New Methodist Conference
empowering ministry outside the lines
About Methodism
Methodism, when it is true to its name, is about a method of daily life that cultivates growing awareness of God's active grace, sees the possibility of increasing personal holiness within daily life, and is fully committed to Jesus' teachings and life.
While at college, the young John Wesley, his brother Charles, and several of his friends gathered together regularly for prayer, scripture reading, and mutual encouragement in good works. The group's routine meetings and religious zeal drew the scorn of their fellow students, who mockingly referred to them as "Bible moths," and "methodists." Rather than finding the term insulting, John and Charles adopted it as an apt description of their practice, and Methodism was born.
Wesley formulated two essential questions to be asked of each new convert to his societies: 1. Has Jesus the Nazarene become the Christ for you? and 2. Does your daily life reflect that the Christ is at work in you?
Although no slouch as a scholar (he translated and wrote extensive commentaries on the New Testament), Wesley was at heart a pastor. He understood correctly that it was not what believers professed with their lips (doctrine), but what they showed forth in their lives (Christian charity) that mattered. For Wesley, all Christians were ministers — and were called to be at work in the world, helping to prepare the coming kingdom. This is the work of "practical Christianity" which, for us, is the only kind of Christianity.
As for theological disputes (of which there were many in his time, as in ours), Wesley made a distinction between opinion - which he called the non-essential beliefs; and faith — which for Wesley was complete trust and absolute reliance on Christ Jesus' work in one's life. In "The Character of a Methodist," he wrote:
The distinguishing marks of a Methodist are not his opinions of any sort. His assenting to this or that scheme of Religion, his embracing any particular set of notions, his espousing the judgment of one man or of another, are all quite wide of the point. Whosoever therefore imagines, that a Methodist is a man of such or such an opinion, is grossly ignorant of the whole affair; he mistakes the truth totally. We believe indeed, that all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God, .... We believe the written word of God to be the only and sufficient rule, both of Christian faith and practice; .... We believe Christ to be the eternal, supreme God;.... But as to all opinions which do not strike at the root of Christianity, we think and let think."
Wesley taught that all of Creation is surrounded by God's grace and love from which we are never apart. This love inspires us to yearn for a new life in Christ ("prevenient grace"). This love works in us to relieve the weight of our sins, revealing the power and joy of forgiveness through Christ ("justifying grace"). As we begin to live as a grateful, forgiven people, God's love steadily leads our souls toward perfection: as we grow into the image of our Savior in all we do and say and believe ("sanctifying grace").
Wesley sought to restore scriptural Christianity, a familiarity with and reliance on the Bible as an inspired — and inspiring — source of wisdom and comfort to believers. Rather than see it as a dry recitation of past events, he looked to the scriptures as a source of hope, and a living revelation of how God was at work in his life at that very time.
Wesley was aware of the various versions and numerous redactions (editing) to which the Scriptures have been subjected, and understood the changes in culture and traditions between those times and his own, which may be seen in his commentaries. He also recognized the places in which the text was faulty — where the hand of man had obscured the Word of God; as in his vehement refutation of slavery ("that execrable sum of all villanies, commonly called the Slave-trade").
The NMC seeks to follow Wesley's method of Biblical literacy, by pursuing the best of today's biblical and theological scholarship while continuing to study our earliest faith ancestors. From this we find new and renewed ways of expressing what we know and have received, and new and renewed ways to do and be church.
Like Wesley, we value the life of learning, but know that unless it finds roots in the heart and a life of service, it is irrelevant. He wrote: "An ounce of love is worth a pound of knowledge."
John Wesley gives us a persuasive, powerful model for the successful balance between prayer and faith practice, between scripture study and social action. There is never a time when prayer is not appropriate, there is never a time when Scripture study is not appropriate, and there is never a time when it is not appropriate to proclaim the Good News of Christ's glorious, redeeming love.
To quote another fine Christian theologian, "Preach the gospel at all times. When necessary, use words" (St. Francis of Assisi).