John Wesley

John Wesley – The Co-Founder of Methodism

John Wesley was born 17th June 1703, the fifteenth child of Samuel, who was a priest and Susanna Wesley in Epworth, Lincolnshire.

In 1709, the house caught fire; everyone escaped except for John, who was trapped in an upper room. Upon being saved and in his mother’s arms, she said, “God has saved you”.

John and his siblings were home-schooled by their mother, Susanna and had a strict daily routine of meal times, prayers and bedtime instilled in him from any early age. This discipline would bode well in later life.

In 1749, Charles married Sarah and bore a number of children but only three survived to adulthood.

John founded Methodist along with his brother Charles and George Whitefield in the 18th Century.

John wrote 1,747 sermons in his lifetime. He travelled throughout England and the America’s, taking his message to the people. He reached many people by his theology, which may seem outdated by today’s theology but back in the eighteen century, his word spoke to his people.

John kept a journal recording details of his daily life. His sermons and journals can be found online.

John Wesley died 2nd March 1791 in London, aged 88.

Charles Wesley was born 18 December 1707 and was a prolific hymn writer, he wrote some of our favorite hymns that we sing to this day, “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”, “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing” and “Rejoice, the Lord is King” and many, many more.

Charles Wesley died 29 March 1788 in London, aged 81.