by Leslie Newton.
Arguably the most influential driver for the remarkable growth of early Methodism was Wesley’s creation of a dynamic network of ‘spaces for grace.’ As Wesley’s own life was shaped by God’s amazing grace, so he discovered that receiving and responding to grace is foundational to everyone’s growing in faith and, crucially, something best done together.
Grace, of course, is a cherished treasure at the heart of Christianity in general, but for Methodists it has historically held a particularly rich and distinctive place. “For the ‘people called Methodists’ grace is nothing less than the defining, shaping and underpinning energy that flows at the very heart of the movement.”[1] It embraces the Wesley-an ‘waves of grace’[2]: ‘prevenient grace’, ‘justifying grace’ and ‘sanctifying grace.’[3] Alongside these ‘waves of grace’ we also have the ‘means of grace’ (such as prayer, scripture, communion, fasting, and conferring). Devoting ourselves to the ‘means of grace’ is vital if God’s transforming grace is going to continue to help us grow. As Randy Maddox so helpfully puts it, it’s about “responsible grace”[4]: we have our part to play, responsibly, in continuing to grow in grace.
So, here’s some challenge for us.
- Is there not a danger that we have lost confidence in the power of God’s grace to transform us, our communities and the world?
- Have we instead too often settled for a church that runs more on guilt than grace, more out of anxiety than assurance?
- Is it not high time that we once again yield our lives, and our life together, to the transformative potential of God’s grace?
As I began, part of John Wesley’s genius lay in creating a network of ‘spaces for grace.’ These included the field, bands, classes and societies, where ‘waves of grace’ flowed as people attended to the ‘means of grace’ together. Through this lens our discipleship is first and foremost forged by our intentional, risky-but-committed participation in this network of ‘spaces of grace.’ Out of this is shaped our response: in vocation, service and generous gracious living.
What does this all mean for us as the Methodist Church today? My hunch is that we need to focus our best imagination and energy in recreating and developing a rich tapestry of purposeful ‘spaces for grace.’
With space-limited bluntness, I point to two radical reorientations I think are essential:
- Away from attaching too much expectation about the Sunday congregational gathering being able to achieve all that is so often implied. These times can indeed be a ‘space for grace’ but they should not be seen as the primary building block of a movement seeking to be fashioned and empowered by ‘waves of grace’ and through ‘means of grace.’
Towards, a greater commitment to smaller, committed groups focussed around an openness to God’s unexpected activity, mutual accountability, and deeper sharing. All with an expectant longing for more of Jesus’ gracious presence.
- Away from too easy a satisfaction, all too often, with ‘just’ providing opportunities for people to be gathered together. Of course, there is often enormous benefit and Christian service in such times (coffee mornings, warm spaces, speaker-led fellowship gatherings etc.) They are good: they can be wonderful ‘spaces for grace,’ particularly of prevenient grace. But without them being part of a fuller network of ‘spaces for grace’ we are so limited and limiting in what we are offering.
Towards, alongside such gatherings, a more courageous, Jesus-centred offering of other spaces; spaces of grace with huge contextual variety and shade, but with an intentionality to share the Jesus story, to invite people to grow in grace, to discover the Good News of the gospel personally – that Jesus really is Emmanuel – God with us – that he really has moved into every neighbourhood, full of grace and truth.
Wesley quickly learned that a network and flow of ‘spaces of grace’ was vital for the ‘people called Methodists’ to continue to grow in grace and for new people to enter into, and grow in, a life of faith. [5] What was true then is true now.
So, at a time when the church is prone to be almost paralyzingly anxious that it is running low on resources of money, energy and even time, let’s celebrate that the resource we most need – grace – is inexhaustible and in constant supply! Might we then set about developing a richer, more diverse and creative network of ‘spaces of grace’ that once again offer us – and the world – the hope of spiritual and social transformation?
[1] From my book, Revive Us Again, page 52. Available here –https://amzn.eu/d/6cj8eow
More information at: https://www.publishu.com/books/revive-us-again
[2] Beck, M, A Field Guide to Methodist Fresh Expressions, page 40
[3] Prevenient grace, meaning the grace that ‘comes before,’ bridges the gap between God and humanity. It makes possible our response to God’s forgiving and reconciling grace. Justifying grace assures us of the forgiveness and acceptance of God, aligning us with God’s gracious gift of new life. Sanctifying grace, the grace that perfects, shapes the restoring of humanity into the image of God and the conforming of all creation into the image of Christ.
[4] Maddox, R, Responsible Grace: John Wesley’s Practical Theology page 41
[5] Indeed, as Wesley himself put it so bluntly in his journal: “I was more convinced than ever, that the preaching like an Apostle, without joining together those that are awakened, and training them up in the ways of God, is only begetting children of the murderer…. [with]…. no regular societies, no discipline, no order of connection…. the consequence is that nine in ten of the once-awakened are now faster asleep than ever.’
Theology Everywhere 
Amen!
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Yes to this!
All my adult life I have been a member of small groups meeting regularly on a weekday evening, and many years ago someone among us claimed that meetings of this kind contributed more to spiritual growth than attendance at church on Sundays. There were nods of agreement.
The current groups I belong to – both ecumenical – meet regularly, one monthly, one fortnightly, and as it happens both are studying books – Barbara Taylor Brown on ‘an Altar in the World’ and Inderjit Bhogal’s ‘Hospitality and Sanctuary for All’. Discussion is at a level appropriate to the participants, and (given comfortable chairs and a tea or coffee pot) the place doesn’t matter. Nor does the time – there was once said to be a group which met at 6 a.m. because no other time would accommodate all those wanting to attend.
Very Wesleyan!
(Come to think of it, we are a T.E. group on Monday mornings!)
But it isn’t Sunday worship OR small groups. As so often it is ‘Both / And’.
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Yes to all of this, I have so many discussions in Church Councils where people bewail the lack of commitment to Sunday worship- but we need that change of focus, that return to those spaces of grace. Dare I also say that we need less attachment to our buildings and more attachment to one another, and to seeking God’s grace together for ourselves and our communities.
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It was in getting people together in the week that Wesley got the engine of Methodism going and that was reflected on a Sunday in worship. A few people want those midweek experiences but many don’t or can’t be bothered. And ‘just’ getting together won’t lead anywhere much unless there’s someone to ensure it does – wee need direction, noun and verb.
As to guilt, is it surprising when so much of the church’s thinking has been so negative. In a couple of weeks we’ll be beginning Advent with hymns about judgement – but judgement [painful though it be] is not negative but salvific, creative, restorative; similarly, as Neville Ward pointed out in his great book The Use of Praying, confession shouldn’t come from guilt but thankfulness, thankfulness that we can be sure that God can and will remove the dross that covers the light within us, that he forgives and never stops loving. That’s one experience of grace.
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Thank you Leslie for this.
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My understanding of Grace is that it is descriptive of the love of God, the amazing unexpected gift of forgiveness for our past errors, courage to deal with the exigencies of the present and hope for the future. And this Grace is freely given to all people, irrespective of belief, church attendance, judgment, repentance, prayer, scripture, communion, fasting, and conferring and all the other religious conditions that are, supposedly, attached to receiving Grace. It is the unconditionality that makes the love of God, the Grace, so amazing and meaningful. In that context I would affirm that grace is nothing less than the defining, shaping and underpinning energy that flows at the very heart of all life. Surely our response should be to pass on that Grace to others, loving and caring for each other, forgiving, encouraging and bringing hope rather than trying to qualify Grace through “waves” and “means” or suggest that the Christian Faiths a monopoly on Grace.
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