Includes bibliographical references (pages 111-114).

John Wesley's theology for the twenty-first century -- Wesley's therapeutic model -- God's present but not yet future -- Wesley's discipline for guidance in life -- Shame, slavery, and economics of hope: Wesley's public theology -- Practical public theology: civil rights and the Wesleyan spirit.

Wimberly's family of origin community, Zimbabwe Methodists, were fascinated with Wesley's small group, and used it to try to recover the village which was disappearing on account of technology, industrialization, and colonialism's destruction of the family. In this book, Wimberly decides to explore Wesley's cell group practical theology for its contribution to twenty-first century ministry to people who could be classified as relational refugees. Thus, what was good news for the guilt-oriented eighteenth century has become redemptive counsel for the twenty-first century, where brokenness, isolation, and feelings of being unloved yield shame, not guilt and find expression in status anxiety, the commodification of human life, and narcissistic or self-absorbed identity.