The Wesleyan Church, also known as the Wesleyan Methodist Church and Wesleyan Holiness Church depending on the region, is a

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...

Christian denomination A Christian denomination is a distinct religious body within Christianity that comprises all church congregations of the same kind, identifiable by traits such as a name, particular history, organization, leadership, theological doctrine, worsh ...

in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Namibia,

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierra ...

Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean ...

, Indonesia, and Australia. The church is aligned with the

Wesleyan-Holiness movement The Holiness movement is a Christian movement that emerged chiefly within 19th-century Methodism, and to a lesser extent other traditions such as Quakerism, Anabaptism, and Restorationism. The movement is historically distinguished by its empha ...

and has roots in the teachings of

John Wesley John Wesley (; 2 March 1791) was an English people, English cleric, Christian theology, theologian, and Evangelism, evangelist who was a leader of a Christian revival, revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism. The soci ...

. It adheres to Wesleyan-Arminian doctrine and is a member of the

World Methodist Council The World Methodist Council (WMC), founded in 1881, is a consultative body and association of churches in the Methodist tradition. It comprises 80 member denominations in 138 countries which together represent an estimated 80 million people; this ...

. Near the end of 2014, the Wesleyan Church had grown to an average of 516,203 adherents weekly in around 5,800 churches worldwide, and was active in almost 100 nations. In 2017, there were 140,954 members in 1,607 congregations in North America, and an average worship attendance of 239,842. ''Wesleyan Life'' is the official publication. Global Partners is the official non-profit missions organization. The Wesleyan Church world headquarters are in

Fishers, Indiana Fishers is a city in Fall Creek and Delaware townships, Hamilton County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 76,794, and by 2019 the estimated population was 95,310. A suburb of Indianapolis, Fishers has grown rapidl ...

, United States.

History

The

Wesleyan Methodist Connection The Wesleyan Methodist Church was a Methodist denomination in the United States organized on May 13, 1841. It was composed of ministers and laypeople who withdrew from the Methodist Episcopal Church because of disagreements regarding slavery, ...

was officially formed in 1843 at an organizing conference in

Utica, New York Utica () is a Administrative divisions of New York, city in the Mohawk Valley and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The List of cities in New York, tenth-most-populous city in New York State, its population was 65,283 ...

, by a group of ministers and laymen splitting from the

Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself on a national basis. In ...

. The split was primarily over their objections to slavery, though they had secondary issues as well, such as ecclesiastical polity.

Orange Scott Orange Scott (February 13, 1800 – July 31, 1847) was an American Methodist Episcopal minister, Presiding Elder, and District President. He presided over the convention that organized the Wesleyan Methodist Connexion in 1843, and was among th ...

presided as the meeting formed a federation of churches at first calling themselves the

, a name chosen to emphasize the primacy of the local church, and the intended nature of the denomination as a connection of churches. Other leaders at the organizing conference were

La Roy Sunderland La Roy Sunderland (May 18, 1804 – May 15, 1885) was an American minister and abolitionist. He left the Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States fr ...

, who had been tried and defrocked for his antislavery writings, Lucious C. Matlack, and

Luther Lee Luther may refer to: People * Martin Luther (1483–1546), German monk credited with initiating the Protestant Reformation * Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968), American minister and leader in the American civil rights movement * Luther (give ...

, a minister who later operated an

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. T ...

station in

Syracuse, New York Syracuse ( ) is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in the state of New York following New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffa ...

. The denomination sponsored traveling preachers on the frontier and into Canada, where they appealed to workingmen and farmers. Typical was Rev.

James Caughey James Caughey (9 April 1810 – 30 January 1891) was a Methodist minister and evangelist who was active in the United States, England and Canada. An imposing and effective preacher, he conducted highly emotional revival meetings at which many of h ...

, an American sent to

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

by the Wesleyan Methodist Church from the 1840s through 1864. He brought in converts by the score, most notably in the revivals in Canada West 1851–53. His technique combined restrained emotionalism with a clear call for personal commitment, coupled with follow-up action to organize support from converts. It was a time when the

Holiness Movement The Holiness movement is a Christian movement that emerged chiefly within 19th-century Methodism, and to a lesser extent other traditions such as Quakerism, Anabaptism, and Restorationism. The movement is historically distinguished by its emph ...

caught fire, with the revitalized interest of men and women in

Christian perfection Christian perfection is the name given to theological concepts within some sects of Christianity that purport to describe a process of achieving spiritual maturity or perfection. The ultimate goal of this process is union with God characterized by ...

. Caughey successfully bridged the gap between the style of earlier

camp meeting The camp meeting is a form of Protestant Christian religious service originating in England and Scotland as an evangelical event in association with the communion season. It was held for worship, preaching and communion on the American frontier d ...

s and the needs of more sophisticated Methodist congregations in the emerging cities. In addition to advocating for

abolitionism Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The Britis ...

, the early Wesleyan Methodists championed the rights of women. In 1848, the Wesleyan Chapel in

Seneca Falls, New York Seneca Falls is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 8,942 at the 2020 census. The Town of Seneca Falls contains the former village also called Seneca Falls. The town is east of Geneva, New York, in the north ...

, hosted the

Seneca Falls Convention The Seneca Falls Convention was the first women's rights convention. It advertised itself as "a convention to discuss the social, civil, and religious condition and rights of woman".Wellman, 2004, p. 189 Held in the Wesleyan Methodist Church ...

, the first

women's rights Women's rights are the rights and entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. In some countries, ...

convention. It is commemorated by the Women's Rights National Historical Park in the village today. Luther Lee, General President in 1856, preached at the ordination service of Antoinette Brown (Blackwell), the very first woman ordained to the Christian ministry in the United States. The Alliance of Reformed Baptists of Canada ordained the very first woman to the ministry in Canada in the late 1800s. At General Conference in 1867, a resolution was adopted favoring the right of women to vote (as well as the right of freedmen—blacks). This was 44 years before the US constitution was amended to ensure women voting privileges. In 1966 the Wesleyan Methodist Church merged with the Alliance of Reformed Baptists of Canada and in 1968 with the

Pilgrim Holiness Church Pilgrim Holiness Church (PHC) or International Apostolic Holiness Church (IAHC) is a Christian denomination associated with the holiness movement that split from the Methodist Episcopal Church through the efforts of Martin Wells Knapp in 1897. It ...

. It spread through revivals emphasizing a deepening experience with God called holiness or sanctification. Heart purity was a central theme. During this period of time, many small churches developed through revivals and the emphasis of

entire sanctification Christian perfection is the name given to theological concepts within some sects of Christianity that purport to describe a process of achieving spiritual maturity or perfection. The ultimate goal of this process is union with God characterized by ...

(taught by John Wesley, but not emphasized by some mainline Methodists). As many as 25 or 30 small denominations were formed and eventually merged with other groups to enlarge the church. The church was strong in missionary and revival emphasis. The merger took place in 1968 at Anderson University, Anderson, Indiana. Some conferences and local churches of the Wesleyan Methodist Church objected to the merger, thus resulting in a schism of the

Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connection The Allegheny Wesleyan Methodist Connection (AWMC), originally the Wesleyan Methodist Church (Allegheny Conference), and also known as the Wesleyan Methodist Church (WMC), is a Methodist denomination within the conservative holiness movement pri ...

with the Wesleyan Church, as well as the creation of the

Bible Methodist Connection of Churches The Bible Methodist Connection of Churches is a Methodist denomination within the conservative holiness movement. History The movement which would become Bible Methodist Connection of Churches began in the mid-18th century within the Church o ...

and

Bible Methodist Connection of Tennessee The Bible Methodist Connection of Tennessee is a Methodist Christian denomination associated with the holiness movement. The Wesleyan Methodist Church was formed in 1843 as a voice of opposition to slavery views held by the Methodist Episcopal Ch ...

around 1968. The Pilgrim Holiness Church of New York (formed in 1963) and Pilgrim Holiness Church of the Midwest (formed in 1970) were also established around this time, with the former in response to the tendency of centralization of the larger Pilgrim Holiness Church and the latter in response to the merger.

Beliefs

The Wesleyan Church has the following core values: *

Biblical authority In Christianity, the term biblical authority refers to two complementary ideas: * the extent to which one can regard the commandments and doctrines within the Old and New Testament scriptures as authoritative over humans' belief and conduct; * the ...

* Christlikeness * Disciple-making * Local church-centered *

Servant leadership Servant leadership is a leadership philosophy in which the goal of the leader is to serve. This is different from traditional leadership where the leader's main focus is the thriving of their company or organization. A servant leader shares powe ...

Unity in diversity Unity in diversity is used as an expression of harmony and unity between dissimilar individuals or groups. It is a concept of "unity without uniformity and diversity without fragmentation" that shifts focus from unity based on a mere tolerance ...

In addition, the Wesleyan Church holds to the following articles of religion: *Faith in the Holy

Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...

— There is one true God, united in three persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. * The Father — the Father created all things, and that all humans are created in the

image of God The image of God (; ) is a concept and theological doctrine in Christianity, as well as in Judaism. This concept is a foundational aspect of Christian and Jewish understandings of human nature. It stems from the primary text in Genesis 1:27, which ...

. God, in love, seeks out and receives penitent sinners. * The Son of God —

Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

is the Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, fully God and fully man. He died on the cross and was buried as a

sacrifice Sacrifice is the offering of material possessions or the lives of animals or humans to a deity as an act of propitiation or worship. Evidence of ritual animal sacrifice has been seen at least since ancient Hebrews and Greeks, and possibly exi ...

both for

original sin Original sin is the Christian doctrine that holds that humans, through the fact of birth, inherit a tainted nature in need of regeneration and a proclivity to sinful conduct. The biblical basis for the belief is generally found in Genesis 3 (t ...

and all human transgression and to reconcile us to God. He was raised bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, and intercedes at the Father's right hand, until he returns to judge all humanity. *

The Holy Spirit In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is the divine force, quality, and influence of God over the Universe or over his creatures. In Nicene Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is the third person of the Trinity. In Islam, the Holy Spirit acts as ...

— The Holy Spirit administers

grace Grace may refer to: Places United States * Grace, Idaho, a city * Grace (CTA station), Chicago Transit Authority's Howard Line, Illinois * Little Goose Creek (Kentucky), location of Grace post office * Grace, Carroll County, Missouri, an uninco ...

to all and is the agent in conviction for sin, in

regeneration Regeneration may refer to: Science and technology * Regeneration (biology), the ability to recreate lost or damaged cells, tissues, organs and limbs * Regeneration (ecology), the ability of ecosystems to regenerate biomass, using photosynthesis ...

, in

sanctification Sanctification (or in its verb form, sanctify) literally means "to set apart for special use or purpose", that is, to make holy or sacred (compare la, sanctus). Therefore, sanctification refers to the state or process of being set apart, i.e. " ...

, and in

glorification Glorification may have several meanings in Christianity. From the Catholic canonization to the similar sainthood of the Eastern Orthodox Church to salvation in Christianity in Protestant beliefs, the glorification of the human condition can be a ...

. *The sufficiency and full authority of the

Holy Scriptures Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They differ from literature by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual prac ...

for

salvation Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...

— The Old and New Testaments are the inspired and

infallible Infallibility refers to an inability to be wrong. It can be applied within a specific domain, or it can be used as a more general adjective. The term has significance in both epistemology and theology, and its meaning and significance in both fi ...

Word of God, inerrant in their original

manuscripts A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand – or, once practical typewriters became available, typewritten – as opposed to mechanically printed or reproduced in ...

, superior to any human authority and sufficient for all things necessary to salvation. The Bible has been transmitted to the present without corruption of any essential doctrine. *God's Purpose for Humanity — The divine law is summarized in the commands to love God with all one's heart and to love one's neighbor as oneself. All persons, therefore, ought to seek to obey God and to preserve and promote for others the exercise of every

natural right Some philosophers distinguish two types of rights, natural rights and legal rights. * Natural rights are those that are not dependent on the laws or customs of any particular culture or government, and so are ''universal'', ''fundamental'' and ...

. *

Marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

and the

Family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

— People are made in the

. Marriage is designed by God as a metaphor for His relationship with His covenant people. Therefore, human sexuality ought only to be expressed in

heterosexual Heterosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction or sexual behavior between people of the opposite sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, heterosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to ...

monogamy Monogamy ( ) is a form of dyadic relationship in which an individual has only one partner during their lifetime. Alternately, only one partner at any one time (serial monogamy) — as compared to the various forms of non-monogamy (e.g., polyga ...

. Marriage has the highest priority among social organizations, and was divinely designed for

reproduction Reproduction (or procreation or breeding) is the biological process by which new individual organisms – "offspring" – are produced from their "parent" or parents. Reproduction is a fundamental feature of all known life; each individual or ...

. Extramarital and same-sex relationships are

immoral Immorality is the violation of moral laws, norms or standards. It refers to an agent doing or thinking something they know or believe to be wrong. Immorality is normally applied to people or actions, or in a broader sense, it can be applied to gr ...

and sinful. * Personal Choice — Humans were created with the ability to choose between right and wrong. But, since the

fall Autumn, also known as fall in American English and Canadian English, is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March (Souther ...

, humans cannot choose right on their own, because of original sin. Humans are inclined toward sin and cannot, on their own, call on God or exercise faith. But God, through Christ, provides to each person

prevenient grace Prevenient grace (or preceding grace or enabling grace) is a Christian theological concept that refers to the grace of God in a person's life which precedes and prepares to conversion. It was termed and developed by Augustine of Hippo (354 – 4 ...

, allowing each to choose salvation. * Sin: Original, Willful, and Involuntary — All of creation suffers the consequences of

Adam Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as " ...

and Eve's disobedience and groans for redemption. Each person is born with a bent toward sinning, which manifests itself in outward acts of unrighteousness. Failures in judgment and involuntary flaws are not to be equated with willful sin but still require the atonement of Christ for forgiveness. Willful sin is when a free moral agent volitionally chooses to transgress a known law of God. Such sin will result in a loss of fellowship with God, self-absorption, an inability to live righteously, and, ultimately, eternal separation from God. The atonement of Christ is the only remedy for sin, whether original, willful or involuntary. * The Atonement — Christ's crucifixion allows redemption for the whole world. It is the only foundation of salvation from sin. The atonement covers those who mentally cannot choose salvation, but individuals who are mentally accountable must accept the gift of salvation of their own free will. *Repentance and Faith **Affirms that salvation is by grace alone but must be accepted by the believer. Denies the Reformed view of

unconditional election Unconditional election (also called sovereign election or unconditional grace) is a Calvinist doctrine relating to predestination that describes the actions and motives of God prior to his creation of the world, when he predestined some people to ...

. ** Affirms that

repentance Repentance is reviewing one's actions and feeling contrition or regret for past wrongs, which is accompanied by commitment to and actual actions that show and prove a change for the better. In modern times, it is generally seen as involving a co ...

precedes saving

faith Faith, derived from Latin ''fides'' and Old French ''feid'', is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or In the context of religion, one can define faith as "belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". Religious people often ...

. ** Affirms that faith is the only condition for salvation. Directly negates any need for

good works In Christian theology, good works, or simply works, are a person's (exterior) actions or deeds, in contrast to inner qualities such as grace or faith. Views by denomination Anglican Churches The Anglican theological tradition, including The ...

to attain salvation. Does not negate

as evidence of salvation. ** Affirms that saving faith publicly acknowledges Christ as Lord. ** Affirms that the saved will identify with the church. *Justification, Regeneration, and Adoption — Asserts that when one repents and has saving

in Christ, in that same moment that person is: ** Justified: Granted full pardon for all sin, guilt, and penalty of sins. ** Regenerated: Reborn spiritual life in Christ with a distinct capacity for love and obedience to God. **

Adopted Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another, usually a child, from that person's biological or legal parent or parents. Legal adoptions permanently transfer all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, from ...

: Given full rights, privileges, and responsibilities of a child of God. *Good Works — Reaffirms that humankind is justified by faith and affirms that

are evidence of salvation. *Sin After Regeneration — Affirms it is possible for a believer to sin after

in salvation and that there is grace and forgiveness for repentant believers. *

Sanctification Sanctification (or in its verb form, sanctify) literally means "to set apart for special use or purpose", that is, to make holy or sacred (compare la, sanctus). Therefore, sanctification refers to the state or process of being set apart, i.e. " ...

** Initial: The work of the Holy Spirit in the moment of conversion in a new believer to be separated from sin to God. ** Progressive: The continual work of the Holy Spirit to grow the believer in love and more perfect obedience. ** Entire" The perfecting of the believer in love and empowerment for service. It follows in lifelong growth in grace and knowledge. *The Gifts of the Spirit — Asserts that the Holy Spirit gives gifts to people, for the benefit of the Church, but that the Holy Spirit himself is the most desirable gift. *The Church — The Christian Church is the entire body of believers (both living and those died and in heaven). Jesus Christ is the founder and only head of the Church, which is not identified with any particular institution or denomination. The Church is called to preach the Word of God, administer the sacraments, and live in obedience to Christ. A local church is a body of believers formally organized for the purposes of evangelism, discipleship, and worship. The Wesleyan Church is a denomination within the greater,

invisible Church The church invisible, invisible church, mystical church or church mystical, is a theological concept of an "invisible" Christian Church of the elect who are known only to God, in contrast to the "visible church"—that is, the institutional body ...

, and that invisible church encompasses Christians who hold to a variety of differing beliefs, not just Wesleyan beliefs. *The Sacraments **

Baptism Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...

— Baptism is a sacrament commanded by our Lord and administered to believers. It works as a symbol and as part of the new covenant of grace. **

The Lord's Supper The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instituted ...

— The Lord's Supper is a sacrament of our redemption by Christ's death, our hope in his return, and a sign of Christian love for one another. *The Second Coming of Christ — Asserts that Christ will

return Return may refer to: In business, economics, and finance * Return on investment (ROI), the financial gain after an expense. * Rate of return, the financial term for the profit or loss derived from an investment * Tax return, a blank document or t ...

, fulfilling numerous

biblical prophecies Bible prophecy or biblical prophecy comprises the passages of the Bible that are claimed to reflect communications from God to humans through prophets. Jews and Christians usually consider the biblical prophets to have received revelations from G ...

and that this certain event should inspire proper living and

evangelization In Christianity, evangelism (or witnessing) is the act of preaching the gospel with the intention of sharing the message and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians who specialize in evangelism are often known as evangelists, whether they are i ...

. *Resurrection of the Dead — Asserts that all will be raised from the dead at Christ's return,

damnation Damnation (from Latin '' damnatio'') is the concept of divine punishment and torment in an afterlife for actions that were committed, or in some cases, not committed on Earth. In Ancient Egyptian religious tradition, citizens would recite th ...

for the lost and

life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energ ...

for the saved, and that the resurrection body will be a spiritual body but still personally recognizable. *Judgment of All Persons — Asserts a

final judgment The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Reckoning, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, Doomsday, Day of Resurrection or The Day of the Lord (; ar, یوم القيامة, translit=Yawm al-Qiyāmah or ar, یوم الدین, translit=Yawm ad-Dīn, ...

for all humans before God, regardless of the individual's beliefs, and asserts God's

omniscience Omniscience () is the capacity to know everything. In Hinduism, Sikhism and the Abrahamic religions, this is an God#General conceptions, attribute of God. In Jainism, omniscience is an attribute that any individual can eventually attain. In B ...

and eternal justice. *Destiny — Asserts that Scripture teaches there is life after death, and the fate of each person is determined by God's grace and their individual response, evidenced through moral character rather than arbitrary decree of God. Heaven and Christ's presence is the place for those who choose God's salvation given through Christ, but hell and separation from Christ is the resulting place for those who neglect the great salvation.

Organizations and relations

Local churches are organized into a network of districts with equal representation of clergy and laity at their annual conferences. Each has an elected administrator known as the district superintendent and has a district board of administration with both lay and clergy serving. National and multi-national networks are called general conferences with strong national leadership and meet every four years. The North American General Conference has one General Superintendent, Dr. Wayne Schmidt. Currently, general conferences exist in the Philippines, the Caribbeans, and North America, though The Wesleyan Church has recently begun a process of "internationalization" in which areas and regions of the world have the opportunity to form their own general conferences. Though it is too early to predict which general conferences will be formed in the coming years, the eventual shift is inevitable. The overarching goal of the internationalization process is to create a global network of partnership and not a "top-down" leadership structure within the worldwide church.

Official names by region

According to the 2012 Wesleyan Church Discipline, the official name of the denomination is ''The Wesleyan Church''. However, different names may be used by different units of the church for practicality and localization. The following are the official names of the denomination, for the various organizational units: * Australia: '' The Wesleyan Methodist Church of Australia'' * Bougainville: ''The Wesleyan Methodist Church of Bougainville'' * Brazil: ''Igreja Evangélica Wesleyana'' * British Isles: ''The Wesleyan Holiness Church'' * Cambodia: 'The Wesleyan Church of Cambodia' * Canada: ''The Wesleyan Church'' * Caribbean: ''The Wesleyan Holiness Church of the Caribbean'' * Chile: ''Ministerio Evangelistico y Misionero “Cristo es la Unica Respuesta”'' * Colombia: ''La Iglesia Wesleyana de Colombia'' * Costa Rica: ''Iglesia Wesleyana Internacional de Costa Rica'' * Egypt: ''The Standard Wesleyan Church'' * Ghana: ''The Standard Wesleyan Church'' * Guyana: ''The Wesleyan Church'' * Haiti: ''L’Eglise Wesleyenne d’Haiti'' * Honduras: ''Mision Methodista Sión'' * India, Central: ''The Wesleyan Methodist Church of Central India'' * India, East: ''The Wesleyan Methodist Church of East India'' * India, Western: ''The Wesleyan Methodist Church of Western India'' * Indonesia: ''Gereja Wesleyan Indonesia (GWI)'' * Lahore: "The Wesleyan Methodist Church in Pakistan" * Liberia: ''The Wesleyan Church of Liberia'' * Mexico: ''Iglesia Evangelica Los Peregrinos'' * Mozambique: ''Igreja Emmanuel Evangelica Wesleyana'' * Myanmar: ''The Wesleyan Methodist Church'' *Namibia: The Wesleyan Church in Namibia * New Zealand: ''Wesleyan Methodist Church of New Zealand'' * Nicaragua: ''Asociación Mundial de Iglesias Wesleyanas de Nicaragua'' * Pakistan: ''The Wesleyan Church in Pakistan'' * Panamá: ''Iglesia Cristiana Wesleyana de Panamá'' * Peru: ''Iglesia Wesleyana Peregrina'' * Philippines: ''The Wesleyan Church of the Philippines'' * Poland: ''Ewangeliczny Kościół Metodystyczny w Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej'' * Puerto Rico: ''Iglesia Evangélica Wesleyana'' * Sierra Leone: ''The Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone'' * South Korea: ''Jesus Korea Wesleyan Church'' * South Africa: ''The Wesleyan Church of Southern Africa'' * Suriname: ''De Wesleyaanse Gemeente'' * Tonga: ''Free Wesleyan Church'' * United States: ''The Wesleyan Church'' * Venezuela: ''Iglesia Evangélica Wesleyana'' * Zambia: ''Pilgrim Wesleyan Church of Zambia'' * Zimbabwe: ''The Wesleyan Church''

Sister denominations and fraternal relations

The Wesleyan Church is a part of the holiness movement, and as such, follows many of the same teachings as similar denominations that follow

Wesleyan Wesleyan theology, otherwise known as Wesleyan– Arminian theology, or Methodist theology, is a theological tradition in Protestant Christianity based upon the ministry of the 18th-century evangelical reformer brothers John Wesley and Charles W ...

traditions. At times in its history, it has sought merger with both the

Church of the Nazarene The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged in North America from the 19th-century Wesleyan-Holiness movement within Methodism. It is headquartered in Lenexa within Johnson County, Kansas. With its members co ...

and the

Free Methodist Church The Free Methodist Church (FMC) is a Methodist Christian denomination within the holiness movement, based in the United States. It is evangelical in nature and is Wesleyan–Arminian in theology. The Free Methodist Church has members in over 100 ...

, both of which practice very similar doctrine. The Wesleyan Church is a member of the following organizations: *

National Association of Evangelicals The National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) is an association of evangelical denominations, organizations, schools, churches and individuals, member of the World Evangelical Alliance. The association represents more than 45,000 local churches ...

Seminaries, universities, colleges, and schools in the U.S. and Canada

Kingswood University Kingswood University is an evangelical Christian University associated with the Wesleyan Church, located in Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada. It is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education. It ...

(

New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...

) *

Houghton University Houghton University is a private Christian liberal arts college in Houghton, New York. Houghton was founded in 1883 by Willard J. Houghton and is affiliated with the Wesleyan Church.

(

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

) *

Indiana Wesleyan University Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) is a private evangelical Christian university headquartered in Marion, Indiana, and affiliated with the Wesleyan Church. It is the largest private university in Indiana. The university system includes IWU—Ma ...

(

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

) *

Oklahoma Wesleyan University Oklahoma Wesleyan University (OKWU) is a private university of the Wesleyan church in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. In 2018, the school had 1006 undergraduate students, with approximately 600 of those on its main campus in Bartlesville. History Okl ...

(

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

) *

Southern Wesleyan University Southern Wesleyan University is a private Christian university in Central, South Carolina. It was founded in 1906 by what is now the Wesleyan Church. The institution is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on ...

(

South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

) *

Wesley Seminary Wesley Seminary is an evangelical Christian theological seminary that was founded by the Wesleyan Church denomination and Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU). Wesley Seminary is located on Indiana Wesleyan University's main campus in Marion, India ...

(

) *

Nebraska Wesleyan University Nebraska Wesleyan University (NWU) is a private Methodist-affiliated university in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was founded in 1887 by Nebraska Methodists. As of 2017, it has approximately 2,100 students including 1,500 full-time students and 300 ...

(

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...

)

Wesleyan Publishing House

The Wesleyan Church runs its own publishing house located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Its mission is to "be a leader in communicating the message of holiness through the publication of quality resources for local churches and ministries around the world." The Wesleyan Church in North America is organized in the following 26 districts: * Atlantic (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the US state of Maine) * Central Canada (central and western Canada) * Central New York * Chesapeake (Delaware, Maryland, Northern Virginia, Washington D.C.) * Crossroads (North and Central Indiana) * Florida * Great Lakes (Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin) * Greater Ohio * Indiana South * Iowa-Minnesota * Kansas * Kentucky-Tennessee * Mountain Plains (Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, Louisiana, and New Mexico) * North Carolina east * North Carolina west * Northeast (Eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Eastern New York (including the NYC Metro Area & Long Island), Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont & Massachusetts) * Northwest and Distrito Hispano Suroeste de La Iglesia Wesleyana (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming) * Pacific Southwest (California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii) * Shenandoah (Virginia and West Virginia) * South Carolina * South Coastal (Georgia, Alabama, and much of Mississippi) * Tri-state (Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri) * Western New York * Western Pennsylvania

Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone

John Augustus Abayomi-Cole Dr. John Augustus Abayomi-Cole (1848–1943) was a Sierra Leonean medical doctor and herbalist. He taught at the Evangelical United Brethren Church The Evangelical United Brethren Church (EUB) was a North American Protestant church from 1946 ...

, a creole from

Freetown Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean and is located in the Western Area of the country. Freetown is Sierra Leone's major urban, economic, financial, cultural, educational and p ...

attended the 1887 General Conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of the United States. He implored the Connection to send missionaries to Sierra Leone. This led to a small mission led by Rev. Henry Johnston being dispatched there in 1889. This was the first step towards the foundation of the Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone.

Notable people

Academics

* Keith Drury – writer and professor of religion at Indiana Wesleyan University *

Ronald Enroth Ronald M. Enroth (born October 28, 1938) has been a professor of sociology at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, and an evangelical Christian author of books concerning what he defines as "cults" and "new religious movements" and im ...

– Christian author and professor of sociology at

Westmont College Westmont College is a private Christian liberal arts college in Montecito, California. It was founded in 1937. History Ruth Kerr, owner and CEO of the Kerr Glass Manufacturing Company, established the school as the Bible Missionary Institute in ...

, and graduate of Houghton College *

Ken Schenck Kenneth Schenck (born 1966) is a New Testament scholar whose primary focus has been the book of Hebrews, although he has also published on Paul, Philo, philosophy, and the New Testament in general. His New Testament Survey (Triangle Publishing) ha ...

– New Testament scholar *

Jerry Pattengale Jerry A. Pattengale (born 1958) is a faculty member and administrator at Indiana Wesleyan University. He coined and founded the approach of “ purpose-guided education” in 1997 while leading the implementation of student success programs at Ind ...

– founder of purpose-guided education, director of Green Scholars Initiative, executive director at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C,

graduate

Athletes

* Erik Lefebvre – goalkeeper for the

Charlotte Eagles The Charlotte Eagles are an American professional soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1991, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays its home games at ...

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

team, formerly played for Houghton College *

Brandon Beachy Brandon Alan Beachy (born September 3, 1986), is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers. Amateur career Beachy attended Northwestern High School ...

– pitcher for the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

team, formerly played for Indiana Wesleyan University

Authors

* Mary Ann Lyth (1811–1890), English missionary, teacher, Bible translator into Fijian

Clergy

* Rev. Adam Crooks – early Wesleyan Methodist minister, responsible for a number of early church plants in the denomination. *

Frank Ritchie Francis Anderson Ritchie, known as Frank Ritchie, is a New Zealand radio broadcaster, Media Chaplain, and ordained Christian Minister who is a Sunday evening radio host on Newstalk ZB. Early life Raised in Te Aroha, Ritchie was the son of an ...

– Pastor of Commoners Church, A Wesleyan Methodist Community in New Zealand. "Rev. Frank is an ordained Wesleyan Methodist minister. He’s convinced that as we open our lives to the presence of God, the natural outcome is a world more tuned towards justice." *

Jo Anne Lyon Jo Anne Lyon (born 1940 in Blackwell, Oklahoma) is the Vice President of Wesley Seminary in Marion, Indiana. Lyon was previously the General Superintendent of the Wesleyan Church . Lyon was elected as the first woman General Superintendent at the Ju ...

– pastor, author, international leader, founder of World Hope International, global advocate, general superintendent emeritus. *

John C. Maxwell John Calvin Maxwell (born February 20, 1947) is an American author, speaker, and pastor who has written many books, primarily focusing on leadership. Titles include ''The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership'' and ''The 21 Indispensable Qualities of ...

– prolific writer and former senior pastor at

Skyline Church Skyline Church is an evangelical Christian megachurch located in La Mesa, California, a suburb of San Diego, affiliated with the Wesleyan Church denomination. The church currently averages 2,500 in attendance per week. History In 1954, Orval ...

. * Rev. Orange Scott – president of the convention that formed the Wesleyan Methodist Connexion, which eventually became the Wesleyan Church.

Politicians

Joseph Kofi Adda Joseph Kofi Kowe Adda (22 April 1956 – 14 October 2021) was a Ghanaian politician, who served as a Member of Parliament and also the Minister for Aviation in the New Patriotic Party government under President Akufo-Addo until January 2021. ...

– Member of Parliament in Ghana, graduate of

* Jean Breaux – Indiana state senator representing the 34th District, graduate of

André Carson André D. Carson (born October 16, 1974) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2008. A member of the Democratic Party, his district includes the southern four-fifths of Indianapolis, including Downtown Indianapol ...

– U.S. representative from the 7th Congressional District, graduate of

Ghassan Hitto Ghassan Hitto ( ar, غسان هيتو; born 1963) is a Syrian politician and the first head of an interim government established by the Syrian opposition National Coalition. Born in Damascus into a Kurdish family, he left Syria to the U.S. in 19 ...

– former opposition prime minister of Syria, graduate of

Randy Truitt Randy Truitt is a former member of the Indiana House of Representatives representing District 26 which includes portions of Tippecanoe and Warren County. He was first elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 2008. Prior to 2008, he was ...

, Indiana state representative from the 26th District, graduate of

Scientists and inventors

Thomas Bramwell Welch Thomas Bramwell Welch (December 31, 1825 – December 29, 1903) was a British–American Methodist minister and dentist. He pioneered the use of pasteurization as a means of preventing the fermentation of grape juice. He persuaded local ...

– a Methodist Episcopal pastor, developed a pasteurization process to prevent grapes from fermenting, thus creating grape juice instead of wine

References

External links

* * {{Official website, www.wesleyan.org.nz of the Wesleyan Church in New Zealand
Official website of the Grace Fellowship Churches in New Zealand

Wesleyan Publishing House

Wesleyan Methodist Church – Association of Religion Data Archives
1843 establishments in New York (state) Christian denominations established in the 19th century History of Methodism in the United States Holiness denominations Members of the National Association of Evangelicals

Religious organizations established in 1843