There would be no America without George Whitefield. He was the most important evangelistic preacher of the First Great Awakening. Whitefield preached to thousands in America as he ushered in a revival that transformed colonial America in the 1730s and 1740s, laying the spiritual foundation for the American Revolution. Whitefield became renowned for his powerful preaching, dramatic delivery, and emphasis on the necessity of personal conversion.
Let’s start with some basic background.
Background
George Whitefield was born in Gloucester, England, in 1714, the youngest of seven children. His father died when he was two and his mother, Elizabeth, operated the family inn, but they struggled financially. From an early age, Whitefield worked in the inn but excelled at school, especially in rhetoric, dramatic reading, and acting. Despite his working-class upbringing, he aspired to become a clergyman, like his great-grandfather. Based upon his academic performance at grammar school, he was admitted to Oxford. To attend, however, he had to work as a servitor. Servitors at Oxford received reduced tuition and living expenses in exchange for performing duties for the wealthier students.
In 1732, 18-year-old George Whitefield joined the “Holy Club” at Oxford, a group led by John Wesley and his brother, Charles, that emphasized spiritual discipline and devotion. The Holy Club members sought not only to draw closer to God through highly regimented spiritual disciplines but also engaged in acts of charity, including visiting prisoners and helping those in need. Charles Wesley mentored Whitefield, which would eventually lead to Whitefield’s personal salvation experience.
Whitefield’s Conversion
George Whitefield’s personal conversion experience occurred in 1735 while a student at Oxford. Whitefield engaged in an intense spiritual struggle that was marked by self-imposed physical suffering. He became exhausted by his lack of peace in his relationship with Jesus Christ. He went to extremes like not eating, not speaking, and going out in the cold for hours while praying. During one of these extended times outside, one of his hands started to turn black. These activities led to his being confined to his bed for seven weeks.
Whitefield’s turning point came through reading a book given to him by Charles Wesley. That devotional classic, The Life of God in the Soul of Man, by Scotsman Henry Scougal, describes the necessity of “new birth.” In response, Whitefield cast himself on Christ and rejected all efforts of works righteousness. In describing that time, he would later say:
God was pleaded 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 . . . 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! . . . a full assurance of faith broke in upon my disconsolate soul!
As he often recounted in sermons later, Whitefield became convinced that we “must be born again,” or outward religion will profit us nothing.
Following this conversion experience, Whitefield would become the Holy Club’s leader at Oxford when the Wesleys departed for America in the Fall of 1735.
Whitefield in Savannah
The Wesleys invited Whitefield to join them in Georgia, which he did in 1738. Whitefield’s ship coming to Georgia passed John Wesley’s ship returning to England. Upon his arrival, the Georgia trustees appointed Whitefield as a minister in the colony.
During his time in Savannah, Whitefield observed the dire conditions faced by orphaned children. Recognizing the lack of formal provisions for their care, he resolved to establish an orphanage to address this pressing need. This decision became a central focus of his life’s work. In 1740, Whitefield founded the Bethesda Orphan House and Academy. “Bethesda” translates to “House of Mercy.” The orphanage was constructed on a 500-acre land grant approximately ten miles north of Savannah. The main building was designed to be a two-story structure with twenty rooms, intended to serve as a refuge for many of Georgia’s orphans.
Whitefield’s efforts to fund the orphanage were supported by his widespread popularity as a preacher during the Great Awakening. He traveled extensively throughout the American colonies, delivering passionate sermons and raising money for Bethesda. The orphanage became a significant institution in the colony, reflecting Whitefield’s commitment to charitable work and his vision for providing care and education to orphaned children.
Bethesda has endured through the centuries and remains operational today, now known as Bethesda Academy. It has evolved from its original purpose as an orphanage into an educational institution, continuing to serve the community and preserving Whitefield’s legacy.
Whitefield’s Preaching in America
Whitefield was one of the first major preachers to conduct large-scale open-air preaching. Since many churches were closed to him or simply could not handle the number of people seeking to hear him, he preached in fields, town squares, and other public places, sometimes attracting crowds of tens of thousands. Contemporary accounts describe listeners weeping, crying out, and experiencing deep conviction during his sermons.
Whitefield made seven trips to America between 1738 and 1770, preaching throughout the British colonies from New England to Georgia. His most influential tour was in 1739 to 1741, which helped ignite the First Great Awakening. His largest crowds occurred in Philadelphia and Boston, the two largest cities in Colonial America at that time.
Here’s some amazing facts about Whitefield’s American ministry:
- He crossed the Atlantic thirteen times – a journey that could take anywhere from six to sixteen weeks according to sailing conditions. (It’s estimated that Whitefield spent over one year of his life at sea)
- He preached an estimated 18,000 sermons.
- He addressed crowds that sometimes exceeded 20,000 people, remarkable in an age before electronic amplification.
- He likely preached to a majority of the colonial population at least once during his lifetime.
Whitefield and Franklin in Philadelphia
Whitefield arrived in Philadelphia in late October 1739. He preached at Christ Church on Sunday, November 4, 1739, and continued preaching daily for a week. He then traveled throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.
In the spring of 1740, Whitefield returned to Philadelphia and this time preached outdoors from a platform on Society Hill. This appearance is attributed as one of the sparks of the First Great Awakening. This also led to a very unique relationship with one of America’s Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin.
The two would meet during Whitefield’s preaching tours in Philadelphia in the late 1730s. As a printer, Franklin would become Whitefield’s publisher, printing his sermons, journals, letters, and promotional materials. Whitefield became the best-selling author in America, largely through Franklin’s printing network. The two would become close friends, staying in close contact until Whitefield’s death.
In his autobiography, Franklin describes attending one of Whitefield’s outdoor sermons in Philadelphia. Curious about the preacher’s reputed ability to reach enormous crowds, Franklin walked away from the gathering while Whitefield spoke and estimated how many people could hear him. Franklin concluded that Whitefield’s voice could be heard by more than 25,000 listeners!
Franklin also tells of another time he attended one of Whitefield’s sermons. As previously mentioned, Whitefield would raise money at many of his events for his Savannah orphanage. Franklin thought it should be in Philadelphia, so he refused to support it. So when Franklin attended one of Whitefield’s sermons, he was determined not to give a penny for that effort. Franklin wrote:
I happened soon after to attend one of his sermons, in the course of which I perceived he intended to finish with a collection, and I silently resolved he should get nothing from me.
Franklin said he was carrying a few copper coins, three or four silver dollars, and five gold pistoles. As Whitefield preached, Franklin’s resolve gradually weakened:
I began to soften, and concluded to give the coppers. Another stroke of his oratory made me ashamed of that, and I determined to give the silver; and he finished so admirably, that I emptied my pocket wholly into the collector’s dish, gold and all.
There is so much more about the interesting relationship between Whitefield and Franklin. Despite religious differences, these two central figures in the founding of America collaborated effectively and remained friends for decades. Their relationship helped spread Whitefield’s message throughout the colonies, demonstrating how the Great Awakening and the Enlightenment often interacted rather than simply opposed each other.
Whitefield and Edwards in New England
As the largest city in America at the time, Boston was one of the most important centers of George Whitefield’s ministry during the First Great Awakening. His visits in 1740 and subsequent years generated enormous enthusiasm, controversy, and lasting religious changes.
When Whitefield arrived in Boston in September 1740, he was already famous throughout the colonies. Newspapers had publicized his travels, and crowds eagerly awaited him. Boston turned out in extraordinary numbers to hear him preach. He preached in Boston churches, on the Boston Common, in open fields, and at neighboring towns throughout Massachusetts. Contemporary reports claim that over 20,000 people gathered to hear Whitefield on the Boston Common. At the time, the population of Boston was only 16,000.
During his 1740 tour of New England, Whitefield visited Northhampton, Massachusetts, the home of Jonathan Edwards. Edwards invited Whitefield to preach at his church. One famous account reports that Edwards was deeply moved by Whitefield’s preaching and was seen weeping during one of his sermons. Whitefield stayed in Edwards’ home. Whitefield would recount that observing the marriage of Jonathan and Sarah Edwards greatly influenced his views on marriage and ministry.
Whitefield’s Message
Throughout his life, George Whitefield’s message was straightforward and simple with broad appeal and avoiding denominational conflicts. His preaching centered on four main points:
- The necessity of new birth. He taught that being born into a Christian family or belonging to a church was not enough. Every person needed a personal experience of salvation through faith in Christ.
- Human sinfulness and divine grace. He stressed humanity’s fallen condition and the need for God’s grace to bring salvation.
- Emotional and experiential religion. Rather than focusing primarily on doctrine or ritual, he called listeners to experience a heartfelt relationship with God.
- Urgent appeals for repentance. His sermons urged hearers to respond immediately to the Gospel.
Whitefield’s Death
George Whitefield died in Newburyport, Massachusetts, in 1770, at the age of 56. Thousands attended services honoring him in Massachusetts and London. A Boston newspaper’s eulogy of Whitefield said:
In his public labors he has, for many years, astonished the world with his eloquence and devotion. With what divine pathos did he persuade the impenitent sinner to embrace the practice of piety and virtue!
. . .
May the rising generation catch a spark of that flame which shone, with such distinguished luster, in the spirit and practice of this faithful servant of the most high God!
Whitefield’s Legacy
Simply put, there would have been no America without George Whitefield—though it is doubtful Whitefield would have liked that statement. Instead, as a devout Calvinist, he likely would have said something more like, “Without God, there would be no America.” Suffice it to say, along with Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield is one of America’s spiritual Founding Fathers.
Jeff Mateer (J.D., Southern Methodist University) is the Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Legal Officer of First Liberty Institute, where he serves as a member of the executive leadership team and oversees First Liberty’s operations, including its legal, media/communications, external affairs, marketing, and administrative teams, and First Liberty’s Center for Religion, Culture and Democracy.
