A walk with Mr O

Wanted: Methodists!

Wanted: Methodists!
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Stuart Olyott
Stuart Olyott Retired, but active, Stuart Olyott preaches widely in the UK and abroad.
13 October, 2025 3 min read

Mr O, a friend of mine tells me that he was present at a meeting of ministers where you pleaded with the men to become Methodists! But you are not a Methodist, are you?

It all depends on what you mean by the term ‘Methodist’.

To me, a Methodist is a member of the Methodist Church. And Methodist churches which are evangelical are Arminian, and those which aren’t evangelical are liberal – but you are neither of those things.

A lot of people think like you. This is because they only have a sketchy knowledge of church history. There were people called ‘methodists’ long before there was an institution called ‘The Methodist Church’. True methodism is not primarily a theological position or a church affiliation.

What is it then?

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