‘My part is to improve the present moment’

I am not careful for what may be a hundred years hence. He who governed the world before I was born, shall take care of it likewise when I am dead. My part is to improve the present moment. And, whatever may be the fruits of lay-preaching, when you and I are gone to our long home, every serious man has cause to bless God for those he may now see with his eyes; for the saving so many souls from death, and hiding a multitude of sins. The instances glare in the face of the sun. Many indeed God hath taken to himself; but many more remain, both young and old, who now fear God and work righteousness.

— John Wesley in a letter to John Smith

This was what John Wesley called his “experimental” religion. Fruits were the final standard of practice. That which bore no fruit, he would easily abandon. That which bore fruit, he would retain even in the face of hostile opinion.

This spirit would do us great service today.

The catching point is this issue of fruit. Wesley looked for repentance and conversion. He sought signs of a changed life. He looked for faith that expressed itself in good works. We are not as clear on what kind of fruit we want to see. In five years of trying to come up with a clear understanding about what we as United Methodists mean by the word “disciple” I am not closer than I was then.

I am in favor of sticking with Wesley’s terms until we can agree on better ones.