Wesley's General Rules organize Methodist societies
About this date: The date marks the original pamphlet; the linked text is a later denominational edition.
The General Rules set expectations for Methodist societies through avoiding harm, doing good, and participation in the practices of Christian worship.
Historical context
Methodist organization links shared discipline with pastoral oversight and mutual care, giving the revival a continuing social form.
Key points
- Membership is connected with a desire for salvation and a changed life.
- Care for hungry, sick, and imprisoned people appears alongside spiritual instruction.
- Prayer, Scripture, Communion, and fasting form part of the societies' discipline.
People
- John Wesley
- Charles Wesley
Sources and further reading
- General Rules: historical glossary
Verifies the first publication year. - The General Rules of the Methodist Church
Received text in the UMC's doctrinal standards.