History of EMC

The Evangelical Methodist Church came into being in 1946 in Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. J.H. Hamblen was elected chairman of the meeting in Memphis and as the first General Superintendent at the organizational conference in November of that year. With a firm conviction that the gulf that separates conservative and liberal thought in the church is an ever-widening chasm which can never be healed, the Evangelical Methodist Church came into being to preserve the distinctive Biblical doctrines of primitive Methodism.

In regard to the emphasis of the new organization, the minutes of the meeting in Memphis on May 9, 1946 read as follows:

J.H. Hamblen made a statement relative to the form of government and doctrines of the organization. Three things were emphasized: the need for a congregational form of government with sufficient supervision to make it connectional; the need of sound doctrine; and the need of evangelistic passion.

In praying for the new movement, Dr. Hamblen prayed: “Oh, Lord, if this movement be of Thy will, bless and prosper it; but, Lord, if not of Thy will, then let it die here and now.”

At the first conference, Dr. Ezequiel B. Vargas, Superintendent of the Mexican Evangelistic Mission, proposed that this work become a part of the Evangelical Methodist Church, which was approved.

On June 4, 1960, the Evangel Church, Inc. in session at its Annual Conference voted to unite with the Evangelical Methodist Church and thus become a part of the California District. The merger was approved by the Western Annual Conference of the Evangelical Methodist Church on June 22, 1960.

On July 4, 1962, the General Conference of the Evangelical Methodist Church voted to merge with the People’s Methodist Church. The merger was finalized by vote of the People’s Methodist Church at a subsequent conference in the summer of 1962. Rev. J. Neal Anderson, General Superintendent of the People’s Methodist, was elected Superintendent of the Virginia-North Carolina District of the Evangelical Methodist Church.

Congregations are located in 27 states and inquiries are received regularly. The Evangelical Methodist Church serves in 20 other countries of the world through various organizations.