Welcome back! Today, we’re taking a short journey through history — back to the 1700s — to meet the man who helped shape the heart of our United Methodist faith: John Wesley. It’s a story of adventure, challenges, faith, and grace — and it begins right here in Georgia.
The Early Years: A Man Searching for Purpose
John Wesley was born in 1703 in England, the son of a pastor, Samuel Wesley, and a remarkable mother, Susanna. Susanna raised John and his siblings — including his brother Charles, who would later write many of the hymns we still sing today. Susanna taught her children to love learning, pray daily, and live faithfully.
As John grew, he became a priest in the Church of England and a professor at Oxford University. There, he and a small group of students began meeting to pray, study Scripture, and serve the poor. Their disciplined way of life — the methodical way they practiced their faith — earned them the nickname “Methodists,” a name that stuck, along with their commitment to living with grace and purpose.
Wesley’s Journey to Georgia
In 1735, John Wesley felt called to become a missionary in the new colony of Georgia. He sailed across the Atlantic to serve the settlers in Savannah, not far from where we are today in Hinesville. His dream was to share the gospel with Native Americans and help the colonists grow in faith. But things didn’t go as planned. Wesley faced resistance, misunderstandings, and personal struggles. He wrestled with doubts about his faith and his ability to lead.
After less than two years, he returned to England feeling defeated — convinced he had failed. And yet, it was through that very struggle that God began to work in a new and powerful way in his life.
The Aldersgate Experience
Back in London, in May of 1738, Wesley attended a small prayer meeting on Aldersgate Street. As someone read from the Book of Romans, Wesley later wrote that he felt his heart “strangely warmed.” In that moment, he realized that God’s grace wasn’t just something to talk about — it was deeply personal. He knew, without a doubt, that Christ had died for him, that his sins were forgiven, and that his heart could be fully alive in God’s love. This experience became a turning point — the spark that ignited the Methodist movement.
A Movement of Grace and Renewal
After Aldersgate, Wesley began preaching outdoors, reaching people who rarely attended church. He organized small groups where believers could meet weekly to pray, study, and encourage one another. These “class meetings” became the heartbeat of the Methodist revival — ordinary people growing in faith together.
Wesley’s message was simple: Faith isn’t just about what we believe — it’s about how we live. Methodists were encouraged to visit the sick, feed the hungry, teach children, and stand up for justice. It was a movement of grace, discipline, and compassion that transformed lives and communities across England—and eventually the world.
From England to America
After Wesley died in 1791, his followers in America organized into what became The Methodist Episcopal Church — one of the first denominations in the new United States. Through camp meetings, preaching circuits, and missions, Methodists spread across the country — including right here in Georgia.
When the town of Hinesville was established in 1837, the first church to be founded that year was the Methodist Church. Since that time, the church has carried on that same Wesleyan tradition of spreading grace, growing disciples, and serving neighbors.
A Lesson for Us Today
Wesley’s journey reminds us that even when our plans fall apart, God’s purpose still stands. His time in Georgia may have felt like a failure to him, but to God, it was preparation. Wesley went to Georgia as a missionary, and upon his return, he soon discovered that he was a man transformed by grace.
Maybe you’ve had seasons like that — where things didn’t go the way you hoped, but God used them to deepen your faith. That’s the Methodist story, and it’s our story too. It’s the story of grace that meets us in our struggles and turns them into new beginnings.
Lord, thank You for the life of John Wesley and for the movement of grace that continues through the Church today. Thank You for reminding us that failure is never final, and that Your love keeps calling us forward. Help us to live with the same courage, discipline, and joy that Wesley found in You. For this we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
In our next lesson, we’re going to explore how the mission and ministry of the Hinesville First United Methodist Church have shaped generations and how this connects to its vibrant present and hopeful future. So, we’ll see you for lesson four!