John Wesley, Our Founder
John Wesley, born over 300 years ago, on June 17, 1703, was the leader of what may be called the Second Reformation.
With Methodism, he did not espouse a new theology.
It was built on the ancient precept that God had sent his only begotten son to save the world.
Wesley did not change Protestant belief. He revolutionized the way in which the Protestant church behaved.
All the defining characteristics of Methodism— "field preaching" to the multitudes on village greens and in town squares, all-night "love feasts" during which the Holy Spirit descended on the congregation, and "lay preachers" who knew no Latin but who were resolute in their belief in salvation—were all anathema to the Church of England.
But Wesley had no doubt that the clergy had to take the word of God to the people, not wait for the people to come and search for it during the occasional Sunday service.
Wesley intended to do no more than reinvigorate the Church of England.
Indeed, he kept his promise to "live and die an ordained priest in the Established Church."
But the Methodist Connexion, as it was then called, became a world-wide movement.
During a ministry that lasted almost 70 years, John Wesley traveled on horseback almost 300,000 miles, stopping along the way to preach three or four sermons each day.
His whole life was devoted to spreading the good news of salvation--by word of mouth or by organizing the work of God among his followers. Comfort and companionship were sacrificed as unnecessary self-indulgence.
He formed societies, opened chapels, examined and commissioned preachers, administered charities, superintended schools and orphanages, kept little of his money for himself. His charities were limited only by his means.
He rose at four in the morning for prayer and Bible study, lived simply and methodically, and was never idle if he could help it. He had 135,000 Methodists in his societies, when he died.
Wesley's call to personal and social holiness continues to challenge Christians who struggle to discern what it means to participate in the Kingdom of God.
The following are some of his well known quotations:
“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
in all the ways you can,
in all the places you can,
at all the times you can,
to all the people you can,
as long as you ever can."
"God is so great, that he communicates greatness to the least thing that is done for his service."
The Church is to be judged by the Scriptures, not the Scriptures by the Church.
Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you burn.
I value all things only by the price they shall gain in eternity.
The best of it is, God is with us.
The grace or love of God, whence cometh our salvation, is FREE IN ALL, and FREE FOR ALL."
"It is well that you care for the sick and give to the poor, and serve the church and its people, but all this will not keep you from hell, except you be born again. Go to church twice a day; go to the Lord's table every week; say ever so many prayers in private; hear ever so many good sermons; read ever so many good books; still, "you must be born again:" None of these things will stand in the place of the new birth; no, nor any thing under heaven. Let this therefore, if you have not already experienced this inward work of God, be your continual prayer: “Lord, add this to all thy blessings, --let me be born again! Deny whatever thou pleasest, but deny not this; let me be 'born from above! and then let be daily 'grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!'"
(from Sermon 45, 1872).
John Wesley
