Start Here
You don't need to know anything about the Bible to be welcome at New Beginnings. You don't need to know the right words or when to stand up and sit down. This page is for anyone who is curious about what we believe and why.
We've kept it simple. Each section covers one big idea in plain language. If you want to see where an idea comes from, we've listed a place in the Bible you can look it up. The Bible is split into two main parts. The Old Testament comes first and the New Testament comes second. Most of the verses we point to are in the New Testament, which is the part about Jesus and the first church. If you'd like to read along, the book of John is a great place to start.
Read it all or skip around. There's no test.
The Short Version
If you only have a minute, here it is.
- There is one God, and He made everything and loves everyone.
- We're not okay on our own. We've all gone our own way, and it has broken things.
- Jesus fixed it. He died for us and rose again.
- It's a gift. We can't earn it. We receive it by trusting Him.
- God doesn't leave us as we were. His Spirit helps us change and grow.
- We do this together. The church is a family, not a building.
- The story has a good ending. Jesus is coming back to make all things new.
1. God
We believe there is one God. He made the heavens and the earth, and He made you. He isn't distant or angry or waiting for you to mess up. The Bible says God is love.
Christians believe God is one God who has shown Himself in three ways: the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. We call this the Trinity. It's a big idea, and nobody has to fully understand it to start the journey. Think of it this way. God isn't a lonely being. He is a relationship of love, and He invites us into it.
Where to look: Genesis 1:1 (in the Old Testament, the very first verse of the Bible) and 1 John 4:8.
2. The Bible
The Bible is a collection of 66 books written over about 1,500 years by many different people. We believe God inspired it, which means He guided the writers so that it tells us the truth about Him and about us.
The Bible isn't a rulebook with a few stories attached. It's one big story about God and His people, and it all leads to Jesus. We trust it as our final authority for what we believe and how we live.
You don't have to read it all at once. Start with the Gospel of John, then try Mark. Ask questions as you go. We love questions.
Where to look: 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
3. People
We believe every person is made on purpose and made in the image of God. That means every life has worth, no matter who you are or what you've done.
The Bible also says something honest about us. We all do things we know are wrong. We hurt people. We ignore God. The Bible calls this sin. It isn't just a list of bad things we do. It's a brokenness that gets into everything, and we can't fix it by trying harder.
That's the bad news, and it's why the good news matters so much.
Where to look: Genesis 1:27 and Romans 3:23.
4. Jesus
Jesus is the center of everything we believe. We believe He is God who became a human being. He lived a perfect life, taught about the kingdom of God, healed the sick, and welcomed people everyone else turned away.
He was then put to death on a cross. We believe He did that on purpose, to take on Himself what our sin deserved. Three days later, He rose from the dead. That's the heart of the Christian faith. Death didn't win.
Because of Jesus, we can be forgiven, made new, and brought back into relationship with God.
Where to look: John 1:14, John 3:16, and 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.
5. Grace and Faith
Grace is a word you'll hear a lot at church. It simply means a gift you didn't earn. We believe God's love and forgiveness are a gift. You can't earn them by being good enough, and you can't lose them by being a mess.
Faith is how we receive that gift. It means trusting Jesus and turning toward Him. It isn't a feeling you have to work up, and it isn't a performance. It's saying yes to what God has already done.
We believe God's grace is already working in every person's life, long before they ever walk into a church. Methodists call this prevenient grace, which just means grace that goes ahead of us. God makes the first move.
Where to look: Ephesians 2:8-9.
6. The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is God present with us right now. Jesus promised He would not leave His followers alone, and He sent the Spirit to be with them.
We believe the Spirit helps us understand God, gives us strength to do what's right, and brings comfort when life is hard. He also gives each believer gifts to serve others. The Spirit is how God changes people from the inside.
Where to look: John 14:16-17 and Galatians 5:22-23.
7. Growing in Love
Being forgiven is the start, not the finish. We believe God wants to keep working in us so that we look more and more like Jesus. The old word for this is holiness. It simply means a life shaped by love for God and love for the people around us.
Jesus said the two most important things are to love God with everything we have and to love our neighbor as ourselves. That is the goal. We grow in it by praying, reading the Bible, worshiping, serving, and walking with other believers. Nobody does this perfectly, and we won't pretend to. We keep growing, and we keep trusting God to finish the work He started.
Where to look: Matthew 22:37-39 and Philippians 1:6.
8. The Church
The church isn't a building. It's people. We believe God brings followers of Jesus together as a family so we can worship, learn, care for each other, and serve our community. Faith was never meant to be lived alone.
We also believe the church exists for the people who aren't in it yet. That's why we welcome people wherever they are on the journey, including people who aren't sure what they believe.
Where to look: Acts 2:42-47.
9. Baptism and Communion
Methodists practice two special acts that Jesus gave the church. We call them sacraments. They're ways God meets us through something we can see and touch.
Baptism is washing with water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It shows that God has welcomed someone into His family and washed away their sin. We baptize both adults and children, and we baptize by sprinkling, pouring, or immersing.
Holy Communion is a meal of bread and juice that Jesus told His followers to share in His memory. It's how we remember what He did on the cross and receive His grace again and again. All who trust in Christ are welcome at the table.
Where to look: Matthew 28:19 and Luke 22:19-20.
10. What's Ahead
We believe the story has a good ending. Jesus will return, and God will make all things new. Death, pain, and injustice won't have the last word. Those who trust in Christ will live with God forever in a renewed creation.
That hope changes how we live today. We don't have to be afraid of the future, and we can work for good right now because we know where history is headed.
Where to look: Revelation 21:3-4.
11. Who We Are
New Beginnings is part of the Global Methodist Church. Methodists trace their roots to John Wesley, an English pastor in the 1700s who taught that God's grace is for everyone and that faith should shape all of life. We hold to the historic Christian faith and the Bible as our guide, and we're committed to sharing the good news of Jesus and helping people grow in love for God and neighbor.
If you'd like to know more about the denomination, our pastor would be glad to talk with you.
Still Have Questions?
Good. Questions are welcome here. You don't have to believe all of this to visit us. Come as you are, sit in the back if you want, and take your time.
To ask a question or meet a pastor, send an email to office@newbeginningsmc.org. We'd love to meet you.