The Evangelical Methodist Church (EMC) is a Christian denomination in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.

[1] In its Book of Discipline, the EMC describes itself as being "orthodox in belief, pre-millennial regarding the second coming, missionary in outlook, evangelistic in endeavor, cooperative in spirit, and Wesleyan in doctrine.

A fully sanctified Christian is expected by the EMC to live a holy lifestyle that reflects the character of Christ to the world (which they emphasize is neither "sinless perfection" nor legalism).

[3] Christianity • Protestantism The formation of the EMC represented "a double protest against what were considered autocratic and undemocratic government on the one hand and a tendency toward modernism on the other in the Methodist Church, from which the body withdrew.

Through local congregations and missions, Methodism inspired an evangelistic push in North America among many denominations to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those they considered spiritually lost or "sin-sick."

However, some doctrinal differences began to emerge among Methodists in the late 1800s and early 1900s, particularly in the wake of disagreements concerning the teachings of the Holiness movement and the Fundamentalist–Modernist Controversy.

"[5] In its second decade, the EMC merged with two smaller denominations that shared its views on sanctification, grace, and evangelism.

[14] The Churches of Christ in Christian Union (CCCU) is referred to as a "sister denomination" to the EMC and sends an observer to its general conferences.

That denomination is itself a Wesleyan protest (having left the Restorationist Christian Union) and has merged with several smaller denominations including the Holiness Churches of Christ, the Reformed Methodist Church's Northeast District, and at times strongly considered union with the EMC.

Another offshoot, the National Association of Wesleyan Evangelicals, is composed of five former Southern District EMC churches.

It was formed in the wake of the consolidation of EMC districts in 2010 and legally binding arbitration regarding their desire to leave the denomination.

It maintains a congregational-connectional form of church polity, which has been significantly amended in recent years to reflect greater connectionalism.

Historically, the EMC has recognized Song Evangelists and Lay Exhorters as orders appointed by the local church.

The terms General Superintendent and Bishop have come to be considered synonymous—multicultural churches and mission conferences are advised to use either title that aligns with their traditions.

Lloyd H. Garrett's report to a 1976 special session of the General Conference in Wichita, Kansas highlighted a strong congregational tradition within the EMC, though his suggested reforms (including the elimination of his own office) fell short: We must not delude ourselves into the trap of thinking that more stringent laws are the solution.

As long as property ownership and the final decision concerning pastoral leadership are vested in the local churches (where they rightfully belong) the true voice of authority and power rests with them.

Gordon W. Johnson reinforced the importance of a General Superintendent office while addressing fears that the connectional element of the EMC was being forgotten.

Congregationalism rejects, repulses, and ultimately refuses to accept any rule, control, or disciplinary action outside of its own self-centered body.

General Superintendent Edward Williamson in 2000 began a 10-year study and analysis of the structure and discussed possibilities yearly at the annual district conferences in his reports.

[22] In September 2007, the General Council (superintendents and other officials) unanimously proposed that the U.S. districts be changed into regions and merged into a single conference.

The General Council pointed to the current level of independence of the various districts and deviation from the denomination's "Methodist moorings" of connectionalism.

The motion to adopt the reorganization plan was approved but would have failed to gain the three-quarters support necessary for a revision in the Constitution, with 157-100 delegate votes (61.1 to 39.9%).

[25] Though the Evangelical Methodist Church contained Holiness and non-Holiness Fundamentalists in its beginning, it experienced a schism early in its history in regard to the Wesleyan doctrine of sanctification and the security of the believer.

This smaller EMC group is more into cultural separatism than the original denomination and does not teach the doctrine of Entire Sanctification as a crisis experience, but rather emphasizes it being the result of a gradual growth in grace.

Fields is the general superintendent of this group, which claims churches in Suriname, Jamaica, Chile, Nigeria, France, Kenya and Malawi in addition to 16 congregations in the United States.

According to an observer, this schism mirrors a trend among many Protestant denominations: "The history of the Evangelical Methodist Church illustrates the tensions inherent in a Fundamentalist-Holiness relationship.