HISTORY

The History of Vile Methods: A Legacy of Holy Disruption

A More Vile Gospel

In 1739, John Wesley stood at a threshold. The pulpits of the Church of England had closed to him, and the religious establishment dismissed his fiery preaching as reckless and unrefined. But Wesley was undeterred. If he could not preach in a church, he would preach in the fields. If he was to be called vile for reaching the poor, the outcast, and the forgotten—so be it. He wrote in his journal:

"At four in the afternoon, I submitted to be more vile and proclaimed in the highways the glad tidings of salvation."

This moment became a defining marker of the vile methods that would follow. Wesley and the early Methodists embraced unorthodox means to spread the Gospel—open-air preaching, lay leadership, small group discipleship, and direct social action. They built schools, cared for the poor, opposed slavery, advocated for relationship between social classes, and formed a movement that flourished outside the walls of the institution.

Vile Methods Throughout History

From its inception, Methodism was fueled by innovators and troublemakers—those who refused to let the status quo limit the work of God. Some of these historical vile methodists include:

John Wesley – Open-air preacher and rebel organizer that began it all with his brother (Charles). In defiance of Anglican authority, John ordained Thomas Coke as a superintendent (bishop) and sent him to America. Wesley wasn’t technically allowed to ordain anyone—but he did it anyway because the need for spiritual leadership outweighed institutional rules. Talk about vile.
Coke & Asbury – The OG Vile Methodists – After landing in America in 1784, Coke ordained Francis Asbury, and together they organized the Methodist Episcopal Church—breaking completely from the Church of England. Asbury took it even further. Instead of accepting his appointment from Coke, he demanded a vote, letting the American Methodists decide. Thus beginning the grassroots structure style of Methodism.
Circuit Riders - not cathedrals While other churches relied on formal training and proper pulpits, Methodists threw preachers on horseback and sent them into the wilderness with nothing but a Bible in their hand and fire in their bones.
Phoebe Palmer (1807–1874) – A Methodist holiness preacher who pioneered the Tuesday Meetings for the Promotion of Holiness, an unstructured gathering that trained women and men alike in ministry, helping launch the American holiness movement.
Richard Allen (1760–1831) – A Black Methodist preacher who, after being forced to sit in segregated pews, walked out and founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church—creating space for Black believers to worship freely.
Sojourner Truth (1797–1883) – An itinerant Methodist preacher and abolitionist who saw no division between faith and justice, boldly proclaiming that both Scripture and conscience called for the liberation of the oppressed.
John Wesley’s opposition to slavery (18th century) – While the institution of the church remained largely complicit in the transatlantic slave trade, Wesley published Thoughts Upon Slavery in 1774, calling the practice an abomination and directly challenging its defenders.
John Newton (1725–1807) – A former slave trader turned abolitionist and hymn writer, profoundly influenced by John Wesley and George Whitefield. His transformation led to his advocacy against slavery and the writing of Amazing Grace.
The Temperance Movement (19th–20th century) – A Methodist-led movement advocating for the reduction and prohibition of alcohol, rooted in a commitment to social justice and moral reform.
Maud Jensen (1956) – The first woman ordained as an elder in the United Methodist Church, paving the way for generations of female clergy.
United Methodism’s ordination of women (1956) – In the face of opposition, the church embraced a method once considered vile—affirming the full leadership of women in pastoral ministry.
E. Stanley Jones – Missionary (1884-1973) – His evangelistic approach in India blended deep interfaith dialogue, cultural adaptation, and an unwavering commitment to Christ. He rejected colonial Christianity and insisted on a truly incarnational approach. His Ashrams were radical—spaces of mutual learning, spiritual formation, and community rather than one-way conversion factories. He pioneered a global, accessible, and adaptive Christianity. Translation? He embodied the Vile Method of spreading the Gospel in ways the establishment saw as risky, unorthodox, and even scandalous.
Jimmy Creech (1999) – A Methodist pastor who was defrocked for performing same-sex unions, challenging the church’s stance on LGBTQ inclusion.
After Hours UMC and Guerrilla Church Movements (21st century) – Modern Methodists have carried on the tradition of going where the people are, launching unconventional ministries like Bible studies in bars, street chaplaincy, and faith communities for those for whom a church sanctuary simply doesn't work.
Free Recovery Community - more than a ministry of a church FREE is a recovery community for Addicts, Loved Ones of Addicts, and Spiritual Refugees breaking the silence of addiction while creating space for healing, recovery, and spiritual connection.

Each of these moments, from Wesley’s open-air preaching to contemporary guerrilla ministries, reveals a common pattern:

God’s Spirit moves beyond the expected.
Those willing to step into discomfort create new pathways for faith.
The institutional church is often hesitant, even resistant, to these methods—until they bear undeniable fruit.

Vile Methods and the Recurring Reformation Cycle

The expansion of vile methods is not just a matter of history—it's part of a recurring reformation cycle. Spirit-led movements rise from the margins, challenge the status quo, and eventually reshape faith itself. It is all part of an ongoing struggle between those who safeguard tradition and those who dare to reimagine faithfulness in new ways.

Methodism itself was once the underdog in this cycle, a movement of radical renewal challenging the complacency of the established church.

Over time, it grew in many ways into the very institution it once disrupted. This cycle repeats throughout history:

New, Spirit-led movements emerge on the margins.
They are resisted, dismissed, or condemned.
Their fruit becomes undeniable, and they are either absorbed or catalyze reform.

Today, the challenges have changed—secularism, declining church attendance, and institutional distrust—but the need for vile methods remains as urgent as ever.

The Birth of Vile Methods Today

That’s where you come in.

In a world where many have abandoned faith—not because they reject Jesus, but because they cannot find Him in the institutions built in His name—there is a need for a new generation of vile methodists. The church, in many ways, has settled back into its comfortable pews. But the Spirit still calls people to the margins, to innovation, to transfiguration.

Your journey—from studying to searching to serving to rediscovering Wesley’s rebellious spirit—has led you to this moment. Vile Methods is not just a name; it is a movement, a torch passed down through the centuries, carried now in your hands.

This is why Vile Methods exists today:

To reignite the boldness of Wesley’s mission in a world that desperately needs it.
To equip and send out modern-day trailblazers, hellfighters, and provocateurs who refuse to let tradition stifle transformation.
To bear witness to a God who is always moving beyond the walls of the church—calling us to be more vile, to be more faithful, and to go where the Spirit leads.
To Wake the Dead 💀

The question is not whether vile methods are needed. The question is: Who will answer the bell and bring the dead to life? 🔔

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