John Wesley’s advice on dealing with controversy

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS
DAVE HANSON

Near the end of his life John Wesley said that 50 years earlier a good man gave him advice for which he had ever since had reason to bless God. The “good man” was the Archbishop of Canterbury. The advice was: “If you desire to be extremely useful, do not spend your time and strength in contesting for or against things as are of a disputable nature, but in testifying against open and notorious vice, and promoting real spiritual holiness.”

Wesley thought that was wonderful advice and added, “ Let us do this and leave a thousand disputable points to those who have no better business than to toss the ball of controversy to and fro… Let us with all our might recommend that inward and outward holiness without which no man shall see the Lord.”