A BRIEF HISTORY
Methodism did not begin as a "church" but rather as a revival movement within the Church of England.
The "Founder" of the Methodist movement was John Wesley.
FROM "MOVEMENT TO CHURCH"
Methodism did not begin as a "church" but rather as a revival movement within the Church of England.
The "Founder" of the Methodist movement was John Wesley.
- John Wesley was born in England in 1703. He was the 15th child of a pastor in the Anglican Church. (Church of England)
- He felt the call to ministry and was admitted into the priesthood of the Anglican Church in 1728.
- He entered into Oxford University, and while there he joined a group of students committed to truly living out their Christian faith. They were called the "Holy Club." These students were strict in their observance of spiritual disciplines and service. They were so strict and "Methodical" in their practices that they were teased with the name "Methodists". The name stuck!
- In 1735 Wesley came to the American Colony of Georgia as a missionary. During a storm in the trip over to America, Wesley realized Georgia was full of disappointment and disillusionment.
- He returned to England, and then on May 24, 1738 Wesley was attending a religious meeting when Wesley felt his "Heart strangely warmed". He said, " I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for my salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death." That moment at Aldersgate would change Wesley's' life forever!!!
- Wesley began to preach at various places and even in the open air (field preaching). He preached on the need for renewal within the Anglican Church, the importance of spiritual discipline, and the assurance of ones relationship with God through faith. Hundreds of people began to respond and truly come to Christ.
- On May 1st, 1739 Wesley and a group of Methodists organized a "Methodist Society" in London. The movement grew and was further organized.
- Wesley called the first "conference" of Methodist preachers in 1744 and conferences were held every year after that.
- Leaders rose up and were even sent to America.
FROM "MOVEMENT TO CHURCH"
- The Methodist movement spread rapidly throughout the colonies in America.
- Methodist preachers formed "preaching circuits" and the work spread very quickly.
- On Christmas Eve 1784, 60 American Methodist preachers met in Baltimore and they formed theMethodist Episcopal Church.
- During the 1800's a number of groups seperated from the main body of Methodists over disagreement about church governance and slavery.
- In the 1900's many of the splits were resolved and reunions took place.
- The "United Methodist Church" was formed in 1968. (A union of the Evangelical United Brethren and the Methodist Church.)
- The United Methodist Church is now the 2nd largest Protestant denomination in the United States and has 8.3 million members in the U.S. and 1.5 million in other places in the world.
