The term, ‘missional church,’ is a common term among missiologists. John Wesley’s (1703-1791) missionary career (10/21/1735- 02/01/ 1738) is considerably well known. ‘Missionary Wesley’ indicates Wesley as a missionary to America. Wesley was indeed missional before and during his missionary service, but it was after his missionary career when his missional abilities shined. Thus, the author suggests using a brand-new term ‘missional Wesley.’ The focus of this article is stated in the title: From Missionary Wesley to Missional Wesley. This study explores three significant missiological implications of Wesley’s life and ministry: Wesley’s dilemma, Wesley’s assurance, and Wesley’s renewal movement. The seemingly failed mission of Wesley to America was partially due to conflict between sending agency (the Anglican Society for the Propagation of the Gospel) and missionary (John Wesley). The author coins a new term, ‘Wesley’s dilemma,’ for this common conflict in Christian mission. This article discusses the centripetal mission and centrifugal mission, offering suggestions and recommendations regarding ‘Wesley’s Dilemma.’ What Wesley experienced at Aldersgate on May 24th in 1738 was an assurance. Wesley centered to the right object of his faith, Jesus Christ. To be concrete, it was not just the commonly used term, ‘Wesley's conversion,’ but Wesley’s conversion to Christ. Wesley’s assurance was a stepping stone for becoming missional Wesley. From then on, Wesley’s life and ministry was focused on church renewal. Inventing and reinventing small groups was where Wesley’s genius shone. Small groups (societies, classes, bands) were places for discipline and fellowship in Wesley’s renewal movement. It was a system of discipline-in-community and fellowship-in-community. John R. W. Stott’s definition of koinonia, ‘sharing-in, sharing-out, and sharing-with’ was realized in small groups. The itineracy of the ‘lay’ leader was crucial for this success. The author concludes this article by quoting and paraphrasing Stephen B. Bevans and Roger P. Schroeder: “If to be church is to be in mission, to be in mission is to be responsive to the demands of the gospel in particular contexts, to be continually ‘reinventing’ itself as it struggles with and approaches new situations, new peoples, new cultures and new questions.” Missional Wesley was indeed a champion of contextualization and reinvention of structure.

• 권오훈(목원대, 선교학) | Kwon Ohhoon