Bible Methodist Connection of Tennessee

The Bible Methodist Connection of Tennessee is a Christian denomination associated with the Holiness Movement as originally a part of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Wesleyan Methodist Church was formed in 1843 as a voice of opposition to slavery views held by the Methodist Episcopal Church. However, over time, the Wesleyan Methodist Church also began to make changes that prompted a further separation by those who chose to call themselves the Bible Methodist Connection of Tennessee. The Bible Methodist Connection of Tennessee today aligns itself in many ways with the Conservative Holiness Movement.

History 1968-1987

Formation of the Connection

The Bible Methodist Connection of Tennessee was formed over what many believed was a liberalization of the Wesleyan Methodist Church. "Holiness as a doctrine still adorned the pages of its Book of Discipline, but holiness in practice and true holiness standards became a very rare thing."¹ Also there was disagreement concerning the organization of the denomination. Those who sided with the Wesleyan Methodist Church wished to have a strong, centralized government while those who eventually broke away and formed the Tennessee connection favored a loose "connection" of like minded churches. D.P. Denton and his conservative sympathizers met in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1966 to discuss the formation of a new connection with more individual church autonomy. "The new group would continue the use of Wesleyan Methodist Discipline...with the exception that each church would be completely autonomous." ² "When the General Leaders of the Wesleyan Methodist Church entered into a number of lawsuits against Conferences and Local Churches of their own denomination, the Tennessee Conference (chartered by the State of Tennessee) had no choice but to withdraw its fellowship from the denomination."³ Following a series of Conference Meetings, the reorganization became final on May 4, 1968.

The officers of the reorganized Connection were: D.P. Denton, President W.G. Harwell, Vice President Mary Jane Biddle, Secretary Carl Johnson, Treasurer

"The Board of Managers was so composed that each section of the Connection had representation and no one group could become dominant."

1987- In March 1987, after 35 years as President, D.P. Denton resigned to form a small group called the Bible Methodist Fellowship. and Earl Newton became president. When Earl Newton resigned, the Presidency has been held for shorter time periods by Gerald Wright, Leroy Archibald⁴ and Richard Midkiff.

Doctrine

The Bible Methodist Connection of Tennessee would be characterized as a conservative evangelical denomination holding to the Wesleyan-Arminian persuasion and believe that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God. They believe in the second coming of Jesus Christ, and affirm their faith in the "literal creation of man by the immediate creative act of God."

They affirm their faith in the doctrine of regeneration, or the "new birth" by which the sinner becomes a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

A key affirmation of faith is their belief in the doctrine of entire sanctification by which work of grace the heart is cleansed by the Holy Spirit from all inbred sin through faith in Jesus when the believer presents himself a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God and is enabled through grace to love God with all his heart and to walk in His heart and to walk In His heart and to walk in His holy commandments blameless. By the act of cleansing it is to be interpreted and taught by the ministry and teachers that is not a “suppression” or a “counteraction” of “liberated sin” so as to “make it imperative”, but to “destroy” or “to eradicate” from the heart so that the believer not only has a right to heaven, but is so conformed to God’s nature that he will enjoy God and heaven forever. These terms are what we hold that that cleansing from all sin implies.⁵

Missions and Camps

Bible Methodist Missions have been primarily supported in New Mexico and Mexico. In 1983, Dine Mission ⁶ was founded in Gallup, New Mexico. The Connection has actively supported this mission since its founding.

The annual camp and conference are held in Knoxville, Tennessee at the official Connection camp. Another Bible Methodist Camp—Salisbury Bible Methodist Camp ⁷--has also been held for many years in Salisbury, North Carolina.

Commonly Mistaken Identity

The Bible Methodist Connection of Tennessee is commonly mistaken to be part of or associated with the Bible Methodist Connection of Churches. However, although they share many similar characteristics, the two groups have never had any mutual association. Both groups separated from the Wesleyan Methodist Connection as individual entities.

Growth of the Connection

There are currently twenty-one churches in seven states (Arkansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.)

Resources

1. Bible Methodist of Tennessee Manual 1998

2. Encyclopedia of American Religions, Melton.

3. Bible Methodist of Tennessee Manual 1998

4. Salisbury Bible Methodist Church

4. Bible Methodist of Tennessee Manual 1998

5. Bible Methodist of Tennessee Manual 1998

6. Dine Mission

7. Salisbury Bible Methodist Camp

• Radical Righteousness The Development of the Holiness Movement, Wallace Thornton