Since its formation, Methodism has caught fire around the world — crossing continents, countries, and cultures. Methodist leaders come from a variety of backgrounds. And it’s important to recognize and celebrate the rich history of Methodist leaders from around the world, so we can continue to grow from their insightful leadership.
Today, the diversity of United Methodist leadership in the United States actually surpasses the diversity of people in the pews. This means there are many opportunities for elders and deacons from a wide range of backgrounds to participate interculturally in the Church, and for whole congregations to benefit from the cultural exchange.
At the same time, the United Methodist Church (UMC) hopes to continue its global impact and legacy through a new addition to its rulebook: regionalization. Continue reading to learn more about the spread of Methodism around the world, historical leaders of the church, and regionalization.
Missionaries and the Spread of Methodism Around the World
Methodism began with a small band of Anglican students at Oxford who participated in what was called the “Holy Club” in the 18th century. Together, this band of students would read scripture, visit sick and imprisoned people, and confess their sins to one another. The leader, John Wesley (1703-1791), took his new methodical expression of Christianity from England to the Americas and back again.
The first Methodist missionary was John Stewart (1786-1823), a black man from Virginia. After harrowing travel experiences, a struggle toward sobriety, and a call from God to “Tell other people about me,” Stewart committed to living with the Wyandot people in Ohio.
His preaching and example awarded him friendship, and he eventually witnessed Wyandot leadership open themselves to Christianity. They’d found profound peace, were reconciled with estranged family members, and found communal sobriety.
Later, when a fire for missions swept across the protestant world, Methodist Dr. John Mott (1865-1955), a white man from Iowa, chaired the World Missions Conference of 1910. There, many denominations from the protestant tradition worked together to reach the world with the Christian message.
In a time when colonization was nearing its peak, Mott was known for advocating for local, indigenous people to take up leadership roles in the church. He believed a desire for independence in Christian expression was legitimate and that crushing anyone’s individuality would hinder the Christian mission. It’s partly due to his influence that the gospel truly became good news for many around the globe.
Historical Worldwide Leaders From the African Methodist Episcopal Church and Beyond
Methodist leaders come from a variety of backgrounds around the world. SMU Perkins’ Bridwell Library has compiled a moving display of many of these leaders and their stories. As you read eight of their stories below, consider what these leaders were known for — and ask yourself how you can bring their spirit of Methodism to your community.
Richard Allen (1760-1831)
Founder of the AME Church
Richard Allen led the first African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church congregation in Philadelphia in 1794. In 1787, with Absalom Jones, Allen formed the Free African Society in part to assist fugitive enslaved people. It was a foundational organization in the establishment and growth of early black churches in America. Allen was deeply involved in charitable works and supportive healthcare for African Americans, and in the Philadelphia abolitionist movement.
Fannie Marion Jackson Coppin (1837-1913)
Leader of AME Mission Work
In 1837, Fannie Jackson was born into slavery in Washington, D.C. After an aunt bought her freedom, Jackson moved north and worked domestic jobs, saving money for her education. She eventually attended and graduated from Oberlin College in 1865 and became the head principal of the Institute for Colored Youth in Philadelphia. She joined the AME Church, married Rev. Levi Coppin in 1881, and served as president of the AME Women’s Home and Foreign Mission Society. She traveled to South Africa between 1900 and 1903, leading work in missions and temperance, before returning to the United States.
Alejo Hernandez (1842-1875)
Early Mexican Methodist Missionary
Alejo Hernandez was the first ordained Methodist Latino. Known for his preaching skills, he brought the Methodist message to the Spanish-speaking populations of Mexico and American borderlands. He opened a Methodist mission church with the assistance of the regional bishop in Mexico City, and was praised for his perseverance under extreme poverty, local bigotries, and other trials of rustic, rural mission life. Sadly, his vitality for the Gospel was cut short by paralysis and terminal illness. Hernandez died in his early 30s.
Dora Yu (1873-1931)
Chinese Evangelist and Revivalist
In 1873, Dora Yu was born in the American Presbyterian Mission. Her father took up a preaching position when she was 2 years old in Hangzhou, where Yu began her schooling at a Presbyterian school. At 15, Yu began to study medicine and was later one of the first two women to become medical doctors in China in 1896 (the other being Shi Fumei). She worked with health services at a school run by the American Methodist Episcopal mission. And later, in 1897, went as a medical missionary to Korea, working with a group called “Women Overseas Evangelism.” Yu eventually co-founded the Barwha Girls’ School with Josephine Campbell, then returned to China in 1903. She practiced medicine less, while doing more missionary work and evangelism, and focused her time and talents on publishing one of the first Chinese hymn books in 1909. Her focus and tenacity brought her to concentrate on revivalism and the establishment of the Bible Study and Prayer House in Shanghai, while she continued to travel extensively in her mission. In 1927, Yu was invited to speak at the prestigious Keswick Convention (England). In her speech, she argued for a balance in what Anglo-American missionaries were preaching in China, stating that modern liberal theologies had veered too far from the biblical message. She returned to China, living out her final days in Shanghai as a successful evangelist.
James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey (1875-1927)
Missionary and Educator
James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey was a missionary and educator born in Gold Coast (Ghana). In 1903, he emigrated to the United States and became a minister in the AMEZ Church. Aggrey earned two doctorates in theology and osteopathy. He also studied psychology and Japanese at Columbia University, before returning to Africa in 1920, where he evaluated and analyzed the educational information of regions encompassing nearly two modern west and central African nations. Aggrey was deeply influential when it came to his work on education, especially among early African leaders, including early prime ministers from Malawi and Ghana.
Hwal-Ian (Helen) Kim (1899-1970)
Trailblazing Korean Methodist
Kim Hwal-Ian (Helen Kim) was a distinguished Methodist leader in both the United States and Korea. She held many positions of rank and prominence, and led a prestigious career in educational leadership and journalism. Kim was the first Korean woman to receive a doctorate and become a president of a university. She also founded the first English-language paper in Korea. Kim grew Ewha University into the world’s largest women’s college and was later named to a government position as director of public information. In retirement, she was a champion of Korean missions and was highly regarded on the world stage.
Daniel Thambyrajah (D. T.) Niles (1908-1970)
Ecumenical Leader, Missionary and Evangelist
Born in Jaffna (present-day Sri Lanka), Niles came from a family of Methodist and Congregational preachers who were among the first Tamils to convert to Christianity in the early 1800s. After studying theology in Bangalore, India, he earned a doctorate from the University of London. Niles was a prominent leader of various mission and church organizations in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), including the Methodist Church of Ceylon and the National Christian Council. Theologically, he wrote richly ecumenical texts that drew on both the Eastern Orthodox traditions and Protestant traditions, while also contextualizing the Asian traditions that he witnessed around him.
Escrivao Anglaze Zunguze (1914-1980)
First African Bishop in the Methodist Church
Zunguze was born in Mozambique in 1914 and studied at a regional Methodist Episcopal Church school in Inhambane. His early life was influenced by tensions between the colonial government and the Methodist Church, which supported the rights of forced laborers. He began his ministry in 1946 and was ordained in 1950 as an elder in the Methodist Church. Zunguze was a pastor and then delegate to the Africa Central Conference between 1948 and 1956, and was elected bishop in 1964, distinguishing him as the first African to be elevated to the episcopacy in 1964. He was also named to the Commission on Ecumenical Affairs in 1968 but had been disallowed by the colonial government from traveling. Mozambique gained independence in 1975, and Bishop Zunguze died in 1980.
Learn More about Worldwide Methodism at SMU’s Bridwell Library
The SMU Perkins’ Bridwell Library is home to the prestigious Elizabeth Perkins Prothro Galleries. This museum curates new collections for both students and the public to enjoy. The recent display at the library includes The World Methodist Museum Collections, which is where the above images and stories are from.
The museum is open to the public, and we invite you to visit and see artifacts from The World Methodist Museum Collections. Bridwell’s World Methodist Collection is the largest Wesley artifact collection outside of England and includes items such as:
- Portraits of the early founders of Methodism.
- Rare books and manuscripts related to John Wesley.
- John Wesley’s traveling pulpit.
- Items related to Charles Wesley, the famous hymn writer.
The rich diversity of Methodist theology, practice, worship, and leadership has paved the way for Methodist diversity today. Read on to learn more about new ways of celebrating diversity in the UMC.
The 2024 General Conference of the United Methodist Church Passes Regionalization Bill
Today, worldwide ecumenical efforts are characterized by the phrase “unity in diversity.” This highlights the unity churches find in the person of Christ and the Christian message, even as they have differences in culture and church doctrine. The motto is a way to honor not only the similarities of global Christianity but to also acknowledge that diversity within the religion makes the Christian mission stronger.
The original Methodist church has more than 100 denominational offshoots. This is largely due to the many different cultural expressions of Methodism around the world. However, the UMC is seeking to enhance unity in diversity by offering the opportunity for diverse leadership and expression within the United Methodist denomination.
The UMC upheld the spirit of this phrase at the 2024 General Conference of the United Methodist Church (the worldwide governing body of the UMC) when it passed a bill to regionalize its churches. This decision opens the door for more Methodists around the world to participate in the same governing body, while offering more autonomy and freedom to local leadership.
Some parts of the Book of Discipline will remain the same across all regions. These include:
- The Constitution ¶¶ 1-61
- General Book of Discipline ¶¶ 101
- Doctrinal Standards and Our Theological Task ¶¶ 102-105
- The Ministry of all Christians ¶¶ 120-143
- Social Principles ¶¶ 160-166
While much of the Book of Discipline will remain the same, other sections will offer the opportunity for healthy separation between the regions, allowing for more diversity in cultural expression. These include:
- The United States becomes one region with power equivalent (rather than superior) to other regions.
- Regions outside the United States are permitted to create their own jurisdictional conferences.
- Regions can adapt the Book of Discipline to meet their own cultural needs.
Learn more about regionalization on the UMC’s regionalization page.
Take Your First Step to Pursuing a Career as a Chaplain, Missionary or Other Methodist Leader
The UMC is known for its well-trained leadership. And modern leaders in the church must attend seminary to ground their theological perspective and train them spiritually for leadership roles.
Perkins School of Theology is training the next generation of diverse leaders in the world. If you want to become a pastor, missionary, chaplain, worship leader, nonprofit leader, or theologian, earn your credentials with us.
We offer various degrees that prepare students for ordination as elders and deacons, as well as promoting roles in lay leadership. Classes are taught by Perkins’ world-renowned faculty who boast diversity in theological and denominational thought.
Give yourself the best education Methodism has to offer by applying to Perkins School of Theology today so that you can serve the world tomorrow.
