Marks of a Movement

by Winfield Bevins

Marks of a Movement calls us back to the disciple-making mandate of the church through the timeless wisdom of John Wesley and the Methodist movement. With a love for history and a passion for today's church, Winfield helps us reimagine church multiplication in a way that focuses on making and multiplying disciples for the twenty-first century.

Winfield Bevins reminds us of the vital multiplication lessons from the Wesleyan movement, one of the greatest missional movements the world has ever known. He highlights the necessity of discipleship as the starting point and the abiding strategic practice that is key to all lasting missional impact in and through movements. The Methodist movement is an example of the power of multiplying movements that utilize the strategy of discipleship. Within a generation, one in thirty people who were living in Britain had become Methodists, and the movement soon became a worldwide phenomenon.

We in the Western Church need a movement of historic proportions once again. What would such a multiplication movement look like for us today? We must look to the past to gain wisdom for the future. And as we look at the pages of church history, there is no better example of a multiplication movement in the West than the Methodist movement of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Marks of a Movement highlights the lessons and key insights that enable us to learn from the past and reapply this timeless, biblical wisdom for today.

Genres: Faith, Church, Christian Non Fiction, Christian Living

146 pages, ebook

Reviews

[Carly Kruse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m encouraged to read that the idea/inspiration for Summit College didn’t come out of nowhere haha!! Praying for the next radical movement of faithful believers making disciple-makers to begin in RDU!

[Edward Arrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a member of the tribe called Wesleyans, I look back with great appreciation and wonder at the mighty work of the Holy Spirit through John Wesley. He was not a perfect man, but he was completely committed, wholeheartedly available, and abundantly willing to be used by a perfect God to do the work God placed him on earth to do. Wesley wanted to see the Church of England turn back to God, but I believe God had other plans for him. The author speaks of churches becoming institutionalized, which is what had happened to the Church of England. God used John Wesley and others to start a new movement that would become the Methodists. As the author shared the marks, or traits, of a movement, my heart and mind were asking if God might be ready to do this again. I have no doubt that He can, but we must be ready and willing to do our part. Readers are cautioned against looking for programs or methods to try to create a movement. Only the Holy Spirit can accomplish that, but He uses people in the process. One of the key points that gripped me was Bevins’s discussion of how the power of the movement dissipated as the later leaders began to rely more on their education than on the Holy Spirit and His ability to work through ordinary people. Can you name one of the twelve disciples who had a seminary degree! The Apostle Paul may have been the most educated leader in the early Church; but, aside from three missionary journeys, he seemed to spend most of his time in jail writing letters. Just as in the days of the early Church, God used many others whose names are not recorded in history to learn from John Wesley and his followers to spread the movement around the world. We need to learn from the past to avoid making the same mistakes. By the same token, we need to learn all we can from the events of the past that were Heaven-sent and pray that God will do it again. Our world needs a real spiritual awakening, a new movement of God.

[Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Marks of A Movement, Winfield Bevins guides readers through the Wesleyan Revival and the growth of the church. Starting off, Bevins defines what a "movement: is, which helps readers have the same focus throughout the book. He also shares different elements that were witnessed throughout this period due to their trivial - changed lives, discipleship systems, Leadership established and the results. Personally, at first I wasn't too thrilled to read this book not to mention my my memory of the Wesleyan Revival was rather weak; however, I found myself enjoying learning about the Holy Spirit's movement and the lives that were changed. I also appreciated how applicable this book is - although this movement happened many years ago, a lot of methods are still relevant. I wasn't to keen on the word "movement" (that is a personal thing - which I felt could taint this great work or make it seem fake or man made) however, throughout the book the emphasis was on God's power and how God worked through men that were faithful to Him. The final aspect that I loved about this book was the ending, talking about how we can see a movement like that done today.

Really enjoyed this book. It shared the good (changed lives) the bad (racial problems) and hope (revival can still happen today).

[Zak Schmoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

If we're going to change the world, how would we go about doing it? John Wesley and the Methodists did that. They began as a very small movement, but this book highlights the principles that helped drive the growth of these churches. Themes of community, accountability, faith, and gospel centered preaching helped what began as essentially a Bible study transform into churches across countries and continents.

The author does not pretend to be writing an apologetic for Methodism or prescribing a one-size-fits-all solution for church growth. Rather, he looks at the movement and tries to find the elements that made people hop on board and participate. Even though our churches might look different now, we can learn a lot from John Wesley.

For anyone who is intrigued by developing communities in general or more specifically Christian communities, there are principles you can draw from this book.

[Michael Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really compelling content, which has given us some practical, historical views to weigh our own ministries and discipleship against. The writing was bland and clunky at times. Not poor, but he would occasionally repeat quotes or ideas from earlier chapters as new content, that type of thing. Would definitely recommend the book for anyone interested in thoughtfully considering their discipleship for their ministry.

[Clay · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better Bevins books that I've read this far. Goes deeper into the concepts and covers primary sources as well as contemporary scholarship on the subject! Read this and be inspired to join in the movement for planting churches (hint, it requires a return to radical discipleship and trust in the spirit!)

[Robert Conder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book and using it in our small group at church. It challenges us to live up to the Great Commission and to reach out to others. We must examine not only our own lives but how we do church. Using the marks of a movement, we can create a revival in our world. I recommend this book to all who seek to be engaged in the mission of Christ

[Mason English · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.3/5. this book was super helpful both as a history guide and a diagnosis of what creates a healthy movement. while i really loved the breakdown by the 6 “marks” of a movement, i thought the book could have benefitted from a few more contemporary mirrors either in the author’s own personal ministry or currently occurring movements as he touches on more in the conclusion

[Jamin Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bringing Life Back to Wesley

There’s a lot to John Wesley and the explosion of Methodism. Bevins’ covers the essentials not just in a historical way, but in a way that inspires us to bring our roots back into our ministries today. Well worth a read for any Christian, whether you’re Methodist or not.

[Chris Collier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Has some good principles and insight into the life of John Wesley. Book gets pretty repetitive to the point that I’m not sure a single new thing was really written in chapter 7 on Multiplication, because the whole book is about how Methodism multiplied over and over. Still, pretty good.

[Jason Stanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good introduction or re-introduction to Wesley and his Methodist movement. A good reminder that the movement was contagious and largely lay driven.

[Justin Frear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great capture of Methodist History and suggestions for reviving the movement.

[Kyle Potter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This provides a helpful overview of both the Methodist class system and connectional ministry in disciple-making for those who are novices at both. Experienced practioners will find it a remedial text.

[Brent Johnson]

Winfield Bevins is not a Methodist, but he does a great job as a writer explaining Methodists and the peculiar movement that it is.

In this book Bevins sets out to "draw our attention to a handful of time-honored practices that make Wesleyan [Methodist] revival successful." He does a fine job outlining distinctive signs of a movement, and draws ideas from such thinkers as Malcom Gladwell, George Hunter III and Ron Snyder. It would be nice if more non-Methodists took a critical look at the movement and that Methodists would read those works.

One thought Bevins raised, is that the reason so many churches today lack a clear vision of what it means to live in community as believers is that too few Christian leaders today do not have any experience in living in such a community before they became pastors and ministers. Booyah!

[Aaron Case · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not merely a well told history of John Wesley and the incredible Methodist movement, it is a reflection on the marks of that movement that have power transplanted into any culture and time. As Christian leaders we say we want a move of God, but this book has caused me to ask how much I truly believe that. Because if I do, I will humble myself before God and press into him until I am empowered to make a movement possible.

[Zach Waldis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does two things: it gives a bare bones history of Wesley and early Methodism, and seeks to provide 10 "marks" that can be continued from that history to produce and multiply disciples in the 21st century. It would be a great primer on Methodism and is thoroughly readable for both the lay person and general reader. Highly recommended.

[Steve Mayall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A splendid account of the Wesleyan revival and its transformation of Great Britain and America. As a result of his study of the Wesleyan revival, the author give 10 marks of a multiplying movement.