Formed by Rev. John Wesley in 1738 within Church of England, first U.S. denomination in Baltimore in 1784, in reaction to worldliness of Anglican Church.
Classic example of the sect-to-church movement.
Especially prospered in U.S. - skyrocketed from 2.5% of American church
adherents in 1776 to 34.2% in 1850 -- then the largest denomination in
U.S. with 11.7% of population.
(AOF p.265)
Clergy pushing for liberalization throughout 20th century has lead to
decline in membership; in 1890 8.4% of Americans were Methodist, in 1990
only 3.6%. (During same time Southern Baptists went from 3.3% to 6.1%.)
(AOF p.265)
Crisis during the Holiness Movement of the end of the 19th century.
Methodist bishops refused to tolerate grass roots revivalism, ejecting
Holiness leaders, who founded other denominations including the Church
of the Nazarene.
(AOF p.265)
Good News movement, begun by Charles W. Keysor in 1965, and Confessing
Movement, begun in 1990s, seek evangelical renewal [higher tension]
of Methodism. New ministers are increasingly conservative, and these
conservative ministers have greater success in stemming loss of adherents.
(AOF p.266-8)
Churches in Willow Creek Association
thriving while others decline.
Benjamin Titus Roberts founded Free Methodists in 1860 after being
expelled by the Methodist Episcopal Church.
(AOF p.266)