In the 18th century, England was one of the most powerful nations in the world. Even so, turmoil was surfacing. The industrial revolution was causing huge economic change. There were a few who controlled the wealth, but many others were wretchedly poor. This was especially true in the cities.
Social ills and immoral behavior permeated society. Children as young as five years old were forced to work twelve hour days in the mines and factories. Less than 4% of the total population had any schooling at all. Alcohol consumption was rampant. Drunkenness was shredding the self-worth of the working people, leaving them hopeless. Britain was also running the world's slave trade. On top of that, those who owed money could be put in debtor's prison and sold into indentured servitude. (Henderson, 1997)
While the governing classes projected an image of dignified prosperity, the majority of the English population was reeling with poverty, disease, and moral decay. This proved to be a volatile social recipe, as seen in France in the latter part of the century when this kind of social unrest boiled over into a revolution. England seemed to be ripe for a similar social explosion.
Unfortunately, the church did not seem to be a source of help. By and large, the state-sponsored Church of England was not connecting with the common people. There was very little spiritual passion in the clergy or the people.
It was in this environment that John Wesley started to preach a message of personal faith in Christ. Once I discouraged and searching young clergyman, he had personally experienced the assurance of God's pardon while attending a small group Bible study. As a result, he felt compelled to preach salvation by grace through faith. Wesley's goal was nothing less than to change society. He declared that his mission (and that of his followers) was "to spread scriptural holiness across the land."
At first Wesley spoke only in churches, but then he was convinced to take the message directly to the common people. He preached everywhere he could find listeners--to miners on their way to work in the morning or to villagers in the town squares. People who converted by the hundreds and then by the thousands.
Soon, Wesley started organizing the new converts into home-based small groups (which he called classes). Lay people led fellow believers in encouraging each other to apply Bible teachings, care for one another, and welcome new members.
The combination of field preaching and small group ministry produced powerful results. Eventually, the message of the Gospel, along with the system of interlocking groups, spread all across England. As people were converted and the groups multiplied, towns were transformed.
By the end of the eighth century, the nation of England had been deeply affected by what became known as the Wesleyan Revival. French historian, Elie Halevy, among others, credits the Wesleyan movement with preventing violent revolution like the one France endured. At the time of his death, Wesley left behind 100,000 members in a network of 10,000 interlocking groups that became known as the Methodist Church.
