What Would Wesley Say II

There is much talk these days about the business of discipleship. There has rightly been an infatuation by missional churches with reaching out to and welcoming those who are far from God. In fact, whole worship movements have resulted in this question (i.e. the seeker church movement). Recently, the sands have begun to shift and churches and leading thinkers and practitioners are realizing while it is of utmost importance to reach out and welcome it is also important to be just as ferocious in discipling those persons.

I believe this shift in thinking is a shift toward what John Wesley knew all along. Wesley was adamant about the need for the gospel to be spread- especially among those that the Church of England was not reaching. Yet, as we can see with his ingenious organization of societies and classes for the purpose of discipleship he was equally concerned and passionate with helping the people called Methodists grow in their faith and grow toward renewing the image of God they were created in.

I think the move toward awareness of the need for passionate discipleship systems is really a return to what Wesley knew and practiced all along. Now, only if Wesley's descendants could capture some of that genius!