AldersgateSG 2026

At AldersgateSG 2026 (23 & 24 May), The Methodist Church in Singapore’s annual flagship event, Bishop Emeritus Dr Hwa Yung explored the theme “Is the Bible Not Enough?” as we commemorate 288 years since John Wesley’s Aldersgate experience.

The focus of these two sessions was on the place of experience in the life and ministry of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement in 18th century England. This was broken down into two broad areas, namely the supposed Wesleyan Quadrilateral and the place of religious experience in Wesley’s thinking and life.

If you missed it, view our videos on the livestream recordings below.

23 May Lecture: Is Experience Necessary?

This lecture examines the origins of the Wesleyan Quadrilateral and questions whether John Wesley viewed Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience as four equal sources of authority. It explores whether Scripture remains central in Wesley’s theology and ministry, and highlights the importance of experience.

24 May Celebration Service: What Did the Church forget?

This sermon calls for Methodists to be holy and remain faithful in service while rediscovering the revival and empowerment of the Holy Spirit promised in Acts 1:4–8. It traces the charismatic roots of early Methodism and asks what today’s Church has forgotten.

Photo Gallery

About Aldersgate

Aldersgate SG is organised annually by The Methodist Church in Singapore to commemorate Methodism’s founder John Wesley’s experience of assurance by the Holy Spirit on 24 May 1738 (see below). This annual series of events brings together the Methodist family to celebrate the values of compassion and discipline in our rich Wesleyan heritage, and be inspired anew to serve God through social action, evangelism and discipleship.

John Wesley’s life was given to following Jesus and walking with Him in the world through practical ways of ministry and spiritual growth. Aldersgate SG aims at mobilising the revival and Methodist spirit of our involvement in God’s mission by taking a look at the retrospect and prospects of world mission, its key challenges in this generation, and the issues underlining the missing in mission.

Significance

When John Wesley felt his heart “strangely warmed” on 24 May 1738, he was convicted that the Christian life was not just knowing ABOUT Jesus Christ, but actually KNOWING Him.

That evening, Wesley had felt discouraged by his Anglican brothers’ rejection of his enthusiastic preaching of the Gospel. Heavy-hearted, he went to a meeting in Aldersgate Street, London. There, he heard Martin Luther’s Preface to the Epistle to the Romans being read.

Describing the stirring of his heart, Wesley wrote:

“I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”

Fired up by this heart-warming assurance, Wesley began preaching the Gospel to all who would listen with renewed vigour and evangelistic fervour. He later went on to form societies that helped Christians grow in their walk with God and each other, and was deeply involved in social justice issues of his time. The movement he started would later become known as Methodism.

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