About Us
Our Vision:
We will be good stewards of all relationship opportunities so that we advance God's kingdom.
Our Purpose:
This will tell you a bit about what we believe God expects of us...
Jesus gave us a clear direction for the work of ministry...
Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT)
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
We take this passage to mean...
1 - We go. We don’t wait for people to come to us. We will build relationships, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, with those who do not yet know Jesus. This may happen in the marketplace, in our neighborhoods, in our social gatherings, or even in our homes.
We will give our day to God for Him to use us in His work as He sees fit.
2 - We lead people to the cross of Jesus. We understand that lost people need Jesus as their Savior/Forgiver. We will mentor them in the basic spiritual disciplines to sustain new life and to grow in it. We encourage the daily reading of scripture along with daily prayer.
3 - We baptize them, giving them a local church family in which to belong. We believe it is important for new believers to identify with Jesus in the act of baptism.
4 - We teach them about God’s expectations for members of His family.
We offer 2 ways for people to learn how to live a new life: one-on-one mentoring/discipleship, or discipleship in a small group.
5 - We gather collectively and in small groups. We regularly attend Sunday morning worship service. It’s in a small group that we learn scripture and how to apply it to our life, we learn how to pray for others and have them pray for us, and we give and receive encouragement.
6 - We serve with our gifts, abilities, personality, passion, and experiences. Those attending Canton Wesleyan Church agree to have God use them in the type of ministry that fits how God has wired them and how He wants to use them at this stage in their life.
Who Are We?
We’re a multi-generational church with folks that come from many walks of life. While our personal backgrounds are different, the Gospel of Jesus Christ unites us. Unity is a big deal to us, especially with a world that seems more and more divided. To put it simply, Canton Wesleyan Church is full of friendly, loving people who are passionate about Jesus and helping others get to know Him.
Wesleyan?
Wesleyans believe in one God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the Savior of all who put their faith in Him alone for eternal life. We believe that those who are made new in Christ are called to be holy in character and conduct, and can only live this way by being filled with the Lord's Spirit. We believe in the Bible and its sufficiency to establish our faith and conduct. We believe God wills for people everywhere to know Him and be made new in Christ. We believe that the purpose of the Church is to worship God in spirit and in truth, and to reach a lost and fallen world with the gospel of Jesus Christ through its worship, witness, and loving deeds.
The following are terms descriptive of who Wesleyans are and why they do what they do. They describe the "soul of the Church":
BIBLICAL AUTHORITY: The Bible is God’s holy Word. It uniquely and infallibly reveals God's plan for His people and how to live out that plan, individually and corporately. Beliefs, practices, priorities, and our mission are to be anchored in clear biblical teachings.
CHRISTLIKENESS: Jesus Christ is the defining feature of God's will and relationship with all humankind. In Christ is found both newness of life and the highest and clearest example for godliness. People made new in Christ find Him to be the source of faith, hope, and love in both the inner life and in our outward actions engaging a world desperate for hope and life.
DISCIPLE-MAKING: Making disciples is a clear mandate from Christ. This requires a strong missional focus on evangelism and training in spiritual growth and holy living. Done effectively, this will produce and promote growth and health in and among the churches.
LOCAL CHURCH CENTERED: The denomination exists to help local congregations grow and multiply, be more healthy, and more authentically reflect God’s plan. Local churches are the most fundamental and strategic points of evangelism and discipleship. The challenge of the denomination is to keep finding the best ways to serve, strengthen, and multiply congregations.
SERVANT LEADERSHIP: Wesleyans respect leadership that is placed over them, while realizing that the authority and effectiveness of spiritual leadership is not primarily bestowed, but earned, and is characterized by a loving and willing heart of obedience that serves God and mankind gladly. Wesleyans desire to be leaders in serving.
UNITY IN DIVERSITY: There is intrinsic value in every person. Biblical unity becomes all the more important and beautiful in the light of the wide-ranging differences in personalities, cultures, races, languages, talents, and perspectives. Finding unity and mutual love in Christ eliminates devaluation and deprivation of life to one another.