Winfield Bevins serves as the Director of Church Planting at Asbury Seminary and as Canon for Church Planting for the Anglican Diocese of the Carolinas, Director of Re-Missioning for Fresh Expressions US, and Director of the New Room Regional Network. As a seasoned practitioner, he has trained hundreds of leaders from diverse backgrounds on four different continents. One of his passions is to help others connect to the ancient roots of the Christian faith for spiritual formation and mission. He and his wife, Kay, have three beautiful girls, Elizabeth, Anna Belle, and Caroline.
“A brand plucked from the burning”---my countryman John Wesley
started a fiery movement of reproducing disciples, leaders, and
churches that reflected the purity, simplicity, and communal power
of the early church. His followers took the apostolic church of
Acts as their model and set their world on fire with passion. It’s
vital to learn again from the man and his ministry, but most of all
from his methods. I am thrilled that Dr. Bevins helps us do so
here, and in such a readable manner.
*Anthony Delaney, leader for the Ivy Network, NewThing UK and
LAUNCH Conference *
History at its best accurately reflects on what happened and builds
vision for what can yet happen. Bevins highlights the people and
the practices of one of the great movements of Christianity---and
inspires us to multiply disciples and churches in our
generation.
*Wayne Schmidt, general superintendent, The Wesleyan Church *
Inspirational and to-the- point. If you want to know how our Father
worked through those early Methodists to launch a global
multiplication movement, then read this book! Bevins calls us to
learn from the wisdom of those who have gone before us, and we must
heed his call. Read, learn, and apply!
*J. D. Payne, professor of Christian ministry at Samford University
and author of Apostolic Church Planting *
It’s impossible to read this book without getting excited about
what the Holy Spirit has done and can do in lives fully surrendered
to God. This account of the powerful marks of the Wesleyan movement
inspires and challenges us to be part of the birth of a new
movement for our day. On almost every page I found myself praying:
“May it happen again!”
*Rev. Jessica LaGrone, dean of the chapel, Asbury Seminary *
Jesus said a person well-trained for the kingdom of God is “like
the master of a household who brings out of his treasure things old
and new” (Matt.13:52). A key truth for church renewal: linking the
old and new. John Wesley understood this and modeled it better
perhaps than anyone else in history. The dynamics, depth, and
discipleship of early Methodism grew from the combustive joining of
the Great Tradition with the newness of the Spirit in people’s
lives. Marks of a Movement brings these old/new insights into our
present time. Today, Jesus can and will renew persons, churches,
even whole societies, and here early Methodism and other movements
can teach us. Churches today often struggle along with only half
their true DNA. Marks of a Movement shows why, and what to do. Here
is new wine enriched by the old of past movements.
*Howard A. Snyder, author of The Radical Wesley, The Problem of
Wineskins, and Signs of the Spirit, and international
representative, Manchester Wesley Research Centre *
Marks of a Movement is a concise account of the characteristics of
the Methodist movement and its application for today. I’ve read a
lot of material on John Wesley and the Methodists, but this book
has some valuable surprises. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn
from one of the greatest movements in history.
*Steve Addison, author of Pioneering Movements *
Marks of a Movement is a handful of gems for the movement-maker---
giving them precious and short reflections on some of our most
brilliant forbearers in church revival. Winfield Bevins is a unique
voice bringing together mainline leaders, church planters, and
dreamers from across a huge spectrum. I have great faith for what
this guide can bring!
*Graham Singh, executive director of Church Planting Canada and
rector of St. Jax Montreal *
Marks of a Movement is well worth reading to the very, very end! It
is a very practical book that shows how John Wesley innovated, and
how we should do the same, if we want a multiplying movement like
his in our day.
*Michael Moynagh, author of Church in Life: Innovation, Mission and
Ecclesiology and tutor, Wycliffe Hall, Oxford *
Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, once devised a Mission Statement
Generator, which could be loaded with familiar buzzwords to
automatically formulate high-toned bunk. Winfield Bevins has done
the opposite---written a Mission Detector book that finds and
refines those core missional components that make and mark an
authentic movement of the Spirit in every age and context.
Regardless of tribe, this book is required reading for all feeling
called to participate in God’s missional renaissance.
*Leonard Sweet, author of Bad Habits of Jesus, professor at Drew
University, George Fox University, Tabor College, Evangelical
Seminary, and founder of preachthestory.com *
The method of John Wesley created the greatest religious movement
in American history. Could it hold the key to the next great
movement in US history? Bevins thinks so. Drawing from the life and
ministry of John Wesley, Bevins describes key marks of a movement.
Anyone interested in joining the growing multiplication movement
should read this book.
*Bill Easum, president, The Effective Church Group *
The twenty-first century demands a new and revitalized apostolic
movement of disciple-making leaders like never before in the
history of the church. This book will become a blueprint to
accomplish such a monumental task for those seeking to establish
the kingdom of God.
*Rev Dr. Iosmar Alvarez, senior pastor of Fuente de Avivamiento and
founder of Disciple 21 Network *
To re-evangelize the postmodern West, it will take not just a
method or program, but a movement. Taking his cues from the early
Wesleyan movement, Winfield Bevins offers clear and wise guidance
on how we might reignite the fire that once spread so rapidly
across England and the nascent United States, and eventually,
throughout the globe. I strongly recommend this book for all those
with a heart to win the lost and see revival in the increasingly
secular context of the postmodern West.
*David F. Watson, PhD, academic dean, vice president for academic
affairs, and professor of New Testament at United Theological
Seminary *
Two hundred years ago, Methodism was the greatest soul-winning
discipleship movement in America. If you want to know how the
church can recover its mission and live again, Winfield Bevins
tells how!
*Dr. Robert Coleman, author of The Master Plan of Evangelism *
When God breathes his Spirit upon his followers for his purpose,
movements are birthed. While these movements of God are easy to
spot, they can be difficult to understand. In Marks of a Movement,
Winfield Bevins helps us do exactly that. Drawing from a deep well
of tried-and- true practices, he reframes old paradigms for a
modern audience. You will finish this book with a fresh
understanding of past movements of God and a burning passion to see
God to do the same again today.
*Robby Gallaty, pastor, Long Holl ow Baptist and author, Growing Up
and Here and Now *
Winfield Bevins reminds us of John Wesley’s disciple-making wisdom,
which gave birth to a movement of mission and church planting. The
movement he started spread around the world and ultimately
transformed the religious landscape of the West. With his love for
the history of the church and his personal experience of church
planting, Bevins helps us understand powerful lessons from John
Wesley that can inspire hero makers today.
*Christian Selvaratnam, head of church pl anting engagement, Alp ha
UK & Europe; leader of G2 York *
Winfield masterfully summarizes John Wesley and the Methodist
movement. If you want to see a church multiplication movement
happen in your context today, this is required reading.
*Daniel Im, author of No Silver Bullets, coauthor of Planting
Missional Churches, and director of church multiplication,
NewChurches.com *
With a powerful simplicity, Bevins has written a brief book
distilling John Wesley’s wisdom of the past to help us move forward
on God’s mission. His excellent overview of Wesley’s life and
strategies of “movement making” are crystal clear and compelling.
For any leader interested in seeing a gospel movement, Marks of a
Movement is an essential resource.
*Rev. Dr. Larry Walkemeyer, lead pastor, Light & Life Christian
Fellowship; superintendent, Southern California Free Methodist;
director of equipping, Exponential *
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