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History and Impact of Methodism

The document provides a history of Methodism from its founding by John Wesley in the 18th century in England to its spread and development in other parts of the world, including the United States, Philippines, and South Africa. Some key points include: - John Wesley founded Methodism seeking to reform the Church of England and spread scriptural holiness. - Methodism grew rapidly in America led by circuit riders preaching on the frontier. It faced schisms over race and slavery, forming several denominations. - Methodism came to the Philippines with American occupation in 1898 and the first Methodist church was established. - Mt. Pisgah Methodist Church in the Philippines today runs various ministries and

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Eli Salvio
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35 views4 pages

History and Impact of Methodism

The document provides a history of Methodism from its founding by John Wesley in the 18th century in England to its spread and development in other parts of the world, including the United States, Philippines, and South Africa. Some key points include: - John Wesley founded Methodism seeking to reform the Church of England and spread scriptural holiness. - Methodism grew rapidly in America led by circuit riders preaching on the frontier. It faced schisms over race and slavery, forming several denominations. - Methodism came to the Philippines with American occupation in 1898 and the first Methodist church was established. - Mt. Pisgah Methodist Church in the Philippines today runs various ministries and

Uploaded by

Eli Salvio
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Noel S.

Cua
Administrative Pastor
Mt. Pisgah Methodist Church
09088646138
ptrcua@[Link]

Methodism- is a movement founded by John Wesley an Anglican Priest that


sought to reform the church of England. John Wesley was born in 1703, educated
in London and Oxford, and ordained a deacon in the Church of England in 1725.
His father was a rector of Epworth. Wesley was ordained a priest in the church of
England in 1728. Back in Oxford he joined his brother Charles and a group of
earnest students who were dedicated to frequent attendance at the Holy
Communion, serious study of the Bible, and regular visitation to the filthy Oxford
prisons. The members of this group, which Wesley came to lead, were known as
Methodist because of their “methodical” devotion and study.
In 1735, at the invitation of the founder of the colony of Georgia, James Edward
Oglethorpe, both John and Charles Wesley set out for the Colony to be pastors to
the colonists and missionaries. Unsuccessful to their pastoral work and having
done no missionary work, the brother returned to England conscious of their lack
of Christian faith.
John Wesley noted in his journal that at a Moravian service on May 24, 1738, he
“felt” his heart strangely warmed”; he continued, “I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ
alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my
sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.
Charles Wesley had reported a similar experience a few days previously.
Some months later, George Whitefield, also an Anglican clergyman who had
undergone a conversion experience, invited his friend John Wesley to come to the
city of Bristol to preach to the colliers of Kings-wood Chase who lived and worked
in the most debased conditions. Wesley accepted the invitation and found
himself, much against his will, preaching in the open air. The enterprise was the
beginning of the Methodist Revival.
Under the leadership of Whitefield and then of Wesley, the movement grew
rapidly among those who felt neglected by the Church of England. Later they
separated over Whitefield’s belief in double predestination (the belief that God
has determined from eternity whom he will save and whom he will damn) Wesley
regarded this as an erroneous doctrine and insisted that the love of God is
universal.
Wesley’s helpers included only a few ordained clergymen and his brother Charles,
who wrote more than 6000 hymns to express the message of the revival. In spite
of Wesley’s wish that the Methodist society would never leave the Church of
England, relations with Anglican were often strained.

America:
Methodism was introduced into America by Irish immigrants who had been
converted by John Wesley. Wesley also sent preachers, the most successful of
whom was Francis Asbury a blacksmith, who arrived in 1771. He adapted
Wesley’s principles to the needs of the settled communities and of the frontier,
but unlike Wesley, Asbury supported the American revolution and the new
republic. Despite this difference, Wesley sent the presbyters he ordained along
with Thomas Coke as superintendent to help Asbury in 1784. In the same year,
the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized, and Asbury and Coke allowed
themselves to be called bishops.
During the next 50 years the church made remarkable advances led by the circuit
riders who preach to the people on the frontier in simple terms. At the same
time, the church faced schism over issues of race and slavery.
The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (1821) and the African Methodist
Episcopal Church (1816) were formed because of the racial prejudice experienced
by African American in the Methodist Episcopal Church
The slavery issue split the Methodist Church into two bodies: the Methodist
Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church South (organized in 1845).
A third church formed as a result of the slavery question, the all African American
Colored (now “Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (1870), split from the
Southern Methodist church. After the civil war the two main churches grew
rapidly and gradually became assimilated to the general pattern of Protestantism.
When it was clear that the old issues no longer divided them, they began to move
together. But it was not until 1939 that they formed the Methodist Church, which
the smaller Methodist Protestant Church (established 1830) also joined.
In 1939 the Central Jurisdiction was formed for all African American members of
the church. It was one of six jurisdiction-administrative units responsible for
electing bishops-of the church and the only racial jurisdiction. Unlike the other
jurisdiction, which was determined by geography, the Central Jurisdiction was
shaped by race, which resulted in a segregated organizational structure and kept
white and black Methodist apart. The Central Jurisdiction was also plagued by a
lack of resources and the challenge of administering an excessively large
geographic area. The Central jurisdiction was abolished in 1968, and African
American Methodist were integrated into the larger church.
The originally German-speaking Evangelical United Brethren Church, itself a union
of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ and the Evangelical Church, was
united with the Methodist Church in 1968 to form the United Methodist Church.
Philippines:
Methodism came with the Americans along with a new system of education and
government. This new Christian faith offered the Bible and a dynamic and
personal way of relating to God. When the American occupation force landed in
Manila, “the first Methodist service took place in Intramuros, Manila. Rev. George
Stull, a Methodist pastor serving as chaplain of the First Montana Volunteers held
a worship service on August 28, 1898 in a dungeon in Fort Santiago with several
American Soldiers and a few Filipino in attendance.
March 5,1898 The first Methodist service was held in Teatro Filipino. This was
arranged by Arthur Prautch with Bishop James M. Thoburn preaching. Bishop
Thoburn organized this group into the first Methodist congregation in the
Philippines.
June/August 1899: the first all Filipino Methodist congregation was organized in
the Soldiers and Sailors Institute. In June 1899 a group of Filipinos mostly Masons
requested for worship services for the Filipinos. More than 100 came during the
first two Sundays. During the third and fourth Sunday Nicolas Zamora started
preaching when the interpreter did not come.
August 1899 marked the beginning of Nicolas Zamora’s ministry to the Filipino
congregation.
The Methodist Episcopal Church in the Philippines was organized in 1900 as a
district of the Malaya Annual Conference that was then under the Central
Conference of Southern Asia, India. It was called the Philippine Islands District
Conference.
Knox Memorial Methodist Church can claim to be the first all Filipino Methodist
Church because it was organized at the turn of the century, basically for the
Filipino church goers.

Church Ministries:
Church Ministries:
Are participated both by the clergy and the lay. Committees are formed to look
into the specific areas of ministry focus. Prayer Meeting, Bible Study, Sunday
School, Worship and Visitation are the basic ministries of the church. Clergy and
lay people undergo seminars and trainings to equipped them in the ministry.

Outreach Program:
We have three mission points namely Akap-Kids in Duplex, Vista Verde Mission
and Georgetown. These mission points consist of marginalized communities in the
barangays of Molino and Mambog, Bacoor Cavite. We do outreach program to
share the love and salvation of God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and
for the transformation of society. The church also provides scholarship program
to some indigent or poor individual in the community. As disciple of Jesus Christ
our mandate is to preached the Gospel of Salvation for all people.
Our biggest challenge are committed people thar are willing to participate in our
outreach program specially the youth of our church.

Common questions

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John Wesley's and George Whitefield's theological differences, notably over the concept of double predestination, significantly impacted the Methodist movement. Whitefield believed in double predestination, the doctrine that God has predetermined those who will be saved and those who will be damned, whereas Wesley rejected this belief, insisting on the universality of God's love. This theological disagreement led to their separation, with Wesley leading a movement that emphasized universal redemption .

Missions played a crucial role in the early spread of Methodism in the Philippines by establishing congregations and providing the foundation for future growth. The first Methodist service conducted by Rev. George Stull in 1898 marked the beginning of Methodist congregational activities. Bishop James M. Thoburn's sermon in March 1898 further organized these efforts into a structured congregation. Missions contributed to the local adaptation of Methodism as seen in the organizing of the first all-Filipino congregation later in 1899, catalyzing local leadership and grassroots growth .

The key factors leading to the reunification of Methodist denominations in America by 1939 include the gradual assimilation into mainstream Protestantism and the realization that old contentious issues no longer needed division. After the Civil War, both the Northern and Southern Methodist branches experienced growth and began to align more closely with broader Protestant trends. When it became apparent that doctrinal and institutional differences had subdued, the Methodist Episcopal Church North and South, and the Methodist Protestant Church, merged to form the Methodist Church, overcoming past divisions over slavery and administration .

The formation of different Methodist denominations in America during the 19th century was primarily due to racial prejudice and the issue of slavery. The Methodist Episcopal Church experienced schisms resulting in the formation of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in 1821 and the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1816 due to racial prejudices faced by African Americans. Additionally, the slavery debate led to the split of the Methodist Church into the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church South in 1845. A third denomination, the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (originally called Colored Methodist Episcopal Church), was formed in 1870 as a result of the slavery question .

Wesley’s experience at the Moravian service, where he felt his heart 'strangely warmed,' profoundly influenced his theological outlook, marking a personal assurance of faith and salvation. This experience led him to emphasize personal religious experiences and the assurance of faith in Christ alone for salvation. This assurance became a cornerstone of his teachings and the Methodist movement, emphasizing salvation by faith and personal transformation .

Francis Asbury adapted John Wesley’s principles for the American context by addressing the needs of both settled communities and frontier territories. Unlike Wesley, Asbury supported the American Revolution and the new republic, aligning Methodism with American patriotism. He became instrumental in the development of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1784, collaborating with Thomas Coke. Asbury's use of circuit riders to reach frontier populations in plain terms further demonstrates his adaptation to the American cultural and geographical landscape .

The Methodist Episcopal Church in the Philippines contributed to local religious practices by introducing a dynamic and personal way of relating to God, distinct from traditional Roman Catholic practices. It aligned with a new system of education and governance brought by American occupation, fostering a new Christian understanding and social ethics. Methodist services and outreach programs facilitated local community engagement and education, but also contributed through charitable actions such as scholarships for indigent individuals, reflecting a broader Christian educational and social ministry .

The primary focuses of the church ministries outlined by the Methodist Episcopal Church in the Philippines include Prayer Meetings, Bible Study, Sunday School, regular Worship, and Visitation. These ministries involve both clergy and lay participation, with committees formed to concentrate on specific ministry areas. They aim to equip participants through seminars and training, emphasizing community outreach programs, particularly targeting marginalized communities to promote societal transformation through the Gospel .

Charles Wesley significantly influenced the Methodist movement through his prolific hymn writing, composing over 6000 hymns that articulated the theological messages of the revival. His hymns contributed to the spread and emotional appeal of Methodism, enhancing worship services and helping to convey Methodist doctrines and religious fervor in an accessible manner. This creative endeavor supported the movement's emphasis on personal religious experience and community singing .

The Central Jurisdiction faced several challenges after its formation in 1939, such as a lack of resources and the difficulty of administering a large geographic area. Additionally, it was the only jurisdiction determined by race rather than geography, perpetuating segregation within the Methodist organizational structure and keeping white and black members apart. These issues underscore the tensions within the church regarding racial integration and equality, until the Central Jurisdiction was abolished in 1968 to integrate African American members into the larger church structure .

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