Wesley's Transformative
Evangelism and Discipleship
What differentiates
Wesley's practice from today's evangelism and discipleship
Odilon Massolar Chaves
===============================
Copyright © 2026, Odilon Massolar Chaves
All rights reserved to the author.
It is allowed to read, copy and share for free.
Article 184 of the Penal Code and Law 96710 of
February 19, 1998.
Books published in the Wesleyan Digital Library:
728
Books published by the author: 774
Cover: João Wesley – Print from Youtube
Translator: Google
All glory to God!
Odilon Massolar Chaves is a retired Methodist
pastor, with a doctorate in Theology and History from the Methodist University
of São Paulo.
He is married to RoseMary. He has two daughters:
Liliana and Luciana.
His thesis dealt with the Methodist revival in
England in the eighteenth century and its contribution as a paradigm for our
days.
He was editor of the official Methodist
newspaper and coordinator of the Theology Course.
===============================
Table of
Contents
·
Introduction
·
Highlights
of the book's chapters
·
Wesley's
Evangelism
·
Wesley's
Discipleship
- The Bands
- The Classes
·
The origin
of Wesley's groups
===============================
Introduction
"Wesley's Evangelism and Transformative Discipleship" is a 32-page book that deals with fundamental themes about the Mission of the Church: evangelism and discipleship.
What differentiates Wesley's practice from today's evangelism and discipleship?
"Wesley used terms such as 'confess with the mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in the heart' (quoting Romans 10:9-10), but the modern formulation of 'accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior' was not part of his standard vocabulary or approach in the eighteenth century." [1]
There was an effective co-participation of the Holy Spirit in Wesley's preaching, which deeply touched the listeners, bringing conviction of sin and repentance. His preaching in Bristol clearly evidences this.
Wesley said, "The same Spirit who leads the repentant sinner to Christ, and enables him to confess, 'Jesus is Lord' (1 Corinthians 12:3), causes us not only to walk uniformly as Christ walked (1 Corinthians 11:1), but also to have the same mind that was in him."[2]
There was a clear conviction that the Holy Spirit was the one who converted people.
Converts were placed in classes and bands.
"The purpose of societies and classes was to work out the salvation of their members (cf. Fil. 2:12) and to seek a holy life ("without which no man shall see the Lord," Heb 12:14)."[3]
A central function of the
band was what Wesley called "close talk".[4]
The Band was a model to make disciples perfect. It was the ideal place to seek holiness of heart.[5]
A study that shows us a
model that worked with Wesley. The question today is how we should carry out
evangelism and discipleship in our time.
The Author
===============================
Highlights of the book's
chapters
Wesley's Evangelism
Wesley used terms such as "confess with the mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in the heart" (quoting Romans 10:9-10), but the modern formulation of "accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior" was not part of his standard vocabulary or approach in the eighteenth century.
Wesley's Discipleship
The Bands
"The band reunion was the main expression of John Wesley's
synthesis of Anglican and Moravian piety"[6]
The class meeting was "the most influential instructional unit of
Methodism and probably Wesley's greatest contribution to spiritual growth"[7]
The
origin of Wesley's groups
In the Methodist structure, in England, in the
eighteenth century, there were small and large groups - Societies, Bands,
Classes and Agapes.
Wesley's Evangelism
Wesley
used terms such as "confess with the mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe
in the heart" (quoting Romans 10:9-10), but the modern formulation of
"accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior" was not part of his
standard vocabulary or approach in the eighteenth century.
"The
phrase and concept of 'accepting Jesus as personal Savior' are theological and
language developments that became common in nineteenth- and twentieth-century
Protestant and evangelical evangelism, popularized by figures such as Charles
Finney.
Wesley's
methods of evangelism focused primarily on the preaching of repentance and
justifying faith (the 'living faith' that brings assurance of the forgiveness
of sins). His theology emphasized:
The need
for personal conversion and the experience of the 'new birth'.
Justification
by grace through faith.
Sanctification
(a continuous process of growth in holiness and love of God and neighbor).
Wesley used terms such as
'confess with the mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in the heart' (quoting
Romans 10:9-10), but the modern formulation of 'accept Jesus as your personal
Lord and Savior' was not part of his standard vocabulary or approach in the
eighteenth century.[8]
Wesley's
actual evangelism began in Bristol in 1739. "John Wesley's evangelism in
Bristol in 1739 is considered the starting point of the Methodist revival and
his most fruitful phase of ministry.
The key points of this period include:
Outdoor
Preaching: On April 2, 1739, following George Whitefield's invitation,
Wesley "became more vile" by preaching for the first time in open
fields to coal miners at Kingswood.
The New
Room: In May of the same year, Wesley laid the cornerstone of the New Room
in Bristol, the oldest Methodist
chapel in the world.
Social
Outreach: Bristol served as a laboratory for Methodist Societies, focusing
not only on preaching, but on education and aid to the poor and
marginalized."[9]
Wesley said, "The same
Spirit who leads the repentant sinner to Christ, and enables him to confess,
'Jesus is Lord' (1 Corinthians 12:3), causes us not only to walk uniformly as
Christ walked (1 Corinthians 11:1), but also to have the same mind that was in
him."[10]
"The
presence of the Holy Spirit was the central engine of the Methodist revival.
John Wesley believed that preaching should not only be intellectual, but
accompanied by the 'witness of the Spirit', an intimate conviction of
salvation that radically transformed the listeners.
During
his outdoor preaching, the demonstrations were intense:
- Conviction of Sin:
Multitudes felt such a strong spiritual weight that many fell to the
ground or cried out in anguish before experiencing the peace of
conversion." [11]
It was
not necessary to make an "appeal" to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.
"About five
thousand were in the afternoon in Rose-Green"
In Bristol, Wesley began preaching in the field in 1739. Wesley preached about salvation in Jesus Christ.
In April 1739, he said in his diary:
If anyone thirsts, let him come to us and
drink. He who believes in me, as the scriptures have said so much, out of his
belly will flow rivers of living water
"At seven o'clock in the morning I preached to about a thousand
people in Bristol, and then to about fifteen hundred at the top of Hannam-Mount
in Kingswood (...). About five thousand were in the afternoon at Rose-Green (on
the other side of Kingswood), among whom I arose and cried in the name of the
Lord, If any man thirst, let him come unto us and
drink. He who believes in me, as the scriptures have said so much, out of his
belly will flow rivers of living water."
Christ, made of God for us, wisdom, and
righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption
"I offered about a thousand souls the free grace
of God to heal their setbacks"
On Tuesday, April 10, 1739, Wesley went to Bath; "where I have
offered to about a thousand souls, the free grace of God to heal their
setbacks, and in the morning to (I believe) more than two thousand. I
preached to about the same number, at Baptist-Mills, after noon on Christ , made of God unto us, wisdom, and righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption."
Preaching to 800
"I preached in the house of the poor"
On Saturday, April 14, 1739, "I preached in the house of the poor;
three or four hundred more in, and more than twice as much as without: to whom
I explained these comfortable words, when they had nothing to pay, he
frankly forgave them both," said Wesley.[12]
Christ our wisdom, and righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption
"It rained heavily in Bristol, but not a drop
fell on us"
On Sunday, April 15, Wesley said, "I explained at seven to 5 or
6000 by sons, the story of the Pharisee and the publican. About three thousand
were present at Hannam-Mount. I preached in Newgate after dinner to a dishonest
congregation. Between half past five we went to Rose Green: it rained heavily
at Bristol, but not a drop fell upon us, while I declared to about five
thousand, Christ our wisdom, and righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption. I concluded the day by shouting to
society at Baldwin treet."[13]
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand
May 29, 1739: 'Franklyn, a
farmer, invited me to preach in his field. I did this, for about five hundred,
in "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand," I went home
rejoicing.[14]
O every one who thirsts,
come to the waters
On Sunday, June 17, 1739, his birthday, at the age of 36, Wesley
preached to "(I believe) six or seven thousand persons, O every one that thirsteth, come ye to the
waters,"[15] Wesley said.
What must I do to be saved?
"To the most callous and misbehaving people I've
ever seen in Wales"
On Friday, October 19, 1739, "I preached in the morning at Newport,
on What must I do to be saved? For the most
callous and misbehaving people I've ever seen in Wales," Wesley said.
"An ancient man, for a great part of the sermon, cursed and swore almost
incessantly: and to the conclusion took a large stone, which he often attempted
to throw. But this he could not do. "Such are the champions!" Such
are the weapons against field preaching!" [16]
On Monday, April 12, 1773, Wesley preached at Ballinaslo and Aghrim.
Happy Witnesses of Gospel Salvation
On Tuesday, "when I walked into Eyre Court, the street was full of people, who gave us a loud noise as we passed the market,"[17] Wesley said.
"I preached in the open air, to a crowd of people, all civilians
and most of them serious. A great awakening has been in this city lately; and
many of the most notorious sinners and spendthrifts are entirely changed, and
are happy witnesses of the salvation of the gospel," [18]said Wesley.
He who has the Son
has life; and he who does not have the Son of God has no life
On Thursday, September 20, 1759, "I strongly
applied in Canterbury to the soldiers
in particular: "He who has the Son has life; and he who does not have the
Son of God has no life" [I John 5:12]."[19]
Awake, you who
sleep
On Sunday, March 16, 1766, he said: "I preached
in the street of the princes, at eight, in 'Awake, you who sleep'; in the
evening, to a listening crowd, about. 'Come, Lord Jesus!'[20]
Come to me, all
you who work and are heavy
On Sunday, August 17, 1766, after preaching at Leeds,
Wesley rode to Bristol and preached on "Come unto me, all ye that labor
and are laden with weight." In one of them I preached, to a huge crowd, in
"Come, Lord Jesus!".[21]
The Spirit and the
Bride say: Come, come
On Sunday, December 27, 1789, "I preached at St. Luke's,
our parish church, in the afternoon, to a very large congregation on 'The
Spirit and the Bride say, Come' (Rev. 22:17)," Wesley said. "So the
tables are turned that I now have more invitations to preach in churches than I
can accept."[22]
Wesley preached about "Christ Crucified,"
"Salvation by Faith," "Repentance of Sins," "He Was
Wounded for Our Transgressions," "What Must I Do to Be Saved?"
"The name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth," "Trust in the Lord
Jehovah; for in the Lord is eternal strength"; "If you continue in my
word, then you are truly my disciples", "The righteousness of the law
and the righteousness of faith", "Love your enemies", "Be
ready also", etc.
I see no other way
to preach the gospel to every creature
After many years, Wesley said, "To this day the
preaching of the field is a cross to me, but I know my commission and I see no
other way to preach the gospel to every creature."[23]
Wesley's Discipleship
The Bands
"The band reunion was
the main expression of John Wesley's synthesis of Anglican and Moravian
piety"[24]
A central function of the band was what Wesley called "close
talk".[25]
The bands were small companies created to lead the Methodists to perfect love.
The bands were important in the process of forming the Methodist organization.[27]
"In addition to the Society and Class meetings, bands of about five people of the same sex and marital status gathered to confess specific sins and struggles to each other. It is estimated that about 1 in 4 Methodists regularly participated in a band."[28]
The main activities of the bands "were confession and prayer; Their goal was spiritual growth. The bands were homogeneous, according to the Moravian model; there were bands of women, men and even boys (...)."[29]
In 1738, Wesley went to Germany to learn about the Christian practice of holy men and bands.
Within his dynamism, Wesley applied some Moravian practices and others
he left aside.
The Classes
The class meeting was "the most influential instructional unit of
Methodism and probably Wesley's greatest contribution to spiritual growth"[30]
There was a purpose to class meetings.
His main goal "was personal holiness. The Class Meeting served as a place where the 6–12 people gathered were able to be honest about their condition and receive loving exhortation and encouragement in their battles. It provided a forum where everyone was welcomed into an environment of acceptance. They would share about the previous week's experience, thank God for the progress, and honestly share their failures, temptations, or internal battles."[31]
With more details and historical moments, we summarize
a little about its beginning and development, the struggles and victories.
The beginning
Wesley realized that some Methodists were growing cold in their faith
and something had to be done. "The Wesleyan class meeting came into being
in Bristol early in 1742, somewhat by accident. Wesley was increasingly
concerned that many Methodists did not live the gospel; "Several have
grown cold and have given place to the sins that had long easily afflicted
them." (Works, 77-78) Clearly, some mechanism for exercising discipline
was necessary.[32]
To meet a debt
To meet the debt of the preaching house in Bristol, the society there (now numbering over 1,100) was divided into 'classes' of a dozen each. Leaders were appointed to ensure weekly contributions to the debt, and Wesley, being Wesley, asked the leaders to also 'make a private inquiry into the behaviour of those he saw weekly'. (Works, 9:261) This provided the opportunity to exercise discipline."[33]
It all started on Monday, February 15, 1742. Wesley
wrote in his diary: "Many assembled to consult on a suitable method of
paying off the public debt; It was finally agreed 1) that each member of the
society, who was able, should contribute one cent per week; 2) that the whole
society should be divided into small companies or classes – about twelve in
each class; and 3) that one person in each class should receive the
contribution of the rest and bring it to the stewards on a weekly basis."[34]
Later, the method was used in London and everywhere
else.
Establishing the classes in London
On Thursday, March 25, 1742, Wesley decided to establish
the classes in London, after much conversation: "I appointed several
serious and sensible men to meet me, to whom I showed the great difficulty I
had long encountered in knowing the people who wished to be under my care.
After much talk, they all agreed that there was no better way to arrive at a
sure and complete knowledge of each person than to divide them into classes,
such as those at Bristol, under the inspection of those whom I could most
trust. This was the origin of our classes in London, for which I shall never be
able to praise God sufficiently; the indescribable usefulness of the
institution has since been increasingly manifest."[35]
A crucial tool
Soon the Methodist class meeting "became much
more than a capital campaign. It became a crucial tool in empowering Methodists
to "watch over one another in love," to support and encourage one
another in their lives with God. In fact, John Wesley felt that the supervision
and support that the class meeting provided was so important that it became a
requirement for membership in a Methodist society. Being a Methodist meant you
were involved in a weekly class meeting."[36]
Class, a model for making disciples
Societies organized in Methodism divided members into classes, which were grouped geographically and contained all the people of the Society. By 1742, the Society of London had more than a thousand members.
Wesley guided how people should group together: "In order that it may be more easily discerned whether they are really working out their salvation, each society is divided into smaller groups called classes, according to their residences. There are about 12 people in each class, one of whom is appointed to be the leader."[37]
David Lowes Watson, in his book Responsible Discipleship, a modern handbook on the class system, writes , "It was a weekly meeting, a subdivision of society, in which the members were required to give an account to each other of their discipleship, and thus to sustain one another in their witness."[38]
Each Methodist belonged to a class. The meeting was a sharing of last week's personal experience. They learned from this to have self-confidence and the ability to speak in public.
The class was a place to be accepted by all people from different social backgrounds.[39] All people confessed their faults and sought salvation and sanctification.
"In 1760 there were 20,000 individuals in the classes. By 1790, that number had more than doubled to over 53,000. Thus, of the total population of England and Wales of 8,216,096, approximately 6.5% were part of Methodist society in a class or band."[40]
Wesley wrote how a person was admitted to the class and the Society: Anyone determined to save his soul could be united with the Methodists (this is the only necessary condition). But this desire was to be proved by three marks: to avoid all known sin, to do good, and to attend to all the ordinances of God.
The person was then placed in a class that was convenient for him, where he spent about an hour a week. And in the next quarter, not objecting to it, she would be admitted to the Society.
Discipline was fundamental in the Methodist movement. "Wesley did not hesitate to expel anyone from society if they were not following the Lord with all their hearts. Wesley knew the condition of each member through the accountability of the class."[41]
In one society, in 1743, he excluded some members: "Two on account of blasphemy. Two for desecrating the Sabbath. Seventeen for drunkenness. Two for selling alcoholic beverages. Three for fighting. One for beating his wife. Three for habitually telling lies. Four for having scolded and spoken ill of others. One for laziness and vagrancy. And twenty-nine for worldliness and levity."[42]
"The classes served as an evangelistic tool (most conversions occurred in this context) and as an agent of discipleship."[43]
In Wesley's small groups, leaders shared "honestly about their failures, sins, temptations, or inner battles. They were the role models for others.
Class meetings revolved around personal experience, not doctrine or biblical informaton. Perfect love was the goal of the class meetings."[44]
"The purpose of societies and classes was to work out the salvation of their members (cf. Fil. 2:12) and to seek a holy life ("without which no man shall see the Lord," Heb 12:14)."[45]
The classes were grouped geographically and contained all the people in the Society. By 1742, the Society of London had more than a thousand members.
Wesley guided how people should group together: "In order that it may be more easily discerned whether they are really working out their salvation, each society is divided into smaller groups called classes, according to their residences. There are about 12 people in each class, one of whom is nominated to be the leader."[46]
Members of the society received quarterly notes from Wesley or his ministers, "provided they had not missed more than three class meetings during the preceding quarter. This led to their regular and active participation and provided a painless way to get rid of members who violated the rules. It usually happened if someone didn't want to improve and corrupted the group; As long as he had a spark of spiritual life, he was rarely excluded. Wesley himself paid close attention to their societies; He was not only an organizing genius, but he also cared about details."[47]
The classes differ from the bands: they were grouped geographically
instead of being divided by age, sex or marital status; They contained all the
people in society, not just those who voluntarily grouped together.[48]
Boys and girls class
John Wesley realized the need to put the boys and girls of society into classes. There was still no formal Sunday School in the evangelical churches of England.
On November 23, 1760, he said, "In the afternoon I assigned the children to meet at Bristol, whose parents were from society. Thirty of them came today, and more than fifty on Sunday and Thursday following. About half of them I divided into four classes, two for boys and two for girls; and appointed suitable leaders to meet them separately." [49]
Wesley made a point of meeting with them in a meeting.
"I met them all together, twice a week; and it
wasn't long before God began to touch some of their hearts. On Tuesday and
Wednesday I visited some of the country's societies." [50]
The origin of Wesley's groups
In the Methodist structure, in England, in the eighteenth century, there were small and large groups - Societies, Bands, Classes and Agapes.
Religious societies were started in England by Anthony Horneck in the 1670s. They were made up of small groups of lay people, who represented an almost spontaneous fusion of moralism and devotion, zealous to promote real holiness.[51] Later, other groups emerged, such as the Society for the Reform of Morals, in 1691. "Concerned with the morality of the neighborhood, this society was appointed to encourage and assist magistrates in performing their duties in enforcing the laws regarding moral offenses, especially 'profanation and debauchery.'"[52]
Another society has emerged – the SPCK (Society for
the Propagation of the Gospel). This society sought to attack what it
considered the root of the problem: ignorance. The SPCK sought to develop
channels for the education of the people. "The SPCK program consisted
mainly of stimulating the establishment of charitable schools to teach the
poor, promoting the spread of lending libraries, and visiting prisoners to give
them instruction and books, as well as providing them with religious
assistance."[53]
Society was something common. Some of Wesley's friends had their own society, such as John Clayton.[54]
The Oxford Society began in the late winter of 1729/30 when Bob Kirkham began to meet John and Charles Wesley and Morgam regularly. Little by little, the group expanded its activities.
The Moravian leader Peter Bohler organized on May 1, 1738 (before Wesley's experience) the Society of Fetter Lane, which became the third emergence of Methodism.[55]
John Wesley and John Hutton participated in the organization of the society. The rules were intended to provide spiritual health. When Bohler went to London, he left Wesley at the head of the society.[56]
John Wesley and John Hutton participated in the organization of the society. The rules were intended to provide spiritual health. When Bohler left, he left Wesley at the head of the society.
05/01/1738 – Monday. Tonight our little society began in Fetter Lane with Peter Böhler. Our fundamental rules are as follows: In obedience to God's command, through James, on the advice of Peter Böhler, we agree that:
1. We would meet once a week to 'confess our faults to
one another and pray for one another that we may be healed'.
2. The people would be divided into several groups, or
into small companies, none of them consisting of less than five or more than
ten persons.
3. Let each one
speak freely, clearly, and concisely, as much as he can, of the real state of
his heart with its various temptations and deliverances, since the last
meeting.
4. All groups have a conference, at eight, every
Wednesday, beginning and ending with song and prayer.
5. Anyone who desires to be admitted into this society
should be asked, "What are the reasons for desiring this? Are you entirely
open, not using any kind of reserve? Do you have any objection to any of our
orders? (Which can then be read).
6. When any new member is proposed, each of those
present should speak clearly and freely about the objection he has to him.
7. Those against whom no reasonable objection arises,
are, for the purpose of their test, formed into one or more distinct groups,
and some persons agree to attend them.
8. After two months of probation, if no objection
arises, they may be admitted to society.
9. Every fourth Sabbath is to be observed as a day of
general intercession.
10. On Sunday, seven nights in succession, let it be
the general feast of love, from seven to ten o'clock in the evening.
11. No particular member is to be admitted, if he acts in anything contrary to any order of the society. And that if some persons, after being admonished three times, do not conform to it, they will no longer be considered as members. [57]
The Moravians are historically linked to Wesley's "warming heart" experience. He went to a Moravian Society on May 24, 1738, when he had his experience. Some scholars even speak of his "Moravian conversion".[58]
After his experience, Wesley went to Germany to spend
time with them. Through the Moravians, Wesley learned about total dedication to
the Lord.
John Wesley shared some of Count Zinzendorf's theological presuppositions, especially faith: "Christians are sanctified by faith alone, in Christ; but Wesley has, moreover, the conviction that the sanctifying power of God's grace enters effectually into the lives of men, and equips them for perfect love of God and men."[59]
Because he was a practical person, there were theological statements that Wesley had to set aside.[60] He retained what he considered good.
"Wesley also paid close attention to the Moravian organization. The division of Herrnhut into neighborhood groups, called "choirs," provided the basis for eleven 'classes' based on geographic location. In addition to these were ten classes, determined by sex and age, which formed the basis for daily spiritual supervision for regular religious conversations."[61]
On the other hand, the Moravian faith and organization were accepted, in part, by Wesley and contributed to the formation of the Methodist identity.
When the evangelistic movement brought new pastoral challenges, Wesley knew how to make new decisions: "The growing need for structure and organization, as the movement grew in size and complexity, is reflected in the summary of a meeting held at the end of June, 1732, and recorded in Wesley's diary: 'I have separated men and tasks.'"[62]
"The purpose of societies and classes was to work out the salvation of their members (cf. Fil. 2:12) and to seek a holy life ("without which no man shall see the Lord," Heb 12:14)."[63]
The classes were grouped geographically and contained all the people in the Society. By 1742, the Society of London had more than a thousand members.
Wesley guided how people should group together: "In order that it may be more easily discerned whether they are really working out their salvation, each society is divided into smaller groups called classes, according to their residences. There are about 12 people in each class, one of whom is appointed to be the leader."[64]
"Members received quarterly notes from Wesley or his ministers, provided they had not missed more than three class meetings during the previous quarter. This led to their regular and active participation and provided a painless way to get rid of members who violated the rules. It usually happened if someone didn't want to improve and corrupted the group; As long as he had a spark of spiritual life, he was rarely excluded. Wesley himself paid close attention to their societies; He was not only an organizing genius, but he also cared about details."[65]
The classes differ from the bands: they were grouped
geographically instead of being divided by age, sex or marital status; They
contained all the people in society, not just those who voluntarily grouped
together.[66]
Whenever possible, Wesley met with the leaders weekly.
The bands were important in the process of forming the Methodist organization. They were more Wesleyan than many societies.[67]
"His main activities were confession and prayer; Their goal was spiritual growth. The bands were homogeneous, according to the Moravian model; there were bands of women, men and even boys (...)."[68]
"The band consisted of 4 to 6 people of the same gender, marital status and similar age. Membership was voluntary here (though Wesley emphatically propagated it at other gatherings as his favorite group), and it was for people who wanted to grow up there, in the purity of their intentions as well. Members of these groups shared and examined their motives and impressions of their hearts with complete honesty."[69]
With the development of the Methodist movement, Wesley had to make radical decisions and separate himself from the Moravians. He looked for his own model of bands. As a simple man who was sensitive to the problems of the human being, Wesley noticed mistakes in the Moravian model: "(...) it did not adapt well to the needs of the English working class, people who faced the difficulties of social change and the economic conditions of the world of daily work."[70]
The main purpose of the small groups was to bring together "people who are interested in seriously pursuing the study of holy living."[71]
Later, in the face of new demands, Wesley made new adaptations, created the select bands for those who had received the remission of sins and were having an exemplary life.
Wesley put some Bristol women who had become negligent in a separate band. It became known as penitential bands.[72]
There was also a large group called the Agapes "in which the members of all classes of a society met for the purpose of breaking bread together, following the custom of the early church, and where their Christian experiences were publicly reported."[73]
These adaptations and openness to the new characterized Wesley and Methodism in England in the eighteenth century.
[1] Google's AI mode.
[2] REILY,
Duncan Alexander. "John Wesley and the Holy Spirit" in History,
Methodism, Deliverances. p. 18.
[4]https://belonggsumc.com/john-wesleys-small-groups-models-of-christian-community/
[5]https://academic.oup.com/book/27734/chapter-abstract/197911662?redirectedFrom=fulltext
[6]https://academic.oup.com/book/27734/chapter-abstract/197911662?redirectedFrom=fulltext
[7]
https://belonggsumc.com/john-wesleys-small-groups-models-of-christian-community/.Mark
A. Maddix is Professor of Christian Education and Dean of the School of
Theology and Christian Ministries at Northwestern Nazarene University.
[8] Google's AI mode.
[9] Google's AI mode.
[10] REILY, Duncan Alexander. "John Wesley
and the Holy Spirit" in History, Methodism, Deliverances. p. 18.
[11] Google's AI mode.
[12]
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/evans/N22587.0001.001/1:18?rgn=div1;view=fulltext
[13] Ditto.
[14]https://dmbi.online/index.php?do=app.entry&id=1025
[15] The Magazine of John Wesley, with an
introduction by Hugh Price Hughes, m.a., edited by Percy Livingstone Parker,
Chicago Moody Press, 1951.
[16] Wesley, his own historian.
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/AGV9079.0001.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext.Wesley,
his own historian. Cincinnati: Hitchcock and Walden.
1870.https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/AGV9079.0001.001?rgn=main; view=fulltext.
Wesley, his own historian. Cincinnati: Hitchcock and Walden. 1870.
[17]
https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk//travellers/J_Wesley/16
[18] Ditto.
[20] Wesley, his own historian.
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/AGV9079.0001.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext.Wesley,
his own historian. Cincinnati: Hitchcock and Walden. 1870.
[21] Wesley, his own historian.
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/AGV9079.0001.001?rgn=main;view=fulltext.Wesley,
his own historian. Cincinnati: Hitchcock and Walden. 1870.
[22] The Magazine of John Wesley, edited by Percy
Livingstone Parker, Chicago, Moody Press, 1951
[23] http://johnandellenduncan.com/jw_grave.htm
[24]https://academic.oup.com/book/27734/chapter-abstract/197911662?redirectedFrom=fulltext
[27] LELIÈVRE, Mateo. John Wesley, His Life and
Work. Editora Vida, 1997, p.118.
[29] There were several societies in England.
Wesley and other leaders of the Holy Club led some, but they were not
necessarily considered Methodists (HEITZENHATER, Richard P., Ibidem, p.103).
[30]
https://belonggsumc.com/john-wesleys-small-groups-models-of-christian-community/.Mark
A. Maddix is Professor of Christian Education and Dean of the School of
Theology and Christian Ministries at Northwestern Nazarene University.
[31] https://holyjoys.org/wesleyan-class-meeting/
[32]
https://seedbed.com/how-john-wesley-organized-the-revival/
[33] Ditto.
[34]
https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/travellers/J_Wesley/4
[35] Ditto.
[36] https://kevinmwatson.com/
7/30/2010/the-methodist-class-meeting-for-the-21st-century-the-foundation/
[37] BURTNER, Robert; CHILES, Robert. Collection
of the Theology of John Wesley, ibid., p.264.
[38]
http://www.disciplewalk.com/files/Joel_Comiskey_Methodist.pdf.
[39]
http://www.nph.com/nphweb//html/ht/article.jsp?id=10008759
[40]
https://scholar.smu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=theology_ministry_etds
[41] Ditto.
[42] WESLEY, João Wesley. Excerpts from the Diary
of John Wesley. Translated by Paul Eugene Buyers. General Board of Christian
Education, 1965, p.41.
[43]
http://www.disciplewalk.com/files/Joel_Comiskey_Methodist.pdf.
[44]
http://www.ncnnews.com/nphweb/html/ht/article.jsp?id=10008759.
[46] BURTNER, Robert; CHILES, Robert. Collection
of the Theology of John Wesley, ibid., p.264.
[47] Ditto.
[48] HEITZENHATER, Richard P., Ibidem, p.104.
[49] https://wesleyscholar.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Volume-3-Journal-1760-1773.pdf.
[50] Ditto.
[51] HEITZENHATER, Richard P. Wesley and the
people called Methodist. Editeo-Pastoral Bennett, 1996, p.21.
[52] Ibidem, p.24.
[53] Ibidem., p.24.
[54] HEITZENHATER, Richard P. Wesley and the
people called Methodist. idem, p.78.
[55] HEITZENHATER, Richard P., Ibidem., p.78.
[56] Ibidem, p.79.
[57] The Diary of John Wesley, the Father of
Methodism, 1735-1791. São Paulo, Angular editora, 2017.
[58] RUMBLE, L. "The Methodists" in
Voices in Defense of the Faith. Petrópolis: Editora Vozes Limitada, 1959, p.30.
[59] KLAIBER, Walter; MARQUARDT, Manfred. To live the grace of God. Editeo-Editora Cedro, 1999, p. 302.
[60] In 1739, with Moravian tendencies, Philip
Henry Molther began to teach in the London societies that there were no means
of grace, but Christ. They were to stand "still" before the Lord.
This "sublime theology" was contrary to "everything that Wesley
had long believed and practiced." Wesley exhorted societies to wait on the
Lord in all their ordinances (HEITZENHATER, Richard P., Ibid., p.106).
[61] HEITZENHATER, Richard P. Ibid., p. 84.
[62] Ibidem, p.45.
[64] BURTNER, Robert; CHILES, Robert. Collection
of the Theology of John Wesley, ibid., p.264.
[65] Ditto.
[66] HEITZENHATER, Richard P., Ibidem, p.104.
[67] LELIÈVRE, Mateo. John Wesley, His Life and
Work. Editora Vida, 1997, p.118.
[68] There were several societies in England.
Wesley and other leaders of the Holy Club led some, but they were not
necessarily considered Methodists (HEITZENHATER, Richard P., Ibidem, p.103
[69] Ditto.
[70] Idem, p.119.
[71] Ibidem, p.108.
[72] Ibidem, p.123.
[73] LELIÈVRE, Mateo. John Wesley, His life and
work., ibidem, p.366.
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