Field Preaching, Then and Now

 

When John Wesley followed George Whitefield's lead in 1739 and "submitted to be more vile" by preaching in the open air, he was being faithful to a call from God that stretched him far outside his comfort zone.  He felt it to be an act that went beyond the bounds of things done decently and in order, and he was not alone in this opinion, yet he was committed to the practice, defending it against all opponents. 

On August 28, 1748, he wrote:

I wonder at those who still talk so loud of the indecency of field-preaching.  The highest indecency is in St Paul's Church, when a considerable part of the congregation are asleep, or talking, or looking about, not minding a word the preacher says. 

Nevertheless, although he continued the practice throughout the rest of his life, he never enjoyed it, considering it a cross he must bear in obedience to Christ and the best available means for sharing the gospel with the most people, particularly those who rarely entered a church building. 

In a later entry in his journal, he reflected:

On Monday and Tuesday evening I preached abroad, near the  Keelman's hospital, to twice the people we should have had at the house. What marvel the devil does not love field preaching? Neither do I. I love a commodious room, a soft cushion, a handsome pulpit. But where is my zeal if I do not trample all these under foot in order to save one more soul? (June 23, 1759)

And so I wonder. What might our "field-preaching" look like today? Covid-19 has turned everything upside down, including the Church. Though we might prefer to do church business as usual, that is impossible. Gathering close together, singing lustily (as Wesley instructed), and enjoying tea or coffee afterwards are all off-limits, so we will have to be more creative and forward-thinking than we've ever been before.  

In order to be faithful witnesses to the gospel in new ways, we may well have to consider trying methods we regard as vile as field-preaching was to Wesley. Are we as willing and as flexible as he was? How will clergy and laity open themselves to a new way forward? Our response must be thoughtful and bold, lovingly honoring our tradition while courageously seeking contemporary ways to proclaim the love of God in Christ. What forms might that take where you are? I'd love to hear.

Travels with Wesley Comes to England

 

In 1738, John Wesley returned home to England after a frustrating experience of ministry and an unhappy love affair with Sophy Hopkey in Georgia. He had set out with his brother Charles with high hopes of converting the Native Americans and of securing his own soul, but things didn’t quite work out the way he expected. 

Though his time there wasn’t a complete failure, and it taught him some valuable lessons about following rules too rigidly, his American adventure was anything but idyllic. Dejected and confused, he came back without a real plan and with no idea what shape his ministry would take.  And Christ led him into being part of a revival that is still vital and life-changing all around the world!

Well, I am now in England after leaving my home in the US, but thankfully not because of a broken heart or disappointment in ministry. There are some similarities, however. Though I did not have to sneak out of the country to avoid the long arm of the law, I too left Sophy Hopkey back in America, the difference being that my Sophy Hopkey is a cat, and my husband is taking excellent care of her.

Like Wesley, I’m embarking on a ministry adventure in a place far from home, and like Wesley, I have hopes and dreams of what may come of it, for myself and for others. It’s utter madness, leaving home and husband for a few years to serve churches so far from home, especially during a pandemic, but there’s been such confirmation of the decision and such grace extended by so many people that I believe it truly is of God. 

While I don’t pretend to think that I will be instrumental in leading an international revival, I do believe that there is work for me here. For example, one of my new churches is an ecumenical partnership of Methodists and members of the United Reformed Church, a close relative of the Presbyterians I served for eight years. That background is surely going to be helpful as we work together. I hope you will continue traveling with Wesley and me as we all watch and wait and pray for the Spirit to lead, guide, and direct us all in these new days of ministry and mission. 

“Tempered With Reverence and Godly Fear”

Wesley and the early Methodists were often accused of being “enthusiasts,” oe what we’d today call fanatics, and not without reason. In Wesley’s own journal and letters we read of people falling down or crying out as if they were having fits while he was preaching and of people claiming to have been divinely bestowed with special gifts or insights. 

In an attempt to refute allegations that he and the people called Methodists were enthusiasts, he wrote “The Nature of Enthusiasm,” arguing that neither extraordinary gifts nor fantastic visions were the measure of one’s faith, nor that they could in and of themselves reveal the will of God. Instead, he pointed to the usual ways in which God chooses to be made known: by scripture, experience, reason, and the ongoing assistance of the Holy Spirit. Wesley also cautioned against speaking too glibly of God’s will and urged his readers/listeners to guard their tongues as well as their actions, making sure that both were seasoned with the proper sense of respect and awe due to the most Holy God.  

Beware you do not fall into the second sort of enthusiasm -- fancying you have those gifts from God which you have not. Trust not in visions or dreams; in sudden impressions, or strong impulses of any kind. Remember, it is not by these you are to know what is the will of God on any particular occasion, but by applying the plain Scripture rule, with the help of experience and reason, and the ordinary assistance of the Spirit of God. Do not lightly take the name of God in your mouth; do not talk of the will of God on every trifling occasion: but let your words, as well as your actions, be all tempered with reverence and godly fear.

I can’t help thinking of this contentious election season and the endless bile and invective already being poured out from the mouths of political opponents and flowing from the keyboards of trolls and mischief-makers.  Even more disturbing is the willingness on the part of some high profile religious leaders to baptize hate speech and even engage in it themselves.  It’s a brutal day in which to attempt to follow Jesus instead of Caesar, and Wesley’s admonition against too lightly carrying the name of God in our mouths is timely. I wish I could say we’d heed it. Wouldn't it be great if Mr. Wesley's spiritual descendants would set the world a good example?

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Where Prayer Has Been Valid

John Wesley surveys the interior of the Isle of Tiree church

What a difference a year makes! This time last year, I was preaching in the Isle of Tiree's Heylipol parish church (Church of Scotland) where I spent five wonderful weeks. This year, I'm on transition leave, floating in the liminal space between writing a book while living in NC and moving to England where I'll be serving three churches.  Since I'm not preaching and preparing worship services right now, I've mostly been worshiping online with Hanscom Park UMC and their pastor, my friend Chris, and their summer intern, Peter. It's been remarkably soothing to fall into a rhythm of watching and commenting on Facebook Live along with the regular congregants as well as with others joining from afar. The sermons have been well-exegeted and delivered, the worshipers engaged, and the music beautiful. I've felt welcomed and included, and it's been a time of spiritual nourishment.

But I miss being physically in church. I miss the smell of old wood, the stifled giggles of children, the heft of the hymnal in my hand, the flicker of candles, the rustle of bulletins, the smiles during the passing of the peace, the solidity of the pews. I miss standing before the congregation in my robe with my stole slightly swaying, my sermon spilling out of a manila folder, my fingers lightly curled on the pulpit or Bible. I miss the expectant hush before the choir sings the anthem, the squeak of the ushers' shoes as they take the offering plates from my hands, the harmonies arising from the throats of the congregation as we join in the strains of "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling." I miss the knees bent on soft velvet, the bowed heads and the hands lifted and cupped to receive the bread. I miss speaking the words, "The body of Christ, broken for you. The blood of Christ, shed for you" as we share the sacrament. I miss the multi-sensory experience of "church."

We've gone out of our way during this pandemic to remind ourselves that the Church is not confined to bricks and mortar, that its reach extends into the highways and byways, that the Body of Christ is composed of our flesh and blood. And rightfully so. The Church gathered must also be the Church scattered, sharing the good news in concrete ways, especially among the least, the last, and the lost.

And yet. 

Though God is present everywhere and we can pray anywhere we are, there's no denying the importance of having a physical gathering place, a space to play instruments and sing, a shelter from which to share fellowship, communion, and other more earthly resources.  John Wesley was quick to realize the value of having dedicated spaces for Methodists to gather together, establishing the New Room in Bristol early in the revival. He would, I think, have understood the feeling expressed by T.S. Eliot --

You are not here to verify, 

Instruct yourself, or inform curiosity 

Or carry report. You are here to kneel 

Where prayer has been valid. And prayer is more 

Than an order of words, the conscious occupation 

Of the praying mind, or the sound of the voice praying. 

And what the dead had no speech for, when living, 

They can tell you, being dead: the communication 

Of the dead is tongued with fire beyond the language of the living. ~ (from "Little Gidding)

Understanding the current need for distancing and taking careful risk assessments, the necessity of masks and for now, no singing, I still feel a pang of loss, a yearning to be able to kneel with others once again in those hallowed places where prayer has been valid. Hopefully within a few days I will receive word about my visa and can travel to Watford to begin to serve three very different churches. May we together discern how and when to reopen the church buildings, carefully and cautiously, yet joyfully anticipating being able to physically kneel together where prayer has been valid. May we always be alert to the leading of the Holy Spirit as Christ calls us to be the Church within and beyond the four walls of our buildings. O, Lord, may it be so!