<P> The Methodist revival began with a group of men , including John Wesley ( 1703 -- 1791 ) and his younger brother Charles ( 1707 -- 1788 ) , as a movement within the Church of England in the 18th century . The Wesley brothers founded the `` Holy Club '' at the University of Oxford , where John was a fellow and later a lecturer at Lincoln College . The club met weekly and they systematically set about living a holy life . They were accustomed to receiving Communion every week , fasting regularly , abstaining from most forms of amusement and luxury and frequently visited the sick and the poor , as well as prisoners . The fellowship were branded as `` Methodist '' by their fellow students because of the way they used `` rule '' and `` method '' to go about their religious affairs . John , who was leader of the club , took the attempted mockery and turned it into a title of honour . </P>
where did the methodist church get its name
because of the way they used `` rule '' and `` method '' to go about their religious affairs