The Fact Sheet

United Methodist Church Brief History

The United Methodist Church began in the 1700’s as a group of Christians that sought to assist and support the work of all Christians to grow and develop faith in others and serve the world. Its founder, John Wesley believed that building up individuals and the Church would grow God’s kingdom on earth, a place where God’s love, peace, joy, unity and service to others would thrive.

The Nigeria United Methodist Church traces its founding to September, 1906, when the Reverend Dr. C. W. Guinter traveled up the Benue River to Ibi near Wukari. Guinter who had come from the United States with four other missionaries to work for Jesus Christ in the Sudan – a region extending across Northern Africa, south of the Sahara. The headquarters for The United Methodist Church of Nigeria is in Jalingo, capital of the Tabara State of Nigeria.

United Methodist Statistics

Number of pastoral charges – 40,000; Nigeria – 500 Number of members – 12 million; Nigeria – 600,000 Number of Clergy – 60,000; Nigeria – 500

United Methodist Values Rooted in Our Wesleyan Theology

Grace – God’s grace is sufficient for salvation and is offered to all through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Grace is God’s unmerited love for us. God loves us and will always love us. Our response to God’s grace is to love and obey God and to love others.

Extending God’s grace – Grace is extended through the sacraments of communion and baptism to adults, youth, and children, inviting all people into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and by serving like Jesus Christ in the world. Jesus served in the world by loving God and one’s neighbor (Matthew 22:22-38) by healing mind, body and soul, by feeding people, and by teaching people about what it means to be a part of the kingdom of God.

The Bible – The Bible is the primary authority and revelation for salvation and holy living, and is interpreted through tradition, reason, and experience. All understanding of God, our relationship with others and the world begins with the Bible. We further understand the Bible by studying how the church interpreted the Bible through the centuries (tradition), by studying the Bible with others and thinking about how it is applied in our daily living (reason) and learning from our and others experiences as we apply the teachings in the world (experience).

Personal and social holiness – United Methodists grow spiritually and are accountable for witness, service, and doing justice in the world. Personal holiness is attending worship regularly, reading and studying the Bible with others, praying, and receiving the sacraments of holy communion and baptism. By doing these, we experience God’s grace, God’s love and become more loving of God and others. Social holiness is living God’s grace in the world by serving others, addressing the needs of the poor, caring for God’s creation, visiting, praying and providing medical attention with people who are sick, and living a holy life.

Connectionalism – United Methodists are connected through a web of congregations and organizations around the world that share a common mission, doctrine, apportioned financial

mission support, itineracy, and holy conferencing. Through the connection we are bound together throughout the world through 12 million members, 40,000 congregations, thousands of hospitals, clinics, schools, and mission centers. In Nigeria there are 600,000 United Methodists, 500 pastoral charges/1200 congregations and fellowships, and more than 25 mission sites including hospitals, clinics, schools, and mission centers.

Diversity and Inclusion – United Methodists welcome, include, and involve all people in the life of the church and our engagement with all people is guided by the scriptures, doctrine, and teachings of the church.

Itineracy – United Methodist bishops and superintendents teach, support, and practice an open itineracy (appointing/assigning clergy to congregations) to strengthen the mission of congregations, and taking into consideration differences among congregations in theology, language spoken,

leadership needs, and contexts.

Good Governance

The United Methodist Church has a governance structure that has three branches of Government:

1) legislative that determines the laws and mission of the church, 2) executive that provides oversite and leads the mission and ministry of the church, and 3) judicial that arbitrates the laws of the church.

Legislative – The United Methodist Church has global governance through a General Conference (equates a federal/national form of governance, a regional form of governance through annual

conferences, and a local governance through church/charge conferences in communities. Nigeria has four annual conferences and 348 charge conferences. United Methodists are also bound by the federal/national laws, state laws and community laws where they are located. The polity/laws and procedures of The United Methodist Church are found in The Book of Discipline and govern the

actions and ministry of annual conferences and congregations. Annual Conferences and Congregations adhere to the laws and procedures of the church. While The United Methodist Church is formal in its governance, its governance takes into consideration the context in applying the laws of the church.

Executive – The United Methodist Church has Bishops, the executive branch of the church that oversees the Annual Conferences, congregations/pastoral charges, clergy and members of the Episcopal Area to which they are assigned. Nigeria has one Episcopal Area and a Bishop who provides oversight. There are also District Superintendents who are an extension of the Bishop’s

leadership. Nigeria has 41 District Superintendents that oversee a group of congregations/pastoral charges.

Judicial – The United Methodist Church has a Judicial Council, the court of the Church that arbitrates issues within the Church. Its decisions are final and function as the law of the church.