True religion does not consist in any ritual observances, such as forms or ceremonies, even of the most excellent kind, be they ever so decent and significant, ever so expressive of inward things. The religion of Christ rises infinitely higher and lies infinitely deeper than all these. Let no man conceive that rites and ceremonies have an intrinsic worth, or that true worship cannot subsist without them. (Discipline of the Wesleyan Church [Marion, Indiana: The Wesleyan Publishing House, 1968].
This statement in the first Discipline of the Wesleyan Church, adopted at its initial general conference in 1968, remains both a “special direction” of the denomination and a key to understanding its worship patterns.
Plain Worship
The Wesleyan Church was created by the merger of the Wesleyan Methodist Church and the Pilgrim Holiness Church, both of which were firmly rooted in the nineteenth-century holiness revival in America. As the denominational name indicates, the ties to John Wesley are strong.
The early shape of Wesleyan worship, then, was Methodist—not the traditional form Wesley himself preferred, but the modified variety, shaped by the American frontier. An early Wesleyan Methodist directive, “On Public Worship” (1849), speaks plainly about plain worship:
To establish uniformity among the churches in public worship on the Lord’s Day, it is recommended that the following order be observed. Let the morning and afternoon service consist of, 1. Singing; 2. Prayer; 3. Reading the Scriptures; 4. Singing; 5. Preaching; 6. Singing; 7. Prayer; 8. Benediction. Let the evening service be the same, only omitting the reading of the Scriptures; or let there be a prayer meeting. Parts of this order may be omitted as particular times and circumstances may require.
We recommend the churches to dispense with the instrumental music. (Discipline of the Wesleyan Church [New York: The Wesleyan Methodist Connection, 1849], 65-66)
That basic order, or one similar to it, would be recognizable in a majority of Wesleyan churches a century and a half later—except that the afternoon service is now just a historical footnote and that instrumental music has long been universally accepted in the church.
Freedom Over Form
Wesleyan worship is still oriented more toward freedom than form, more toward simplicity than elaboration, more toward pulpit (or even pew) than Table. If James White is right in placing Methodism in the center of a worship continuum that stretches from order on one end to spontaneity on the other, the Wesleyan Church would join its holiness counterparts on the “free” side, though considerably short of Old-Style Quakers and Pentecostals (James White, Protestant Worship: Traditions in Transition [Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1989], 23).
Unlike some denominations, it is difficult to characterize the worship of a typical Wesleyan church. In most, a bulletin outlines an order of worship, but with few liturgical components. Gospel songs mix with Charles Wesley’s hymns in the morning worship services, occasional “amens” punctuate the sermon (though less frequently than in the past), and evangelistic sermons lead to altar calls as seekers “pray through” at the front of the sanctuary. Communion is offered quarterly, baptism less often.
The Wesleyan version of the Christian year is simple, consisting of Christmas, Easter, and a collection of cultural holidays, like Mother’s Day and Independence Day, that have been incorporated into the tradition. Revival meetings are scheduled for spring and fall, though the two-week meeting that was customary for the grandparents of today’s worshipers was abbreviated to a ten-day meeting in their parents’ generation and has since become a three- to-five-day event in the modern church. Camp meeting is still a summer staple, but with fewer campers and more evening commuters. Often it is held in tandem with a church conference. Variations abound, but this profile is generally accurate. In fact, it is a passable profile for the holiness movement as a whole.
Since in Scripture, from Isaiah 6 to the hymns of Revelation, the worship of God is inextricably linked to the holiness of God, it might be supposed that holiness churches would major on worship and set the pace for worship renewal in the Christian community. In reality, the emphasis in holiness circles has fallen more on the holiness God imparts to his people than on his own intrinsic holiness. “Be holy … ” is stressed more than the rest of the verse, “ … because I, the Lord your God, am holy” (Lev. 19:2; cf. 1 Pet. 1:16).
Simply put, worship in holiness churches has received less attention than the other marks of the church—evangelism, discipleship, fellowship, and service.
Celebration vs. Reverence
Like many sermon-focused traditions, Wesleyans have tended to regard the rest of the service as introductory and preparatory (“the preliminaries”). Since the 1970s, however, interest in the nature and purpose of worship has increased, judging from such indicators as worship-related articles in denominational publications, seminars at district and denominational gatherings, and worship attendance. Average attendance at Sunday morning worship surpassed Sunday school attendance for the first time in memory in 1980, a statistical trend that has continued. Perhaps the most significant renewal indicator, and certainly the most practical, is the frequency with which “worship leader” has begun appearing in pastoral staff job descriptions.
Renewal is apparent on two divergent fronts—one a trend toward praise and more freedom, the other an appreciation of liturgy and more form.
Praise-and-worship music is popular especially among younger congregations and newly planted churches, many of which are populated with first-generation Wesleyans. Overhead projectors are replacing hymnals for some, and clapping is increasingly accepted. Wesleyans do not practice glossolalia (tongues-speaking), but to many congregations worship renewal means a more charismatic style—lifted hands, contemporary choruses, an expanded role for music in the service, greater reliance on taped accompaniments. The emphasis is on celebration.
For others, worship renewal means a recovery of reverence. Wesleyans will never be “high church,” but some congregations are adopting liturgical elements like the creed (two are printed at the front of the 1976 hymnal), choral responses, multiple Scripture lessons, and a greater participation in the Christian year. Lectionary use is not widespread, but some Wesleyan pastors follow it. Fixed prayers are still uncommon except for the sacraments, weddings, and the rituals of membership, ordination, and installation of leaders. Litanies appear on special occasions. It is a limited liturgy to be sure, but a journey of discovery for the participants.
The future degree and direction of change is difficult to predict, but the dialogue has begun. Wesleyans are thinking and talking about worship. Growth has brought a substantial number of new Wesleyans into the fold, and many bring with them worship patterns and preferences from previous denominations. The church is producing more seminarians than ever before, and at least one denominational college offers a course in Christian worship that focuses on liturgics and is required of all ministry candidates.
Both renewal movements will likely continue to act as catalysts for change. A denomination that has always defined itself doctrinally rather than liturgically will have room within its walls for contrasting—or complementary—worship styles.