A Methodist Way of Life

Learning and Caring

As we engage with the challenges of being the Church in the contemporary world we draw inspiration from our Methodist tradition, going back to our roots found in the faith and practice of John Wesley. Running through all that Wesley said and did there is a strong and pervasive spirit of generosity.

The generous spirit to which we must remain true if we are to be worthy of the name of Methodist is firmly based in Wesley’s theology. The ‘Arminian’ emphasis in Wesleyan theology takes its name from the teaching of Jacob Arminius who insisted that God has given human beings free will and that Jesus died so that anyone who chose to respond with faith could have salvation. This theological principle was expressed in Wesley’s joyous insistence that all can be saved.

The generous love of God was celebrated also in the hymns of Charles Wesley which provided such an important part of the foundations of Methodism through verses such as;

Your sovereign grace to all extends, 

immense and unconfined;

from age to age it never ends; 

enfolds all humankind. (StF 436)

The giving of ourselves in response to this gracious giving of our generous God – reflected in the Covenant Service – is at the heart of Methodist spirituality, which for both John and Charles Wesley was founded firmly on scripture.

For example, Paul writes in Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” This is notable for what comes before it and for what it leads on to. Paul’s ‘therefore’ follows from his outburst of praise at the

We can also see the basis of generosity in Romans 11 where Paul asks, “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” And the ends verse 1 of Romans 12 by telling us that giving ourselves is, as the NIV translation puts it, “your true and proper worship”.

Fred Kann captures the link between worship and service in his communion hymn

Let us talents and tongues employ,

reaching out with a shout of joy:

bread is broken, the wine is poured,

Christ is spoken and seen and heard.

Jesus lives again; earth can breathe again.

Pass the Word around: loaves abound!

Christ is able to make us one,

at his table he set the tone,

teaching people to live to bless,

love in word and in deed express.

Jesus lives again; earth can breathe again.

Pass the Word around: loaves abound!

Jesus calls us in, sends us out

bearing fruit in a world of doubt,

gives us love to tell, bread to share:

God (Immanuel) everywhere!

Jesus lives again; earth can breathe again.

Pass the Word around: loaves abound!