The theme of the annual AldersgateSG celebrations this year was “Scriptural Holiness”, expounding on the MCS 140 focus of “Love God by Loving Your Neighbour”. AldersgateSG kicked off with a lecture on 23 May at Telok Ayer Chinese Methodist Church’s second premises (TA2) at Wishart Road, followed by the Celebration Service on 24 May. Bishop Emeritus Dr Robert Solomon was the speaker for both events, preaching on “Growing Together in Holiness” for the Aldersgate Lecture and “The Priesthood of All Believers” for the Celebration Service.
About 200 people attended the Lecture while an estimated 500 attended the Celebration Service.
The high calling of a Methodist
Holiness is the goal of salvation and achieved by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. BE Dr Solomon clarified that when John Wesley wrote “there is no holiness but social holiness”, Wesley did not mean that social holiness was more important than personal holiness. Rather, he was stating that the Methodist understanding of holiness had a strong communal dimension.
Wesley also defined the Church as “a company of men, called by the gospel, grafted into Christ by baptism, animated by love, united by all kinds of fellowship, and disciplined by the death of Ananias and Sapphira” (Acts 5:11). The active words form a composite of what it means to grow in holiness. BE Dr Solomon pointed out that in modern times, discipline has become a missing dimension. Discipline is also inextricably linked to discipleship.
He emphasised that to be a Methodist was a high calling as every Methodist had to be committed to live daily as a disciple, servant and steward of Christ. When Wesley formed Methodist societies in the 18th century, he expected high levels of discipline and commitment. Membership tickets were issued on a quarterly basis and renewed on condition that members were faithful to their covenant.
According to BE Dr Solomon, this high standard has dropped as sophistication and nominalism set in over the years. He called for Methodists to exhibit the same qualities of the early Methodists.
The Wesleyan model of small groups
Wesley created different small groups, namely classes, bands and select societies so that Methodists could “watch over one another in love”. As salvation was progressive, the system of mutual accountability and support served as a means of grace to help all to walk closely with Christ. In the life of small groups today, there needs to be a process of accountability for how we have been doing with the basic means of grace: prayer, Bible reading, worship and service.
BE Dr Solomon concluded that all Methodists are called to grow together in holiness and the Church is meant to be organised to fulfil this purpose. Discipline and mutual accountability are the anchors of holiness and discipleship. He encouraged churches to see members as Christ’s disciples in need of discipling and discipline instead of “religious consumers”.
Church members should also be encouraged to practise daily Christian disciplines and be taught the Articles of Faith, General Rules and Social Principles. In addition, there should be accountability in small groups with the incorporation of the annual Covenant Sunday at the beginning of each year to remind Methodists of their covenant made with God and the church.
Questions on LGBTQ and decline of the Methodist Church
During the Q&A segment, one of the questions submitted by a young adult was regarding how The Methodist Church in Singapore should view those with same sex inclinations especially in the light of what has happened to the United Methodist Church (in the US) and the Methodist Church of Great Britain, where same sex marriages are now allowed.
BE Dr Solomon’s response was that same sex attraction is a modern concept as the New Testament focused more on homosexual behaviour, or same sex behaviour. While this does not mean that the notion of same sex attraction should be discounted, the Church needed to recognise that there is a wide spectrum of people in this community. On one end, there are activists who want to change the Church and make same sex marriage acceptable. On the other end there are those who struggle and find the Church is against them. He said that MCS “must recognise the differences and manage our responses accordingly, by being prophetic against the activists and priestly with those who genuinely struggle”. Rev Clement Ong, who facilitated the session, added that our Methodist Social Principles serve as a guide to enable us to journey with those who struggle in these areas.
Another question raised was whether the Methodist Church today was in decline.
BE Dr Solomon acknowledged while we no longer lived in the cultural and historical context of the early Methodists, we needed to keep the spirit of Methodism amid the issues we faced today. He held the view that Methodism today has been seriously compromised by accommodation to the world. Compared to John Wesley’s time, the bar had significantly dropped. As such, there was a need to emphasise holiness—the importance of growing in holiness in the midst of community. “We must therefore uphold high standards and raise our current level of discipleship to what our Lord expects,” BE Dr Solomon said.
Our priestly duties
The next day, the Aldersgate Celebration Service opened with the usual processional of clergy and leaders. A light-hearted skit presented by three Methodist students from the Trinity Theological College—Elisha Philip, Cheryl Giam and Kyle Geo—explained John Wesley’s Aldersgate experience.
BE Dr Solomon began by reminding the congregation that we celebrate Aldersgate not to glorify the Wesley brothers. “We follow Jesus Christ, in the company of the Wesley brothers.”
His sermon, “The Priesthood of Believers”, spoke of the different roles of clergy and laity. In essence, “we are all similar in terms of our baptism … we are all servants (of God).” God had put both clergy and laity together as a priesthood of believers, i.e. the Church. The Church, being the bride of Christ, was to reflect the beauty and majesty of God. The Church, as the body of Christ, had been given different gifts to fulfil different roles.
BE Dr Solomon recalled a paper that had been presented in 1989 at the Lausanne II Conference in Manila, “Of Frogs and Lizards”, by a Hong Kong stockbroker, Mr Lee Yih. A metaphor of frogs as pastors, and lizards as lay people was used to describe the different ways pastors and laypersons were “fishers of men”. Frogs waited for their food while sitting on a rock in a pond, and at the right time stuck out their tongues to take in the food. A pastor’s place of ministry is in the church. Lizards, on the other hand, went out and moved around to find food, alluding to the layperson’s role in the marketplace and bringing new believers into the church.
“If the lizards are not out there serving in the name of Christ and bringing the gospel to those who have yet to hear [it], then the ministry of the gospel becomes very weak.” He emphasised the cooperative, not competitive, relationship between the clergy and laity.
“So this sermon is for both ‘frogs’ and ‘lizards’,” BE Dr Solomon said, to the laughter of the congregation. “We each have our own responsibility, and together we are the priesthood of believers that the Holy Spirit is daily shaping.” Finally, he challenged the congregation to consider their role in the Church and prayed for God to strengthen the “people called Methodists”.
Missed the Aldersgate Lecture and Celebration Service? Watch them here.
AldersgateSG 2025 Lecture
AldersgateSG 2025 Celebration Service
By Lianne Ong and Lynn Tan, MCS Communications. / Photos courtesy of MCS Communications and Daniel Lie