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George Whitefield

I’ve been reading a biography of George Whitefield. He was an 18th century preacher whose ministry was integral in launching what is often called “The Great Awakening” in both England and the American colonies.

Whitefield was so popular, such an outstanding preacher and such a phenomenon that he preached in parks and fields often to crowds of tens of thousands of people before electronic sound amplification. These aren’t simply tall tales. Whitefield was a friend of Benjamin Franklin, a famous religious skeptic who personally witnessed and scientifically documented this phenomenon.

At that time in England and its colonies in the “New World” churches were mostly for the middle and upper classes. There were many poor communities where there were no churches. Whitefield felt called to minister to these communities and it was from these communities that huge crowds were drawn.

Whitefield’s Preaching

You might wonder what kind of preaching drew this kind of attention. Here’s an example of how Whitefield would use the elements to illustrate the messages he gave.

This hearer, describing one of Whitefield’s services in Boston, tells of the approach of a storm as the evangelist began his sermon. “See that emblem of human life,” he said as he pointed to a flitting shadow. “It passed for a moment and concealed the brightness of heaven from our view; but it is gone. And where will you be, my hearers, when your lives have passed away like that dark cloud? Oh, my dear friends .. . in a few days we shall all meet at the Judgement-Seat of Christ. We shall form part of that vast assemblage which will gather before His throne.”

Whitefield went on to plead with his hearers, directing his words to “false and hollow Christians,” then to “rich men,” and finally to the “sinner.” After urging, “Let not the fires of eternity be kindled against you!,” pointing to a flash of lightning he cried, “See there! It is a glance from the angry eye of Jehovah! Hark!” he continued, raising his finger in a listening attitude as the thunder broke in a tremendous crash, “It is the voice of the Almighty as He passed by in His anger!”

Dallimore, Arnold A. (2010-03-04). George Whitefield: God’s Anointed Servant in the Great Revival of the Eighteenth Century (Kindle Locations 1371-1379). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

Some of you might hear this and say “oh yeah. I know about this. This is all of that ‘angry god’ stuff. These old preachers were spiritually abusive. They’d scare people into religion as a means of control and a way to get money out of people.”

Who is God and what God wants Today Continue reading →