Hi Rose,
I did research John Wesley and his family twenty or so years ago... The floppy discs are in a plastic container, but they won't fit any of my current computers.
There was, and still may be a Wesleyan Archives online in the UK. They had personal letters intermixed with official church records. I looked for it briefly last year, but couldn't find it online.
It confirmed my belief churches should not be named in honor of men, nor denominations follow their methods when they differ from the Word of God.
Our church leaders are attempting to serve God, but they're men, and will never be able to replace Him, nor should they receive the worship due Him, nor should any church body cover up their misdeeds.
If I would have ever idolized a church leader, it would have been my Father, who was an Elder/ Pastor/Minister, but there is or should be a clear line of division between honoring and loving a parent, or even a church elder and the worship that is due to God alone.
Decades later, I now often repeated my Father's advise: "You don't judge the Bible by what your Pastor says; but, rather, you judge your Pastor by what the Bible says."
But, I learned the truth of that through years of living, not because my Father said it.
Sola Scriptura it is, first, last and always (because God commanded it)!
Rose42 wrote:
Zemirah,
I don't know much about John Wesley either. Oh my! I will have to do some research on him.
This is very interesting as some people have favorite pastors and teachers but others take it too far - as you pointed out - and it becomes more about them than Christ. That is idol worship. Its disturbing just how subtle idol worship can be - we all succumb to it at one time or another to varying degrees.