What do you think?
Rate this book
A Model for Making Disciples: John Wesley's Class Meeting
John Wesley's techniques for nurturing and training Christian disciples not only brought personal transformation to tens of thousands of individual working-class believers, but a moral reformation to eighteenth-century England as well. In this book, Michael Henderson explores the origins of Wesley's techniques and details his "method" of creating small, interactive groups. After analyzing why Wesley's system was so effective, he shows how the class meeting serves as a model for making disciples in the twenty-first century.
191 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1997
60 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 26, 2023
If you are a Wesleyan like me, you perhaps desire to know how to imitate John Wesley’s ministry. In this book, I not only found that but a newly reinvigorated desire to form community discipleship as expressed in the Wesleyan-Methodist tradition.
My only big hang up is that there are numerous grammatical and spelling errors throughout the book. It is as if someone went back and intentionally put spelling errors in the author’s original manuscript. But if you can get past it, I highly recommend it for my fellow Wesleyans.
My only big hang up is that there are numerous grammatical and spelling errors throughout the book. It is as if someone went back and intentionally put spelling errors in the author’s original manuscript. But if you can get past it, I highly recommend it for my fellow Wesleyans.
December 17, 2020
As someone whose early Christian life was partly shaped by the idea that Whitfield was the most significant figure of the C18 Great Awakening, I found that this book shattered the illusion (even though Whitfield is barely mentioned).
Written by an education professional and missiologist, Henderson's book examines the carefully thought-through method that Wesley developed over decades and then implemented for another half century in making disciples out of thousands of un-churched working class converts. The writer notes that there has been no-one since Wesley who has been so successful in this venture in British history. His role as a church-forming apostle is evident from the activities outlined in this fascinating book.
In an age (pre-pandemic) when many churches assumed that being attractional was the main focus of its mission, Henderson challenges this paradigm and presents the very practical trans-formative work of discipleship developed by Wesley. The need for such a disciple-making emphasis in western churches has perhaps never been greater. Those wanting to carefully think through how to do this will be well served by this book.
Written by an education professional and missiologist, Henderson's book examines the carefully thought-through method that Wesley developed over decades and then implemented for another half century in making disciples out of thousands of un-churched working class converts. The writer notes that there has been no-one since Wesley who has been so successful in this venture in British history. His role as a church-forming apostle is evident from the activities outlined in this fascinating book.
In an age (pre-pandemic) when many churches assumed that being attractional was the main focus of its mission, Henderson challenges this paradigm and presents the very practical trans-formative work of discipleship developed by Wesley. The need for such a disciple-making emphasis in western churches has perhaps never been greater. Those wanting to carefully think through how to do this will be well served by this book.
October 2, 2008
I picked up this book while attending annual conference as the lay leader representative of my church. It was part history of how Wesley developed disciples through his many class meetings and also a modern guide to reinvigorate the concept in church's today.
July 15, 2022
Motivating!
This book has confirmed to me the absolute necessity of small groups. As a leader of a newer small group this book has provided vital information that I believe could prove transformative and essential to the liberation of souls.
This book has confirmed to me the absolute necessity of small groups. As a leader of a newer small group this book has provided vital information that I believe could prove transformative and essential to the liberation of souls.
Read
September 28, 2022A Model for Making Disciples: John Wesley's Class Meeting is a very insightful book. You will appreciate small group discipleship more after reading this book.
May 19, 2013
This book is very well-written, fairly concise, and very practical. It gives a brief biography of John Wesley, focusing on how his method of discipleship was formed and the major influences that led to its' structure. The author then describes Wesley's process in detail and helps the reader to distill principles and practical applications for today's context. It was a compelling and fairly quick read, and I am definitely walking away with action items for my spheres of influence as well as additional avenues of study and contemplation regarding how to effectively foster authentic community and properly motivated holiness.
My only critique of the book is the overwhelming bias with which the author wrote. The book has a mildly academic tone, yet the author was so obviously over the moon for both John Wesley and Methodism that I felt there was a lack of objectivity and insufficient explanation regarding challenges, shortcomings, and obstacles regarding Wesley's method. There were aspects of Wesley's method that the author mentions in passing being vitally important to Wesley but not lasting after his lifetime but no explanation is given to why. The book could easily be called "Why John Wesley is the Most Awesome Guy Ever and Why Methodism Totally Rocks."
That said, I would say this is easily a must-read for anyone serious about fostering effective discipleship in their community, vocationally or avocationally.
My only critique of the book is the overwhelming bias with which the author wrote. The book has a mildly academic tone, yet the author was so obviously over the moon for both John Wesley and Methodism that I felt there was a lack of objectivity and insufficient explanation regarding challenges, shortcomings, and obstacles regarding Wesley's method. There were aspects of Wesley's method that the author mentions in passing being vitally important to Wesley but not lasting after his lifetime but no explanation is given to why. The book could easily be called "Why John Wesley is the Most Awesome Guy Ever and Why Methodism Totally Rocks."
That said, I would say this is easily a must-read for anyone serious about fostering effective discipleship in their community, vocationally or avocationally.
May 17, 2013
Total disclosure: I only read the second half of this book. The first half gave a historical overview of how John Wesley's Class Meeting model. I wasn't interested in how it developed--only in what Wesley did.
The second half of the book was worth the price. Wesley was a phenomenal educator and mobilizer of people, and this book breaks down the ways in which Wesley organized the Methodist movement and equipped thousands of Christ followers--without having direct contact with most of them!
I read this to better understand how accountability cells can be formed--cells that lead to massive spiritual transformation. While it would be difficult to implement, I do believe that it is possible, and this book provides an excellent blueprint for how to organize it.
I recommend this book for small group pastors or college ministers. It would also be beneficial for senior pastors at churches who want to have deep and authentic relationships.
The second half of the book was worth the price. Wesley was a phenomenal educator and mobilizer of people, and this book breaks down the ways in which Wesley organized the Methodist movement and equipped thousands of Christ followers--without having direct contact with most of them!
I read this to better understand how accountability cells can be formed--cells that lead to massive spiritual transformation. While it would be difficult to implement, I do believe that it is possible, and this book provides an excellent blueprint for how to organize it.
I recommend this book for small group pastors or college ministers. It would also be beneficial for senior pastors at churches who want to have deep and authentic relationships.
July 24, 2016
A must-read for those interested in making disciples. Wesley's methodology (hence, Methodism) were outstanding - some have relevance for current disciple making while others seem more time bound. What a person should take away is the emphasis questions that revealed the heart as well as current practice. We should be asking people where their lives are intersecting with Jesus and where they aren't as a regular part of small groups.
On a side note, what was fascinating to me was trying to answer the question whether Wesley should be considered "parachurch" or "church". Most of his work seemed to be "alongside" the church to support it. Over time, his work ended up becoming a denomination...
On a side note, what was fascinating to me was trying to answer the question whether Wesley should be considered "parachurch" or "church". Most of his work seemed to be "alongside" the church to support it. Over time, his work ended up becoming a denomination...
November 5, 2011
This book was highly informative about John Wesley's ministry model and even the sources from which it came. The last chapter of the book is useful for ministry today as it asks "Why Was Wesley's system So Effective?" I'm not sure if it was the long chapters or the "methodical" presentation of the material, but it was not a quick read.
February 26, 2010
A Model for Making Disciples: John Wesley's Class Meeting by D. Michael Henderson (?)
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews