Église méthodiste du Togo

(Eglise méthodiste du Togo)

The history of the Methodist Church of Togo goes back to British Methodist missionary work which began in the area in 1843. It is the first Christian church established in what is now Togo. The MCT defines its mission as bringing the human being to accept the Creator, respect the creation and discern in the other the image of the Lord Jesus Christ; to contribute to building a more just and humane society according to the example of the ministry of Christ; to safeguard the resources of the world recognizing the interdependence of peoples, societies and nations. The vision of the church is that of a more human world won for Jesus Christ, in peace and united in solidarity. The Methodist Church of Togo confesses one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit as witnessed in the historical creeds of the church and in the fundamental principles of the Reformation. The doctrines of the evangelical faith adhered to by the Methodist Church are based on the revelation as contained in the holy scriptures which are accepted as the supreme rule of faith and practice. The church believes and proclaims the universality of the grace of God who saves and sets free whoever believes and repents before the Lord Jesus Christ. It teaches the possibility of entire sanctification through the continuous cooperation of the believer with the Holy Spirit, who sanctifies and leads to perfection. It believes in the universal priesthood of all believers. The Methodist Church of Togo is evangelical, affirming its belonging to the one holy, universal and apostolic church. It seeks in mutual respect to deepen the community of faith and action with other Christian churches. Through the conference, its supreme body, the MCT encourages all those who work for the unity of the churches.

The objectives of the church are 1) to propagate the Christian faith through the preaching of the gospel; 2) to take part in and outside Togo in the struggle against ignorance, illness, poverty, racism and all forms of social evil. The MCT runs 18 primary schools and two colleges. It has a medical centre and is involved in the struggle against HIV/AIDS. In the area of training the MCT has a dyeing centre for girls, courses for income generation, and courses for the production of consumer goods. It has created a cooperative society and provides micro-credit loans for women.