The John Wesley Covenant Renewal Service
January 08, 2018
JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS
DAVE HANSON
John Wesley discovered a worship service which was used in the 1600s to encourage believers to renew their covenant with God. He revised the service and used it as a Watch Night Service in his London headquarters, the Foundry. He also used the service as he traveled to various Methodist Societies across England.
His journal indicates wonderful responses to these Covenant Renewal services. Some of them lasted for three or four hours! He often scheduled them for evenings when there was a full moon in order for people to have light on their way home after the service.
In this service, Wesley read scriptures concerning the various covenants God made with Adam, with Abraham, with Moses, and many others. The service invites us to renew our covenant with God, to search our hearts to discover any known sins that remain there, and to dedicate ourselves afresh to allow God to guide us wherever He may need us. We are asked to die to self that we might live unto Christ.
