"Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen, such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven on earth."
(John Wesley, August 6, 1777)
The John Wesley Adventure is a major reform movement in two stages, for churches and Christian groups, informing participants about the amazing life of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodists, the Nazarenes, the Salvation Army, and many others. The Adventure teaches Christians about the real John Wesley, and what he expected of his revolutionary church.
In Stage One, your congregation will study The John Wesley Express, a 12-lesson study that takes approximately three months to complete. Volunteers form a John Wesley Society, a small group of up to 30 people. They will read approximately 20 pages per week, then gather weekly to discuss the readings.
Stage Two is The John Wesley Adventure. After completing the Express and taking a break, your Society will reconvene to plan, and literally put into motion some of the Wesleyan principles they have learned. They will conduct a demographic analysis of your church and community to determine the people they want to reach for Christ. Then they will create ministries specifically for that purpose. They may also agree to adopt some of Wesley's personal disciplines over a period of time, holding one another accountable.
John Wesley's story is full of drama, romance, violence and cliff-hanging incidents where he preached at the risk of his life. Many of these are included in this exciting study. Though references are made to the author's denomination, the United Methodist Church, the text is usable in any church or Christian group that is basically Wesleyan in belief.
