Discover the underappreciated role of Dr. Thomas Coke in shaping Methodist missions. In this blog, we share about Coke, the first Methodist Bishop, and his crucial contributions to global evangelism.

A part of the beauty of the Methodist movement rests in the fact that it is characterized by more than its founder, John Wesley. After all, where would the richness of the Wesleyan movement be without the theological truths poetically magnified in song by Charles Wesley? Where would the movement be without the pioneering influence of Francis Asbury? Where would the movement be without Peter Cartwright and the circuit riders who braved persecution, illness, inclement weather, and lack of shelter to advance the Gospel?

While countless leaders in history have contributed to the Wesleyan movement, what if we were to discover a key figure in our history has been overlooked? What if we were to discover this overlooked person was actually referred to as Wesley’s right-hand man? What if we were to discover the depth of our neglect is reflected by the fact that no serious work was written about this person for a century in the nation that birthed the Methodist movement? What if we were to discover great significance in how this person shaped the originating impulses of Methodism and how it reveals a major gap in our practice of ministry today?

Who is this person? His name is Dr. Thomas Coke, whom John Wesley appointed as the first Methodist Bishop. Many Christians in present-day Methodism know little of Thomas Coke's life, which is a tragedy. Why, one might ask? The tragedy is not related in knowing of Dr. Coke as the first Methodist Bishop; rather, the tragedy is rooted in not knowing what Dr. Thomas Coke birthed in the originating impulses of Methodism.

Coke was an Oxford-educated lawyer with a keen sense of logic and reason. Born on September 9, 1747, in Brecon, Wales, he authored several theological works, including “A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments” and “A History of the West Indies.” But through his keen intellect, wed with his deep commitment to the Scriptures, Coke was captured by God’s command to the church to take the Gospel of Christ to those who have little or no access. Coke aligned his life and influence with the apostolic theme, “I want to make Christ known where He is not yet known.

Many people have heard of William Carey and consider him the father of modern missions. But most people overlook the fact that Thomas Coke was a contemporary of William Carey and would be considered the father of Methodist missions. Filled with affection for Jesus and His gospel, Coke died while on his way to share Christ with people in India. Coke is also credited with pioneering the sharing of the Gospel to islands in the West Indies, Sierra Leone, Nova Scotia, Ireland, and France. Considering Coke’s legacy, many overlook how reaching unreached people groups was part of Methodism’s originating impulses. 

Coke wrote the first plan in Methodism for a missionary society that would raise funds to send missionaries to unreached peoples. The missionary society was the predecessor to the Methodist Mission Society established to promote and support missionary work worldwide by Rev. Nathan Bangs.  

In our day, between 2 billion and 3 billion people have little or no access to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

• More than 6,000 people groups worldwide have no access to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

• More than 40% of the world’s people groups have no indigenous community of believing Christians able to reach the rest of their people group. 

• 86% of the world’s Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists do not personally know a Christian.

If God's plan is for every tribe and tongue to worship one day before His throne, this should also be our plan. And if this is not our plan, whose plan should change? Bishop Coke had eyes to see these truths permeating the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, and so should we. Bishop Coke was stirred to action, and so should we.

If you are a part of the Wesleyan tribe, the Global Methodist Church has vetted a list of official global partners for local churches to team with in advancing the Gospel of Christ into many of the most challenging regions of the world. You can access the list for the benefit of your local church HERE. Many of these ministries can also help your local church develop a strategic plan for praying, resourcing, sending, and going to the unreached people groups of the earth. There are also downloadable smartphone apps developed by the Joshua Project and Operation World to support local churches in mobilization and prayer for the unreached people of the earth.

It is a tragedy for the church to overlook the life of Dr. Thomas Coke. We can avert this tragedy by waking up to the reality that it is the responsibility of every local church to have a plan for reaching people who have little or no access to the Gospel of Christ in our lifetime. Jesus commanded it, and when He commanded it, He also promised to give us His power to do it.

Rather than forgetting our originating impulses as Methodist Christians, let us resurrect and redeem them. Bishop Coke would not have been indifferent to the unreached in his time, so let us not be indifferent to the unreached in our time.