John Wesley's Questions

John Wesley was the founder of Methodism. He founded "Holy Clubs" at Oxford. At these meetings, probing questions were asked very "methodically" in order to keep people accountable about their faith. Here are some of them:

The 22 Questions of John Wesley’s Holy Clubs

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
3. Do I confidentially pass on to another what was told to me in confidence?
4. Can I be trusted?
5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?
6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying or self-justifying?
7. Did the Bible live in me today?
8. Do I give it time to speak to me every day?
9. Am I enjoying prayer?
10. When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?
11. Do I pray about the money I spend?
12. Do I go to bed on time and get up on time?
13. Do I disobey God in anything?
14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?
16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?
17. How do I spend my spare time?
18. Am I proud?
19. Do I thank God that I am not like other people?
20. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard?
21. Do I grumble or complain constantly?
22. Is Christ real to me?

When I found these online, the link commented "ouch!" These are very probing questions and go to the core of what it means to be a faithful follower of Christ.

I particularly like question 9. It doesn't ask if I am praying regularly or something dutiful like that. It asks if I am enjoying prayer. This is a question which leads us to reflect if our prayer life is about going through the motions, or if we are truly taking advantage of developing a life-changing relationship with God.

Question 11 is one which I have never heard anyone answer yes, including myself when I first saw it. Wesley very much knew that money is the basis for much of our life focus, and wanted to make sure that we approach money with God in mind.

I would suggest going through these questions and focus on one which hits you especially at that moment. Or you might go through one per day and reflect on that.

I have definitely found these questions to help sharpen my focus on God. I hope you do as well.

Thanks for reading....