Wesleyan Distinctives - Worship Roundtable: Part 1

Two weeks ago, I asked What are the distinctive marks of worship in the Wesleyan tradition? Thanks to each of you who commented and responded on that post. That post was in preparation for a conversation of which I was a part that took place about worship at Resurrection and what it might look like in the future and how it might change. Look for more notes from this worship conversation tomorrow.

I was charged with presenting a short piece about Wesleyan worship for this conversation. With primary input from Kevin Watson and this post, here is what I presented. I tried to present chronologically portions of the Wesleyan revival that may have influence worship:

Wesleyan Worship

Accountability

1. Holy club emerged at Oxford around 1729

Love Feast

1. In the early 1730's John Wesley traveled to Georgia

2. Impressed by the faith of the Moravians

3. Love feast was a specific service based on fellowship and testimony of how God has been at work in the life of those in the congregation

Field preaching

1. March 1739

2. Witnessed George Whitefield preaching in the field

3. "I should have thought the saving of souls almost a sin if it had not been done in a church..."

4. April 1, 1739 - "Submitted to be more vile" by preaching outdoors

Societies

1. Revival within the Church of England

2. Preaching, singing, and testimony

Singing great hymns

1. Charles Wesley was a writer of thousands of hymns

2. Singing was done in a way that speaks to the people singing them

Communion

1. Methodism spread to America

2. Revolutionary War broke ties with Church of England

3. Wesley sees the sacraments as so important that he ordains Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury to be overseers of the movement in America.