GEORGE WHITEFIELD: THE DIVINE DRAMATIST
George Whitefield has been considered to be one of the most famous personalities of his time in the American colonies and Great Britain, yet few today are familiar with how big an impact he had on the history of the Church. Preaching to four out of every five Americans at least once, he was as recognizable as British royalty. He literally shook two continents with his dramatic preaching and booming voice. It was common lore that the sound of his voice could be heard from two miles away. While some evangelists were drawing hundreds to their meetings, he was drawing thirty thousand (numbers never before seen in Church history). George was known as the Great Orator, the Heavenly Comet, and the Divine Dramatist; all fitting names for one of the most explosive and brash preachers of his age. With so much attention given to his preaching style, there was no doubt he garnered a lot of criticism. Nonetheless, George Whitefield was a true pioneer of evangelism, one of the first to preach universal equality and liberty in Christ.
A Brief Biography
George Whitefield was born to innkeepers in the city of Gloucester, England, on December 16, 1714. Being the youngest of Thomas and Elizabeth's children, he became familiar, at an early age, with the ins and outs of running an inner-city tavern. His family owned and operated the Bell Inn on Westgate Street in Gloucester. Two years after his birth, his father passed away, leaving his mother to run the family business and care for her children.1 Speaking about his surroundings as a child Whitefield stated:
I can date some very early acts of uncleanness. Lying, filthy talking, and foolish jesting I was much addicted to even when very young. Sometimes I used to curse, if not swear. Stealing from my mother I thought no theft at all, and used to make no scruple of taking money out of her pocket before she was up.2
Whitefield's mother did all she could to keep the family afloat. She remarried when George was ten, but it quickly ended in divorce. Shortly after that, George left for school at St. Mary de Crypt. There he quickly discovered his love for theater. He rose to the top with ease and progressed rapidly in his studies. He became so consumed with winning the lead role in plays he would skip class just to memorize the lines. Even at such a young age George was noted for his unbelievable oratory skills. Whenever there was an important speech to be given, George would be the one to deliver it. He would stay up late at night reading plays and perfecting each line. He was even known to go and listen to local preachers sermons, only to go home and mimic every part for his sisters. Even then, the words of the ministers stirred in his heart. Little did he know that these natural talents would be the very things God would use to deliver the gospel to tens of thousands of people.
George entered Pembroke College in November of 1732 where he worked and studied. He was a very diligent worker, but studies and a job proved too much for him. Sometime in 1735 George met Charles Wesley?one of the leaders of the Methodists?where the two immediately became lifelong friends. Charles lent George some books, but one in particular had a very life changing effect on Whitefield: The Life of God in the Soul of Man by Henry Scougal. After reading this book, George's life would never be the same.3 He did not know it yet, but he was one of God's key players in the upcoming Evangelical revival. In Bruce L. Shelly's Church History In Plain Language, the author implies that Whitefield was nothing short of a catalyst.
The members of the little society were ardent but restless souls. They found fresh enthusiasm when a townsman or new student joined them, such as the bright and brash undergraduate from Pembroke College, George Whitefield.3 Not only was this new recruit a catalyst, but he became the primary face for the movement and the subsequent Great Awakening.
George Whitefield was a celebrity in his time and has been considered by many to be the founder of the Evangelical movement. Blending elements of Methodism and Reformation theology, Whitefield was truly a pioneer. He preached with a staunchly Calvinist flavor, and yet he appealed to his listener with the grace of God, something few other preachers were doing. Whitefield aligned himself with the Church of England's Article on predestination, which was in disagreement with John and Charles Wesley's belief in Arminianism. George formed and served as president over the first Methodist conference, but he quickly resigned from this position. It was believed that he wanted to focus on his evangelistic efforts and not the beaurocracy and monotony of organized religion.5 George loved the freedom and autonomy of being a traveling preacher, and wherever he would go, there numerous occasions arose to spread the gospel. His popularity grew so quickly, he had little time to spend in any one place. This led George to refer to himself as the "Gospel Rover"?never again being bound to any parish, town or even continent.6
George Whitefield soon discovered it difficult to get invited to preach in established churches. He found the pulpits that were promised to be available for him to be closed. This development forced him to innovate and be creative about where he would preach. This innovation led him to the mining district of Kingswood, where there were no established churches. He preached to coal miners who had rarely heard the gospel message. Luckily George recorded his initial reaction to his preaching in which he wrote:
I went upon a mount, and spake to as many people as came unto me. They were upwards of two hundred. Blessed be to God, I have now broken the ice; I believe I never was more acceptable to my Master than when I was standing to teach those hearers in the open fields.7
In George's record, we see that he came to realize that the boundaries that once confined him, were now completely gone, and a whole new arena opened for him. The more George preached in the open air, the more resistance he received from the organized churches. Nevertheless, he continued to preach on streets, in fields, and any unconventional place the Lord led him. Whitefield's robust style and dramatic reenactments often drew record crowds. It has been said that the crowd sizes George drew were so unbelievable. Benjamin Franklin even calculated it possible for twenty thousand people to hear Whitefield preach?all without any voice enhancement. "Now I know," wrote George, "that the Lord calls me to the fields, for no house or street is large enough to contain the people who come to hear the Word."8
George Whitefield had a unique friendship with the Wesley Brothers. History shows that they did not always see eye to eye theologically, but that was not enough to keep them apart. They had a kindred spirit and they often complimented one another in many areas. Ironically, George's fiery and dramatic sermons often left his listeners silent and in awe, where John's stoic messages evoked emotional frenzy.9 In Albert Belden's book George Whitefield?The Awakener, he made this very profound statement about their relationship:
There are few instances in history of personal influence so perfectly mutual, so profound and far-reaching in their effects on the world at large as the shuttle-like impacts of these three men on one another. They form a triangle of constantly interchanging forces. John captures Charles, Charles lays hold of Whitefield, Whitefield bursts into flame, and in turn, pioneers John and Charles into the greatest religious achievement of the century, and John, through a long and laborious life, carries on and consolidates the pioneer's work. If ever three men were brought together by God for His purpose it was these three.10
Jonathan Edwards, a Puritan preacher, was another close friend to George Whitefield. Having invited George to preach in his church, Edwards was moved to tears listening to Whitefield's sermon. The climate in Northampton had been prepared by Edwards earlier, but the people found something fresh in George's message. They had been scorched by Jonathan's preaching on judgment and sin, and were ready to hear Whitefield preach about forgiveness and grace. Being moved to tears himself, Whitefield appealed to privileges of the saints and the kindness of God, exactly the kind of message people in Northampton needed to hear. Jonathan Edwards remarked:
There was scarcely a single person in the town of Northampton, either old or young, that was left unconcerned about the things of the eternal world. Those who were wont to be the vainest and loosest, were now generally subject to great awakenings. The town seemed to be full of the presence of God. It never was so full of love, nor so full of joy; and yet, so full of distress, as it was then. There were remarkable tokens of God's presence in almost every house. Our public services were beautiful.11
This seemed to be the reaction in most cities where Whitefield preached. He truly was a catalyst for revival and he made a great spiritual impact wherever he went.
Controversies and Blind Spots
George Whitefield surely had some blind spots as all great men do. His social vision was underdeveloped to say the least. He was personally compassionate, often caring for physical needs as well as spiritual, but socially he was very conservative, and his attitude toward slavery showed his superficial understanding of cultural issues. He loved the slaves and took pains to spread the gospel to them, yet, Whitefield encouraged the trustees of Georgia to introduce slavery to the struggling colony to foster economic development.
George was also quite full of himself till later in his life. He would put out press releases that angered many and called into question his humility. Some of George's confidential writings landed in the hands of English church officials, closing the door to him for many preaching opportunities. Some believe that he did this on purpose to ruffle the feathers of established religion. Toward the end of his life, Whitefield gained a much more accurate self appraisal. Another area that Whitefield struggled in was finances. He was always borrowing money or rallying for support to fund his orphanage in Bethesda and other missionary ventures.12
Conclusion
George Whitefield was surely one the most influential and controversial figures of his day. There are many great lessons that can be learned from a man who was fearless in his obedience to God. He took Evangelical Christianity to new heights and created new opportunities for the preachers and revivalists to come. He literally paved the way for modern evangelistic techniques, some of which we are still seeing employed today. He had no television, radio, or internet to help him, yet his words found their way into almost every home in Great Britain and New England. Never before has there been such a powerful orator, and perhaps never will there be.
Written by Ken Wilson
