Wesleyan Church

Background to formation of The Wesleyan Church

The Wesleyan Methodist Connection was officially formed in 1843 at an organizing conference in Utica, New York, by a group of ministers and laymen splitting from the Methodist Episcopal Church. The split was primarily over their objections to slavery, though they had secondary issues as well. Orange Scott presided as the meeting formed a federation of churches at first calling themselves the Wesleyan Methodist Connection, a name chosen to emphasize the primacy of the local church, and the intended nature of the denomination as an association of churches. Other leaders at the organizing conference were LaRoy Sunderland, who had been tried and defrocked for his antislavery writings, Lucious C. Matlack, and Luther Lee, a minister who later operated an Underground Railroad station in Syracuse, New York.

The denomination sponsored traveling preachers on the frontier and into Canada, where they appealed to workingmen and farmers. Typical was Rev. James Caughey, an American sent to Ontario by the Wesleyan Methodist Church from the 1840s through 1864. He brought in the converts by the score, most notably in the revivals in Canada West 1851–53. His technique combined restrained emotionalism with a clear call for personal commitment, coupled with follow-up action to organize support from converts. It was a time when the Holiness Movement caught fire, with the revitalized interest of men and women in Christian perfection. Caughey successfully bridged the gap between the style of earlier camp meetings and the needs of more sophisticated Methodist congregations in the emerging cities.

In 1966 the denomination merged with the Alliance of Reformed Baptists of Canada and 1968 with the Pilgrim Holiness Church. It spread through revivals emphasizing a deepening experience with God called holiness or sanctification. Heart purity was a central theme. During this period of time, many small churches developed through revivals and the emphasis of sanctification (taught by John Wesley, but not emphasized by many Methodists). As many as 25 or 30 small denominations were formed and eventually merged with other groups to enlarge the church. The church was strong in missionary and revival emphasis. The merger took place in 1968 at Anderson University, Anderson, Indiana.

In addition to anti-slavery, the early Wesleyan Methodists championed the rights of women. In 1848, the Wesleyan Chapel in Seneca Falls, New York, hosted the Seneca Falls Convention, the first women's rights convention. It is commemorated by the Women's Rights National Historical Park in the village today. Luther Lee, General President in 1856, preached at the ordination service of Antoinette Brown (Blackwell), the very first woman ordained to the Christian ministry in the United States. The Alliance of Reformed Baptists of Canada ordained the very first woman to the ministry in Canada in the late 1800s. At General Conference in 1867, a resolution was adopted favoring the right of women to vote (as well as the right of freedmen—blacks). This was 44 years before the US constitution was amended to ensure women voting privileges.

Beliefs

The Wesleyan Church believes in the following core values:

Biblical authority

Christlikeness

Disciple-making

Local church-centered

Servant leadership

Unity in diversity

In addition, they believe in the following articles of religion:

1. Faith in the Holy Trinity
3. This article states belief in one true God, united in three persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
4. The Father
5. This article emphasizes that God the Father created all things, and all humans are created in the image of God.
6. This article also asserts that God loves people, seeks out, and receives penitent sinners.
7. The Son of God
   This article indicates the following beliefs:
8. Jesus Christ is the Son of God
9. Conceived by the Holy Spirit
10. Born of the Virgin Mary
11. Truly God and truly man
12. He died on the cross and was buried
    Note the assertion of Jesus' physical death prior to burial
13. As a sacrifice both for original sin and all human transgression
14. and to reconcile us to God
15. He was raised bodily from the dead
16. He ascended into heaven
17. He intercedes at the Father's right hand
18. Until he returns
19. to judge all humanity
20. The Holy Spirit
    This article asserts the Holy Spirit's role as paraclete, administering grace to all,
    Note the assertion in particular in conviction of sin, in regeneration, in sanctification, and in glorification.
21. The sufficiency and full authority of the Holy Scriptures for salvation
    This article asserts the following beliefs:
22. Sola scriptura
23. Biblical infallibility
24. Biblical inerrancy, including sufficiency in all things necessary for salvation.
25. Biblical authority
26. The Bible has been transmitted to the present without corruption of any essential doctrine.
27. Christ is the sole mediator between God and humanity
    This directly negates Marian devotions, Intercession of saints, and Worship of angels
    This also directly negates teaching of any other path to God through other religions
28. This article explicitly lists the 66 books accepted as biblical canon by The Wesleyan Church
    This is the same list traditionally accepted by the majority of Protestant denominations, and excludes deuterocanonical and apocryphal texts
29. God's Purpose for Humanity
    This article asserts that everyone should order their entire lives around what Jesus identified as the two greatest commandments (Matt. 22: 36 - 40):
30. Love the Lord your God with all your heart (Deut. 6:5)
31. Love your neighbor as yourself (Lev. 19:18)
32. Marriage and the Family
33. Reasserts that man is made in the image of God
34. Asserts marriage as designed by God as a metaphor for God's relationship with His covenant people
35. Asserts chastity before marriage, fidelity within marriage
36. Asserts marriages only between one man and one woman
37. Asserts marriage as the intended structure for bearing and raising children
38. No indication is given in the article of any gender hierarchy in marriage
    Rather, it is asserted that both partners submit themselves to the larger whole
39. Personal Choice
40. Asserts individual choice in making moral decisions. Thus asserts the Arminian belief in free will and opposes the Calvinist belief in predestination
41. Asserts that free will also implies moral responsibility for the choices we make
42. Asserts that after the fall, humans cannot choose right on their own. This view of total depravity is common to Arminian tradition
43. Asserts that every person receives prevenient grace, allowing each to choose salvation
    This Arminian doctrine that the individual chooses salvation is opposed to the Calvinist doctrine of irresistible grace
44. The Atonement
45. Asserts the Arminian view that Christ's crucifixion allows redemption for the whole world
    This doctrine negates the Calvinist doctrine of limited atonement
46. Asserts the Protestant belief in solus Christus, that salvation is only found in Christ's death and resurrection
47. Asserts that the atonement covers those who mentally cannot choose salvation
48. Individuals who are mentally accountable must accept the gift of salvation of their own free will
49. Repentance and Faith
50. Affirms that salvation is by grace alone but must be accepted by the believer. Denies the Calvinist view of unconditional election.
51. Affirms that repentance precedes saving faith
52. Affirms that faith is the only condition for salvation. Directly negates any need for good works to attain salvation. Does not negate good works as evidence of salvation.
53. Affirms that saving faith publicly acknowledges Christ as Lord
54. Affirms that the saved will identify with the church
55. Justification, Regeneration, and Adoption
56. Asserts that when one repents and has saving faith in Christ, in that same moment that person is:
57. Justified- Granted full pardon for all sin, guilt, and penalty of sins.
58. Regenerated- Reborn spiritual life in Christ with a distinct capacity for love and obedience to God.
59. Adopted- Given full rights, privileges, and responsibilities of a child of God.
60. Good Works
61. Reaffirms that salvation is by faith alone
62. Affirms that good works are evidence of salvation
63. Sin after Regeneration
64. Affirms it is possible for a believer to sin after regeneration in salvation.
65. Affirms there is grace and forgiveness for repentant believers.
66. Sanctification
67. Initial- The work of the Holy Spirit in the moment of conversion in a new believer to be separated from sin to God.
68. Progressive- The continual work of the Holy Spirit to grow the believer in love and more perfect obedience.
69. Entire- The perfecting of the believer in love and empowerment for service. It follows in lifelong growth in grace and knowledge.
70. The Gifts of the Spirit
71. Asserts that the Holy Spirit gives gifts to people, for the benefit of the Church, but that the Holy Spirit himself is the most desirable gift.
72. The Church
73. The Christian Church is the entire body of believers (both living and those died and in heaven). Jesus Christ is the founder and only head of the Church. The Church is called to preach the Word of God, administer the sacraments, and live in obedience to Christ. A local church is a body of believers formally organized for the purposes of evangelism, discipleship, and worship. The Wesleyan Church is a denomination within the greater Church.
74. The Sacraments
75. Baptism
76. Baptism is a sacrament commanded by our Lord and administered to believers. It works as a symbol and as part of the new covenant of grace.
77. The Lord's Supper
78. the Lord's Supper is a sacrament of our redemption by Christ's death, our hope in his return, and a sign of Christian love for one another.
79. The Second Coming of Christ
80. Asserts that Christ will return, fulfilling numerous biblical prophecies
81. Asserts that this certain event should inspire proper living and evangelization
82. The Resurrection of the Dead
83. Asserts that all will be raised from dead at Christ's return
84. Asserts damnation for the lost and life for the saved
85. Asserts that the resurrection body will be a spiritual body, but still personally recognizable
86. The judgment of All Persons
87. Asserts a final judgment for all humans before God, regardless of the individual's beliefs
88. Asserts God's omniscience and eternal justice
89. Destiny
90. Asserts that Scripture teaches there is life after death, and the fate of each person is determined by God's grace and their individual response, evidenced through moral character rather than arbitrary decree of God. Heaven and Christ's presence is the place for those who choose God's salvation given through Christ, but hell and separation from Christ is the resulting place for those who neglect the great salvation.

Organizations and relations

Local churches are organized into a network of districts with equal representation of clergy and laity at their annual conferences. Each has an elected administrator known as the district superintendent and has a district board of administration with both lay and clergy serving. National and multi-national networks are called general conferences with strong national leadership and meet every four years. The North American General Conference has one General Superintendent, Dr. Jo Anne Lyon. An ordained Wesleyan minister, Dr. Lyon is the founder of World Hope International, the official Christian relief and development partner of The Wesleyan Church.

Currently, general conferences exist in the Philippines, the Caribbean, and North America, though The Wesleyan Church has recently begun a process of "internationalization" in which areas and regions of the world have the opportunity to form their own general conferences. Though it is too early to predict which general conferences will be formed in the coming years, the eventual shift is inevitable. The overarching goal of the internationalization process is to create a global network of partnership and not a "top-down" leadership structure within the worldwide church.

Official names by region

According to the 2012 Wesleyan Church Discipline, the official name of the denomination is The Wesleyan Church. However, different names may be used by different units of the church for practicality and localization. The following are the official names of the denomination, for the various organizational units:

Australia: The Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia

Bougainville: The Wesleyan Methodist Church of Bougainville

Brazil: Igreja Evangélica Wesleyana

British Isles: The Wesleyan Holiness Church

Cambodia: 'The Wesleyan Church of Cambodia'

Caribbean: The Wesleyan Holiness Church of the Caribbean

Chile: Ministerio Evangelistico y Misionero “Cristo es la Unica Respuesta”

Colombia: La Iglesia Wesleyana de Colombia

Costa Rica: Iglesia Wesleyana Internacional de Costa Rica

Egypt: The Standard Wesleyan Church

Ghana: The Standard Wesleyan Church

Guyana: The Wesleyan Church

Haiti: L’Eglise Wesleyenne d’Haiti

Honduras: Mision Methodista Sión

India, Central: The Wesleyan Methodist Church of Central India

India, East: The Wesleyan Methodist Church of East India

India, Western: The Wesleyan Methodist Church of Western India

Indonesia: Gereja Wesleyan Indonesia (GWI)

Liberia: The Wesleyan Church of Liberia

Mexico: Iglesia Metodista de Mexico

Mozambique: Igreja Emmanuel Evangelica Wesleyana

Myanmar: The Wesleyan Methodist Church

New Zealand: Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand

Nicaragua: Asociación Mundial de Iglesias Wesleyanas de Nicaragua

Pakistan: The Wesleyan Church in Pakistan

Panamá: Iglesia Cristiana Wesleyana de Panamá

Peru: Iglesia Wesleyana Peregrina

Philippines: The Wesleyan Church of the Philippines

Puerto Rico: Iglesia Evangélica Wesleyana

Sierra Leone: The Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone

South Korea: Jesus Korea Wesleyan Church

South Africa: The Wesleyan Church of Southern Africa

Suriname: De Wesleyaanse Gemeente

Tonga: Free Wesleyan Church

United States and Canada: The Wesleyan Church

Venezuela: Iglesia Evangélica Wesleyana

Zambia: Pilgrim Wesleyan Church of Zambia

Zimbabwe: The Wesleyan Church

Sister denominations and fraternal relations

The Wesleyan Church is a part of the holiness movement, and as such, follows many of the same teachings as similar denominations that follow Wesleyan traditions. At times in its history, it has sought merger with both the Church of the Nazarene and the Free Methodist Church, both of which practice very similar doctrine.

The Wesleyan Church is a member of the following organizations:

Christian Holiness Partnership

National Association of Evangelicals

World Methodist Council

Theological seminaries

Wesley Biblical Seminary (Mississippi)

Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University (Indiana)

Universities, colleges, and schools in the U.S. and Canada

Kingswood University (New Brunswick)

Houghton College (New York)

Indiana Wesleyan University (Indiana)

Oklahoma Wesleyan University (Oklahoma)

Southern Wesleyan University (South Carolina)

Wesleyan Seminary (Indiana)

Wesleyan Publishing House

The Wesleyan Church runs its own publishing house located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Its mission is to "be a leader in communicating the message of holiness through the publication of quality resources for local churches and ministries around the world."

Districts within the United States and Canada

The Wesleyan Church in North America is organized in the following 32 districts:

Atlantic (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the US state of Maine)

Central Canada (Central and Western Canada)

Central New York

Chesapeake

East Michigan

Eastern New York/New England

Florida

Greater Ohio

Illinois

Indiana Central

Indiana North

Indiana South

Iowa-Minnesota

Kansas

Kentucky

Mountain Plains (Colorado/Nebraska)

North Carolina East

North Carolina West

North Michigan

Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming)

Pacific Southwest (California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Hawaii)

Penn-Jersey

Shenandoah (Virginia and West Virginia)

South Carolina

South Coastal (Georgia, Alabama, and much of Mississippi)

Tennessee

Texas-Louisiana

Tri-State (Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri)

West Michigan

Western New York

Western Pennsylvania

Wisconsin

Academics

Keith Drury - prolific writer and Professor of Religion at Indiana Wesleyan University

Donald W. Dayton - theologian and historian of American Evangelicalism, particularly holiness, Pentecostal, and Methodist groups.

Joseph R. Dongell - Professor of Biblical Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary, and author or co-author of books such as John: A Bible Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition and Why I Am not a Calvinist (co-authored with Jerry L. Walls).

Ronald Enroth - Christian author and professor of Sociology at Westmont College, and graduate of Houghton College

Ken Schenck - New Testament scholar, currently serving as dean of Wesley Seminary

Everett Piper - President, Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Richard Eckley - Professor of Theology at Houghton College

Athletes

Erik Lefebvre - goalkeeper for the Charlotte Eagles football team, formerly played for Houghton College

Brandon Beachy - pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, Major League Baseball team, formerly played for Indiana Wesleyan University

Authors

Todd Burpo, pastor and author of Heaven Is for Real

Kevin Myers, pastor and author of Home Run

Clergy

Rev. Adam Crooks - early Wesleyan Methodist minister, responsible for a number of early church plants in the denomination

John C. Maxwell - prolific writer and former senior pastor at Skyline Church, currently serving as a member of Indiana Wesleyan University's board of trustees

Rev. Orange Scott - president of the convention that formed the Wesleyan Methodist Connexion, which eventually became the Wesleyan Church

Dan Seaborn - founder of the What Would Jesus Do movement, and frequent speaker at Promise Keepers rallies

Politicians

Neil MacBride - United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and magna cum laude graduate of Houghton College

Kurt Bahr - State Representative, Missouri District 102, and magna cum laude graduate of Oklahoma Wesleyan University.

Ken Buck - US House of Representatives, Colorado District 4.

Scientists and inventors

Ira Sprague Bowen - United States astronomer, and alumnus of Houghton College; discovered the true nature of nebulium

Douglas Comer - writer and professor and graduate of Houghton College involved in early development of the internet

Thomas Bramwell Welch - developed a pasteurization process to prevent grapes from fermenting, thus creating grape juice instead of wine

Singers and musicians

Wilfred Conwell Bain - University level music school administrator and opera theater director, former head of music departments at both Southern Wesleyan University and Houghton College

Dr. Eric Nelson - American music clinician, conductor, and composer, and graduate of Houghton College

David Ott - American composer and former faculty member of Houghton College

George Beverly Shea - acclaimed singer and hymn composer who often performed with the Billy Graham crusades