In its earliest days, Methodism embraced the work of evangelists and evangelism, which helped fuel the rapid growth of the movement; however, less than fifty years after the death of John Wesley, the work of the evangelist in England was almost forgotten. At this important time in the formation of the Global Methodist Church, we do not want to make this same misstep.

When William Booth, a pastor in the New Methodist Connexion, requested an appointment as an evangelist in 1861 at age 32, he was denied. Booth felt his only recourse was to resign as a Methodist pastor and launch a ministry that eventually became the Salvation Army.

Booth writes,

“... my duty to God and souls, I cannot forego; and therefore, intensely painful though it may be, I must adopt the latter, and place my resignation in your hands. I do this after much deliberation. I know what I am sacrificing, and I know that I am exposing myself and those whom I love to loss and difficulty. But I am impelled to it by a sense of duty to souls, to the Church, and to God. Were I to quail, and give up for fear of the difficulties which just now appear to block my path, I feel sure that I should in the future reproach myself with cowardice in the cause of My Master…

Trusting in God alone, I offer myself for the evangelistic work…”

–Letter to Rev. H. O. Crofts, D.D., President of the New Methodist Connection, July 18, 1861

As we now stand at this important moment of Methodist history with the launch of the Global Methodist Church, it is critical to affirm the work and ministry of evangelism; to equip the church that all may witness boldly, and bear fruit through the power of the Holy Spirit.