BBC - Religions - Christianity: Methodist Church (2024)

Introduction

The Methodist Church

John Wesley ©

The Methodist Church is the fourth largest Christian Church in Britain, after the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches and the Church of Scotland. It has more than six thousand churches and a total membership of approximately 330 000 people. There are Methodist Churches in nearly every country in the world and global membership numbers some 70 million people.

The Methodist Church is traditionally known as non-conformist because it does not conform to the rules and authority of the established Church of England.

History

History

John Wesley ©

Methodism has its roots in eighteenth century Anglicanism. Its founder was a Church of England minister, John Wesley (1703-1791), who sought to challenge the religious assumptions of the day. During a period of time in Oxford, he and others met regularly for Bible study and prayer, to receive communion and do acts of charity. They became known as 'The Holy Club' or 'Methodists' because of the methodical way in which they carried out their Christian faith. John Wesley later used the term Methodist himself to mean the methodical pursuit of biblical holiness.

In 1738 John Wesley had a profound spiritual experience. "I felt," he wrote, "my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins." The experience transformed Wesley, and inspired him to become one of the greatest preachers of all time.

Robert Colls, Professor of English History at the University of Leicester explores Methodism's belief in personal salvation: an instant change in human behaviour through intense faith.

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In Bristol in 1739 he began preaching to crowds of working class men and women in the outdoors. This 'field preaching' became a key feature of the Revival, when thousands came to hear Wesley preach up and down the country. He formed local societies of those converted and encouraged them to meet in smaller groups on a weekly basis. He insisted, though, that they attend their local parish church as well as the Methodist meetings. Every year, by horse or carriage, Wesley travelled the country visiting the societies and preaching.

Preaching radical ideas took great courage in those days. Wesley and his followers were denounced in print and from pulpits, his meetings were disrupted and he was even physically attacked and threatened with death.

John Wesley always declared that his movement should remain within the Anglican Church but the Church of England was keen to distance itself from him and his followers. He declared "I live and die a member of the Church of England". However, in 1784 he set up a structure, the Yearly Conference of the People called Methodists, to ensure the continuation of the Methodist movement after his death. In the end, the strength and impact of Methodism made a separate Methodist Church inevitable. In 1795, four years after Wesley's death, Methodists in Britain became legally able to conduct marriages and perform the sacraments.

The new church wasn't without its internal schisms. In 1808 the Methodist lay-preacher, Hugh Bourne, was expelled from the movement. He and his 200 followers became known as Primitive Methodists. They differed from Wesleyan Methodists in several regards, including the encouragement of woman evangelists. Both Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist communities grew rapidly during the 19th century. It was from among the Primitives that many Trade Union leaders emerged towards the end of the century.

Another major Methodist branch was the United Methodist Church, which itself was formed from earlier mergers of smaller Methodist groupings. It joined with the Primitive Methodists and Wesleyan Methodists in 1932 to form the present Methodist Church in Britain.

In 2003, the Methodist Church celebrated the tercentennial of the birth of John Wesley.

Structure

Structure of the Methodist Church

Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, London ©

The Methodist Church in Britain is divided into circuits, made up of local churches in a defined area. A Superintendent Minister the senior minister appointed to provide pastoral leadership to a circuit. A number of circuits make up a district. There are 33 districts in Britain. Each District has a Chair (in some regards like a Bishop in the Anglican Church) whose job is to lead the ministers and lay people in the work of preaching and worship, evangelism, pastoral care, teaching and administration. Each district has a District Synod which decides policy for that district, within the parameters laid down by the annual Conference (see below).

Individuals can relate to the Methodist Church in many ways, as they explore the Christian faith and their responses to it. The most intensive form of commitment is membership of the Methodist Church. This involves a period of training and affirmation by the local church council that the individual sincerely accepts the basis of membership of the Methodist Church. A service of confirmation and reception into membership is held. If the individual isn't baptised, the service includes baptism.

Each local church has a Church Council, which together with the minister is responsible for coordinating and leading the work or ministry of the church. However, the Methodist church describes itself as having a connexional structure. This means the whole denomination acts and makes decisions together. A local church is never independent of the rest of 'The Methodist Connexion'.

The Methodist Church in Britain is governed by the Methodist Conference which meets in June every year. The Conference is presided over by the President of Conference, a Methodist Minister, supported by a Vice President who can be a lay person or deacon. Both of these appointments are made annually.

The worldwide umbrella organisation for all Methodist Churches is the World Methodist Council, set up in 1951. Its headquarters is in North Carolina in the USA. The World Methodist Conference meets every five years in different locations around the world.

Beliefs

Beliefs and worship

Methodists stand within the Protestant tradition of the worldwide Christian Church. Their core beliefs reflect orthodox Christianity. Methodist teaching is sometimes summed up in four particular ideas known as the four alls.

1. All need to be saved - the doctrine of original sin
2. All can be saved - Universal Salvation
3. All can know they are saved - Assurance
4. All can be saved completely - Christian perfection

Methodist churches vary in their style of worship during services. The emphasis is often on Bible reading and preaching, although the sacraments are an important feature, especially the two instituted by Christ: Eucharist or Holy Communion and Baptism.

Hymn singing is a lively feature of Methodist services. The founder's brother, Charles Wesley, was a prolific hymn writer and many of his works are still sung today both in Methodist and other churches.

Ethics and current issues

Distinguishing features

For the Wesleys, works as well as faith were important in Christian life. In the early days Methodists were involved in welfare projects such as caring for the poor and prisoners. This emphasis is still apparent today.

John Wesley ©

Politics

Methodism has been linked to the formation of reformist groups and trade union movements. John Wesley's practice of encouraging working people to become lay-preachers, alongside their paid jobs, gave them valuable experience of public speaking. Later some of these went on to become trade union leaders and were instrumental in the formation of the Labour Party in the late nineteenth century.

Alcohol and gambling

John Wesley had a lot to say about personal morality. In his sermons he encouraged people to work hard and to save for the future, but also to give generously. He also warned against the dangers of gambling and drinking. At one time, ministers had to take a pledge not to drink and encouraged their congregations to do the same. The Methodist Church became involved in the Temperance Movement towards the end of the 19th century.

Nowadays, alcohol isn't allowed in Methodist Church buildings but most Methodist members consider it a matter of personal morality whether they drink or not.

Gambling was also considered inappropriate behaviour for Methodists and church leaders have often campaigned against relaxing gambling laws in Britain.

When the National Lottery was introduced in Britain in 1994, the Methodist Church refused to allow its churches to apply for lottery funding. In 1999 it relaxed its ban on lottery money. However, the church still has concerns about the national lottery scratchcards, the ease with which underage players can take part and how the good-causes money is distributed.

Evangelism and mission

Methodism has a global mission and gives special emphasis to actions which bring justice to the poor and disadvantaged, in Britain and world-wide. Included in the Church's mission is a concern for evangelism, which is developed in flexible and imaginative ways, in order to communicate the Christian gospel attractively and persuasively.

Current issues

Several attempts were made in the twentieth century to reunite the Methodist Church with its founder's own church - the Church of England. These were rejected by the Church of England's General Synod in 1972. However, dialogue and informal relations continued. In 2003 a Covenant between the two churches was signed. This affirms each church as true Christian churches, carrying out the work of God and commits each church to work more closely with the other towards full unity.

The Covenant relationship between the Methodist Church and the Church of England is one element in the Methodist Church's goal to work with a wide range of partners (the other denominations, Christian agencies, Methodist Churches in other parts of the world and secular organisations) to pursue its mission.

Summary

The Church's purpose ('Our Calling')

The Church exists to:

• Increase awareness of God's presence and celebrate God's love - Worship
• Help people to learn and grow as Christians, through mutual support and care - Learning and Caring
• Be a good neighbour to people in need and to challenge injustice - Service
• Make more followers of Jesus Christ - Evangelism

Find out more

• Charles Wesley