Wesleyan and Arminian in its doctrine, the Wesleyan Church is a holiness Christian denomination with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church.
In 1843, the Wesleyan Methodist Church of America was founded in Utica, New York. A group of Methodists protested the denomination's tolerance for slavery and, when the leadership of the Methodist Episcopal Church moved to silence the protesters, twenty-two ministers and more than six thousand members left to form the Wesleyan Methodist Connection of America, which was changed to the Wesleyan Methodist Church in 1947. Meanwhile, in 1897, the Pilgrim Holiness Church was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio as part of the Holiness movement that was sweeping the area. In 1966, the Alliance of Reformed Baptists of Canada joined with the Wesleyan Methodist Church. As this church and the Wesleyan Methodist Church shared the holiness doctrines originally taught by John Wesley, they merged to form the Wesleyan Church in 1968.
Over the next years, from twenty to thirty small denominations merged with the Wesleyan Church, increasing its numbers while retaining the emphasis on sanctification that was taught by Wesley, but not emphasized by many of the Methodist bodies. The Wesleyan Church also stressed the importance of revival and missionary work.
Within the Wesleyan Church, local congregations are organized into a network of districts in which clergy and laity are represented at annual conferences. Each district has a district superintendent and board of administration, made up of both laypeople and clergy. National and multi-national networks, known as general conferences, meet every four years.
The Wesleyan Church operates or is affiliated with Wesley Biblical Seminary, Wesley Seminary, Kingswood University, Houghton College, Indiana Wesleyan University, Oklahoma Wesleyan University, and Southern Wesleyan University.
The Wesleyan Publishing House is located in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Wesleyan Church is a member of the Christian Holiness Partnership, the National Association of Evangelicals, and the World Methodist Council.
The beliefs and practices of the Wesleyan Church are not unusual.
The Church believes that the Bible is the Word of God, and is inspired, infallible, and inerrant. The Scriptures have been transmitted to the current times without corruption of any essential doctrine. The Bible is authoritative, superseding all human authority.
There is one true God, who is holy, loving, eternal, almighty, and all-good. God is the creator of the universe. In the unity of the Godhead are three coequal persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of humanity. In the incarnation, Christ was very God and very man, conceived of the Holy Spirit, and born of a virgin. He died on the cross for the sins of humanity, rose physically from the dead, ascended into heaven, and intercedes on our behalf with the Father. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, and is of the same essential nature. He convicts people of sin and is the agent of regeneration and sanctification. He is always present with believers, enabling them to live a Christian life that is holy in character and conduct, a state that can only be accomplished by being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Because of Adam and Eve's sin against God, all of mankind, their descendants, are unable to do what is right by their own strength. Inclined to evil, mankind cannot call on God or exercise faith for salvation through their own strength. The only path to salvation is through Jesus Christ. In order to gain what God's grace has made possible, people must respond in repentance and faith. Only when they do so are they justified, regenerated, and adopted into the family of God.
The church consists of the entire body of believers, and Jesus is the founder and head of the church. The universal church includes believers who have died as well as those who are alive. The church is called to make disciples, which involved training in spiritual growth and holy living.
The Wesleyan Church recognizes two sacraments: baptism and the Lord's Supper.
Jesus will return visibly one day. At the Second Coming, Jesus will triumph over evil and judge all of humanity on the last day. At the time of the resurrection of the dead, the just will be revived to eternal life and the unjust to eternal damnation. Heaven is the final home of the saved, while hell is the abode of the unsaved.
As with other Holiness bodies, the Wesleyan Church emphasizes the doctrine of entire sanctification. Sanctification is gained instantly at the moment of full consecration to God, and results in a full cleansing of the heart from inbred sin.
The denomination known as the Wesleyan Church is the focus of this category, and of the sites listed here.
Recommended Resources
Florida District of the Wesleyan Church
Headquartered in Wesley Chapel, Florida, the district is made up of Wesleyan Church congregations in Florida. A profile of the district includes a directory of district and denominational leadership, administrative contacts, and a schedule of meetings and district events. Member churches are listed, with meeting locations, service times, mailing addresses, and web addresses, as well as educational services.
http://floridawesleyan.com/
Illinois District of the Wesleyan Church
The Illinois District is made up of congregations of the Wesleyan Church in the State of Illinois. Member churches are highlighted, with addresses, contacts and, when available, web addresses. Church planting services are discussed, including the procedures for becoming a part of its church planting ministries. Monthly ministry reports and weekly updates are posted, and administrative contacts are posted to the site.
http://www.illinoisdistrictchurches.org/
The Holiness denomination is active in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, Asia, Australia, Indonesia, Liberia, Namibia, Sierra Leone, and South Africa. The official denominational website offers a profile of the Protestant body, an overview of its ministries and missions, a district directory, employment opportunities, and an online bookstore where books and other items may be purchased.
https://www.wesleyan.org/
Situated on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana, the seminary serves the Wesleyan Church, for which it prepares ministers for the practical ministry of the church, offering the Doctor of Ministry, Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, and Master of Practical Theology degrees, as well as several specializations. Its admissions programs, tuition and financial aid, scholarships, as well as its application process.
http://seminary.indwes.edu/
The Hamburg, New York congregation of the Wesleyan Church has three campuses, including the McKinley campus, the South Creek campus, and the Bayview Chapel campus. Directions, schedules, and a calendar of events are published to the site, along with an introduction to the church, the requirements for membership, weekly reports, residencies, internships, and employment opportunities.
http://wchamburg.org/
The National Children’s Ministry arm of the Wesleyan Church offers a variety of programs and training for children of the denomination, including opportunities to help children learn about missions, a pre-teen series for small group relational discipleship, the Wesleyan catechism, and the denomination’s partnership with Awana Clubs. Contacts, announcements, and a blog are also presented.
https://wesleyankids.org/
Published three times a year, the printed version of the magazine is distributed free to Wesleyan Church schools and churches; otherwise, home delivery is available for a donation. The digital version of the magazine is available in PDF format, with archives going back as far as 2012. Selected articles are available on its site, listed by title, topic, and author. Theologians and other contributing writers are featured, and advertising opportunities are posted to the site.
https://wesleyan.life/
