Wesley Groups

The founder of the Methodist movement, John Wesley, met with a group of friends to invite accountability in their growth as followers of Jesus. There are 22 questions they asked themselves every day. Questions like, “Did the Bible live in me today?” and “Am I defeated in any part of my life?” and “Am I enjoying prayer?” It’s a powerful list of questions that we can practice today.

Join Pastor Jenny in a Wesley Group this fall! This one-hour gathering includes reflection on a biblical passage and space to engage the Wesley questions, along with check-ins and joys and concerns. It’s a great way to connect with others and tend our spiritual lives together.

There are two options to participate in a Wesley Group. Wednesdays at 11:00 am in person at Morningside UMC. Or Thursdays at 7:00 pm on Zoom. Both groups meet for seven weeks starting the week of October 1 through November 12. 

John Wesley’s Accountability Questions

In 1729, while John Wesley was a student at Oxford, he started a club with his brother Charles. It was soon mockingly dubbed “The Holy Club” by some of his fellow collegians. The club members rigorously self-examined themselves everyday by asking the following 22 questions:

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite? 

2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?

3. Do I confidentially pass on to others what has been said to me in confidence?

4. Can I be trusted?

5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?

6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?

7. Did the Bible live in me today?

8. Do I give the Bible time to speak to me every day?

9. Am I enjoying prayer?

10. When did I last speak to someone else of my faith?

11. Do I pray about the money I spend?

12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?

13. Do I disobey God in anything?

14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?

15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?

16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?

17. How do I spend my spare time?

18. Am I proud?

19. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?

20. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?

21. Do I grumble or complain constantly?

 22. Is Christ real to me?