He took to preaching outdoors, a practice that was virtually unheard of in his day. Unlike Edwards, Whitefield was a British minister who moved to colonial America. Whitefield converted slaves and some Native Americans to Christianity. Travel back in time to the life of George Whitefield during The Great Awakening. Instead, George Whitefield spent his strength pointing people to Jesus Christ so they could know his Savior and experience his life-changing new birth. However, one of the more prominent preachers that stood out among them all was George Whitefield. The two men also created a subscription of the preacher’s messages, with Franklin printing the preacher’s sermons and journals. His first sermon was delivered at age 21. 2. What were the effects of his and other revivalists’ itinerant preaching, in homes, churches, and colonies? 3. Great Awakening Revival: Franklin “As the calamities of a bloody War … approach us … there is just reason to fear that unless we humble ourselves before the Lord & amend our Ways, we may be chastised with yet heavier Judgments.” 10/05/16 Most Christians never have heard of George Whitefield, but he was a tremendous evangelist prior to the American Revolution. George Whitefield was born in England in 1714. That our heroes were imperfect (save for the Lord himself) is an encouragement to us all. 5. His first journey in 1739-40, would later become known as “The Great Awakening.” It wasn’t long before churches were unable to hold the enormous crowds that came to hear Whitefield. His “trafficking for the Lord,” as he called it, spread revival throughout the colonies. He believed that every person—regardless of class, wealth, education, or prestige—could freely choose Jesus Christ. Purpose/Objective:  Students learn about George Whitefield and his evangelistic preaching and tours throughout the colonies in mid-1700s America, which played an important role in converting many colonists to Christianity during the Great Awakening. He was known as the "Great Itinerant" because he traveled and preached all around North America and Europe between 1740 and 1770. Where did he go and when? Have students read and research (online and/or in the library) on George Whitefield’s itinerant preaching and travels through the colonies. George Whitefield’s upbringing was very different to John Wesley’s. This tavern, of which his father was proprietor, located in a rough neighborhood, was his childhood home. George Whitefield was a preacher that came to America from England, and began to tour the American colonies. He also had a loud, clear voice that miraculously could be heard among hundreds or even thousands of people. Edward’s wife, Sarah, observed, “He makes less of the doctrines than our American preachers generally do and aims more at affecting the heart. Jonathan Edwards, Reformed Church Pioneer, Biography of John Knox, Scottish Theologian, Founder of Presbyterianism, Biography of John F. MacArthur, American Pastor and Radio Teacher, African Methodist Episcopal Church Overview, AME Church History: A Struggle Against Bigotry, John Chrysostom, the Golden-Tongued Preacher, Biography of Thomas Cranmer, First Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury, General Biblical Studies, Interdenominational Christian Training Center. Along with the Wesleys, Whitefield was one of the co-founders of Methodism. The Grand Itinerant A second important figure during the Great Awakening was George Whitefield. Activity:  The Miracle of America High School Teacher Course Guide, Unit 5, Part 1, Activity 7:  Whitefield and Revival Go to All the Colonies, p. 180. George Whitefield and the Great Awakening. Beginning in 1740, George Whitefield preached seven times in America. All rights reserved. George Whitefield and the The Great Awakening. His urgent, intensely emotional, and dramatically expressive delivery created a channel for God’s Word to penetrate hearts and capture souls for the Kingdom of God. 1. As a child Whitefield loved acting, and he mimicked the preachers whom he heard. In Northampton, Massachusetts, Whitefield stayed in the home of Jonathan Edwards, the fiery revivalist preacher of the Reformed Churches. George Whitefield (1714-1770) was an English evangelist whose preaching in America climaxed the religious revival known as the Great Awakening George Whitefield 2. Whitefield grew up in Gloucester, England, where he worked as a boy in his parents’ inn and tavern. 11. British Methodist evangelist George Whitefield (1714 - 1770). Franklin was intrigued by Whitefield’s message and integrity, and the two men maintained a friendship. Contributed by AHEF and Angela E. Kamrath. Members of the press dubbed George Whitefield “the marvel of the age.” The spiritual revival that he helped to spark—The First Great Awakening—was a defining event in American history. Often facing misunderstanding and even opposition […] The Religious Landscape of the Thirteen Colonies in the Early 1700s Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. It was a psychological earthquake which reshaped the religious, social and moral landscape of Colonial America and determined its destiny for the next two centuries. Franklin also built a large auditorium in Philadelphia for Whitefield to hold his crusades, since the churches there could not contain the crowds. Great Awakening Principle:  Purpose for Just Civil Government George Whitefield (/ ˈ w ɪ t f iː l d /; 27 December [O.S. From Book: 131 Christians Everyone Should Know. 6. His boyhood theatre experience would serve him well in the future. Copyright © American Heritage Education Foundation. It was during this time that Whitefield experienced a profound spiritual conversion described as the “new birth.”. After his ordination in the Anglican Church of England, Whitefield began preaching. Previously church congregations sought leaders with formal training and traditional orthodoxy. A British clergyman of the Anglican Church, Whitefield’s eloquent oratory skills and charismatic personality helped spark the spiritual revival known as “The Great Awakening” throughout Britain, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and the North American colonies. Students may color-code Whitefield’s preaching route(s) and provide some details at each stopping point if desired. 15. This revolution against the beliefs and morals of those in New England sparked what became known as the Great Awakening. Great Awakening Principle:  The Judeo-Christian Law of Love When Whitefield had no place to speak, Franklin helped to build a hall in Philadelphia for the minister and other clergy. Great Awakening Effects on American Religion:  A New Church Landscape Whitefield’s innovative style and democratic view of evangelism led to a new, modern kind of preaching and a more democratic soul in American life, religion, and politics. George Whitefield was a traveling evangelist during the Great Awakening who used an innovative preaching style and expressed the need for people to be “born again.”  He changed preaching in America as well as helped to unify the colonies prior to the American Revolution. Due to his tours, Whitefield played a significant role, say scholars, in advancing inter-colonial communication as well as spiritual/religious, geographic, and political unity among the colonies prior to the American Revolution. Great Awakening Emerges in Early America – Impacting Religion, Society, Politics He preached multiple times a day, and soon crowds of thousands were hanging on his every word wherever he spoke. With his flair for dramatic expression, Whitefield’s sermons were exceptional, bringing the characters of the Bible to life like never before. Now they looked for leaders with emotion, enthusiasm, and charisma. The Great Awakening In 1740, Whitefield went on a long preaching circuit from New York City to South Carolina. In addition, Franklin, a printer, notably gave Whitefield important coverage in his newspaper, Pennsylvania Gazette, and connections to other publishers. Have students visually chart, draw, or map Whitefield’s 1740 preaching tour throughout the 13 colonies (and perhaps other tours and the years they took place). George Whitefield was born in … Appealing to all denominations, this “Divine Dramatist,” as he was called, attracted huge crowds. Students read sections Introduction and 5.1, 5.3, and p. 146. Great Awakening Principle:  The Dignity of the Human Being Students may use an existing map provided by the teacher, their original 13 colonies maps which they created in earlier units, or a new revival map they create. 10. While working to put himself through Pembroke College at Oxford University, Whitefield met John Wesley and his brother Charles. Q: Who were the leaders behind the Great Awakening? Whitefield established no churches, movements, or denominations in his lifetime, but he took the Great Commission seriously. Whitefield sought a wife who would be a helpmate to him in his tireless missionary journeys and orphanage work. #Christian #Spiritual #Jesus “Jesus was God and man in one person, that God and man might be happy together again.”-- George Whitefield . Though an Anglican, Whitefield was not interested in church hierarchy. Mary Fairchild is a full-time Christian minister, writer, and editor of two Christian anthologies, including "Stories of Cavalry.". George Whitefield (1714-1770) was a notable evangelist of the Great Awakening in 1700s America who turned the Christian evangelical revival into an inter-colonial or “national” movement. The First Great Awakening divided many American colonists. Tags: Evangelism George Whitefield Great Awakening Preaching Revival. In doing so, they will practice key aspects of historical thinking. Related articles/videos: Great Awakening Effects on Society:  Education, Missions, Humanitarianism, Women, Gospel Great Awakening Principle:  “Born Again” Personal Spiritual Conversion George Whitefield was a leader of the First Great Awakening in colonial America. )George Whitefield has been called the father of mass evangelism in the Christian religion and the most widely recognized figure in America before George Washington Whitefield's preaching stirred crowds with enthusiasm, which was criticized … The First Great Awakening in America - George Whitefield The first Great Awakening in America resulted in a quantum leap forwards in the life of the church and the nation. Not only were his audiences unprecedented in size, but his listeners found themselves spellbound. 4. He spread the Great Awakening Revival, which helped unite the Colonies prior to the Revolutionary War. Whitefield’s preaching ministry spanned 33 years during which he traveled seven times to America, 15 times to Scotland, and exhaustively throughout England and Wales. George Whitefield, like so many of us, exhibited a slow progression towards mature Christian faith. Great Awakening Principle:  The Unalienable Right to Freedom of Belief Mobs of enthusiastic people practically trampled one another to hear the celebrated preacher. While previously ministers read sermons for long periods, Whitefield often memorized his sermons, preached extemporaneously, and spoke with charisma. Research and Visual Charting Activity: In addition, he used media like the new colonial newspapers and market advertising to spread the Christian Gospel and to raise publicity for his tours. Whitefield’s wife ministered by his side for 28 years until her death in London in 1769. George Whitefield (1714-1770) was an English evangelist whose preaching in America climaxed the religious revival known as the Great Awakening. 14. Whitefield and Revival Go to All the Colonies…. Whitefield might have become a famous actor had he not been called to the ministry. #Christian #Spiritual #Charity “What! He joined their Christian club of zealous students, branded “Methodists” by their critics because of their systematic approach to religious affairs. Driven to evangelize, he said, “God forbid that I should travel with anybody a quarter of an hour without speaking of Christ to them.” Even when his health declined, and he was warned to slow down, he insisted, “I would rather wear out than rust out.” On the day before his death, Whitefield preached his final sermon in a field atop a large wooden barrel. [U.S.]), Church of England evangelist who by his popular preaching stimulated the 18th-century Protestant revival throughout Britain and the British American colonies.. Still, Whitefield accepted slavery, supported the practice, and even owned a plantation with slaves in Georgia. The Principle of Popular Sovereignty – Consent of the Governed In this smart little biography we meet a number of other giants involved in the Great Awakening. Whitefield’s messages were so well received by slaves that some historians labeled their response to him the start of African-American Christianity. George Whitefield. In this smart little biography we meet a number of other giants involved in the Great Awakening. 16 December] 1714 – 30 September 1770), also known as George Whitfield, was an Anglican cleric and evangelist who was one of the founders of Methodism and the evangelical movement.. Born in Gloucester, he matriculated at Pembroke College at the University of Oxford in 1732. Many of them were given over and over again. He traveled to the American colonies and spread the word, leading to the big revival. 8. Born: December 16, 1714, in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England. He also rebuked slaveowners who mistreated their slaves and deprived them access to hearing the gospel. In 1741, he married Elizabeth James, a 36-year-old widow from Wales and a recent convert to Christianity. 7. How does such a person spend his lifetime preaching at least 18,000 times to perhaps 10 million hearers and not be remembered more notably? Later, these same crowds would be awestruck into absolute silence as Whitefield delivered his mesmerizing oration. After students have completed their visual chart of the routes, discuss how Whitefield made such a strong impact on the colonies. Second Edition. “The Great Awakening Meets a Just Awakening: the 250th Commemorative Anniversary of George Whitefield” acknowledges the gap between the inclusive gospel message that Whitefield preached and his devastating failure to embrace the full personhood of African Americans. But in fact these events had been preceded by similar revivals in Wales some years earlier, predated ag… Died: September 30, 1770, in Newburyport, Massachusetts, United States. His most notable tour took place in 1740. Related Christian History Issue: Issue 38. He is a born orator. Whitefield ignited the Great Awakening, a major religious revival that became the first major mass movement in American history. Because he often confronted the religious establishment, church doors began to close to Whitefield. The estate was purchased for him by friends to help fund Whitefield’s orphanage for wayward boys in Bethesda, Georgia. In observing this anniversary, we can recover both his historical impact and his evangelical message. Eventually, Whitefield’s mission would launch him across the Atlantic Ocean to the colonies in America. Whitefield, it seems, had more concern for orphans than distress over the plight of Blacks. Franklin once emptied his coin purse after hearing him speak in Philadelphia. George Whitefield (1714-1770) was a notable evangelist of the Great Awakening in 1700s America who turned the Christian evangelical revival into an inter-colonial or “national” movement. Disregarding parish boundaries, Whitefield preached wherever possible. His traveling efforts also helped to make the colonies more interconnected and unified in their beliefs and values. George Whitefield was one of the most dynamic and famous Christian ministers of the 18th century, yet today remains relatively unknown. Beginning in 1740, George Whitefield preached seven times in America. George Whitefield. 13. He spoke in church halls, streets, and marketplaces. Whitefield’s final sermon of this tour was held at the Boston Commons and drew a crowd of 23,000 people—the single largest assembly in American history to date. 1714, in Newburyport, Massachusetts, Whitefield ’ s sermons and journals George! 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