Frank Billman

The Supernatural and the Circuit Riders

History & Biography

“How does one explain the growth of Methodism in America to the point where it became the largest Protestant denomination in America by the mid-1800s? The Methodist theology of grace? The preaching ability of the circuit riders? Their targeting the poor and lower classes? Their organizational ability and class meetings? In his thorough research, Dr. Xhemajli shows that the American Methodist circuit riders themselves did not attribute that explosive growth to any of these factors . . . but to the supernatural power of God—the power of God that the circuit riders experienced in their personal lives and the power of God that broke out in their public ministries. When manifestations of the Spirit's power show up among Methodists today, often the accusation is made that such phenomena are Pentecostal, not Methodist. But Dr. Xhemajli shows these phenomena were Methodist 150 years before there were any Pentecostals!”