Dear Friends,

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On Aldersgate Street in London stands a bronze memorial flame marking a moment that forever changed the spiritual landscape of Britain, John Wesley’s conversion on May 24, 1738. That evening, Wesley, feeling discouraged and uncertain of his faith, attended a small gathering where someone was reading Martin Luther’s Preface to the Epistle to the Romans. He later wrote in his journal:

“About a quarter before nine… I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine…”

 

That experience not only transformed Wesley personally, but also sparked a movement that would lead to the birth of Methodism. And significantly, it happened outside the walls of a church building  in a modest meeting among everyday people.

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Wesley had been formed in the liturgical and formal traditions of the Church of England, but his new-found emphasis on salvation by faith put him at odds with the institutional church. Many pulpits were closed to him, and his message increasingly found its audience among the working class, the poor, the overlooked, and the unchurched. He soon realised that traditional methods weren’t effective. The formal liturgy and classical hymnody had little impact on crowds who were indifferent, even hostile, to religion.

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Seeing this, Wesley gave his brother Charles an inspired challenge:

“Go out and listen to the workers sing as they go to and from the mines, and write something that will reach their hearts.”

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And so Charles Wesley did. He wrote songs that reflected the rhythms and language of the people folk-like, memorable, heartfelt. Though these songs were initially considered inappropriate for formal worship, they brought the gospel alive for thousands. The Methodist revival was not just about a new message, it was about a new method. A willingness to speak the language of the people, sing their music, and meet them where they were.

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This pattern has repeated through history: God breathes new life into the Church when it is willing to shed rigid forms and adopt fresh expressions that connect with the culture around it. Jesus once said, “No one pours new wine into old wineskins.” If the Church is to carry the living message of Christ into each new generation, it must be ready to renew its forms, while never compromising its truth.

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Wesley’s mission was to reach the heart of the unchurched — and that mission remains at the heart of Christ’s agenda today. Jesus came not to cater to religious insiders, but to bring healing, hope, and salvation to the lost. Worship, then, is not just a Sunday routine; it is our spiritual heartbeat — the place where we encounter God’s presence, rediscover our purpose, and find renewed strength for the journey.

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In our own time, people are still searching — for truth, meaning, hope, and belonging. They are often navigating a world of confusion, fear, and spiritual hunger. They are not looking for a diluted gospel, but for a clear word from God, courageous, compassionate, and relevant to their lives.

 

If the Church is to see another awakening, it must open itself again to the renewing work of the Spirit. We need worship that is spiritually alive, culturally aware, and centred on Christ. Worship that connects without entertaining, that challenges without condemning, and that empowers without performing.

 

As we celebrate Pentecost this June, the birthday of the Church and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit,  we are reminded that the mission of the Church is not simply to preserve tradition, but to move with God’s Spirit. Pentecost was not a conclusion; it was a commissioning. It calls us to look honestly at ourselves and ask: What is the Church for? What does it mean for us, today, to be the Body of Christ with Jesus as our Head?

 

This season invites us to rediscover our calling: to be a Spirit-filled, mission-minded, worship-centred people. Not defined by our buildings or routines, but by our willingness to be used by God for the sake of the world.

 

So let us open our hearts to renewal.
Let us be bold in our worship.
Let us be clear in our preaching.
Let us be attentive to the Spirit’s prompting and ready to respond.

 

May your heart, too, be strangely warmed this season.

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God bless you and yours,
David Jebb