John Wesley

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John Wesley, Rev Dr John Wesley, – Founder of Methodist, John Wesley was an Anglican clergyman and an evangelist. With his brother Charles, he was the co-founder of the Methodist movement in the Church of England. Born into a religious family, Wesley was molded through a strict code of Christian morality. After graduating from the Christ Church, Oxford he was ordained a deacon in the Church of England in 1725.

Biography:
Birth : 17-06-1703
Death : 02-03-1791
Native Place : Lincolnshire
Country : England
Place of Vision : England

While at Oxford, he was an active member of the ‘Holy Club’ and enthusiastically participated in prayers, Bible studies, and prison ministry. He was ordained a priest in 1728 and started ministering in Northern Lincolnshire.

On the request of James Oglethorpe, Wesley set sail to the New World (a newly founded colony of Georgia) in 1735 with a zeal to bring the gospel to them.

John Wesley ministry in England

Though his mission work was brief and was disappointing for him, he was deeply influenced by the German Moravian missionaries he met during the stay there. Their spiritual confidence and commitment to practical deity impressed him deeply. After returning to England, Wesley experienced a spiritual conversion while listening to a reading of Martin Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. With a renewed spirit, Wesley started preaching about ‘Salvation through faith in Christ alone.’

He began an itinerant ministry that lasted more than 50 years. His readiness to preach even outside the church saw the gospel being preached to the neglected masses about whom the Church of England had little concern. A powerful revival set England on spiritual fire and resulted in thousands accepting Christ.

The reluctance of the Church to accept his Biblical principles forced him to form private ‘societies’ who gathered methodically every week for Bible studies and prayers, hence were called ‘Methodists’ by the critics. Wesley went about establishing Methodist societies throughout the country despite the opposition and persecution which he had to endure. He continued throughout his life a regimen of personal discipline and ordered living till he finished his race in 1791.

Beloved, how ordered and disciplined is your life?

Take away from the article

“Lord, enable me to live a disciplined life and remain active in Your ministry until my last breath. Amen!”

Word of Prayer