Christian History Home > Issue 69 > Spare the Rod and Spoil the Church
Spare the Rod and Spoil the Church
Though Methodism thrived on big crowds, its survival depended on the discipline of small groups.
Charles Edward White | posted 1/01/2001 12:00AM
When the Methodist movement began to grow, John Wesley faced the problem of dealing with converts who returned to their old ways. Many Methodists came from the lowest social classes, so nothing in their background or environment helped them live the "sober, quiet, godly lives" Wesley prescribed. Their backsliding discouraged those who were trying to follow Christ and gave Methodism's detractors ammunition.
The solution to this problem came in a way no one expected. The Methodists had contracted a debt to build a preaching house. In an effort to pay off the debt, the leaders volunteered to visit each Methodist each week and collect a penny.
When they found that it was easier if the people came to the leader, the Methodist class-meeting was born. The people still paid the penny, but the meetings quickly became more pastoral than financial. Leaders used the meetings to instruct members and check up on their spiritual progress.
Seeing how effective this practice was convinced Wesley that the ...
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