Jesus is coming again. Fellow pilgrims, cheer up, lift the trumpets, and let it ring. To gather in the last harvest by offering Jesus Christ to people globally and locally, the state of the modern Church and the ruin of Christianity calls for a global revival of holiness. To have an impact not just upon people in churches but also upon nations requires divine energy. Sadly, the world is increasingly growing in the Church. In contrast, the Church fulfils its mandate when it changes society and not when a divided society is growing, dividing, and changing it. It is important to note that the Scriptures stand as a warning, corroborated by archaeology and anthropology, of the judgment of God falling upon apostate and sinful religionism.

Before the 20th Century in church history, a man transformed his country. That man was John Wesley. What Wesley represents is still the same as what Apostle Paul penned Ephesians nearly 2000 years ago: ‘And “he gave” the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the works of ministry, for building up the body of Christ’ (Eph 4:11-12). Ministry does not flow from man. Ministry flows from Jesus Christ, He and No One Else. This is still how to empower and strengthen a church and revive a nation. Wesley provides a missional and ‘genuine synthesis of the Christian faith in which seemingly irreconcilable concepts were brought into a remarkable consistent system’ (The Wesley Bible) mission, leadership renewal, and evangelism.

This renewing mission initiative, Wesley 100 International – (WIN), is inspired from a quote by the 18th-century preacher John Wesley’s letter to a fellow believer, Alexander Mather: “No, Aleck, no! The danger of ruin to Methodism (Christianity) does not lie here. It springs from quite a different quarter. Our preachers, many of them, are fallen. They are not spiritual. They are not alive to God. They are soft, enervated, fearful of shame, toil, hardship. . .. Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen, such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven upon the earth” – John Wesley, writing at age 87 to Alexander Mather, quoted in Luke Tyerman, The Life and Times of the Rev. John Wesley (London, 1871), III:632.

The ruin of Christianity today is close to what Wesley’s thought represents on the danger of ruin to Methodism. Our mission at WIN as a non-denominational network of chosen people is to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ in small groups, prayer, seminars, teaching, training, research, and mentoring in making and equipping disciples who ‘will shake the gate of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven on earth.’ Christianity is in ruin as Christians misinterpret the Bible in such a way as to make it fit their view of the world and by moving it from the witness and faith of Jesus into a religion about Jesus while ignoring almost everything He said and by denying His name as the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Watch out for our periodic hybrid Wesley School of Prayer and Discipleship (WESPLE) to pursue and renew our Christlikeness in character and behaviour – “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). The four essentials of WESPLE are – 1) The Bible, the Word of God, 2) the People of God, 3) the Spirit of God, and 4) the Mission of Jesus. 

WIN is a missional, global, non-denominational initiative and a response to Jesus’ prayer for unity among believers to rekindle the revival of holiness (Jn 17:21). The Church, in a world marred by lines we draw, the divisions we create, the borders and controls we impose, faces a profound challenge and crisis as it declines in both numbers, moral, and influence at an ever‑increasing rate. The deep-rooted reason is SIN, especially the sin of disunity and disobedience to God’s commands. Global welfare and mission, like personal identity, are tied to righteousness through God’s redemption at Christ’s expense. Sin is a reproach to any nation or Church (Prov. 14:34). WIN stands as a united visible testament to the universal nature of the Gospel, a transformative mission potency in the power of the Holy Spirit that unites chosen people visibly across the vast spectrum of languages, customs, and traditions. [1]

Time and time again, speakers remind us of the need for church unity. However, the unity Jesus prayed for is not about ‘a common form of high organisation’ or a compromise of vital facets of Christianity. Sadly, in an age of flux ‘defined by constant change and an ever-evolving cultural landscape,’ the Church is at a crossroads. Many denominational and ecumenical structures and perspectives have lost the quest for prophetic unity and effectiveness of speaking truth to powers and one another. The essential question for WIN is, what does it mean to be a follower of Jesus Christ in today’s world? Are we truly living out the principles and teachings of Jesus?[2]

At its core, WIN is a missional global non-denominational network of chosen people with one heart and passion for Jesus Christ, ‘who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God’ (1 Peter 2.9-10). The founder of the Methodist movement, John Wesley, preached a sermon about the importance of different groups of Christians working together called the “Catholic Spirit.” In the sermon ‘Catholic Spirit,’ Wesley builds up his proposal for Christian unity and love point by point:

  1. Is thy heart right with God?
  2. Dost thou believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, ‘God over all, blessed forever’?
  3. Is thy faith filled with the energy of love?
  4. Art thou employed in doing ‘not thy own will, but the will of him that sent thee’?
  5. Does the love of God constrain thee to ‘serve’ him ‘with fear’?
  6. Is thy heart right toward thy neighbour?
  7. Do you show your love by your works? [3]

Wesley asked, “Is thine heart right, as my heart is?” He recognised that in the Church, we have many differences. Those differences are significant, and we must not deny them, but the core question for whether we can work together is, “Are our hearts alike?” and on fire for God? WIN vision and mission, a partnership without partisanship, resonates with the idea of ‘Catholic spirit’ not ‘for abstract structural unity, or for vague sentiments of inclusivity.’ [4] WIN is exclusively eternally focused and a reawakening to the true foundation of our faith, as revealed in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. WIN is beyond ‘modern parlance; the terms ‘inclusive’ and ‘inclusivity’ are currently used as a sort of shorthand to denote a liberal attitude and theology. WIN inclusivity is a divine call and invitation to radical exclusivity from human self-exclusion and expression.

At WIN, yes, our hearts are alike in Jesus Christ. Wesley asks, “Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may…” If it be, give me thy hand.” WIN is about people with one heart for God’s mission and investing in people missionally: disciplining, teaching and training people how to declare the Word of God effectively to win souls and for the revival of holiness across the world as our parish.

At WIN, to walk together hand in hand means, according to Wesley, that we commit to 1) act out of love for one another, 2) pray for each other, and 3) encourage each other to do good works. WIN, beyond the Church and its denominational leadership acting as the handmaid of the state, ‘running around filling in gaps caused by government neglect,’ awakens us to the biblical distinctive, prophetic voice and transforming mandate of the Church. WIN, a corporate pilgrimage of renewal and revival is about opening doors to the world as our parish.

The time is now. Are you ready to invest in training and equipping others? Are you today part of the people who desire only God? Then I say to you, Arise! Let us stand together, hand in hand, as the family of God. Let us be enthusiasts for Jesus and His Gospel. If so, we need you. Journey with us!

Our vision at WIN is to invest, train, equip people, engage, and intercede with men and women who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God. We are missionally operational when we love God, hate sin, and advance the Kingdom of God.

The Bible verses we chose for the WIN are:

Gal 2:20: My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So, I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 

Proverbs 27:17: As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

We are here to fulfil the Great Commission, promote human empowerment and development, and help and encourage each other in our walk with Jesus Christ. While our name contains 100, we have much room for more people.

Enlist as God’s end-time army to be a part of WIN. We need you to invest and train others for the Great Commission. Join us today and invite others!

WIN ANTHEM:

For I’m building a people of power 

And I’m making a people of praise 

That will move through this land by My Spirit 

And will glorify My precious name 

Chorus

Build Your Church, Lord. Make us strong, Lord. 

Join our hearts, Lord, through Your Son 

Make us one, Lord in Your Body 

In the kingdom of Your Son 

Build Your Church, Lord. Make us strong, Lord. 

Join our hearts, Lord, through Your Son 

Make us one, Lord in Your Body 

In the kingdom of Your Son.

The Wesley Bible – Harper, Albert F, Oswalt, John, Cockerill, Gareth, Lee, Lintzenich, Bob (Eds), Wesley Bible: A Personal Study Bible for Holy Living (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), pp. xxvii – xxviii

[1]Welch, Elizabeth A, The Holy Spirit and Worship: Transformation and Truth in the Theologies of John Owen and John Ziziouslas(Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2021) pp. 1-11

[2]Meadows, Philip, Wesleyan DNA of Discipleship: Fresh Expression of Discipleship for the 21st–century Church (Cambridge: Grove Books Limited, 2013), pp. 5-10, 15-24

[3] John Wesley, Sermon 34 Catholic Spirit I.12-18, The Works of John Wesley Bicentennial Edition (BCE) 2:87-9.

[4]https://theologyeverywhere.org/2022/01/10/is-thine-heart-right-as-my-heart-is-with-thy-heart-thoughts-upon-unity/