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History:

The Wesleyan Church is an evangelical protestant denomination with approximately 400,000 people in 5,000 churches and missions, in 90 countries of the world.

Founded in 1968 as the result of a merger between the Wesleyan Methodist Church and the Pilgrim Holiness Church, its roots are in the abolitionist and holiness revival movements of the nineteenth century, and its twenty-first century emphasis is on exalting Christ through worldwide missions, compassion ministries, and concern for social justice that reaches out to all people.

Core Values and Beliefs:

  • Wesleyans believe in one God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the Savior of all men and women who put their faith in Him alone for eternal life.
  • We believe that those who receive new life in Christ are called to be holy in character and conduct, and can only live this way by being filled with the Lord's Spirit.
  • We believe in the Bible and seek to establish our faith and actions on its teaching.
  • We believe God wills for people everywhere to know Him and that the purpose of the Church is to tell the world about Christ through its worship, witness, and loving deeds.

Form of government

The Wesleyan Church has a representative form of government. Members elected from within the Church represent its constituents in local, regional, and national conferences.

The Board of General Superintendents gives spiritual and administrative leadership to the Church:

General Superintendent Dr. Thomas E. Armiger
General Superintendent Dr. Jerry G. Pence
General Superintendent Dr. Jo Anne Lyon

Ministries of Compassion

In addition to local church worship, fellowship, and service, the broader scope of The Wesleyan Church’s ministries of compassion include:

  • Orphanages
  • Hospitals
  • Schools
  • Job training
  • HIV/AIDS relief programs
  • Global human trafficking prevention and recovery
  • Global poverty and disaster relief
  • Inner city daycare and relief ministries
  • Free clinics
  • Parenting groups
  • Counseling services
  • Online education
  • Second career ministerial training

Missions

Global Partners is the missions department of the Church. It serves more than 90 countries with 230 missionaries.

Faith and Public Life Position Statements

Periodically, the Church adopts official statements in order to provide a Wesleyan-Arminian position toward current cultural and public policy issues that will encourage laity and ministers to integrate faith and life and respond appropriately and responsibly to these issues. Recent statements include:

  • Creation Care
  • Immigration
  • Global Human Trafficking
  • Global Poverty
  • Domestic Violence

Pastoral Letters

Additional statements are released by The Wesleyan Church’s Board of General Superintendents, such as the Pastoral Letter on the Economy.

Affiliations:

Contact information:

The Wesleyan Church World Headquarters
P. O. Box 50434
Indianapolis, Indiana 46250

Location address: 13300 Olio Road
Fishers, Indiana 46037

Department of Communications:
communications@wesleyan.org
317.774.7907

Dr. Ronald D. Kelly, General Secretary