)
email: <wstprkumc@aol.com>

For those of you who have been waiting -- here is the document! Gary and I have worked this over pretty well. We will discuss it together next Friday, October 1st at Cornerstone UMC from 11:00 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Call Daniel Foster (425-432-1790) if you need directions. Hope to see you there.

Shalom,
Edd
Edddenton@aol.com

Evangelicals Within The Pacific Norhwest Annual Conference

"Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different, or has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. Instead, we will lovingly follow the truth at all times -- speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly -- and so become more and more in every way like Christ who is the Head of his body, the Church." (Ephesians 4:14-15 TLB)

WE SEEK to gather in unity evangelical Christians within the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference for the purpose of establishing a witnessing presence of laity and clergy on behalf of scriptural holiness in our conference.

WE AFFIRM that we are called by Jesus Christ to be faithful members of the historic Church, the Body of Christ, in its evangelical Wesleyan expression within United Methodism in the Pacific Northwest. Our primary mission is to proclaim God's saving grace and transforming gospel to those who do not know Christ.

WE BELIEVE our fundamental identity is found in Jesus Christ not constructed by ourselves of human desires, idelologies, or agendas. We are Christians by faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of the world. In obedience to Holy Scripture as God's revealed Word, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we bow to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God.

FURTHERMORE we reject any path or vision which leads us away from the true knowledge of God imparted in Jesus Christ through the witness of the Holy Spirit, in accord with Holy Scripture.