Written by Dr. Marcus J. Serven
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Romans 10:15
Early one Sunday morning, on September 30, 1770, after having energetically preached an eloquent two-hour long sermon the night before, that great preacher, the Rev. George Whitefield, left this world and went into the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The people of the First Presbyterian Church of Newburyport, Massachusetts grieved the loss. Not only in this congregation, but in thousands of congregations throughout all thirteen colonies, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and the Netherlands, Christians gathered together upon hearing the news of his death to thank God for the life of this choice servant of God. The well-known hymnist William Cowper penned these thoughtful lines about George Whitefield’s life and ministry,
“He loved the world that hated him: the tear that dropped upon his Bible was sincere; Assailed by scandal and the tongue of strife, His only answer was a blameless life, And he that forged and he that threw the dart, Had each a brother’s interest in his heart.”
William Cowper…In Dallimore, George Whitefield: God’s Anointed Servant, 198.
What was it about this itinerant evangelist that inspired such lines and made such a tremendous impact on the church of the 18th Century? Who could possibly have kept up the arduous schedule of regularly preaching over forty hours each week and when challenged to rest replied, “I had rather wear out, than rust out?” How was it possible that a single man could preach such powerful sermons without any amplification to upwards of 30,000 people in outdoor settings? Such were the facts concerning this great man of God—the Rev. George Whitefield.
George Whitefield was born on December 16, 1714 in Gloucester, England. He was the seventh and last child of his parents, Thomas and Elizabeth Whitefield. The family made their living from running the Bell Inn. It was in the midst of the constant comings and goings of people at the Inn that George developed a love and appreciation for all types of people. When George was only two years old his Father died. As a result, his Mother ran the Inn with her children’s help, but still insisted that her children attend worship at the local parish. Early in his life George would preach “practice” sermons to his friends and siblings. He had a flair for the dramatic, and developed a mastery of illustrating Bible stories. Although he was not yet a Christian, his passion for the Word of God seemed evident even in his youth.
It became Elizabeth’s aspiration that George would end up not as an Inn-keeper, but that he would attend Oxford University and become a minister in the Church of England. This lofty goal seemed impossible for they could not possibly afford such a high expense. Eventually, Elizabeth Whitefield discovered a way that her son could attend the University; he would go as a servitor meeting the needs of well-to-do gentlemen in exchange for tuition. He entered a preparatory school near Oxford in the Fall of 1730 at age fifteen, and was then formally received into Pembroke College at the University during his seventeenth year.
Whitefield performed exceedingly well in his studies at Oxford University learning to read in both Greek and Latin. He was soon tested in his personal character as to whether he would follow the pattern of revelry and riotous living of his well-to-do classmates, or not. In this test he firmly resisted their invitations and gave himself over to a pursuit of holiness and study. It was because of his restrained lifestyle that he was noticed by other like-minded students and became close friends with John and Charles Wesley. This friendship was to last a lifetime and would become a significant influence upon his future ministry. The three men along with several other students were part of a private religious society which was committed to regular attendance at worship, the study of Scripture, the practice of prayer and fasting, and ministering to orphans and the imprisoned. They were derisively called by their critics the “Holy Club,” the “Bible Moths,” and the “Bible Bigots.” This group, though, became the proving ground of what, a short time later, would become known as the Methodist movement of the First Great Awakening.
Whitefield’s conversion came about through the reading of the devotional classic The Life of God in the Soul of Man, written by the Scotsman Henry Scougal (1650-1678). In this work Whitefield became acquainted with the doctrine of the “New Birth.” As he studied Jesus’ words in John 3:1-15 he hungered after this experience and earnestly prayed that God would make him “born again.” Wrongly, Whitefield thought that this could come about through deeds of self-denial, charity, and holiness. He constantly read his Greek New Testament, denied himself food and drink, confessed his sins with long detailed lists, and even contemplated giving up his association with the “Holy Club” since he felt so unworthy. Finally, after becoming extremely ill in the Spring of 1735 he fully cast himself upon Christ and rejected all efforts of works righteousness. God wonderfully opened his eyes and by the grace of God his heart was regenerated resulting in a genuine conversion. He writes of this time,
“God was pleased to remove the heavy load, to enable me to lay hold of his dear Son by a living faith, and by giving me the Spirit of adoption, to seal me, even to the day of everlasting redemption. O! with what joy—joy unspeakable—even joy that was full of and big with glory, was my soul filled when the weight of sin went off and an abiding sense of the love of God broke in upon my disconsolate soul! Surely it was a day to be had in everlasting remembrance. My joys were like a springtide and overflowed the banks.”
Dallimore, George Whitefield: Life and Times, Vol. 1, 77.
Once converted, Whitefield would habitually arise at 4 AM spending long hours on his knees reading his English Bible, studying each verb tense in Greek, and then considering the learned thoughts from Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Bible. He made it his unique practice “to pray over every line and every word” in both English and Greek. These initial periods of fruitful study built a strong foundation of scriptural understanding that would last his entire lifetime. Once Whitefield graduated in 1736, he was ordained as a Deacon in the Church of England and began preaching in local parishes. He had a noticeable effect upon the spiritual apathy of his listeners and began to receive many invitations to speak.
In the midst of these successes Whitefield’s old friend from the “Holy Club,” John Wesley who was then serving in Georgia as a missionary, invited Whitefield to come to the colony as a missionary as well. After a brief time of consideration he determined to go. The crowds that attended his preaching were extremely sad to see him leave, but he was convicted that God had called him. While on ship, Whitefield let it be known that he was a clergyman, but this had little effect on the coarse behavior of the crew. Nevertheless, Whitefield asked God to give him an opportunity to proclaim the gospel—and He did give such an opportunity. As the days at sea wore on, Whitefield took it upon himself to tutor the sailors at reading and writing. He also began a small catechism class which began to grow as the days went by. Finally, he asked the Captain for permission to preach to the ship’s officers, whereupon the Captain granted him permission to speak to the entire ship’s company. A pulpit of sorts was built for him amid-ships out of thick wooden planks laid across two sturdy chairs. After preaching with great effect that day, the Captain asked him to preach again the next day. The other ships, of which there were two, jealously moved in closer to the lead ship so that they too could hear the twenty-three year old preacher. Imagine the sight of several hundred sailors, officers in their dress uniforms, soldiers in their red coats, and many passengers gathered on the three ships sailing side by side in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean! What a unique and memorable worship service that was! Eleven profitable months were spent in Georgia preaching the Word of God throughout the colony, and this one visit was to have a great effect on shaping Whitefield’s life work. Several of the colonists had died leaving orphans that desperately needed to be cared for. Whitefield’s heart went out to them and he determined to found an orphanage for them that would be called “Bethesda.” From then on wherever he preached, he called for an offering to help with the work of the Orphan House in Georgia.
Upon his return to England to be ordained as a Priest he resumed his itinerant preaching wherever he was invited, usually preaching two or three times each day of the week. However, burning in heart was a desire to try the open air preaching style that was beginning to bear fruit in Wales under the ministry of Howell Harris. His first opportunity came on a hill overlooking the entrance of a Welsh coal mine in 1739. The hardened and rough miners were wonderfully moved by the simple declaration of God’s Word. Whitefield could tell that he was reaching them by seeing the white furrows that their tears would leave down their smutty cheeks. Many other open-air preaching opportunities followed these initial successes with growing crowds numbered as large as 30,000 people. The First Great Awakening in England had fervently begun and the preaching of George Whitefield was at the forefront of this vast outpouring of spiritual renewal.
Along with the continuous preaching that characterized the life of George Whitefield, there was also a vigorous commitment to starting organizations that would disciple the new converts. These groups were called “societies,” and met during the week for the purpose of Bible study, prayer, accountability, and service. It was the members of these initial societies that later became known as “Methodists.” Whitefield never intended to start an organization that would compete with the Church of England, however, over the years a determined hostility grew towards him so that in 1743 he accepted a position as the Moderator of the Calvinistic Methodists.
Within the Methodist movement there developed a division over the nature of salvation. The central question was this: is each person so lost and unable to save himself that salvation is exclusively brought about by God (Calvinism), or is each person able to freely exercise his own will by choosing God in the matter of salvation (Arminianism)? George Whitefield’s sympathies lay squarely with a Calvinistic view, however, his friend and co-worker John Wesley opted for the Arminian view. Sparks flew between the two sides, prompted especially by John Wesley’s polemic tracts and verbal warnings against Whitefield’s Calvinism. To his credit, Whitefield strove to quietly resolve the issues. He wrote in his defense, “I embrace the Calvinistic scheme, not because Calvin, but Jesus Christ has taught it to me.” Eventually, he even stepped down from his position as head of the Calvinistic Methodists so that he could become “a servant of all.” It is for this reason that John Wesley has become known as the “father of Methodism,” rather than George Whitefield.
He traveled for the rest of his life preaching throughout England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Holland, and America—making thirteen crossings of the Atlantic Ocean in all. In America he worked with the Congregationalist Jonathan Edwards, Dutch Reformed Theodore Frelinghuysen, Presbyterians William and Gilbert Tennant, Baptists and Lutherans, and even with the agnostic scientist and statesman Benjamin Franklin—all of whom helped to shape the “Great Awakening” in the Colonies. During one six-week whirlwind preaching tour of New England in 1740, Whitefield set America on fire with spiritual revival. In forty-five days he preached over one hundred and seventy-five sermons to tens of thousands of listeners. His method of preaching was simple and direct. He had an extraordinary power to hold people spellbound from every walk of life. Benjamin Franklin estimated that he could be clearly heard in the open air by up to 30.000 people at one time. Whitefield was probably the earliest celebrity of America; wherever he went he was thronged by legions of listeners.
One famous account of his preaching was written by a farmer Nathan Cole. He reports,
“When I saw Mr. Whitefield come upon the scaffold he looked almost angelic, a young, slim, slender youth, before some thousands of people and with a bold, undaunted countenance…it solemnized my mind and put me in a trembling fear before he began to preach for he looked as if he was clothed with authority from the Great God. Hearing him preach gave me a heart wound [so that], by God’s blessing, my old foundation was broken up and I saw that my righteousness would not save me, then I was convinced of the doctrine of election and went right to quarreling with God about it because all that I could do would not save me…”
Dallimore, George Whitfield: Life and Times, Vol. 1, 541.
Whitefield suffered physically from all of his speaking and travel, but with rarely a complaint. Sometimes he was completely bed-ridden, but would revive while he stood in the pulpit and preach with great energy. Whitefield noted, “While at times he was weary in ministry, he never found himself becoming weary of ministry.” He endured repeated criticism from ecclesiastical foes of the Awakening who felt that it was so much “enthusiasm.” The common rabble abused him with interruptions, insults, and injury. Nevertheless, he genuinely sought to minister to all who came to his open-air preaching events. Some have criticized him for owning slaves and not speaking out forcefully enough on this issue. However, in his defense it must be noted that he received the slaves and a plantation as a gift from appreciative followers in South Carolina as a means of providing food and income for the Orphan House. In 1741 he married Elizabeth James, a widow ten years his senior, and enjoyed this relationship until her death in 1768. They had one child, a boy named John, who died a few months after birth. In 1748 he began a new dimension of his ministry—preaching to the nobility in London on a regular basis. These gatherings were sponsored by Lady Huntington, a generous financial supporter of the Awakening in England, and resulted in the conversion of many within English royal society. When in London he alternately preached in two massive buildings, the Tabernacle, constructed in 1741 by his enthusiastic supporters, and the Chapel, built in 1753 in an effort to reach a spiritually darkened part of the city. The ministry of these two congregations became the foundation of the evangelical movement in England for the next one hundred years. In 1768 Whitefield helped organize and promote a college for training preachers at Trevecca in Wales.
Whitefield made his seventh and final trip to America in 1769 at fifty-three years of age. Although his health was quickly failing, his preaching was still powerful in its effects and thousands came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. He died suddenly at Newburyport, Massachusetts, and is buried under the pulpit of the First Presbyterian Church. The whole nation grieved, Christian and non-Christian alike, for a man who spent himself “as a servant of all” had passed from the earth into the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Resources for Further Study:
Ahlstrom, Sydney E. A Religious History of the American People. 2 Volumes. Garden City, NY: Image Books, 1975.
Galli, Mark, ed. Christian History. Issue 38. Published by Christianity Today Inc.
Dallimore, Arnold A. George Whitefield: God’s Anointed Servant in the Great Revival of the Eighteenth Century. Wheaton,IL: Crossway Books, 1990.
Dallimore, Arnold A. George Whitfield: The Life and Times of the Great Evangelist of the 18th Century Revival. Two Volumes. Edinburgh, Scotland: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1970.
Douglas, J. D., ed. The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church. Revised edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1978.
- “Arminianism” by Robert G. Clouse
- “Calvinism” by William S. Reid
- “Calvinistic Methodism” by A. Skevington Wood
- “Edwards, Jonathan” by Paul Helm
- “England, Church of” by John A. Simpson
- “Franklin, Benjamin” by Harry Skilton
- “Great Awakening, The” by Bruce L. Shelley
- “Harris, Howell” by Ian Sellers
- “Methodist” by A. Skevington Wood
- “Tennent, Gilbert” by Howard A. Whaley
- “Wales” by R. Tudor Jones
- “Wesley, Charles” by A. Skevington Wood
- “Wesley, John” by A. Skevington Wood
- “Whitefield, George” by Arthur Pollard
Douglas, J. D., ed. Who’s Who in Christian History. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1992.
Dowley, Tim, ed. The History of Christianity. Revised Edition. Oxford: Lion Publishers, 1990.
Elwell, Walter A., ed. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1984.
- “Halfway Covenant” by Mark A. Noll
- “Edwards, Jonathan” by Mark A. Noll
- “New England Theology” Mark A. Noll
- “New Light Schism” by W. A. Hoffecker
- “Old School Theology” by W. A. Hoffecker
- “Revivalism” by M. E. Dieter
- “The Great Awakenings” by Mark A. Noll
Houghton, S. M. Sketches from Church History. Edinburgh, Scotland: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1980.
Latourette, Kenneth Scott. A History of Christianity. 2 Volumes. Revised edition. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1975.
Lawson, Steven J. The Evangelisic Zeal of George Whitefield. Orlando, FL: Reformation Trust Publishing, 2013.
Lovelace, Richard F. Dynamics of Spiritual Life: An Evangelical Theology of Renewal. Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varisty Press, 1979.
Marshall, Peter, and David Manuel. The Light and the Glory. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1977.
Murray, Iain H. Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography. Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1987.
Noll, Mark A. A History of Christianity in the United States. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing House, 1992.
Philip, Robert. The Life and Times of George Whitefield. First Published in 1837; Edinburgh, Scotland: Reprint, The Banner of Truth Trust, 2007.
Reid, Daniel G., ed. Dictionary of Christianity in America. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1990.
- “Great Awakening” by H. S. Stout
- “Whitefield, George” by H. S. Stout
Ryle, J. C. Christian Leaders of the Eighteenth Century. Edinburgh, Scotland: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1978.
Select Sermons of George Whitefield. Edinburgh, Scotland: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1958.
Tracy, Joseph. The Great Awakening: A History of the Revival of Religion in the time of Edwards and Whitefield. Originally published in 1842; Reprint, Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1976.
Wells, David F., ed. Eerdman’s Handbook to Christianity in America. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing House, 1983.
Woodbridge, John D., ed. Great Leaders of the Christian Church. Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1988.
- “Edwards, Jonathan” by Paul Helm
- “Wesley, John and Charles” by A. Skevington Wood
- “Whitefield, George” by Arnold A. Dallimore
Dr. Marcus J. Serven, ThM and DMin
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