John Wesley Rolls – Dr. James Emery White Christian Blog
This summer, while in the UK, I (again) made a pilgrimage to a Methodist church in the south London Borough of Islington.
It opened in 1798.
It was built under the direction of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement. No wonder Wesley’s Chapel is considered the “mother church” of World Methodism.
Next to the chapel is John Wesley’s house. I was always moved by the small room next to his bedroom – basically a closet – which served as pray bedroom. He got up at 4 a.m. every day and spent an hour in prayer before starting his day. He then led devotions at 5 a.m.
I am not a Methodist, although my wife was raised in the Methodist Church. But I appreciate historical Methodist theology and practice. And I will always embrace John Wesley as one of my great spiritual mentors.
I lived and studied at Christ Church College, Oxford where his portrait is prominently displayed in the dining room.
I walked along Aldersgate Street in London looking for the place where his heart had “strangely warmed” to the point of converting in 1784.
And, as mentioned, I have been to his home and church a few blocks down that same road on more than one occasion.
Although finding it the first time was not easy.
Sitting in a nearby pub, which happened to be a few blocks from my destination, I asked the person waiting for me if he could direct me to Wesley’s house.
“John who?” He asked.
“John WesleyI replied, emphasizing the last name, thinking my American accent might be confusing.
“Never heard of him,” he said. “But wait, I’ll ask.” After approaching three other workers, as well as two regulars at the counter, he returned.
“Sorry, I can’t help. No one has heard of him,” he said. “Who is he?”
“The founder of Methodism,” I replied.
If I had baffled him before, he had reached new heights.
“Methodism?”
Undaunted, I continued.
“It’s a Christian movement – well, it has been a Christian movement within Anglicanism, then it became a denomination. Wesley was the founder. His house is supposed to be near here.
At the word “Christian,” he finally gave a grateful look. Waving his hand and dismissing the whole conversation with a laugh, he said, “You’re not in the right place to ask about that kind of thing, mate.”
I should not have.
I was in England, after all, and Wesley is one of his most historic sons. Educated at Oxford, Wesley was a lifelong member of the Church of England, although his successors adopted his “methodical” approach to Christianity and began ordaining ministers under the name “Methodist” shortly after his death. . As mentioned, his portrait figures prominently in the dining hall of Christ Church College, Oxford to this day.
And more to the point, it was precisely men and women like this, in ads like this, who kept Wesley’s passion for spreading the gospel kindled into a flame.
As I write, The United Methodist Church is fracturing, in large part because of debates over sexuality and theology. About 300 congregations have already been approved to leave the denomination, and about 1,000 more will be voted on in the near future.
Those who leave tend to be tall and conservative. Flashpoints can be same-sex affirmation wedding and the ordination of LGBTQ clergy, but many see these as symptoms of significant differences between theology and scriptural authority.
As an article by Peter Smith for the Associated Press notes:
“In western Pennsylvania’s annual conference alone, about 300 of its 800 churches have begun asking about the leaving process by the end of 2023, according to the Wesleyan Covenant Association. Not all may follow, but some see it as inevitable.
“’We want to stay the same in our mission and our theology, we need to change denominations,’ said Reverend Steve Cordle, senior pastor of Crossroads Church. Based in Oakdale, Pennsylvania, it is one of the largest congregations in the conference. He plans to go independent or join the World Methodist Church.
Beyond internal divisions, The United Methodist Church as a whole is in a numerical freefall, falling to about 6.5 million members from a peak of 11 million in the 1960s.
But it’s this line from Cordle that rings in my ears, that “to stay the same in our mission and our theology, we must change denominations.”
That is, the denomination that John Wesley founded on his vision of serving the poor, evangelizing the lost, and deep personal piety. And yes, a faithful biblicism. He always went at the Bible then went with the Bible.
Which means if it’s really possible for someone to roll over in their grave because of something that happens after they die,
… John Wesley sadly does.
James Emery White
Sources
Peter Smith, “United Methodists Split in Slow-Motion Schism,” PA NewsOctober 10, 2022, read online.
About the Author
James Emery White is the founder and senior pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and a former professor of theology and culture at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he also served as their fourth president. His latest book After “I believe” is now available on Amazon or your favorite bookseller. To take advantage of a free subscription to the Church & Culture blog, go to churchandculture.org, where you can view past blogs in our archive, read the latest news on church and culture from around the world, and listen to the Church and Culture podcast. Follow Dr. White on Twitter, Facebook and instagram to @JamesEmeryWhite.
James Emery White is the founder and senior pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and a former professor of theology and culture at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he also served as their fourth president.
His latest book, After “I believe”, is now available on Amazon or your favorite bookseller. To take advantage of a free subscription to the Church & Culture blog, go to churchandculture.orgwhere you can view past blogs in our archive, read the latest news on church and culture from around the world, and listen to the Church and Culture podcast.
Follow Dr. White on Twitter, Facebookand instagram to @JamesEmeryWhite.
