Wesleyanism is the branch of the Church that draws its roots from the brothers John
and Charles Wesley in the latter half of the 18 th century. They themselves were proud
Anglicans, though influenced by their Puritan mother. The Methodists where the first
branch from the ministry of the Wesleys, but many others followed, particularly the later
Wesleyan-Holiness movement, which includes such denominations as the Wesleyan
Church (naturally), and Nazarenes. The Pentecostal movement and Salvation Army
also grew out of Methodism. These churches can be found around the globe. Clearly,
this is no small part of the Church today.
But Wesleyanism isn’t making headlines today—at least not good ones. The United
Methodist Church is now less united. Over three years ago it lost some 7600
congregations, many forming the Global Methodist Church. The momentum in the US
seems to be either with the Roman Catholic church or nondenominational churches.
Does Wesleyanism matter today?
It does, on several fronts. Two of the most important “distinctives” of Wesleyanism is the
belief in entire sanctification as a second work of grace following justification; and
assurance of salvation from the Holy Spirit. If neither of these sound like a Wesleyan
distinctive, that’s because of the impact Wesleyan thought has had on Christianity as a
whole, though that could be fading today.
Those who do not believe in entire sanctification (what John Wesley also called “perfect
love”) are more likely to emphasize justification as the end or goal of Christianity, rather
than the starting point. Those who don’t understand assurance of salvation can be
susceptible to worrying if their salvation really “took”. These people may be prone to
trying to earn their salvation just to make sure.
But Wesleyanism is more than a set of beliefs. It also includes key practices, such as
caring for the marginalized, participation in small groups, and the means of grace.
Again, if none of this sounds distinct to you, thank a Wesleyan!
John Wesley made care for the poor central to his ministry. He and his fellow pastors
regularly visited inmates, who at the time had to rely on their families for their daily
needs. Wesley was known for preaching in the fields, rather than churches, in part,
because that’s where the poor were to be found.
The Wesleys started small groups called “class meetings”, with smaller groups for lay
leaders called “bands”. These were for the purpose of accountability and community.
Nothing like this could be found in the Anglican Church of that day. Many para-church
organizations today such as the Navigators and Cru make heavy use of this model.
As for the means of grace, there are different lists that include different activities, but
they are all things that lead us closer to Christ, such as prayer, fasting, and reading
Scripture. Top among them for John Wesley was communion, which he believed should
be received as often as possible, much like an alcoholic should attend AA as often as
possible in the early days. Practicing the means of grace goes against our “no cost; no
sacrifice” mentality in the Church today.
Lastly, Wesley had a God-based epistemology (how we know what is true) known as
“the quadrilateral”. First is the Bible. That is our foundation for truth, but in cases where
it is unclear, we can turn next to the tradition of the Church over the centuries. How
have the saints before us understood this or that issue? If it’s still unclear we turn to
reason. What conclusion does logic lead us to? And finally is experience. Our
experience (mine and yours) should bear out our conclusions. But again, it is essential
to follow these means in the correct order. In an age where we seem to be losing more
wisdom than we are gaining, and placing personal experience above everything else,
the quadrilateral is a helpful tool.
There are many other ways Wesleyanism matters today, but there isn’t room for all that
here. A proper way to end this is with this caveat: The Church as a whole needs
Wesleyan Christians as much as Wesleyan Christians need the rest of the Church.
Other beliefs and practices keep us humble, and correct us if we get off track. Our
distinctives are like unique treasures that each branch of the Church protects to the
benefit of all.
