Passion for Pilgrimage (Part 1)

The Wesley Pilgrimage in England began as an idea that emerged after my first visit to England in 2002 with a group of Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) students from Wesley Theological Seminary. 

The final seminar of our D. Min. program was a fifteen-day immersion experience in England. As I prepared to travel to England for the first time, I thought I would be part of another academic seminar. I didn’t realize until the end of the first day in England that I was on pilgrimage; a Wesleyan and Methodist pilgrimage. 

We arrived at Heathrow International Airport early Saturday morning. From there, we traveled north to a small village in southern Yorkshire called Bawtry. On Sunday morning, we boarded our white vans and traveled to Epworth, where we worshiped with the people of Wesley Memorial Methodist Church. 

That afternoon, our professors led us on a short walk through the town up the Church Walk to St. Andrew’s Church, the parish church in Epworth. John and Charles Wesley’s father, Samuel, served as rector of the Epworth parish for thirty-eight years. 

We began our visit by stopping at Samuel’s grave in the churchyard, near the east end of the church. I recalled John Wesley’s journal entry for the day, soon after his father’s death, when he visited Epworth. He was prohibited by the new rector from speaking from the pulpit. John returned later that afternoon and, standing on his father’s tomb, addressed a crowd that gathered to hear what he had to say. When I touched the stone of Samuel Wesley’s tomb, I began to sense something moving within my heart. 

Upon entering the church, I noticed a large stone baptismal font immediately to the left of the churchyard door. A plaque placed at the base of the font read, “John and Charles Wesley were baptized here.” When I laid my hand upon the stone font, the Holy Spirit overwhelmed me. I was filled with awe and gratitude—awe because touching that font made John and Charles Wesley come alive for me. Of course, I knew they were historic figures whose lives and work helped form the church that formed me. But standing in that church and touching the font where they were baptized made them come alive for me in a new way. Being in that place filled me with awe, wonder, and gratitude for the Wesley brothers and the community that nurtured and formed them as servants, leaders, and evangelists for the Triune God. I realized the same Holy Spirit that inspired and led them inspires and leads me to serve, teach, and preach. 

From the moment I touched the St. Andrew’s church baptismal font, the academic seminar took on new meaning. All the study, reading, and writing about John and Charles Wesley and their work with the poor became acts of devotion. They prepared me for an experience that drew me closer to them and to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The seminar became a pilgrimage. 

How is a pilgrimage different from a holiday tour? How are pilgrims different from tourists? At first glance, the tourist and the pilgrim might look the same. They are both travelers, after all. But their relation to their surroundings is different. A pilgrim leaves the comforts of home and journeys to a sacred place as an act of religious devotion. A tourist takes a tour or makes a visit as a holiday—a person traveling for pleasure. “To people the world over, pilgrimage is a spiritual exercise, an act of devotion to find a source of healing, or even to perform a penance. Always, it is a journey of risk and renewal. For a journey without challenge has no meaning; one without purpose has no soul” (Phil Cousineau, The Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker’s Guide to Making Travel Sacred, page xxiii). 

At first glance, the tourist and the pilgrim might look the same. They are both travelers, after all. But their relation to their surroundings is different. A pilgrim leaves the comforts of home and journeys to a sacred place as an act of religious devotion. 

Tourists are escaping life; pilgrims are embracing it. Parker Palmer notes, “In the tradition of pilgrimage . . . hardships are seen not as accidental but as integral to the journey itself.” 

Tourists focus their preparation on what they need to maximize their monetary investment and be comfortable. Pilgrims focus their preparation on understanding the context they are entering. They reflect on how the trip will lead to personal transformation and positive effects on local people. 

Tourists seek historical “tourist sites” and interesting facts. Pilgrims seek to interpret historical sites to reveal present-day truths about themselves and their interaction with the world. 

Tourists observe their surroundings. Pilgrims immerse themselves in the culture they are experiencing. 

Tourists interact primarily with fellow tourists and designated locals. Pilgrims interact as much as possible with the people of the communities they visit. 

Tourists visit famous places and sites. Pilgrims seek places that reveal stories, often off the beaten path. 

Tourists seek comfort and familiarity. Pilgrims recognize hardship and discomfort as part of learning and transformation. 

Tourists return home to show pictures of places visited. Pilgrims return home to tell stories of the people and culture encountered on the journey, as well as of personal change. 

Tourists use their culture as a reference point for behavior and interactions. Pilgrims discover as much as possible about the local culture and use it as a reference point for behavior and interactions. 

Tourists return home, more or less the same people, only with new geographical knowledge. Pilgrims return home changed by the reflections and interactions experienced on the journey. 

Read Part 2 of “Passion for Pilgrimage” in the series, “Spiritual Encounters in Wesley’s Footsteps.” 

Are you interested in joining the 2026 Wesley Pilgrimage, held July 6-16, beginning in Salisbury, England? Read more here and register to secure your place in the pilgrimage.