Christian Conference and Accountability
As taught in the Methodist / Wesleyan tradition
The practice of communal spiritual growth through classes, bands, and small group oversight.
The doctrine of Christian Conference and Accountability within the Methodist tradition answers a fundamental question of the spiritual life: How does the individual believer sustain the heat of the fire that God has kindled in their soul? For John Wesley and the early Methodists, the answer was never found in isolation. Methodism was born out of a conviction that "the gospel of Christ knows of no religion but social; no holiness but social holiness." To the Methodist mind, the "means of grace"—those outward signs, words, or actions ordained by God to be the ordinary channels of His conveying grace to human souls—were not limited to the sacraments and private prayer. Instead, Wesley identified "Christian Conference" as a "prudential" means of grace, a vital practice where believers gather to speak specifically and searchingly about the state of their souls.
By the end of this lesson
- **Identify** the distinction between "instituted" and "prudential" means of grace within the Wesleyan framework.
- **Distinguish** between the "Class Meeting" (general oversight) and the "Band Meeting" (intimate confession) in early Methodist history.
- **Explain** the theological concept of "social holiness" and why John Wesley rejected "solitary religion."
- **Articulate** the biblical basis for mutual accountability using the four Scripture anchors.
- **Trace** the historical development of the *General Rules of the United Societies* and their role in Methodist discipline.
- **Defend** the practice of mutual confession (James 5:16) as a means of grace rather than a legalistic burden.
- **Apply** the "Searching Questions" of the early Methodists to contemporary small group contexts.
- **Compare** the Methodist approach to accountability with other traditions, such as Roman Catholic auricular confession or Reformed elder oversight.
Scripture
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