Wesley, John

<<preacher and founder of Methodism>>

The prayers of his mother, Susanna and her intense spiritual instruction helped shape his young life.

In both Great Britain and North America John (1703-1791) helped organise small Christian groups that practiced regular religious instruction and discipleship methods with intense and personal accountability.

Along with his brother Charles Wesley (1707-1788), who wrote many hymns, and George Whitefield (1714-1770), an English clergyman, they founded the Methodist church which became renowned for personal and social holiness. His work and writing played a major role in the formation of the Holiness Movement and Pentecostalism. Working with his friends John Newton and William Wilberforce he was also instrumental in prison reform and the abolishing of slavery.

John Wesley stated: “Prayer is where the action is’, [because] ‘God does nothing except in response to believing prayer’.

See also: holiness movement, influential Christians, Pentecost, Whitefield/George.