Make disciples of
Jesus Christ.
The mission of First United Methodist Church of Sarasota is simple to state but takes a lifetime to live: Love God. Love People. Make Disciples of Jesus Christ.
A disciple is someone who follows Jesus — not just in belief, but in the whole of their life. It means being shaped inwardly by his character and expressing that outwardly through the way we treat others and engage the world around us.
Everything we do as a church — our worship, our community, our service — exists to move people further along that journey.
Discipleship is not a destination — it is a direction. We are hopefully more like Jesus today than yesterday, and more tomorrow than today.
By cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
By practicing Holy Love — putting others before self, loving our neighbors and enemies, and carrying the mission of Jesus into the world.
More Like Jesus — every day
When someone accepts Jesus’ invitation and begins following him, they cross the starting line of a lifelong journey called sanctification — the ongoing process of being formed into Christlikeness. The goal for every disciple can be summed up in three words: More Like Jesus. And the word “more” matters, because it acknowledges that this is never finished. Growth is always possible, and always the direction.
As we cooperate with the Holy Spirit, we are transformed from the inside out. Our desires, our reactions, our character — all of it slowly being reshaped to reflect the heart of Jesus. This is not something we manufacture by willpower; it is something we cultivate by remaining connected to the Source.
Inner transformation always shows up in how we live. The way we speak, serve, give, forgive, and engage the world around us — these become the visible evidence of what God is doing on the inside. And the two reinforce each other: as we live more like Jesus, we also become more like him.
Three environments for growth
Spiritual formation doesn’t happen in isolation or by accident. It happens when we place ourselves consistently in the conditions that allow God to work. At First SRQ, we believe transformation takes root in three distinct environments — and we build our community life around all three.