Charles Gardner reviews the Sh’ma Kingdom Drama play about the legendary preacher.

Nearly 300 years after it happened, John Wesley’s conversion is still widely celebrated. For most great men, it is their birth that is usually remembered. But in Wesley’s case, it is what the Bible terms his ‘new birth’, recalled each year on 24 May.

As part of this year’s celebrations, a unique play was staged on the lawns of the Old Rectory where the preacher grew up, in the small town of Epworth in Lincolnshire (another performance is being planned elsewhere in the county for next month - see details below).

Performed by the Sh’ma Kingdom Drama group, I am John Wesley captivated an appreciative audience on a beautiful spring afternoon with a stirring invitation to share in the transforming experience that changed Britain and the world – a heart ‘strangely warmed’ by the Gospel, as the Methodist founder put it.

An Inspirational Invitation

We were treated to an inspirational weaving together of dance, dialogue and choral hymn-singing complete with audience participation – front row viewers were handed rolled-up tights to throw at the cast at a given signal to depict the fierce opposition Wesley’s preachers encountered on their travels.

The narration, backing music and PA system all worked together smoothly and the drama was enriched by authentic costumes. The waving of brightly-coloured flags helped to convey the traumatic scene when six-year-old John was rescued from an upper window during a blazing fire, which is why he came to be referred to as ‘a brand plucked from the burning’.

I am John Wesley captivated with a stirring invitation to share in the transforming experience that changed Britain and the world.

I was particularly moved by the sight of one of the cast, her face shining like an angel, worshipping her Saviour before moving towards the audience as she encouraged others to welcome Jesus into their lives.

With the audience also invited to join in some of Charles Wesley’s well-known hymns, some of the cast, including John Wesley, came out of character for a few minutes to share the story of their own life-changing encounter with Christ.

The Gospel, No Holds Barred

Used with permission from the Sh'ma Kingdom Dancers.

Wesley’s conversion took place at Aldersgate, London, in 1738 and launched a 50-year ministry that included 40,000 sermons preached while travelling a quarter-of-a-million miles on horseback. Historians are agreed that we might well have suffered a revolution of the kind that brought chaos to France without his influence.

He often returned to Epworth and its environs, but wasn’t allowed to preach at the church where his father, Samuel, had been rector for nearly 40 years, choosing instead to use his father’s tomb as a pulpit as he lifted up Jesus to a crowd of thousands.

Considering it was only the third staging of the play, it was quite sensational in the way it combined entertainment – both visually and otherwise – with a no-holds-barred presentation of the Gospel.

The next performance of ‘I Am John Wesley’ will be taking place at Broughton Village Hall (DN20 OJX, near Brigg, Lincolnshire) on Saturday 31 August, beginning at 7pm. All are welcome to this free event – call 07940 222 707 for more details.

Find out more about the Sh’ma Kingdom Drama and Dancers on their website, www.shma-kingdomdancers.co.uk.

Used with permission from the Sh'ma Kingdom Dancers.