The Radical Wesley: The Patterns and Practices of a Movement Maker

In the late 1700s, a massive revival broke out across Britain and the United States in which more than 100,000 people saw their lives changed in a monumental move of the Spirit of God. John Wesley's Methodist system of small groups, circuit riders, societies, and lay leadership was foundational to this renewal, and the thought and practice behind Wesley's work is still a movement maker in today's world. The Radical Wesley: The Patterns and Practices of a Movement Maker is not simply a biographical sketch of John Wesley. It's much more than that. In this book, Howard Snyder skillfully takes Wesley's model and uses it as an outline for analysis of church renewal through the centuries. There is another movement brewing. A resurgence of Wesleyanism is in the air. And with Snyder's help, we can let history be our guide. By understanding not only John Wesley's methods, but also the motivations behind his decisions, we are able to start recasting the mold for a more biblical mentality and structure for church life and mission in our own homes, churches, communities, and world. How do you renew the church without destroying it? How do you gain an appreciation for the apostolic faith in a contemporary context? How do you touch people that the current tradition of the church doesn't touch? Beautifully, Wesley addresses all of these questions, and his voice is as fresh today as it was two centuries ago.

In the late 1700s, a massive revival broke out across Britain and the United States in which more than 100,000 people saw their lives changed in a monumental move of the Spirit of God. John Wesley's Methodist system of small groups, circuit riders, societies, and lay leadership was foundational to this renewal, and the thought and practice behind Wesley's work is still a movement maker in today's world. The Radical Wesley: The Patterns and Practices of a Movement Maker is not simply a biographical sketch of John Wesley. It's much more than that. In this book, Howard Snyder skillfully takes Wesley's model and uses it as an outline for analysis of church renewal through the centuries. There is another movement brewing. A resurgence of Wesleyanism is in the air. And with Snyder's help, we can let history be our guide. By understanding not only John Wesley's methods, but also the motivations behind his decisions, we are able to start recasting the mold for a more biblical mentality and structure for church life and mission in our own homes, churches, communities, and world. How do you renew the church without destroying it? How do you gain an appreciation for the apostolic faith in a contemporary context? How do you touch people that the current tradition of the church doesn't touch? Beautifully, Wesley addresses all of these questions, and his voice is as fresh today as it was two centuries ago.