The Methodist Class Meeting
Running head: THE METHODIST CLASS MEETING
The Methodist Class Meeting:
Principles of Spiritual Formation and
Application to Christian Discipleship
Steven H. Guptill
June 1, 2010
1
The Methodist Class Meeting
2
The Methodist Class Meeting: Principles of Spiritual Formation and
Application to Christian Discipleship
Introduction
With the development and implementation of the class meeting in the Methodist Societies
of England in the 1740s, John Wesley began a revolution in Christian discipleship and education.
Having experimented with many types of small group gatherings throughout the early phases of
his ministry, Wesley found a system of interlocking meetings that effectively met the spiritual
needs of his generation. With the religious climate of the Great Awakening as his backdrop,
Wesley and his lay leadership introduced thousands of new converts to the Christian faith into a
practical discipleship and education model that lasted well beyond his death in the 1791. At the
beginning of the nineteenth century, the membership Methodist Societies grew to over 85,000
people in Great Britain, with the large majority of the society members actively involved in the
class meeting system. While this number represented about one percent of the total population of
England, the influence of this discipleship program was felt around the Western world for
generations, including the United States.
Wesley’s spiritual influences, as well as the development and workings of the class
meeting will be discussed. The principles of faith formation and discipleship that Wesley and his
leaders utilized in this discipleship program will be analyzed. These concepts include: the use of
interlocking groups, individualized pastoral care, accountability, evangelism, member visitation,
requirements of membership and expulsions, and the development and training of lay leadership.
The application of these foundational principles of Christian spiritual growth will be discussed in
relation to the 21st century American church and culture.
The Methodist Class Meeting
3
The Formation of Wesley’s Burden for Christian Discipleship
Early Influences
John Wesley was born into a large English family in 1703. His father Samuel was
an Anglican parish priest and biblical scholar. His mother Susanna Wesley came from more of
an evangelical background, having grown up in the home of a Puritan minister (Ayling, 1979,
22). Education was a priority in the Wesley household, with father Samuel handling the teaching
of the classical languages and the Bible. Susanna would look after her children’s personal
development, dedicating time each week to assess the spiritual progress of each of her seventeen
children. John looked forward to spending time with his mother in an informal atmosphere,
where he could ask questions and be lovingly instructed. Susanna would also hold “unofficial”
small group meetings in the rectory kitchen in Epworth on Sunday afternoons. People would
come from miles around to hear Susanna teach the Bible and for warm Christian fellowship
(Ayling, 26). It was in this environment of both the scholarly atmosphere of learning of his father
and the heartfelt Christian devotion of his mother in which John was raised. Both the “head” and
the “heart” aspects of the faith would play important roles in the discipleship system that Wesley
would later develop.
Beginnings of Ministry and the Holy Club
Wesley began to study for the ordained ministry at the age of twenty-one, at the urging of
his father. As the gravity and seriousness of the priesthood loomed before him, John began to
take a serious look at his spiritual life. He realized that his efforts at his own personal religious
walk were not up to the level of a professional minister. This concerned him greatly, and he
began to devote more time to prayer and Bible study. He developed and maintained a regimen of
The Methodist Class Meeting
4
spiritual practices, such as mediation, self-examination, and accountability to others (Ayling,
1979, 32). It would be this “methodical” approach to personal spirituality that would greatly
influence his small group and educational philosophies.
After his graduation and ordination into the Anglican priesthood, Wesley returned to
Oxford in 1729 to tutor a group of undergraduates. His goal was to monitor and assist these
college-age adults in both their academic and spiritual lives. His disciplined approach to life soon
influenced the group, as they began regular meetings together to share their spiritual progress,
read the Bible, and partake of the sacraments. Wesley took this small group concept to the next
level – he began to search out ways where the members could participate in ministry outside of
the confines of the college atmosphere. They began to visit the sick, participated in prison
ministries, and also helped people with financial needs (Watson, 1985, 43). As the group became
well known on campus, they were dubbed “The Holy Club” because of their interest in personal
holiness and social ministry. It was during this time that Wesley saw not only the power of small
group accountability, but also the application of social ministry for personal spiritual growth in
the members of his group.
The American Mission
In 1735, John Wesley accepted a mission to the American colony of Georgia. His original
goal was to evangelize the Native Americans, but he soon found this ministry did not produce
the spiritual fruit that he had hoped (Ross & Stacy). He instead worked with the people of the
colony as their pastor. With the experiences of the small group from Oxford still fresh in his
mind, Wesley developed a version of his Holy Club in the churches of his parish. Since his
The Methodist Class Meeting
5
congregation was now composed of people from all spiritual backgrounds and maturity levels, he
would have to modify his original plan to accommodate this new mission field.
The first issue he faced with his new small groups was that he had to integrate them into
the current congregations in his parish. The college version of his meetings did not answer
directly to a church per se, which offered them great liberty in operation. On the ground in
Georgia, he realized that whatever groups were formed would have to be strongly tied into the
mother church for the sake of unity and cohesion. Wesley did not want to create separate entities
that were distinct from the church, but rather he wanted to integrate the entire congregation into
the small group program. He felt this would deepen the spirituality of the church, while
maintaining congregational unity. This concept of church unity and empowered small groups
would be a standard Methodist philosophy for the next several decades in his ministry (Watson,
1985, 17).
Since he was no longer ministering in the halls of academia, but rather on the American
frontier, another issue he faced was that his groups would have to be graded based on a personal
progress. Aside from the regular meetings he developed for the congregation at large, he began
to invite certain church members to his home on Sunday afternoons. These were the people that
Wesley felt had leadership potential and were very interested in their own personal spiritual
development. It was in these informal gatherings that Wesley could train future leaders and share
his vision for the ministry. These meetings would provide a relaxed atmosphere where personal
sharing and accountability could be accomplished at a high spiritual level. He would also gather
one or two members at a time so he could personally instruct and focus in on their particular
needs. Wesley would use this idea of a graded system of small groups extensively as the
Methodist movement began to grow in England in the 1740s.
The Methodist Class Meeting
6
Other Spiritual Influences that Shaped Wesley’s Educational Philosophy
Baron de Renty
Samuel Wesley introduced his son John to the writings of the 17th century French
Catholic named Baron de Renty. De Renty was interested in a life of Christian humility and
faith, service to the poor, and the introspective study of one’s spiritual life and condition
([NNU]). One of the most significant influences that de Renty had on Wesley was the practice of
meeting in small groups for devotional reading, prayer, and the discussion of personal religious
experiences (Henderson, 1997, 49). De Renty’s heartfelt Christianity, along with the life he lived
of humble service and personal holiness, would inspire John to reach new levels with his own
commitment to God. Wesley would refer to de Renty’s techniques for living out the Christian
life throughout his ministerial career. The class meeting system that he would later develop
would be used as a tool to help members live out their Christianity and to develop personal
holiness.
The Moravians
On his trip to America, along with his later return to England, Wesley would become
very interested in the theology and practices of the Moravians. The Moravians were an
evangelical sect of Christianity that developed in pre-reformational Europe in the 1400s. The
Moravians believed in free justification by God’s grace through faith, and that the inner witness
of the Holy Spirit will confirm one’s identify as a “born again” Christian ([MCNA]). Due to
continued persecution in Europe, the Moravians attempted to establish a colony in Georgia in
1735 that would allow them to practice their religion in freedom. It was on the voyage to
The Methodist Class Meeting
7
America that Wesley began to interact and develop friendships with the Moravian leadership.
John was impressed by the Moravian’s spiritual dedication and fortitude. During the voyage, a
violent storm arose that would terrify all the English passengers. The German Moravians,
however, showed a spiritual peace during this frightful circumstance that Wesley felt he did not
personally possess (Ross & Stacy). He continued his friendships with the Moravians through his
time in America and later in Europe. Wesley would come to his Moravian friends not in the role
of teacher, but as a student, attempting to learn the spiritual ways of this group and to seek
advice. It was during his time in America that he was also introduced to the concept of the
Moravian band. The band was a small group of believers that could openly discuss the spiritual
issues and the trials they faced in an informal and intimate atmosphere. The group’s purpose was
to encourage and edify the members through mutual accountability, prayer, and spiritual support
(Watson, 1985, 80).
Upon his return to Europe from his American mission, Wesley was seriously considering
joining the Moravians. He was disillusioned with his spiritual life, and he felt his mission to
America was unsuccessful. On May 24, 1738, Wesley attended a Moravian meeting in London at
the Aldersgate Street Chapel. It was here that God did something in the spirit of this man that
would change his life forever. In his personal journal of that day, Wesley recorded:
In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one
was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before
nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through
faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. 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. ([CCEL], May 24,
1738).
The Methodist Class Meeting
8
This encounter with God not only gave Wesley the assurance of his salvation which he
had doubted, but re-energized his personal ministry. Although Wesley would eventually leave
the Moravian fellowship over the uneasiness he felt with some of their doctrine, their influence
helped guide him on a course to “spread scriptural holiness” throughout England and later to
America (Henderson, 1997, 71). It would be the combination of field preaching and discipleship
through the class meeting system that Wesley would use to accomplish this lofty goal.
The Development of the Class Meeting
The Fetter Lane Society
Around the time of the Aldersgate experience, Wesley began to attend a small meeting of
Moravians on Fetter Lane in London. This was a group of about forty to fifty people, many of
them Germans, who came together on Wednesday nights for prayer and mutual encouragement
(Henderson, 1997, 63). Wesley began to help in the leadership of this group, along with
Moravian Peter Bohler. Wesley, ever the organizer, developed a list of rules that would assist the
meetings stay on track. These rules included a commitment by the members to meet weekly as a
large group in the society, and also to meet together in smaller bands. These bands consisted of
five to ten people, with each person given the opportunity to speak freely in an intimate setting
(Watson, 1985, 81). Wesley was very interested in these smaller groups, because he felt it was of
the utmost importance that each person could be given a turn to share their spiritual journey, and
receive advice from the fellow group members.
Wesley would use many of the concepts from the Fetter Lane group and implement them
in his Methodist societies. The idea of the larger meeting, in combination with small group
bands, would be the cornerstone of the Methodist educational system. Wesley would use this
The Methodist Class Meeting
9
ecclesiola in ecclesia, or “little church within the church” in his attempt to revitalize the spiritual
condition of Anglicanism (Watson, 1985, 98). The Fetter Lane experiment proved to Wesley that
this type of meeting format could work successfully, especially if the majority of the society
membership where active in the bands. While the Fetter Lane members came from varying
spiritual backgrounds, it was never the intent of the group to start a new denomination. The
meetings were purposefully designed to strengthen the current church and its members, not to
break away to form something different.
Another aspect of the Fetter Lane group was the difference in leadership between the
larger societies and the bands. The professional clergy would run these group meetings, while lay
leadership would conduct the bands. Wesley saw how training leaders and giving them
responsibility could be a powerful tool in spiritual formation, while allowing people with the
proper gifting to exercise their talents.
The difference in the format of the two meetings also became an important influence to
the Methodist movement. The large meetings in the Fetter Lane Society were preaching services,
with little personal interaction. They were designed to instruct the members in the truths of
Christianity, and to give general exhortations. The bands, however, did not concentrate on
doctrinal matters as such, but focused in specifically on the spiritual state of each member.
Wesley came to believe that behavior was generally not going to be changed as a reaction to a
preaching service. If the behavior of a person was to be changed, it would have to be handled on
a personal basis. The Fetter Lane bands, and later in the class meeting, would accomplish the
goal that Wesley had been striving to achieve.
The Methodist Class Meeting
10
Within a few years, Wesley became uneasy with the direction of the Fetter Lane group
and its leadership, and would eventually withdraw from the membership. It was at this point in
his ministry where he began to participate in an improbable activity: field preaching.
Field Preaching
In the late 1730s, a spiritual awakening was beginning to develop in Europe. This
movement of God, which historians have called The Great Awakening, would produce thousands
of new converts to Christianity in a relatively short period of time (Hardt, 2000, 149). The early
months of 1739, Wesley’s Anglican friend George Whitefield began to preach in the industrial
towns of Bristol, and the coal mining center of Kingswood (Ayling, 1979, 108). This booming
area of England had few established churches, and was notorious for many social problems, such
as alcoholism and poverty. Since no established church would allow Whitefield to preach in their
area, he resorted to holding services outside, wherever he could gather a crowd. The combination
of the environment of spiritual revival and Whitefield’s natural preaching ability drew huge
crowds to hear him speak. The message that Whitefield brought was simple and to the point:
salvation is by God’s grace, through faith in Jesus as the Son of God. He emphasized that one
must be “born again” by placing their faith in Christ, and pressed the crowd for a spiritual
decision on the spot. As a result of these meetings, many converts were won to the faith. As he
saw all these new Christians needing help with their spiritual growth, Whitefield contacted just
the man for the job: his friend John Wesley.
At first, Wesley was reluctant to join Whitefield in his field preaching campaigns.
Wesley thought that these large meetings were unorganized and might be disrespectful to God.
Another issue was that the people in this part of the country were uneducated and working class.
The Methodist Class Meeting
11
Wesley doubted that his Oxford pedigree would be of much use in relating to the people of
Bristol and Kingswood. What Wesley would witness in Bristol would quickly change his mind.
Wesley arrived in Bristol in March of 1739 to see what was happening first hand. George
Whitefield was planning to return to America to preach there, and needed someone to carry on
the work of evangelism in western England. After a few days of hearing Whitefield preach, and
seeing a multitude of conversions to Christianity, Wesley was convinced this was a genuine
work of God. As Whitefield soon departed for his American mission, Wesley took up the mantle
of field preaching. From April to June of 1739, Wesley would spend ten weeks preaching in the
open air and drawing huge crowds (Ayling, 1979, 113). He would often speak to several
thousand people in one day, preaching many different services, wherever he could gather a
crowd. It would be from these rich spiritual harvests that Wesley would organize his Methodist
Societies, and the class meeting system.
The Foundery
As Wesley’s field preaching campaigns continued in early 1740, it became very apparent
that he needed a tool to get these new converts into a practical discipleship program. Dissatisfied
with direction of the Fetter Lane Group, and seeing the Holy Club at Oxford had become
defunct, Wesley decided to start from scratch and organize a new religious society, along with a
potent small group system. With the help of local businessmen interested in his discipleship
program, Wesley leased an old ammunition factory in London and began to turn the facility into
a large meeting hall. This facility, called the Foundery, would contain meeting rooms able to
handle a variety of small groups, as well as a chapel area for the larger preaching services. By
June of 1740, over 300 hundred members were meeting regularly at the Foundery for
discipleship, preaching, and encouragement (Henderson, 1997, 75).
The Methodist Class Meeting
12
With his societies growing quickly in London and Bristol, Wesley realized that he could
not handle all the ministerial duties of this group by himself. He began to train and to develop lay
leadership that would handle the band meetings, member visitation, and the finances. He saw
how delegating certain tasks to worthy lay members was not only efficient, but also helped in the
spiritual growth of the participating members. This extensive use of lay leadership would be an
important tool for the future of the Methodist movement.
Membership in the Society would open to all those who had a sincere desire to be
discipled, but were admitted on a trial basis. Wesley would use a “ticket” to renew membership
in the society after a certain amount of time, generally three months. If a person did not get their
ticket at the end of the trial period, they would not be admitted into formal membership of the
society. This “probation” technique allowed Wesley to keep the meetings open to those who
initially wished to attend, and also could be used this system as a way to expel people who were
not serious about their faith. A ticket may not have been renewed if a member fell into sin and
would not repent. Wesley would use this “ticketing” approach extensively in the class meeting
system that would soon be developed.
While the larger meetings of the societies were growing steadily throughout the early
1740s, Wesley became concerned that the band attendance was low in relation to the overall size
of the group. The gap between the successful large group meetings and the smaller attended
Moravian-style bands was something that Wesley desperately wanted to fix.
In June of 1741, the Bristol Society had obtained a building and needed to retire the debt
of the mortgage. An idea was forwarded by a lay leader that the society should be divided into
groups of twelve people, each with a leader assigned. These twelve would meet weekly and each
bring a small offering to be put to use for the building fund. While together, the group would
The Methodist Class Meeting
13
discuss the state of the religious lives, pray, and encourage one other. The leader would also visit
his members in their homes and inquire about the state of their spiritual lives if they did not
attend the group meeting. As the leaders were out on visitation, they saw many financial and
spiritual needs that the rest of the participants of the group could help with. Wesley quickly saw
that this new type of meeting would bridge the gap between the larger Society meetings, and the
small band meeting. It was the birth of the class meeting, the cornerstone of the Methodist
discipleship system for the next one hundred years.
The Methodist Class Meeting
14
The Workings of the Class Meeting
The idea of sub-dividing the large meetings into groups of twelve people was quickly
implemented in the other Methodist societies around England. The concept was standardized,
and Wesley developed a set of rules for how the class meetings were to function and how the
leadership would operate:
That it may the more easily be discerned whether they are indeed working out
their own salvation, each society is divided into smaller companies, called classes,
according to their respective places of abode. There are about twelve persons in a class,
one of whom is styled the Leader. It is his duty:
1. To see each person in his class once a week at least, in order:
(1) to inquire how their souls prosper;
(2) to advise, reprove, comfort or exhort, as occasion may require;
(3) to receive what they are willing to give toward the relief of the
preachers, church, and poor.
2. To meet the Minister and the Stewards of the society once a week, in order:
(1) to inform the minister of any that are sick, or of any that walk disorderly and
will not be reproved;
(2) to pay to the stewards what they have received of their several classes in the
week preceding.
([UMC]).
The class meetings proved to be very popular in the Methodist societies. Wesley finally
had found a system of accountability and discipleship that could keep up with a large number of
people. It would also afford the opportunity to train new leadership, and develop future
Methodist preachers that could transition into full-time ministry.
Several unique features of the class meeting system contributed to the success of the
program. These attributes included the class size and composition, outreach, local meeting
places, freedom of expression for participants, class leadership and format, rules for membership,
accountability, and the use of inter-locking groups.
The Methodist Class Meeting
15
Class Size and Composition
The size of the class was generally limited to twelve people. The number twelve seemed
to be the ideal size for Wesley because in a short period of meeting time (one hour) each person
would have the opportunity to share their experiences and spiritual progress. This number was
maintained throughout Wesley’s life, as he personally worked with the leadership of each
Society and class. In the New York society in the1820s, the average class size grew to forty or
even fifty people (Hardt, 2000, 54). This larger number prevented the opportunity for each
member to share his or her struggles and triumphs of the previous week. The class meeting
system in New York became less popular and gradually faded away with time in the 1840s,
possibly due to the loss of intimacy caused by larger group sizes.
Another unique attribute to the class meeting in early Methodism was the fact that the
groups were not segregated by gender or socio-economic status (Henderson, 1997, 98). These
groups could contain both men and women as members, as well as rich and poor. Considering
the rigid structure of English society at the time, the class meeting system was truly remarkable
in its ability to bring a diverse group of people together. It was perhaps the only opportunity in
that society available where both the factory worker and factory owner would sit together as
equals. Women were also treated as equals in the class meetings, and the men did not dominate.
Many women became class leaders themselves, which was one of the few opportunities available
for female leadership in English Society. The only rule was that men could not be leaders of allfemale classes (Watson, 1985, 94).
Outreach
The class meetings functioned as an introduction point for membership into the larger
Methodist Societies. People who had been spiritually “awakened” from a field preaching service
The Methodist Class Meeting
16
or Society meeting would be asked to attend a class soon after. Many evangelistically oriented
leaders would invite these awakened believers to their own classes. Since spiritual awakening
was considered to be the first step in the gradual conversion process according to Methodist
doctrine (Hardt, 2000, 16), it would be in the class meeting where the process would continue.
The classes would provide the atmosphere for new believers to grow spiritually and point them
towards baptism and full membership into the Society. The intimate setting and conversations of
the class meetings would allow the leadership to evaluate the maturity of each member, and
guide them individually based on their own spiritual progress. It is believed that over half of the
conversions documented in the first few decades of British Methodism occurred during class
meetings, or while the recruit was talking with the class leader (Hardt, 16). The class meeting
quickly became an important tool for evangelistic outreach in the Methodist movement.
Local Meeting Places
Since the class meetings were held regularly once a week, it was important to meet in a
place that was easily accessible by all the members. At first, many of the class meetings were
held in homes. This would allow the class to be composed of a local group of neighbors. These
classes would be held after work, typically after the dinner hour for the sake of convenience.
Classes also met in shops, schoolrooms, or wherever ten or twelve people could gather
(Henderson, 1997, 99). The familiarity of a local surrounding must have added a sense of
warmth and community to the meeting. Eventually, as the Methodist chapels were built around
England, the class meetings could take place in rooms provided there. Wherever the class met,
the primary consideration was the convenience of the members. The concept of a local meeting
The Methodist Class Meeting
17
place kept the travel time to a minimum, and allowed the members to participate fully in the
activities of the group.
Freedom of Expression
As Wesley saw the class meeting system developed into the entry point of new converts
to Methodism, he also wanted to ensure the environment of the class had an open and inviting
atmosphere. Each member of the class would have the opportunity to express him or herself if
they so desired. This was a radical departure from the rigid social norms of English culture of the
time. In class, everyone was considered an equal, and each member was to assist the others with
their spiritual progress. Wesley wanted the classes to be a warm and accepting gathering of
fellow strugglers who helped each other work out their salvation (Henderson, 1997, 98). This
freedom to speak and ask questions allowed the class members to learn about each other’s
spiritual lives and produced an intimate atmosphere of sharing.
Class Leadership and Format
Wesley wanted the class format to be standardized, and that the facilitation of the
meetings to be accomplished by lay leaders. The basic duty of the class leader was to convene
the meeting on a weekly basis and inquire about the spiritual state of each member. They would
visit members in their home or workplace if they did not attend class that week without a prior
reason. The class leader would also be required to meet once a week with a minister from the
Society in order to give an account of the financial donations and the general welfare of the
members (Watson, 1985, 98). Since the classes were not seminars or teaching times, the
education of the leader or preaching ability was not important. This allowed the Wesley and his
The Methodist Class Meeting
18
assistants to appoint leaders that had shown faithfulness and the correct spiritual gifting and
aptitude for the job, without extensive training in religious studies or theology.
The class meeting would typically start on time by the singing of a short hymn (Watson,
1985, 95). The class leader would then give an update about how his or her week had progressed,
and some of the challenges they may have faced. The leader could also take a few minutes to
give a short testimony about how God had blessed them, or perhaps to tell of a shortcoming or
failure. The idea was for the leader to start the meeting off with honesty and openness. This
would set the tone for the rest of the meeting, as others saw how the leader shared both spiritual
successes and challenges. Since the class members may not be familiar to sharing in a group
setting, the example given by the leader would be an important training tool.
After the leader finished the introduction of the meeting, each class member would be
asked about the condition of his or her spiritual life. The leader might say something like, “Well
brother, how do you find the state of your soul this evening?” (Watson, 1985, 96). The member
would then be given the opportunity to share the struggles and successes they have faced. The
leader might also give advice or encouragement based on their knowledge of the person and the
situation. This process was repeated around the room until every member had the chance to
speak. This question and answer (catechesis) format would allow the leader to discern spiritual
principles related in the member’s story, and use it to educate the entire group (Watson, 115).
This format may have proven awkward at first, especially with new members in attendance. It
was the class leader’s responsibility to keep the meetings informal and open, and to allow each
member to share their hearts. As the new members saw this process work over time, and that the
other members were truly supportive, an atmosphere of openness and honesty would be
developed.
The Methodist Class Meeting
19
The meeting would conclude with another hymn or a time of prayer, with each member
given the opportunity to pray as they felt led. The meeting would be dismissed on time with a
benediction, with the average length of the class being approximately one hour. The class
members would then give their offering to the general fund, with the leader recording the
donation in the class ledger.
Based on how these meetings developed in the 1740s, the class leader became an
informal yet important sub-pastor in the Methodist system (Henderson, 1997, 100). It was the
leader’s responsibility to keep up with welfare of the class, and to report any needs to Methodist
ministers. The class leader was not an ordained preacher standing up in a pulpit, but a fellow
laborer equal to the other group members. This was not an elite position, and had nothing to do
with wealth or education. Wesley personally appointed class leaders based on their faithfulness
and spiritual gifting for pastoral care. This would become the first level of leadership in the
Methodist Societies. Many class leaders would continue up the ranks of leadership to circuit
preachers and ministers.
Rules for Membership
As the class meetings began to grow in the Bristol and Kingswood Societies, Wesley
realized that he must develop a system that would govern the membership into the groups, and
also guard against “disorderly walkers” (Watson, 1985, 105). In order to keep track of members
in good standing, he developed and implemented the class ticket system. Each quarter, Wesley or
an assistant would visit each class and determine the spiritual state of the members. If someone
was a regular class attendee and had a reputation of being serious about their religious lives, they
would be issued a small paper ticket signifying their membership in the group. Wesley himself or
The Methodist Class Meeting
20
his ministers would personally sign the tickets to validate them. If someone was found not to be
living up to the rules of the Society or had missed several class meetings without a valid excuse,
they would not receive a ticket. Wesley required the ticket to enter the meetings of the larger
society. This would ensure that anyone who attended the larger groups meetings would be a class
member in good standing. This system also made class attendance mandatory in order to
participate in the Society functions, such as the lovefeasts (Henderson, 1997, 108).
Wesley had no problem with expelling members from the societies and classes if he felt
they were doing spiritual damage to the group. From his Journal dated December 9, 1741,
Wesley recorded:
God humbled us in the evening by the loss of more than thirty of our company,
whom I was oblige to exclude, as no longer adorning the gospel of Christ. I
believe it best to openly declare both their names and reasons why they were
excluded. We all cried unto God that this might be for their edification, and not
for destruction. (333)
The reasons for expulsion could include missed class meetings, cursing, laziness, or other
behavior that Wesley deemed inappropriate for a Methodist (Henderson, 1997, 109). The class
ticket system would provide a mechanism for expulsion, but also would be a way to unify the
groups by using this standardized membership criteria.
Accountability
By design, the class meeting system offered an excellent way for the class members to
stay accountable to one another, and also to the Society leadership. Since the meetings where
local, it would be very easy to visit and check up on the status of members that had missed class.
If a class member knew that the leader would visit them if they skipped the meeting, it would be
a good reason to overcome whatever obstacles they faced and attend class. Multiple absences
The Methodist Class Meeting
21
might result in loss of the class ticket and exclusion from other society functions. With many of
the classes held in neighborhood homes, it also provided a sense of community. If a member’s
behavior had strayed, it would be likely that the class leader would hear about the activity. This
would provide a powerful incentive to maintain the moral lifestyle required from the Methodist
rules.
Leaders would also meet with their supervising ministers weekly to deliver the class
offering. This would be a time of accountability not only for the group finances, but also for the
spiritual state of the leader. As Wesley traveled around the societies on a regular basis, he would
personally see the classes in action. This would afford the opportunity to interview class
members, meet with local leadership, appoint new leaders, and issue class tickets. Wesley’s
relentless traveling in a circuit to the societies gave him an excellent view of the spiritual state of
each group. The combination of Wesley’s personal supervision of the circuit pastors, and the use
of class leaders as sub-pastors to the general membership, provided a system of accountability at
all levels of the Methodist Societies.
Use of Inter-Locking Groups
While the class meeting formed the backbone of the Methodist educational system in the
1740s, Wesley also developed other meetings to accomplish his goal of spreading scriptural
holiness throughout the land. The Society was the large group meeting that included all the
Methodists in a given locality (Henderson, 1997, 83). It was in the larger society meetings where
Wesley himself or other preachers would instruct the local congregation on Methodist doctrine
and theology. Society members with class tickets would attend the functions, but many meetings
were open to the spiritually awakened seekers that came from the field preaching campaigns. In
The Methodist Class Meeting
22
the early 1740s, these meetings were held in rented halls capable of holding a few hundred
people.
As the societies grew, many constructed and purchased their own meeting spaces, or
“chapels” that would serve as their headquarters. Because Wesley was not interested in
separation from the Church of England, no society meetings were scheduled to conflict with the
local Anglican services. During Wesley’s lifetime, Methodists were expected to be members of
good standing on the Church of England. After Wesley’s death in 1791, the Methodist movement
would split off from the Church of England and form its own denomination. It would be the
Societies in the area that would become a Methodist church, no longer being a sect of the Church
of England.
Another small group meeting that Wesley employed was the band. Borrowing from his
experiences with the Moravians, he developed these meetings so that further sharing and
accountability could take place in addition to the class meetings. While the class meetings were
structured with a distinct format, the bands tended to be informal meetings that concentrated on a
certain area of the member’s spiritual lives. The bands differed from the class meetings also
because they were smaller (3-7 members), and tended to be more homogeneous (single gender),
and subject matters discussed were strictly confidential. It would be in the band meeting where
the intimate spiritual interaction would take place, similar to what Wesley experienced in the
Holy Club. While the class leader ran the meeting in a specific format as described earlier, the
band leader would simply facilitate the conversation in an informal manner. The meetings were
closed due to the spiritual sensitivity of the subject matter, while class meetings were open on a
trial basis to all who wished to attend. Band membership was not mandatory in the Societies, and
they never gained the popularity or attendance of the class meeting.
The Methodist Class Meeting
23
If a society member had a specific challenge with their spiritual life, or started
backsliding in their walk with Christ, attendance to a meeting called the penitent band would be
recommended (Watson, 1985, 121). It would be in these small group gatherings that the
problems faced by the members would be discussed in an open and frank manner. Support from
the leadership and other members would help the penitent person overcome the sin or problem
they faced. This meeting had a similar function to other modern support groups, such as
Alcoholics Anonymous. Since striving to live a holy lifestyle was of the utmost importance to
the Methodist, it would be in these penitent band meetings where specific help could be obtained
to overcome the issue and gain spiritual victory.
The select band was a gathering of leaders and mature believers that had progressed in
the Methodist system, who wished to walk further towards the goal of personal scriptural
holiness (Watson, 1985, 120). Wesley himself would attend these informal gatherings to pray
with leaders, encourage others, and be encouraged himself. Wesley felt that he could share his
heart in these meetings with his leaders. There was no leadership in this specific format, and
attendance was by invitation only. Wesley urged the leadership of each of the local societies to
meet together in a similar fashion.
Wesley had been exposed during his time in America to an early Christian tradition
called the lovefeast. The Moravians had practiced the lovefeast regularly in Georgia, and Wesley
enjoyed these meetings tremendously. The format was a simple meal of bread and water, where
participants could share time together by giving testimonies and praying. Attendance to a
lovefeast would be by invitation only, and a valid class ticket was required to participate. The
fellowship provided during the lovefeast was something Wesley believed would be of great
value to the society in general.
The Methodist Class Meeting
24
Results of the Class Meeting System in Britain
John Wesley and his Methodist Societies had an important spiritual impact on the nation
of England and the surrounding countries of Great Britain during the years 1740 to 1800. As the
Great Awakening was gaining momentum at this time, it was the class meeting system that was
used by Wesley to disciple many of these new believers in how to live for Christ in their
contemporary culture. David Watson, in his book The Early Methodist Class Meeting, tracked
the numeric growth of the Methodist Societies in the first 60 years of their existence. A summary
of the approximated data is as follows:
Year
1760
Membership in
Methodist Societies
19,000
Population
of England
6,600,000
Percentage of
Population
0.29 %
1770
26,000
7,100,000
0.38 %
1780
36,000
7,600,000
0.47 %
1790
54,000
8,200,000
0.65 %
1800
85,000
9,200,000
0.92 %
(1985, 131)
From the data, it is interesting to chart the growth from a few hundred members when the
Methodist Societies began in the early 1740s, to over 85,000 members near the turn of the 19th
century. Up until his death in 1791, Wesley was extensively involved in the Societies around
England, and personally visited each group multiple times as he made his traveling circuits.
Since class attendance was mandatory for Society membership at this time, we can assume the
numbers of attendees to the classes were similar to the data listed above.
While the number of people involved in Wesley’s discipleship groups never exceeded 1%
of the total population in the 1700s, the growth of the class meeting system was still quite
remarkable. From 1780 – 1800, the membership in the Societies doubled. For the 40 years listed
in the data, the group size more than quadrupled, while the total population only increased by
The Methodist Class Meeting
25
40%. By the turn of the century, over 85,000 people were being discipled using Wesley’s interlocking group concept, with the class meeting making up the core of the Christian education
process.
While the numeric growth of the Methodist movement was impressive during the late
1700s, so was its spiritual and social impact. The many thousands of converts to Christianity that
were won during this time had a role in shaping western culture and politics for generations to
come. An excellent example of this influence can be found in William Wilberforce, a prominent
British politician. Wilberforce came to faith in Christ during this time under John Wesley’s
ministry and was discipled in the Methodist system. It would be this practical discipleship that
emboldened Wilberforce to tackle one of the most pressing social issues of his time: the African
slave trade. In his personal letter of February 1791, Wesley encouraged Wilberforce to continue
the political fight as a member of Parliament to end this abhorrent practice of human slavery
([GMUMC]). It would take several more years of tireless work, but Wilberforce and his allies
succeeded in outlawing the slave trade in England in 1807.
The Decline of the Class Meeting
Wesley was adamant that his Societies and class meetings were to be a supplement to the
discipleship process in the Church of England. It would be near the end of his life that the
Methodist Societies began to break away from the Church of England and form the Methodist
Church (Hardt, 2000, 36). As the Methodist Church continued its growth in the mid-1800s, the
requirement of mandatory class meeting attendance was eventually dropped. This led to a
gradual decline in the class meeting system over the next 50 years, and was replaced by a more
conventional church-based Sunday school program that exists today.
The Methodist Class Meeting
26
Principles and Applications of the Concepts of Spiritual Formation
John Wesley, with his use of the class meetings, bands, and societies, developed a
powerful system of Christian discipleship that affected his entire generation. Responding to the
need he saw during this time of thousands of awakened believers needing help in their walk of
faith, Wesley worked tirelessly to develop and maintain his ministry of discipleship to the
masses. He realized that growing more Christ-like in heart and mind was a process that required
nurturing and care. He also knew that spiritual formation took time, with each person being at a
different point in his or her walk of faith with Christ.
Sondra Higgins Matthaei sees this process of faith formation as “helping persons grow
into faithful disciples who walk through life’s challenges and opportunities loving God and
neighbor” (2008, 20). In her book, Formation of Faith, Matthaei offers a construct of three
phases of spiritual growth. The first step in the process of is the invitation to communion. Here, a
person begins his or her walk of faith with a new or renewed commitment to God. It is God,
through the Holy Spirit, who invites a person into this commitment, and we have the opportunity
to accept or to decline. This spiritual awakening can happen in many different ways, including a
response from a sermon, a personal life change, or a direct intervention from God (as with the
Apostle Paul). However the invitation occurs, it is during this time that a person begins to realize
their need for God and forgiveness of their sin.
The second phase of spiritual growth according to Matthaei is deepening communion. It
is during this time that the believer begins to see God’s grace work in their lives, and they
respond by an outward expression of their love for God by loving their neighbor. This is a time
The Methodist Class Meeting
27
of spiritual growth, where the believer is maturing in their faith, and they begin to serve God and
neighbor in some capacity. This personal ministry can take many different forms, such as service
to the church, teaching Sunday school, and the practice of Christian disciplines (prayer,
meditation on scriptures, etc). While the ministry certainly does not have to be an “official”
function in the church, it is a clear outward demonstration of their love for God.
The final phase of spiritual development according to the author is full communion,
where the believer truly loves God with all their hearts, minds, and souls. This is the time of full
Christian maturity, with the person wholly dedicated to their service to God. While theologians
may disagree with the extent of how much ‘Christian perfection’ that can be achieved on this
side of eternity, it is safe to say this phase of faith formation represents a fully mature believer.
Using the ideas of spiritual formation of Sondra Higgins Matthaei, along with the
principles and practices used by Wesley during the Methodist revival as a guide, a spiritual
growth analysis can be made of our current small group systems. While reproducing Methodist
class meeting system in today’s church culture may not be possible, the principles that Wesley
employed to invite the spiritually awakened towards a closer walk with Christ are still valid.
While it is not the intent of this paper to design a small group program that can be used in our
churches, there are a number of recommendations that can be made in order to compare a current
discipleship program to the concepts used by Wesley.
The Methodist Class Meeting
28
Invitation to Communion:
The Use of Small Groups to Jumpstart the Process of Discipleship
As Wesley traveled in his field preaching days in England, thousands of people
responded to his sermons. Many of these people did not have a religious background, and
Church of England was not equipped to receive many new converts in their parishes. It was
because of this need that Wesley would offer an opportunity for spiritually awakened believers to
participate in the first steps of the discipleship process. The class meeting would become the
entry point into the life of the church for many of these new converts.
The class meeting was designed to minister to people in varying points of their walk of
faith. Many class members would first attend the meetings without making a formal profession
of faith in Christ. It would be the class leader who would get to know the members of his or her
class and begin to minister to them, wherever they were in their relationship with God. Many of
the conversions and baptisms would occur during this time of initial spiritual formation in the
new class members. The class meeting soon became an excellent vehicle for outreach and
evangelism in the Methodist system.
Having a place where spiritually awakened people can begin the walk of faith is critical
to a successful discipleship system. The class meeting provided a loving and caring atmosphere
where people could share their spiritual lives together. While I am sure new believers may have
found the class meeting somewhat intimidating at first, they would quickly realize the benefit of
sharing their daily struggles and victories. From my own personal example, it was the first
invitations that I received to begin my walk of faith that made a dramatic difference in my life.
The Methodist Class Meeting
29
My First Invitations
In 1992, God began to work in my life in a way I had never experienced before. Having
grown up in a Protestant church, I was familiar with the story of Jesus, but had never
experienced a personal faith. I drew farther away from God in the 1980s as I graduated from
college and began my career in science. It was not until the early 1990s that God began to
awaken my soul for my need of Jesus as my personal savior. It was at an evangelical service in
early 1993 that I said yes to God for the first time and gave my life to Christ. During the next
year, while I knew I was a Christian, I had no guidance and I did not understand what it meant to
live for God.
In 1994, my family attended a large evangelical church for the first time at the invitation
of a co-worker. While standing in the lobby after the service, a man approached me and
introduced himself as the Minister of Education. Pastor Ray ran the Adult Sunday school
program in the church, and he invited my wife and I to his class the following Sunday. I thought
this invitation was unusual, and that Sunday school was strictly for children. He also wanted to
stop by my house one night during the week, so he could get to know us better. I thought this
request was very unusual as well, that a minister would want to pay a social visit without a
family emergency.
When Ray visited us in our home that week, he was very interested in our spiritual lives,
and asked me to relate my story to him. I explained how my wife and I had made professions of
faith in Christ, but that’s all we knew. He again invited us to his class, and not wanting to seem
rude, I accepted the invitation.
The following Sunday we attended his class, and I was amazed to see over 50 young
married couples such as ourselves in the room. We were greeted with open arms, and introduced
The Methodist Class Meeting
30
to several new friends. Ray taught the lesson that day from the series Experiencing God by
Henry Blackaby. Ray related a story of a man who spent his entire life climbing up a ladder of
success, and when he reached the top, he realized that the ladder was leaning against the wrong
wall. It was as if Ray was teaching a lesson about me. God used that first invitation to let me
know that the ladder I was climbing before was indeed against the wrong wall, and God was
giving me a fresh start.
As we continued to attend Ray’s class for the next several months, he invested a great
deal of time in me, and would patiently answer all my questions about God. Ray invited me to be
his visitation partner, and we spent many Monday nights together, driving around Charlotte
following up with visitors to our class. It was on these visits that I began to see God work in
other people lives, just as God was working in mine. Ray taught me how to share my faith and
my faith story with others. I soon began to lead my own visitation team, and eventually assisted
Ray as the Department Director for the entire young married adult ministry in the church.
I can remember many an evening after visitation where Ray and I would head to the
Waffle House and talk about what God was doing in our lives. I did not realize it at the time, but
I was seeing an excellent example of Christian discipleship in process. It was this early training
and attention that Ray gave to me that helped formed the desire to serve God. This experience
eventually led to my returning to school to obtain my Master’s Degree in Christian Education.
With the early years of my spiritual formation as a guide, and adapting the techniques the
John Wesley used in the class meeting system, the following recommendations can be made to
offer an invitation to communion:
The Methodist Class Meeting

31
Pray that God will send new friends to your church, and make an effort to meet
them and to get to know them personally.

Keep a roll of new visitors and pray for them on a regular basis.

Immediately invite new visitors to the small group gatherings. This is the best
way for new friendships to be formed and connections to be made to the church in
general.

Ensure that the small groups have a welcoming and hospitable atmosphere.
Instruct the leadership to pay close attention and to reach out to new members.

Schedule a visit to the new member’s home or make an appointment for a lunch
meeting, as appropriate. Use these meetings to get to know the faith stories of the
family and discern how the small group can minister to them.

Invest the time to answer questions of the spiritually curious. Many people in
America have no church background at all, and may need help in answering some
of the basic questions about the Christian faith.

Ask for a commitment to attend the appropriate small group on a regular basis.
This may be the beginning of a faithful walk with Christ, which will require
commitment and sacrifice.

Train small group leadership to invite new church members to their classes.

As people show interest, challenge members of small groups to assume some
responsibilities, where their spiritual gifts and talents can be used for the good of
all.
The Methodist Class Meeting
32
Deepening Communion:
The Use of Bands to Continue the Process of Discipleship
John Wesley was a great proponent of the use of bands. He saw the impact from his time
with the Holy Club, when a small number of like-minded believers would come together and
discuss the state of their spiritual lives. Wesley also saw during his time with the Moravians how
these accountability groups would make a tremendous impact on the souls of the participants.
The Fetter Lane meetings again proved to him that a larger society that would meet in subgroups would be a powerful way to continue the work to spiritual growth in the participants. The
question becomes, “How can we employ the use of bands in our church educational systems?”
Since the band is by definition is an informal sub-set of a current discipleship meeting, it may be
best to look for participants within the church meetings or associations, and gauge if there is any
interest in this type of gathering. It could also begin with few invitations for lunch to people that
may be willing to participate is this type of regular meeting. A band can be developed anywhere
and meet at times convenient to all members. The only criteria would be a commitment to help
support the members of the group with their spiritual lives, and to maintain confidentiality as
appropriate. Two examples of the application of a band are as follows: one in a workplace
environment and the other as a sub-meeting from a church-based Sunday school program.
The Workplace Band
A few years ago at my job in a laboratory setting, I had met other Christian believers that
seemed to have an interest in moving forward in their walk with Christ. Each person came from a
different spiritual background: one was a devout Catholic, another was a Pentecostal, and yet
another was a fundamental Baptist. Although we understood that each had varying theologies,
The Methodist Class Meeting
33
we felt the need to meet and discuss the state of our spiritual lives. This small group of four coworkers began to meet prior to work once a week at a coffee shop convenient to our job. There
was no real agenda, just four friends sharing what the Lord was doing in each of our lives. We
also discussed at great length what it meant to be a Christian in the workplace, and how we
should handle ourselves to bring glory to God. We promised to lift each other up in prayer during
the week and support each other to the best of our abilities. We also began to pray for our coworkers as well, noting certain struggles they may be facing and offering our assistance when
appropriate.
As the meetings progressed, each of us felt stronger in our faith because we had a support
group ready to assist each other with the challenges we faced in our personal and professional
lives. There was one particular instance where I needed immediate prayer support over a spiritual
challenge I was facing. During the workday, I called the band together for a rather unusual midday meeting in my office. The need in my life was so great that it could not wait until our next
breakfast time together. This band of brothers responded to my call, and we had an impromptu
prayer gathering in my office that lasted over an hour. This group of men praying for me was a
powerful time of healing and spiritual breakthrough that I will always remember. If it had not
been for the band meetings previous to this need, I would not have had a resource on which to
call upon. I was able to share this trying time in my life with the band because of the trust that
had been established between us.
The Sunday School Band
Several years ago, my wife and I were teaching an adult Sunday school class in a large
denominational church. One day, a deacon friend of mine told me that we would have a visitor in
The Methodist Class Meeting
34
our class the following Sunday. He had been working the prayer support phones during the
television broadcast of our church’s preaching ministry, and received a call from an awakened
believer. This caller had many questions about God and the Christian faith. After this 90 minute
phone call, my deacon friend invited this individual to our Sunday school class. I thanked my
friend for allowing us to help with this person’s spiritual life, not thinking much about the
situation. As my wife and I came into our classroom the following Sunday, Martin had indeed
followed up on his promise and was sitting in the front row. After our introductions, it turned out
that we were both New Yorkers and shared many things in common. After class, I made an
appointment to visit Martin and his family in his home during the week.
During our initial visit to Martin’s home, he told me the story of how he arrived in our
Sunday school class. Martin was a single dad with two small children, and he had been
struggling with chronic health issues and had been out of work for a time. The weekend before
coming to our class, he had attended a seminar at a local college about the subject of evolution.
God used something in during this academic talk to spiritually awaken him. The next morning,
he turned on the television and saw our pastor give a sermon, and called the prayer support line
with many questions. It was from this call that my deacon friend pointed Martin to our class.
Martin faithfully attended our class over the next several weeks. I saw in him a
tremendous desire to learn about God and the Bible. It became clear that Martin needed a format
of spiritual formation and accountability where he could ask questions in freedom. Since Martin
came from an un-churched background, some of his inquiries may not have been appropriate to
be discussed at length on Sunday mornings during class. I then offered to come to Martin’s
house each Thursday night, in order to study the Gospel of John together. We would discuss each
passage of scripture at a pace that was comfortable, and allow Martin to inquire about any
The Methodist Class Meeting
35
subject that was on his mind. I also realized that I could not do this alone, and asked a fellow
Sunday school member to commit to meeting with Martin and I on a regular basis. Ken was
thrilled by the invitation to participate in this “off-site” discipleship program. Having served the
church for many years in various ministries, Ken had never been asked to participate in personal
discipleship meeting such as this.
We began to meet at Martin’s home each week for our small group gathering. We would
typically share in a light meal before the study time, and allow the children to play together. I
would bring my young daughter with me, and she became good friends with Martin’s children as
well. We began in the Book of John, with verse 1; “In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God and the Word was God” (KJV). We discussed this scripture in great detail,
spending several sessions understanding the full theological ramifications of this verse. As the
weeks progressed, we studied each passage of John together until we completed the entire book,
18 months later!
During that time, I saw great spiritual growth in Martin, as he was able to use his natural
intellect to wrap his mind around the concepts of the Gospel. A bond of friendship formed
between the three of us, and each member of the group was encouraged in our walk with Christ.
Our meetings would include a fellowship meal, a time to update each other on the events of the
week, prayer, and a study of the scriptures. We would engage the scripture together, learning
from each other. We committed to regularly support each other in prayer.
During the time of our 18-month study together, Martin was baptized, as were both of his
children. Martin has recently started to teach a Sunday school class of his own, and has assisted
in many different ministries in the church. Martin continues in his walk with Christ, boldly
sharing his faith with his unchurched family and friends.
The Methodist Class Meeting
36
While this format was developed to meet a specific need in Martin’s life, these types of
band meetings can be of great value to all participants. Ken and I were personally encouraged to
see the spiritual progression take place, and we were thankful that God allowed us to play a role
in it.
Based on the concepts that John Wesley employed, and what I have seen in my own walk
of faith, I would propose the following guidelines for the use of band meetings in church,
neighborhood, and work environments:

Pray that God would allow you to find a group of like-minded believers to meet on a
regular basis.

Keep the meeting times flexible to the situation, such as before work or evenings, which
are convenient to all members.

Keep the meeting format simple, with the opportunity for everyone to share each time the
group is gathered.

Commit to meet on a regular basis for a fixed amount of time (1-2 hours). Include a time
of fellowship or meal if possible.

Try to avoid political and controversial issues: maintain the focus of the meetings on the
study at hand and the spiritual lives of each participant.

Try to avoid the discussion of denominational theological distinctives: there may be
members from different faith backgrounds in the band.

Allow for a difference of opinions and do not allow that sidetrack the meetings. “Agree to
disagree” if a subject comes up that cannot be resolved quickly, in order to avoid division
within the group.

Commit to pray for each group member and the needs mentioned on a regular basis.
The Methodist Class Meeting
37

Maintain confidentiality as appropriate with the personal subject matters discussed.

Maintain an atmosphere of encouragement and spiritual freedom in the meetings.

Meet in a location that is comfortable and easily accessible to the group members.

Keep the size of the band rather small – 3 to 6 members at most to allow for relationships
to develop and the opportunity for each band member to speak.

Members of the band meetings should be of the same gender in order to avoid any
appearance of impropriety.

Enjoy the time of sharing and personal spiritual development you will see in yourself and
in the other members of the group!
Full Communion:
The Use of Small Groups to Enhance the Discipleship Process
While the class meeting was the cornerstone of the Methodist discipleship process, John
Wesley employed other types of group gatherings in order to create the opportunity for a
deepening walk with Christ. He was especially fond of the lovefeast, a gathering of believers that
shared a common meal, and allowed for a testimony time. In the Methodist societies of Wesley’s
day, these meetings were attended by invitation only, and the opportunity to attend a lovefeast
was considered a great privilege. A class ticket was required to attend, so everyone gathered at
these meetings tended to be believers that were progressing in their walk of faith (Watson, 1985,
121). These gatherings seemed to encourage Wesley himself, and recommend to the societies
that they should hold these types of meetings on a quarterly basis.
The Methodist Class Meeting
38
John Wesley was also a proponent of frequent participation in the Lord’s Table. He
believed that taking the sacrament of communion was a means that God uses to give grace to
humanity. While Christians may disagree about the nature of communion and who should
celebrate it, it is universally regarded as an importance ordinance of the church. Communion is a
common bond that we share together as the body of Christ. The gathering together of the church
to meet at the Lord’s Table can be a powerful time of spiritual growth and encouragement.
Home Group Communion Services: The Steele Creek Model
In 2007, my wife and I felt the Lord was leading us away from our place of service in a
large denominational church. As we began to seek God’s will, we were introduced to the
ministry of Steele Creek Church at Charlotte. SCCC is a mid-sized non-denominational church
with a very diverse congregation. Interested in how the church operated their small group
gatherings, we discovered that Steele Creek used a series of home groups scattered around the
city as their discipleship program. Having a background in church-based Sunday school
programs, I was curious about how these home groups operated. I was also concerned about how
the church would be able to maintain curriculum and leadership considerations with such a
widespread program in place. When I learned that they celebrated their communion services in
the home groups, I had serious reservations. I wondered how the observation of communion
could be performed in a respectful and reverent setting with a group gathered away from church.
Putting my reservations aside, we chose to attend a home group across town that was
listed as a group of mature believers interested in serving God. Winston Moore, an elder with the
Steele Creek, hosted the meeting in his home. Mark Iacono, a church member with a long history
of service to God, led the meeting. Gathered at the home where married adults with their
The Methodist Class Meeting
39
children, singles, and seniors. I immediately was relieved to find this assembly an open and
welcoming place, and we were introduced to several of the members of the group. Prior to the
beginning of the meeting, the younger children went to the bonus room to watch a video.
After a time of introductions for the new visitors, Mark began to encourage the group
with a short testimony concerning a spiritual matter that occurred during the previous week. He
gave a Bible verse explaining the relationship of this situation to our walk of faith as Christians.
Soon after that, Mark introduced a couple from the group, and they began to relate their personal
testimony. It was wonderful to hear how the Lord was working in their lives, how God had
helped them in times of struggle. At the conclusion of the testimony time, Mark asked the couple
to come to the center of the room, and the group gathered around to pray and to lay hands on the
them.
As the meeting transitioned into the communion time, the children were asked to come
back to the living room so they could participate with their families. Winston began to explain
the meaning of this ordinance and what it symbolized. Citing several scripture verses, he
carefully explained how Steele Creek views communion and why it is practiced in the home. As
the group sang a worship song together, the unleavened bread wafer was distributed. Winston
read from 1 Corinthians 11, citing the Apostle Paul’s view of communion, and it’s significance
to the church. After a brief prayer, the bread was taken in together in unison.
As the group sang another worship song, the individual cups of juice were distributed.
Another time of scripture reading and prayer then occurred prior to partaking of the cup. The
communion time concluded with another worship song and a time of prayer and thanksgiving.
Many publicly thanked God and gave testimony to the goodness of God’s grace in their lives.
The Methodist Class Meeting
40
After a time of benediction, the group was dismissed, and many stayed to continue the
fellowship for some time. My family came away from that meeting very encouraged, having
celebrated communion with new friends, and knowing the Lord was honored during our time
together.
Pastor Kelvin Smith of SCCC, in his book Living on Target, explains that the use of
home communion gatherings was the normal practice for the early church (2009, 160). He goes
on to note that these types of services, whether communion times or lovefeasts, can create a
wonderful and intimate spiritual atmosphere that can be of great value to the discipleship
process. As Jesus has commanded us to observe communion of a regular basis, Smith wonders if
the lack of passion found in some believers today may be traced to the improper and infrequent
observation of this important ordinance (161). Whatever the case may be, communion meetings
can provide a powerful witness to the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord, and can also be
of great spiritual encouragement to those who participate.
Based on the observation of home communion services and lovefeasts, and the
techniques used by John Wesley, the following recommendations may be made to facilitate these
gatherings in a reverent and spiritually uplifting fashion:

Ensure that the atmosphere of the host home is hospitable and inviting. Train host
home leaders on the needed requirements, such as seating, background music,
care for the children, and the provision of the bread and cup, as appropriate.

Allow plenty of time at the beginning of the meeting for fellowship. Identify new
members of the group and introduce them to the leadership of the services.

Allow the children to play together at the beginning of the meeting. Provide a
place for the younger children to play away from the main meeting during
The Methodist Class Meeting
41
testimony times. Some of the serious spiritual subjects broached may not be
appropriate for younger ages. Invite the children back into the main meeting
during the communion time, as appropriate.

At the beginning of the meeting, introduce new friends to the group. Allow the
visitors to introduce themselves and give some brief personal information.

Allow the leadership to open the meeting with general exhortations and a brief
time of testimony. This serves to introduce the leadership to the new visitors, and
also can be a great source of encouragement.

Plan a time of testimony from a group member. Approach members prior to the
gathering and personally invite them to share a relevant story from their faith
walk. Give basic guidelines such as content, format, subject matter, and length of
time. This will avoid any surprises during the meeting and help to keep things on
track.

As the communion portion of the service commences, take time to explain what
communion is and how the specific church views this ordinance. Explain the
meaning of the celebration and who can receive the elements prior to beginning.
Since there are varying views on the nature of communion and who can
participate, it is better to handle these subjects ahead of time in order to avoid any
confusion and awkwardness.

As the beginning of the service can be more jovial and fellowship-oriented, the
communion portion of the meeting should be handled in a reverent and spiritually
respectful way. Use worship music and prayer to provide an atmosphere of
The Methodist Class Meeting
42
seriousness as we reflect on the sacrifice of Christ. Use relevant scriptures to prior
to taking the elements to reinforce the nature of this observation.

Allow a time of self-reflection prior to the passing of the elements. This can be a
time of personal introspection that may be needed by the members of the group.

After the elements are served, allow a time of public thanksgiving and praise.
This can be a powerful reminder of the goodness of God’s grace in our lives.

End the meeting with a benediction, thanking God for all in attendance and for
God’s presence at the meeting.

Transition to a time of ending fellowship, where more time can be spent getting to
know the people who attended. Identify visitors and get their contact information
for later follow-up.

Do not rush these meetings. Total meeting time may be 1.5 to 2 hours in length.
Allow plenty of time for the fellowship, testimonials, prayer, and communion.
Schedule meetings for a time that is not rushed, such as Sunday afternoons.

Expect the Holy Spirit to work in a powerful way in these meetings!
The Methodist Class Meeting
43
Conclusions
John Wesley developed a discipleship program that served the spiritual needs of his time,
and produced a generation of Christians that had a tremendous impact on the church and society.
The class meeting system, a simple and effective tool for spiritual accountability and
discipleship, was the cornerstone of his educational program. Along with the other inter-locking
groups, such as the band meeting, lovefeasts, and his select society, Wesley provided a platform
for spiritual growth for any stage of a person’s walk of faith. With the empowerment of layleadership, Wesley was able to multiply the effect of these meetings in many areas of England,
and eventually in the United States. Working tirelessly to disciple newly awakened converts and
mature believers, Wesley experienced both numeric and spiritual growth in his Methodist
societies.
Using the techniques and principles that Wesley implemented, and understanding the
nature of faith formation as described by Sondra Higgins Matthaei, we can easily adapt these
concepts for discipleship in any church setting. The use a small group to introduce new believers
to the faith is an important step in the initial stages of a walk with Christ. Continuing the process
of faith formation by using the band meeting can pay major spiritual dividends for all involved.
The deepening walk with God can be assisted by the use of a lovefeast or communion service,
that brings encouragement and hope to the group members.
May we, as the Church of Jesus Christ, press forward in our Lord’s command to go and
make disciples of every nation. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit, the love of Christ that
resides in our hearts, and faith in God, that we can accomplish the process of Christian
discipleship in our families, cities, and countries. Amen.
The Methodist Class Meeting
44
References
Ayling, S. (1979). John Wesley. Nashville: Abingdon Press.
Christian Classics Ethereal Library [CCEL]. (April 4, 2010). The Journal of John Wesley.
Retrieved April 4, 2010, from
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/wesley/journal.vi.ii.xvi.html?highlight=aldersgate#highlight
Global Ministries of the United Method Church [GMUMC]. John Wesley: Letter to William
Wilberforce. Retrieved May 1, 2010, from
http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/wesley/wilber.stm
Hardt, P. F. (2000). The Soul of Methodism: The Class Meeting System in Early New York
Methodism. New York: University Press of America.
Phillip Hardt examines the rise of New York City Methodism in the late 1700s and early
1800s in great detail. Using a comparison to the original British version of the class
meeting system, the author draws the distinctions about the evolution of Methodism on
American soil.
One of the major differences between the British and American versions of the class
meeting was the size of each group. While the Wesleyans in England kept the class sizes
rather small (up to 12 people), it seems that the American version of the class meeting
grew quite a bit larger (up to 70 people). Based on the larger class sizes, Hardt believes
the class meetings in New York may not have been as effective because the size limited
the opportunity for all to participate. As Methodism grew in “respectability” in New
York, Hardt also notes that the emphasis Wesleyan idea of holiness seemed to diminish.
While class meeting attendance was mandatory in the beginning stages of Methodism,
the New York circuit did not enforce this rule. This led to a gradual decline of the class
meeting by the 1850s in New York. Hardt also notes that the rising popularity at this time
of the “prayer meeting”, an service with an emphasis on instant conversions, was
damaging the class meeting. People would now report to the altar for a few minutes of
prayer, but not invest the time in longer-term discipleship that the class meeting
represented. Without the backing of the class meeting, Hardt believes that the religious
fervor that was displayed at these prayer meetings soon faded away, and the Methodist
Church was in a weaker spiritual condition as a result. The class meeting was eventually
replaced by a modern Sunday school approach to Christian education.
I agree with Hardt that there is no substitute for the hard work of discipleship that the
class meeting represented. I have seen this weakness displayed in the evangelical
community of today, with the emphasis of conversions over discipleship. It is the balance
of evangelical zeal and the hard work of long-term discipleship that will fulfill the Lord’s
command of Matthew 28 to go and make disciples of all nations.
The Methodist Class Meeting
45
Henderson, D. M. (1997). A Model For Making Disciples: John Wesley's Class Meetings.
Nappanee, Indiana: Francis Asbury Press.
D. Michael Henderson chronicles the rise of the Methodist class meeting system in
England, with an emphasis on John Wesley’s theology and practical experiences. The
author describes the spiritual dryness of the 1730’s and examines Wesley’s role in
discipling the masses that would convert to Christianity in the 1740s during the Great
Awakening. Examining early influences, he charts Wesley’s spiritual development from
high churchman to a field preaching evangelical. Emphasizing his mother Susanna’s role
in John’s early development, Henderson demonstrates that the spiritual seeds sown into
Wesley’s life at an early age came to fruition in a powerful way.
One of Henderson’s interesting points is how he relates the way Wesley set up his
interlocking group educational system to coincide with the way we learn as humans.
Henderson describes the larger Methodist society meetings as learning in the cognitive
mode. The primary function of the society meeting was to instruct and train the members
on the tenets and beliefs of Methodism. Henderson identifies the class meeting as the
most influential group in Methodism, and these gatherings were designed to change
behavior. The class meeting would not teach the beliefs of Methodism per se, but would
train class members how to be Methodist by action. The band meeting on the other hand
would work in the affective mode, seeking to change attitudes, emotions, feelings, and
intentions. Henderson demonstrates that the society was for the “head”, the class meeting
for the “hands”, and the band was aimed at the “heart”.
Henderson makes a great case for the church to follow in the footsteps of Wesley and
“cover all the bases” in our modern educational programs. Citing that leaning about God
comes from doing the will of God is a powerful reminder that our spiritual growth is not
merely an academic exercise, but also requires action from us. When we are in the
process of doing, it is then that we see God work in mighty ways. Some of the greatest
times of my own spiritual growth have come when in response to the process of doing,
even though I may not have been doing the activity very well. The modern church belief
that “we will only do things excellently” can undermine the process of learning and set
false standards of performance that are not possible to be reach. I have no problem with
performing at our best level to honor God, but we can’t allow the fact that we might not
be an expert in an area of ministry hold us back from doing the clear will of God! It is
God who makes up the difference between our natural ability and the result that God
wills to achieve!
The Methodist Class Meeting
46
Matthaei, S. H. (2008). Formation in Faith: The Congregational Ministry of Making Disciples.
Nashville: Abingdon Press.
Sondra Higgins Matthaei speaks from the heart about her passion to see the church be
obedient to God in the area of Christian education. Her goal is to help the local church
understand the process of faith formation, and respond in a way that will produce strong
disciples and authentic community. Her triune theory of spiritual development: invitation
to communion, growing in communion, and full communion is a simple yet elegant way to
describe the progression in our walk of faith with Christ. She goes on to explain ways
that a community of grace can growth together to the very Wesleyan and biblical ideal of
loving God and loving neighbor with all the heart, mind, and soul. In each phase of the
spiritual formation, she charts What to teach?, Who shall teach?, How to teach?, in order
to assist the church to be effective in its educational program.
One of the main goals that Higgins Matthaei is pointing to in this book is that our job as
Christian educators is to assist God in the spiritual transformation process of awakened
individuals so that they may grow into faithful disciples of Christ. She is keenly aware of
the work of the Holy Spirit in this process of transformation. It is God who allows us the
privilege to be helpers in this matter. We must respond in faith and do the hard work that
discipleship requires. The Wesleyan ideal of learning by doing is also strongly
represented also in her writing. Wesley would first teach people to be a Methodist, and
eventually they would become a Methodist. She is challenging the church, in all its
diversity, to be unified as the body of Christ and use the spiritual gifts God has given us
to serve our neighbors in love.
This book is a timely call to the church to re-assume her responsibility and understand
that discipleship is the most important task at hand. One issue stopping us may be that in
the church today we place too high a value on the knowledge of doing something rather in
the experience of participation itself. Although I had people show me how to present a
Bible lesson, it wasn’t until I actually stood before people and tried to teach when I began
to understand what it takes to effectively communicate the truth of the gospel. Her call
for the church to have authentic community is also timely in today’s church culture.
Perhaps the biggest stumbling block to producing a community and a communion of
grace is the superficiality of our spiritual relationships. Getting beyond the ordinary is
going to take hard work, and the author is challenging the Christian education community
in love to fulfill its role in shaping the next generation of believers for God.
The Methodist Class Meeting
47
Moravian Church in North America [MCNA]. What We Believe. Retrieved April 4, 2010, from
http://www.moravians.org/believe/
Northwest Nazarene University [NNU]. The Life of De Renty. Retrieved April 3, 2008, from
http://wesley.nnu.edu/john_wesley/christian_library/vol29/CL29Part5.htm
Ross, K. W., & Stacy, R. John Wesley and Savannah. Retrieved April 4, 2010, from
http://www.sip.armostrong.edu/Methodism/wesley.html
Smith, K. (2009). Living on Target: A Lifestyle of Discipleship. Charlotte, NC: Lifebridge
Books.
Pastor Kelvin Smith of Steele Creek Church at Charlotte offers an excellent guide to
modern discipleship theories and practice. Smith identifies four foundational areas of our
Christian walk that are critical to our spiritual growth. Living in Love and Service to
Christ cites strategies to become men and women of prayer, the Word, and personal
worship. Living in Love and Service in the Home emphasizes the placing of our homes in
biblical order. Living in Love and Service to the Church discusses the nature of the
church, ministering to the poor, and the concept of biblical unity. Living in Love and
Service to the World challenges the believer to evangelize and disciple, and to be an
authentic witness for Christ.
Living on Target is the basis of SCCC’s small group discipleship program. Small groups
of believers (resembling a Wesleyan band) meet on a regular basis to specifically discuss
the four foundational areas identified in the book. Having personally been a member of a
Target group, I can vouch for their effectiveness at emphasizing these important areas of
our lives. The communion services discussed in this paper are monthly gatherings of the
entire home group, while Target groups tend to be smaller same-gender meetings that
meet more frequently. While home groups may contain up to 50 members, the Target
groups tend to have between 4-8 in regular attendance. Target groups also meet for a
period of time (3 months), and then the subject matter or membership may be rotated.
Along with the monthly communion service and Target participation, home groups
usually schedule a social event on a quarterly basis, such as a cookout or Christmas party
for fellowship time. Each home group generally adopts a ministry to participate in on a
regular basis. Service projects offer the opportunity to come together as a group outside
of the meeting times, and to assist those in need.
While not intending for this to be “how to” book for a small group program, Living on
Target offers excellent ideas and subject matter for discussions in any type of
discipleship setting. This material can easily be used in all types of small group
gatherings.
United Methodist Church [UMC]. Rules for United Societies. Retrieved April 14, 2010, from
http://archives.umc.org/interior.asp?mid=1658
The Methodist Class Meeting
48
Watson, D. L. (1985). The Early Methodist Class Meeting. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf & Stock.
David Lowes Watson puts forth in this book the definitive history of the development of
the class meeting, as well as detailed research into Wesley’s theology and church polity.
He traces Wesley’s early influences and discusses the Methodist’s view of grace. He goes
on the chronicle how the class meeting system functioned, and the larger picture of its
influence to discipleship in the overall Methodist movement.
A major point that Watson brings forth in his writings is Wesley’s view of the Methodist
movement in light of the body of Christ in general. Wesley never thought the formal
breakaway from the Church of England was a good idea, and during his lifetime he
resisted the call for schism. Wesley viewed his small groups as ecclesiola in ecclesia, a
little church within the church. The development of the class meeting system was a
response to the shortcomings of discipleship programs of the state church in view of what
God was doing in the revival of the 1740s. Wesley believed strongly in the freedom of
small groups to minister to the members in a spiritually intimate setting. The author also
warns of the potential pitfalls that the class meeting system may have developed, such as
formalism and superficiality.
Wesley believed that schism in the body of Christ was only necessary under extreme
circumstances, such as the Lutheran revolution. Wesley did not believe the issues he
faced to be of that magnitude from a doctrinal perspective that would require a schismatic
approach. This is a timely message for today, when we see division in the church running
rampant. Within the evangelical community over the last few years, I have detected a
renewed urgency for unity of the church for the sake of the gospel. It is heartening to hear
pastors discuss the concepts of biblical unity, and working to bring diversity to our
Sunday mornings. Wesley focused on the job at hand: faithfully sharing the gospel, and
training the new disciples of Christ to love God and their neighbor. The techniques that
Wesley developed were extremely effective for his day. It is our job in the 21st century to
understand our church history, and to apply the spiritual concepts of discipleship to our
own congregations.
Wellman, S. (1999). John Wesley, Founder of the Methodist Church. : Chelsea House
Publishers.
Wesley, J. (1827). The Journal of the Rev. John Wesley. Retrieved April 24, 2010, from
http://books.google.com/books?id=s__4_HHCedgC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Journal+o
f+John+Wesley&cd=1#v=onepage
The Methodist Class Meeting
49
Appendix A
Project Timeline
Part 1: Introductory Research and Writing
Week of
Activity
1/25/10
2/1/10
2/8/10
2/15/10
2/22/10
2/29/10
3/1/10
3/8/10
3/15/10
3/23/10
3/29/10









Internet research for resources
Preparation of learning contract
Meeting with advisor
Internet research for resources
Reading/Note taking: The Soul of Methodism
Internet research for resources
Reading/Note taking: The Soul of Methodism
Reading/Note taking: The Soul of Methodism
Meeting with advisor
 Reading/Note taking: Early Methodist Class
Meeting
 Reading/Note taking: Early Methodist Class
Meeting
 Reading/Note taking: The Model for Making
Disciples
Spring break
 Reading/Note taking: The Model for Making
Disciples
 Reading/Note taking: The Model for Making
Disciples
 Meeting with Advisor
 Writing: Introduction
 Library research for Wesley biographical
information
 Writing: Part 1
 Proof –read Part 1
 Email Part 1 draft to Advisor
Total Hours for Part 1:
Approx. Time
(hours)
6.0
7.0
6.0
5.0
8.0
6.0
5.0
5.0
8.0
10.0
66.0
The Methodist Class Meeting
50
Appendix A (continued)
Project Timeline
Part 2: Additional research and writing
Week of
Activity
4/05/10
 Reading/Note taking: Wesley biography
4/12/10
 Reading/Note taking: Making Disciples (Matthaei)
Approx. Time
(hours)
8.0
6.0
 Reading/Note taking: Formation in Faith
(Matthaei)
8.0
4/26/10
 Writing: Part 2
10.0
5/3/10
 Writing: Part 2
 Proof –read Part 2
 Email Part 2 draft to Advisor
Total Hours for Part 2:
8.0
4/19/10
Part 3: Writing and proof-reading Part 3
Week of
Activity
5/10/10
 Writing: Part 3
5/17/10
 Writing: Part 3
5/24/10






40.0
Approx. Time
(hours)
10.0
6.0
5/31/10
Writing: Part 3
Meeting with Advisor
Writing: Part 3
Annotations
Proof –read entire paper
Email Final paper to Advisor
Total Hours for Part 3:
48.0
Total Hours for Project:
154.0
8.0
24.0