The Past.  To help spread the Methodism Church, John Wesley (the father of the Methodist Church) put together a plan that enlisted preachers who traveled to different communities to spread the Word of God. Their trips, also known as circuits, helped to lay the foundation for the Methodist Church, especially in the South. Circuit Riders were servants of God who accepted a very difficult and dangerous task. They rode on horseback and labored against the forces of Mother Nature, often through the night. The Riders traveled famously light, carrying only their Bible and small amounts of food, and earned very little money.

The Present.  The The North Carolina Wesleyan College Department of Athletics, in coordination with the Battling Bishops Club, unveiled a newly designed Bishops logo in July of 2006. The decision to seek a new logo design came in the fall of 2005 with overwhelming support from students, athletes, faculty, staff, and alumni. A special committee was then appointed to oversee the project, which decided on building the new moniker around the idea of the "circuit rider."  Rough sketches were approved in the spring of 2006 with "Wes" and "Charger" being chosen as names for the rider and horse, respectively.

The Future.   Francis Asbury (1745-1816) was the founding bishop of American Methodism. Traveling his circuits, he trekked over 270,000 miles and preached over 16,000 sermons. Like Asbury, the Circuit Rider that represents North Carolina Wesleyan could indeed be considered a “Battling Bishop.” The Rider is symbolic of the values of the College, the Methodist Church, and servitude to God.  Bishop followers hope that the contemporary designs will awaken a new sense of pride for the Blue and Gold.