Victorious Christians You Should Know!
George Whitefield
 
By Chris Lonzo
 
Dallimore, A. A. (1990). George Whitefield; God’s Anointed Servant in the Great Revival of the Eighteenth Century. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway.
 

George Whitefield is one of the most influential evangelists of all time. His ability to preach the Gospel led many to Christ in England and Colonial America, but not without adversity and controversy. Arnold Dallimore describes Whitefield as “the greatest evangelist since the Apostle Paul.” From an early age, he was called to the service of the Lord, leading to an education at Oxford and ordination within the Church of England as a deacon by age 20. Whitefield was affiliated with John Wesley and Charles Wesley, who were credited with founding the Methodist Church. Whitefield preached to thousands in the open-air amidst much disdain and controversy. He completed thirteen trans-Atlantic crossings, maintaining his ministry in England while on missions to Colonial America. George Whitefield contributed to the “Great Awakening” in England and Colonial America. His influence spanned among the commoners and aristocracy of England, and he was revered throughout the American Colonies. Whitefield’s life ended as humbly as it began, but his influence and commitment to spreading the Gospel with “zeal” was nothing short of spectacular. 
           
George Whitefield was born in Gloucester, Great Britain in 1714. He was born and lived in the Bell Inn, a prominent establishment that his parents, Thomas and Elizabeth, ran. George lost his father at the age of two and helped his mother run the inn through his teenage years. Whitefield discovered his passion for preaching during adolescence but remained committed to helping run the inn through its degradation as he waited to attend college. George entered Pembroke College at Oxford University in 1732. He devoted his life to godliness and pursuing higher learning. To pay his tuition, her worked as an errand boy (servitor) for the students. While at Oxford, he was part of the Holy Club alongside Charles Wesley. George was a fiercely disciplined and devoted theology student to the extent that it affected his health. Upon graduation from Oxford, Whitefield pursued Christian ministry. 
           
Whitefield was ordained within the Church of England shortly after he graduated from Oxford in 1736. He sought to pursue graduate studies at Oxford, determined “to be first a saint and then a scholar at Oxford.” While he had financial support, George decided to preach instead of continuing his graduate studies at Oxford. Whitefield preached throughout London and Bristol, beginning to draw large crowds by the thousands. His preaching was said to have “virtually startled the nation.” Whitefield preached up to nine times a week, reaching the aristocracy of London and the common people. He began to publish sermons and letters in addition to his exhaustive preaching schedule. In 1737, after a year of aggressive preaching and writing, Whitefield encountered harsh criticism and opposition. While the opposition against him developed, he departed for Georgia, a trip he intended to take the prior year. 
           
Whitefield departed for America as his friend John Wesley returned from Georgia on a tumultuous and challenging trip. While underway, across the Atlantic, Whitefield ministered to all aboard the Whitaker. He led Bible studies and worship services, and became the ship’s chaplain. His efforts profoundly and positively impacted all aboard throughout the four-month journey. Upon landing in Georgia, Whitefield captivated the people and gained great affection. He was the first exposure to evangelical Christianity for most of those he encountered. Whitefield concluded his ministry five months after landing in Georgia, enduring a long and frightening return to England during the winter of 1738. 
           
Upon returning to England after his first missionary trip, Whitefield reunited with the Wesley’s and attained ordination as a priest within the Church of England. However, opposition to Whitefield grew while he was absent. Nine of prominent sermons were published and circulated throughout England, maintaining high admiration among his devoted followers. Whitefield’s sermon on the “New Birth” became a critical text for the Methodist movement. He soon re-engaged in preaching throughout England, Bristol, and Gloucester, taking to the “open-air,” and preaching the Gospel to thousands of people. Whitefield continued his tireless preaching and writing while leading Charles Wesley into open-air ministry. 
           
Whitefield returned to Colonial America, where he preached throughout New England and back down to Georgia from 1739-1740. He played a significant part in the “Great Awakening,” preaching hundreds of times to thousands of people, reaching enslaved people, commoners, and highly influential leaders. Benjamin Franklin, a religious skeptic, became a friend of Whitefield’s and his publisher. Whitefield’s work included an orphanage ministry in Colonial America while also tending to his “Orphan House” back in England. Whitefield continued to influence thousands toward salivation, as he held the doctrine of Calvinism central to his preaching. He stated that he embraced the scheme of Calvinism, writing: “not because Calvin, but because Jesus Christ taught it to me.” As Whitefield stayed fiercely true to the word of God and his methods of preaching, opposition stirred between him and John Wesley. 
           
Whitefield returned to England after completing stops in Wales and Scotland. Upon returning home, he married Elizabeth James and started a family, losing his only son, four years old, to illness. His preaching continued throughout England, and he was appointed as a moderator “for life” of “The Calvinistic Methodist Association.” Fierce public opposition to the Methodist movement led to Whitefield being accused of fanaticism and his attempted murder in 1744. He left for Colonial America again to continue his work, stopping in Bermuda on his return trip to England. In 1748, he arrived home and engaged in conference with James Wesley, Charles Wesley, and Howell Harris over their cooperation with the now two branches of the Methodist movement. Seeing no compromise, Whitefield conceded his position as the head of Calvinistic Methodism. Whitefield then endeavored to be “the servant of all,” saying, “Let my name die everywhere, let even my friends forget me if by that means the cause of the blessed Jesus may be promoted.” 
           
Whitefield continued his exhaustive preaching throughout England, remaining loyal to the Church of England. Opposition, controversy, and false rumors followed Whitefield around England as he faithfully preached to all walks of life. He completed three more trips to Colonial America while maintaining his ministry at home. His wife Elizabeth died in 1768, after which he left on his final trip to the Colonies. Whitefield arrived in Charleston, then traveled to Philadelphia, New Hampshire, and finally Massachusetts. In September of 1770, in Newburyport, Massachusetts, he died peacefully after struggling through his final preaching schedule throughout the Colonies. 

George Whitefield was a devout servant of the Lord through adversity and controversy. He dedicated his life to Christ and was committed to the salvation of others. His life is a testament to fierce devotion to the Gospel through discipline, purity, commitment, sacrifice, and teaching of sound doctrine. Whitefield influenced the lives of tens of thousands across two continents, stirring a movement that endures today. When committing ourselves to the work of the Lord, He reminds us to be “weary in thy work, but not weary of it.” 

Review of the book, Knowing God, by J.I. Packer

Knowing God, written by J.I. Packer was published in 1973. J.I. Packer was a professor of historical and systematic theology at Regent College in Vancouver, Canada. This book challenges me to consider the depth of my knowledge of God and encourages me to focus on knowing God more, not just knowing more about God. It is divided into three sections as follows: Section 1 – Know the Lord; Section 2 – Behold Your God; Section 3 – If God Be For Us. In this review, I plan to focus on Section 1.

The conviction of the book is that the church’s weakness is a result of ignorance of God – ignorance of His ways and the practice of communion with Him. If this is true, and I believe it is, what caused this? First, Packer states that Christian minds have been conformed to the “modern spirit.” We have great thoughts of man which leaves little room for only small thoughts of God. Additionally, he states that Christian minds have been confused by the “modern skepticism.” The Bible is under attack. The foundations of faith in God are questioned resulting in confusion and uncertainty about God.

While reading Knowing God, one is awakened to good news. We do not need to remain ignorant of God. We can grow in our relationship with Him and know Him deeper. The book issues the invitation found in Jeremiah 6:16 – “Thus says the Lord, ‘Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls.’” This verse ends with the following sober sentence: “But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” As a result of not walking in God’s ways, God brought disaster on this people (Jeremiah 6:19). The good news is that we can know God, know His heart, His ways, His commands, His laws and begin, or continue, to ‘walk in it.’ The book, Knowing God, provides encouragement and a pathway to move from knowing much about God, to a closer relationship of knowing Him.

J.I. Packer opens the book with reference to a sermon given in January 1855 by the then 21-year-old Charles Spurgeon. In his sermon, Spurgeon states that there is something “improving to the mind” in a study and contemplation of God. Packer states that “it is the most practical project anyone can engage in.” Without the study of God Packer states that, “you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you. This way you can waste your life and lose your soul.”

How do we start? Packer suggests five basic truths of the knowledge about God to help establish our course. They are as follows: 1) God has spoken to man, and the Bible is His Word, given to us to make us wise unto salvation; 2) God is Lord and King over His world; 3) God is Savior, active in sovereign love through the Lord Jesus Christ to rescue believers from the guilt and power of sin, to adopt them as His sons, and to bless them accordingly; 4) God is Triune; within the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. All three work together: the Father purposing redemption, the Son securing it, and the Spirit applying it. 5) Godliness means responding to God’s revelation. We are to live life in light of God’s Word.

With these five truths, Packer suggests we can turn knowledge about God into knowledge of God. How? By turning each truth that we learn about God into matter for meditation before God – leading to prayer and praise to God. Meditation, according to Packer, “is the activity of calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows about the works and ways and purposes and promises of God. It is the activity of holy thought, consciously performed in the presence of God, under the eye of God, by the help of God, as a means of communion with God.” The purpose of meditation is to allow God’s truth to impact our mind and heart.

As I stated in the first paragraph, the book challenges me to understand that there is a difference between knowing about God and knowing God. Packer suggests that we recognize how much we lack knowledge of God and ask Him to show us how “impoverished” we are. It seems to me that this process of asking God to show me what I am lacking, how impoverished I am, is a worthy task. It may be frightening at times, yet I believe it will be rewarding. With this in mind, I am beginning to peel back layers in my life and am asking God to uncover what He wants uncovered and to lead me in the way He wants me to go.

Chapter 3, entitled “Knowing and Being Known,” is a wonderful testimony of how we can know God and have a close relationship with Him. A fascinating account is provided in this chapter about the building of a relationship. When building a relationship with another human being, often someone will not show everybody what is on their heart. The quality of our knowledge about another person depends on them more than us. Imagine being introduced to someone we consider above us in some way and the person takes us into his confidence, tells us what is on his mind, and invites us to join him in his undertakings, and asks us to be permanently available whenever he needs us. We will feel privileged. This is an illustration of what it means to know God.

What does knowing God involve? This section gives us four pointers. “First, listening to God’s word and receiving it as the Holy Spirit interprets it, in application to oneself; second, noting God’s nature and character, as His word and works reveal it; third, accepting His invitations, and doing what He commands; fourth, recognizing and rejoicing in, the love that He has shown in thus approaching and drawing one into this divine fellowship.”

Knowing God highlights the fact that it is important to understand that we know God through knowing Jesus Christ, who is God manifest in the flesh. When the Bible tells us that Jesus is risen, this means that anyone can enjoy a relationship with Him, much like His disciples. The difference is that His presence with the Christian is spiritual not physical. Also, Jesus speaks to us today by, “applying to our consciences those words of His that are recorded in the gospels, together with the rest of the biblical testimony to Himself.”

Packer suggests that knowing God is a matter of “personal dealing.” “It is a matter of dealing with Him as He opens up to you, and being dealt with by Him as He takes knowledge of you.” It is also a matter of “personal involvement.” To get to know someone you must commit yourself to that person. It is this way in a relationship with God. Knowing God is also a matter of “grace.” God initiates and makes friends with us. In Galatians 4:9 Paul states, “But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God …” We can know Him by faith because of His grace.

Much more can and is said about this idea of knowing God in section 1 of the book. I encourage you to embark on a journey, a journey to “know God” by recommending this book to you. I believe it will guide you along a path that will bring blessings and joy, with a focus on the most important part of life, often overlooked in a busy society. “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17: 3).

–Jim Martino