The Wesleys’ bible study group which had grown in number was now dubbed Methodists. The moniker stuck becoming the official name for the denomination that sprang from this grass roots student movement at Oxford. 

The beginning of the Methodist Movement were humble. It all began with a group of likeminded young men seeking to encourage each other’s spiritual growth. They huddled together in a small drom room on a secular university campus where they were heckeled for their faith, yet they persevered and their courage inspired others to reach for a deeper experience with Jesus. Their movement not only revived them but it brought much needed revival across England. 

Speaking of 18th century England the historian J.H. Plumb wrote “In every class there is the same taut neurotic quality; the fantastic gambling and drinking, the riot, the brutality and violence and always the constant dear of death”. England had hit spiritual rock bottom and despite the most valient efforts of the church of England it refused to be resuscitated. 

The Wesleys waded into this melting pot of immorality, crime and decay. Through the simple means of bible study, prayer and exercising a living faith they revived and strengthened a dying social fabric, infusing the word of God into its threads to give it new life and vibrancy. The movement was embraced most ardently by the poorer classes. It was this class that suffered most in Georgian England and it was thos this class that the truths of the gospel appealed to most. 
J.H. Plumbs again notes that “Methodism (became) not a religion of the poor but for the poor” It became a burgeoning force to be recokined with that left an indelible mark not only on 18th century England but also on the world in years to come.