BISHOP’S MESSAGE Bishop Dr Gordon Wong was elected Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore in 2020. He served as President of the Trinity Annual Conference from 2013–2020.
Methodists and the month of May “I felt my heart strangely warmed.”
T
I preach the plain, old Christianity, renouncing and detesting all other marks of distinction.”
hese are the words which John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, used to describe his
In other words, Wesley said that the fundamental
spiritual encounter with God on the evening of
characteristics of Methodists should be the fundamental
24 May 1738. That spiritual heart-warming experience
characteristics of all Christians, plain and simple.
took place in a small group gathering somewhere along Aldersgate Street, London. Methodists celebrate
So let me say again that I am happy to be called a
24 May each year as Aldersgate Day.
Methodist, for I am happy to be called a Christian.
We are a people called Methodists, and I am happy
But what does it mean to be a Christian? There are
to be called a Methodist. But what is a Methodist?
different meaningful ways one can answer that
John Wesley gave us his answer in one of his
question. My favourite answer is to say that to be
sermons entitled “The Character of a Methodist.” He
a Christian is to commit oneself to what Jesus Christ
began by describing several central characteristics
said was the most important thing in life and all of
of a Methodist, and then said: (and here let me
Holy Scripture: to love God with all our heart, and to
paraphrase):
love our neighbour as ourselves (Matthew 22:37–39).
“If [anyone] should say, ‘Why, these [characteristics]
I wish us all a blessed Aldersgate Day this May,
are only the common fundamental principles of
and I pray that we may renew our commitment to
Christianity which you have listed!’
be Methodist Christians who love God with all our “strangely warmed” hearts by loving our neighbours
I reply: Indeed. This is the truth. I know they are… and I would to God that you, and everyone, would also know that I, and all who like me are called
as we love ourselves.
“For the entire law is fulfilled in
Methodists, do vehemently refuse to be distinguished
keeping this one command:
from anybody by anything but the common principles
‘Love your neighbor as yourself ’.”
of all Christianity. 1
(Gal 5:14, NIV)
J. Wesley, “The Character of a Methodist” (para.17 in the Thomas Jackson edition of The Works of John Wesley, 1872.)
METHODIST MESSAGE May 2021
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