The whole trajectory of John Wesley’s life changed on May 24, 1738. While he had been in ministry for years, and even as God moved and worked in his life, still Wesley was unsettled in his soul. He knew Christians who were fearless and certain of their salvation, but did not count himself among them.

A Moravian friend, Peter Böhler, advised Wesley to “Preach faith ’til you have it, and then because you have it, you will preach faith.” Wesley tried to follow through with this advice, and led a prisoner to Christ by preaching faith and forgiveness of sins. Wesley was astonished to see this man immediate converted wholly to Jesus.

Still, Wesley felt unsure and unsettled. So he was on May 24, 1738, when John Wesley went with reluctance to a Bible study meeting at Aldersgate. There, someone read from Martin Luther’s Preface to the Epistle to the Romans. Around 8:45pm, in Wesley’s own words, “while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”

From that moment forward, John Wesley spent himself for the salvation of souls, riding thousands upon thousands of miles each year to preach the Gospel. In time, John Wesley’s work kindled a fire of evangelism that spread from England, across the Atlantic, and around the world.

What was it that changed? John Wesley had believed in God before. He had been in ministry for years. In John’s words, his heart had been “strangely warmed.” The difference for John was his realizing that Jesus died, not in the abstract for all humanity, but for him personally. It was for John Wesley that Jesus came, went to the cross, cried out, “It is finished,” rose from the grave, and ascended to the right hand of the Father. The very love of God warmed John Wesley’s heart; gratitude for such love changed everything for John Wesley.

The same is true for us.

The people of Heartfire Church know that God has been good to us, shown us mercy, and made each of us a new creation in Jesus Christ. We can’t wait to see what God will do in our future!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to his great and mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” - 1 Peter 1:3