On today’s re-post, we revisit a past episode from Timothy Beougher who joined us to talk about the Circuit Riders and how God used a movement of young pastors to bring about a mass movement of churches in early America.
Timothy Beougher // Associate Dean Billy Graham School of Missions & Professor of Evangelism and Church Growth // tbeougher@sbts.edu
Notable Points:
- Coming to the new world helped develop the circuit rider model of preaching.
- Most of the circuit riders were single, young men who died before the age of 30.
- What did it look like when a circuit rider arrived in a settlement?
- They would announce that they would have service the next day upon arrival.
- They could stay for one day or for multiple days.
- Sometimes they would live outdoors or people from the area would help provide for them.
- Circuit riders would go to at least 10 settlements on a route and as many as 20.
- Their goal was to help start churches in the settlements.
- Methodist circuit riders were big on the great commission.
- Circuit riders were not required to complete seminary, they were essentially lay-people.
- The methodists help lay the foundation for the large presbyterian movement.
- The methodists did have a statement of faith that they could stick with and study.
- Wesley emphasized small groups and small group leaders in the circuit rider model.
- Now vs. Then
- Now there is no excuse for a church planter to not be theologically informed.
- Due to all the access to theological books and teaching.
- “It is raining so hard the only things going out today are crows and methodist preachers”
- Preachers back then would let nothing stop them from preaching.
- Wesely and the leaders were strong leaders who exemplified tenacity and the Word.
- Now there is no excuse for a church planter to not be theologically informed.
- Challenge: “You have nothing to do but save souls”
- Give the Gospel 110% and be intentional.
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