John Wesley and the Holy Club’s 22 Questions

A powerful daily examination from the founder of Methodism

The legendary John Wesley was a mere student at Oxford when he and a few friends decided to get hardcore about their faith within a secularizing college context:

“The group met daily from six until nine for prayer, psalms, and reading of the Greek New Testament. They prayed every waking hour for several minutes and each day for a special virtue. While the church’s prescribed attendance was only three times a year, they took communion every Sunday. They fasted on Wednesdays and Fridays until three o’clock as was commonly observed in the ancient church. In 1730, the group began the practice of visiting prisoners in [prison]. They preached, educated, and relieved debtors whenever possible, and cared for the sick.” — UMC.org

The students systematically brought their lives under strict review, with Wesley creating a list of 22 questions that members asked themselves on a daily basis. Their fellow Oxonians wrote them off as religious fanatics and derisively nicknamed them the “Holy Club.” Wesley continued to refine his list of questions for several years, and the nicknames continued: “Bible Moths.” “Enthusiasts.” “Supererogationists.”