Ellenwood United Methodist Church

The movement which would become the Methodist Church began in the mid-1700s as a movement within the Church of England. A small group of students, including John Wesley, Charles Wesley and George Whitefield, formed on the Oxford University campus. The group focused on Bible study, methodical study of scripture and living a holy life. Other students mocked the group by calling it the "Holy Club" and "the Methodists" for being overly methodical and exceptionally detailed with their Bible study, opinions and lifestyle. Eventually, the Methodists started individual societies or classes for members of the Church of England who wanted to live a more sacred life.

In 1735, the Wesley brothers went to the U.S. to preach the gospel to the American Indians in Georgia. Within two years, the "Holy Club" had disbanded. Wesley returned to England and met with a core group of preachers whom he held in high regard. He wrote that "they appeared to be of one heart, as well as of one judgment, resolved to be Bible-Christians at all events; and, wherever they were, to preach with all their might plain, old, Bible Christianity". These ministers continued their affiliation with the Church of England. Meantime, they began to be convinced of what they believed were biblical truths that were not then popular among Anglicans. Some of their convictions were that "by grace we are saved through faith" and that justification by faith was the doctrine of the Church as well as of the Bible. They preached these conclusions, and salvation by faith became their standing topic. It implied to them three things which they saw as foundational to Christian faith:

1. That people are all, by nature, "dead in sin," and, consequently, "children of wrath."
2. That they are "justified by faith alone."
3. That faith produces inward and outward holiness: And these points they insisted on day and night.

In a short time, they became popular preachers with large congregations. The former name was then revived and all these gentlemen, along with their followers, became known as Methodists.^[14]