Five Strengths of Wesleyan Church Ecclesiology
In May of 2026, elected lay and clergy delegates of The Wesleyan Church will gather at Indiana Wesleyan University for General Conference. This gathering will clarify our identity and ecclesiology for the next four years and probably for decades to come. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (4th ed., 2022) defines ecclesiology as “the science or study of the nature and constitution of the Church.”
By leaning into the strengths of our ecclesiology, we can thrive as a church as we prepare in the coming months for discussions that will define our identity. Here are five strengths of The Wesleyan Church Ecclesiology which we can apply to our local churches:
Mission-Centered Focus. Paragraph 100 of The Discipline of The Wesleyan Church states the following, “The Wesleyan Church has grown out of a revival movement which has historically given itself to one mission—the spreading of scriptural holiness throughout every land. The message which ignited the Wesleyan revival was the announcement that God through Christ can forgive men and women of their sins, transform them, free them from inbred sin, enable them to live a holy life, and bear witness to their hearts that they are indeed children of God” (2022).
Key Question: How can you apply and reinforce this focus in your local Wesleyan Church missional context?
Holiness-Oriented Vision. For Wesleyans, salvation is ontological, not exclusively moral or legal. Wesleyans believe that human beings are not just guilty, but broken, corrupted, and enslaved to death. Salvation, therefore, must be ontological—it must veritably heal and transform us. In his book, Holiness for Ordinary People, Keith Drury asserts, “If you put your all on the altar… God will fill you completely with his Holy Spirit. … Entire sanctification: God completely and entirely filling you with his Spirit so that he fills your whole life” (2012).
Key Question: Do the people of your local Wesleyan Church understand the immediate and ongoing transformation available to them through total consecration of their lives to Christ?
Shared Authority between Laity and Clergy. Wesleyans affirm that all Christians are called to ministry. Pastors are called to represent Christ to the people (laity) of the church and the people (laity) are called to represent Christ to the world. Through this model, worldly hierarchy is inverted, and leaders follow the example of Christ our King, who by washing the feet of his disciples modeled the undertaking of a servant. Our local churches, districts, and denomination are governed by an equal representation of lay people and clergy. A recent article in Wesleyan Life Magazine posed the following question as an introduction to a ministry called “GodWorx”, “What would the world look like if ALL Christians accepted a call into full-time ministry? Imagine construction sites, conference rooms, classrooms and kitchen tables taking on the same passion, purpose and potential of the pulpit” (2025). The governance of the Wesleyan Church recognizes the vital importance of laity deployed in mission.
Key Question: Is there clarity regarding roles of Clergy and Laity in your local Wesleyan Church?
Connection Structure. The Wesleyan Church is a connectional church. Bishop Mark Webb of The Global Methodist Church declared that “For John Wesley connection was non-negotiable. His teaching on social holiness called us to the necessity of connection to one another. In 1739 he penned the words, ‘The gospel of Christ knows of no religion but social; no holiness but social holiness.’ For Wesley, a privatized notion of Christian faith was nonsense and unfaithful. Wesley believed that holiness is realized within Christian community as we pray together, worship together, study scripture together, care for one another, confess our sins to one another and serve the world together with the gospel of Jesus Christ” (2023). Although there is a current trend toward congregational independence, Wesleyans have always believed that we are stronger and holier together.
Key Question: In what ways does your local Wesleyan Church celebrate the benefits of connection to a worldwide group of Wesleyans?
Theological Consistency and Accountability. Within the Articles of Religion found in the Discipline of the Wesleyan Church, our core theological commitments are outlined regarding the authority of scripture, the Trinity, salvation by grace through faith, sanctification and the Church, sacraments, and eschatology. Wesleyans have ensured long term theological consistency and accountability by establishing governance protocols. These protocols are designed to require broad agreement both at the General Conference and International Conference to make changes to key Biblical and theological convictions. The actual commitments are the most consequential, but we can appreciate the wisdom of our founders who established a system designed to preserve consistency and accountability.
Key Question: In what ways can you celebrate the faithfulness of our denominational family at your local church?
For more information on the resources in this Thrive in Five, see the following:
References
Drury, Keith. Holiness for Ordinary People. Wesleyan Publishing House, 2012.
Louth, Andrew, editor. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 4th ed., Oxford University Press, 2022.
Webb, Mark. “The Importance of Connectionalism for Methodists.” The Global Methodist Church, 14 June 2023, www.globalmethodist.org/the-importance-of-connectionalism-for-methodists.
The Wesleyan Church. The Discipline of the Wesleyan Church. Wesleyan Publishing House, 2022.
Yonce, Kelly. “GodWorx where we ALL Work.” Wesleyan Life, 6 Jan. 2025, wesleyan.life/godworx-where-we-all-work.
Intellectual contributor: Dr. Eric Hallett
Executive editor: Johanna Chacon Rugh
Curator of content: Carla Working
