Our Story
World Methodist Evangelism is a connection point for Christians within the global Wesleyan family who are dedicated to becoming channels of transformation through the power of God’s Holy Spirit.
WME is an affiliate organization of the World Methodist Council and works to bring together over 84 million Christians in over 134 countries within the wide range of Wesleyan Methodist traditions. Begun in 1971, our work grew out of the belief that preaching the Gospel and making disciples of Jesus Christ is the supreme business of the Church.
Sir Alan Walker, a distinguished church and national leader from Sydney, Australia was the first World Director of WME from 1978-1988. Under his leadership, WME held the first International Christian Youth Conference on Evangelism in Truro, England in 1980. Renamed Metanoia, these conferences continue to be held, having a profound impact on Wesleyan Methodist leaders worldwide, including the current Executive Director Dr. Kimberly Reisman, who attended that inaugural event as a college student.
Dr. H. Eddie Fox followed Sir Alan Walker as World Director in 1989, serving in that position until his retirement in 2014. Fox launched a variety of new initiatives and established significant ministries that have impacted Christ followers and leaders worldwide, including the Connecting Congregation ministry. Early in WME history, the Berlin Wall fell and Christians in Eastern Europe were no longer compelled to practice their faith in secret. Suddenly houses and meeting spaces were overflowing as Christ followers in the Wesleyan Methodist family began sharing their experience of faith. Recognizing the need to stand alongside brothers and sisters in Eastern Europe, Eddie enlisted generous partners to engage in the new birth of congregations in then-Czechoslovakia. Soon “Connecting Congregation” relationships sprouted in Estonia, Poland, Latvia, and Bulgaria. During the last two decades, Connecting Congregations have developed on every continent.
Currently, Rev. Dr. Kimberly Reisman is the Executive Director and provides vision and leadership for World Methodist Evangelism. Under her leadership, WME continues its work of training, encouraging, and challenging the Wesleyan Methodist family to live more fully as committed disciples of the Jesus way, to share their faith with boundless love and boldness, and to impact their world with greater courage and integrity on behalf of Jesus Christ.