At our convening General Conference in September the Global Methodist Church settled on mission and vision statements:

Mission Statement: 
The Global Methodist Church exists to make disciples of Jesus Christ and spread scriptural holiness across the globe.

Vision Statement: 
Through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, the Global Methodist Church envisions multiplying disciples of Jesus Christ throughout the earth who flourish in scriptural holiness as we worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.

I'll be talking about these in greater detail in the coming year. Right now, I want to highlight two things.

First, you notice that the objective detailed in our provisional mission statement is present in both our mission and our vision. We are "making disciples" and these disciples will "worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly." Since "making disciples" is central to Jesus' Great Commission this isn't surprising.

Second, there's mention of "scriptural holiness." That may be a phrase you haven't heard before. In our tradition the language of "scriptural holiness," unlike "making disciples" goes back to our founder, John Wesley. This isn't because Wesley didn't believe in "making disciples." In many ways, that can work as a description of his whole life effort. For Wesley, however, what mattered most was not the label on a person – "disciple," "Christian," "church member," "Protestant" – but the life change they experienced through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.  Believing in the possibility of real life change was not common in an age where it was assumed everyone in a "Christian country" was a Christian.

"Scriptural holiness" was "holiness" informed by what we see in scripture. The picture of the life of Jesus we see narrated therein will increasingly be reflected in the lives of those who follow him. Though the church has always had a few whose lives exemplified deep Christlikeness, we've too often thought such life change was only for the very few (and usually for the very old, those not deeply involved in "real life"). The Global Methodist Church is taking a bold stand in taking it as our mission to bring about this kind of life in all our people – and to draw outsiders into this awesome life with God.

Are you seeking – and experiencing – the life-changing power of Jesus?