Born to be Vile - Sermon Series

Born to be Vile: Methodist Rebels, Riff Raff, and Revolutionaries

Dates: November 9-23, 2025

There was nothing mild-mannered about these Methodists. John Wesley declared he would “submit to be more vile” by leaving the safety of the pulpit to preach in fields, prisons, and hovels. He ordained preachers without permission, encouraged women like Mary Bosanquet Fletcher to take the pulpit, and insisted the poor and overlooked were at the very center of God’s kingdom.

From coal miners with soot-streaked faces to prisoners despised by society, Methodism began as a movement of holy rebellion and unapologetic welcome. In this three-week series we’ll remember our roots as rebels, riff raff, and revolutionaries — and discover what that legacy means for us today.

Find all the sermons in this sermon series here.