Many envision Charles Wesley as a stuffy hymnist. Looking at the pictures may make you think he was dry and lifeless. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Here are twelve of the best quotes from Charles Wesley on evangelism. These will give you a flavor of his method, motivation, and manner.
Charles Wesley was full of zeal. He was an avid preacher and faithful witness for Christ in personal conversation. And, yes, he also wrote thousands of hymns.
1. Law and Gospel
Expected we should be called to preach the law, but found her ready for the gospel.
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Friday, June 23, 1738.
Charles understood the difference between the law and the gospel. He understood the value of each.
For Charles, he knew that someone must first understand that they are lost before they can be found in Christ. Therefore, he expected to have to first preach law to help someone understand their sin.
In this quote, Charles was surprised that the lady he was speaking to already understood her condemnation. No more law was required. She was ready for the gospel and Charles was ready to proclaim it to her eager ears and heart.
2. Deserving of Damnation
We brought a woman home from church, and labored hard to convince her she deserved hell.
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Wednesday, July 5, 1738.
The law was the tool Charles used first. The goal of his labor was to convince his hearer of the deserving justice from a holy and righteous God.
A God whose law has been violated.
As you may expect, this approach was not appreciated by everyone.
3. Confessing Condemnation
In the coach to London I preached faith in Christ. A lady was extremely offended, avowed her own merits in plain terms, asked if I was not a Methodist, threatened to beat me. I declared I deserved nothing but hell; so did she, and must confess it before she could have a title to heaven. This was most intolerable to her. The others were less offended, began to listen, asked where I preached. A maidservant devoured every word.
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Thursday, July 27, 1738, bold added.
Many people will admit they’ve made mistakes. Most will acknowledge they are not perfect. Such admissions are only reasonable. They don’t usually make people very upset.
But look closely at what he says. Charles preached that in order to enter eternal life a person must first confess their deserving condemnation. This is a step beyond many evangelism methods that ask people to simply confess they are sinners.
Charles was aware of the effect his methods and approach could have. In this coach, we see the whole array.
One woman is extremely offended. Threatens violence against Charles. Others listen. Another lady is hanging on every word.
No matter whether his hearers hated him, ignored him, or loved him, Charles preached so that all might hear and flee from their sin to the Savior sent for sinners.
4. Making The Most of Every Opportunity
At seven we all walked out, were driven by the hard rain to a shed, where we sang and preached to those about us.
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry August 18, 1738.
Charles didn’t let a little rain ruin his day. Instead, he turned the difficult weather into an opportunity to preach.
This example comes before most biographers acknowledge Charles Wesley preaching in the open-air. But the seeds are here.
Charles is unashamed of the gospel. This group gathered to find shelter from the rain, not to hear a sermon. Charles took advantage of the situation for the glory of God. He used his musical talents and spoke the truth of the gospel in love to those around him.
5. Uncovering Unbelief
Meeting Charles Metcalf’s mother, I laboured to convince her of unbelief (our first point with all).
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Friday, September 15, 1738.
Everyone believes something. Charles wasn’t attempting to labor to convince this woman (or any one else) that they don’t believe anything. Instead, he was laboring to convince them that they have failed to believe God’s testimony about Jesus Christ.
Not everyone who claims to have faith in Jesus believes the same things about Jesus. There are a lot of ideas and views that are not found in Scripture.
Charles labored as the starting point with all to show them that they have believed something different than the testimony of Scripture. To Charles, this was unbelief.
He wanted them to no longer be unbelieving but to believe the testimony of God about His Son.
6. Urging That Rude Question
[P]reached with great boldness. There was a vast audience, better than usual. None went out as they had threatened, and frequently done heretofore; especially the well-dressed hearers, “wher’er I mentioned hell to ears polite,” and urged that rude question, “Do you deserve to be damned?”
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Sunday, September 24, 1738, bold added.
Charles wasn’t persuaded to water down his message or tone when the number of his hearers grew larger. He also wasn’t so foolish as to realize that many considered his preaching on sin, hell, and judgment as rude and impolite.
Charles cared more for the glory of God and the well-being of his hearers souls than he did for his own name and reputation.
He urged this question because it was important. Even when people threatened to leave his preaching Charles spoke the truth in love.
7. Amazed By Patient Hearers
Preached at the Brick-yard, to upwards of five thousand, from 1 Cor. 6:9. I marvelled [sic] at their taking it so patiently, when I showed them they were all adulterers, thieves, idolaters, etc.
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Monday, September 3, 1739.
Charles experienced a lot of outrage and anger at his methods. He also experience a lot of people repenting and believing the gospel.
In this quote, Charles remarks at the surprising demeanor of a large congregation of hearers. It was uncommon for such a large group to patiently endure his preaching on sin and the law. Many groups would have grumbled or left!
8. Dependent On The Spirit
I cannot help observing from what passed yesterday that we ought to wait upon God for direction when and where to preach, much more than we do. A false courage, which is fear of shame, may otherwise betray us into unnecessary dangers.
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Wednesday, February 8, 1744, bold added.
The day before, Charles was preaching Christ in the marketplace. As he moved from one location to go preach nearby, Charles and his companions were assaulted by an angry mob. The attackers threw dirt and stones at them.
Charles sought safety from the mayor. This protection was half-hearted. The mayor wouldn’t permit violence. But he did join in with the mob by laughing at Charles and his message.
After leaving the mayor’s house, Charles was once again chased with stones.
This encounter put a new resolve in Charles to wait upon God for direction when and where to preach. Not if he should preach. Just when and where.
9. Growth in Grace
Never since I preached the gospel have I been more owned and assisted of God than now. He is always with me in the work of the ministry. Therefore I live by the gospel.
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Monday, May 1, 1749, bold added.
Charles testified an experiential faith. The more Charles obeyed God and walked with the Holy Spirit in preaching the gospel, the more he experienced God’s empowering presence.
Charles lived by the gospel.
10. The True Use of Music
Passed the afternoon at Mrs Rich’s, where we caught a physician by the ear, through the help of Mr Lampe and some of our sisters. This is the true use of music.
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Saturday, March 29, 1746, bold added.
Charles was a prolific hymn writer and poet. He was also an avid preacher of the gospel.
Charles tells us in his own words the true use of music. It is to catch the attention of people so they may hear the gospel truth.
If you’re interested in more of Charles’s quotes related to music, you can check out both of my articles with quotes on Music and Singing.
11. Spiritual Warfare
We are now come to close quarters with the enemy, who threatens hard to drive us out of his kingdom.
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Monday, September 28, 1747.
Charles understood that he labored not against flesh and blood. Preaching the gospel is a spiritual activity. With spiritual implications.
Preaching the gospel to those who are lost is an aggressive task. It is a ministry of search and rescue. The enemy doesn’t stand idly by and watch his kingdom crumble.
When people tried to thwart Charles from preaching, he viewed it as the schemes of the enemy trying to keep people from hearing the gospel of salvation. He was not dissuaded from his task.
12. Don’t Assume the Congregation are all Christians!
Examined the Society, who adorn the gospel of Christ. Heard a good sermon at church, about using the world as not abusing it. But alas! it supposed the congregation to be Christians.
-Charles Wesley, MS Journal entry Sunday, July 14, 1751, bold added.
Charles didn’t believe that sitting in a church and listening to a sermon meant you were a Christian any more than he believed that sitting in a tree made you a banana.
So, he lamented when he heard preaching that assumed the congregation were all Christians.
Charles was a prime example. He was an ordained minister in the Church of England and had served as a missionary to America all before he was genuinely converted.
Therefore, he wanted the gospel to be preached both in church buildings and outside of them.
If you’d like to read a longer version, check out my post on the conversion of Charles Wesley.
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