The Sermons of George Whitefield

by George Whitefield, Lee Gatiss (Editor)

George Whitefield was the leading evangelical clergyman of the eighteenth century and one of the driving forces, humanly speaking, of revivals on both sides of the Atlantic. Yet until now, his sermons have been left as an untapped resource for today's church.

Editor Lee Gatiss has thus reproduced 57 sermons that were originally authorized to be published by Whitefield himself in the late 1700s, in addition to two sermons edited by Gillies for Whitefield's Works, and two more that are of great importance. Gatiss includes careful and extensive footnotes detailing the historical and theological background to Whitefield's preaching, which puts the man and his messages into context for a new generation of readers. The text has also been updated for the twenty-first century with modern grammar, spelling, and punctuation--revised in a manner that leaves Whitefield's distinct voice intact and coherent for today's reader.

Finally, the powerful and passionate preaching that set the world on fire in the Great Awakening is available to all in this two-volume set.

Genres: Theology, Christian, History, Nonfiction, Biography, Christianity

976 pages, Hardcover

First published October 28, 2009

About the author

George Whitefield, also known as George Whitfield, was an English Anglican priest who helped spread the Great Awakening in Britain and, especially, in the British North American colonies. He was one of the founders of Methodism and of the evangelical movement generally. He became perhaps the best-known preacher in Britain and America in the 18th century, and because he travelled through all of the American colonies and drew great crowds and media coverage, he was one of the most widely recognized public figures in colonial America.

Reviews

[James Horgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

George Whitefield was the first celebrity preacher of the modern world. He was not the first to eschew pulpits for fields, but he was the first to attract a large following in the English-speaking world.

Around 60 sermons are extant, most published with his agreement, and most preached in his early years of ministry. They are direct, plain, and seek for conversions, as you would expect.

Whitefield was a decided, though eirenic, Calvinist. That comes through clearly in asides. But note clearly that Calvinists can and do preach to win souls for Christ!

His day was very different to our own. There was much greater Biblical literacy in society and so he focusses on the many who attended church out of politeness, or societal respectability. This is not enough to be a true Christian. There is a vital need to be born again and to have a heart religion. His style was to preach from one or two verses, ranging throughout the Bible. He frequently sets out the great doctrines of the Reformation, particularly justification but never neglecting the need for holy living.

Though this is just as true today, hearers in our age also need more of the basic Bible story, of the nature of God, of who Jesus is, of what the Bible is about. . Nonetheless ministers should warmly preach for repentance often and these sermons should be a spur to that.

Lee Gatiss has done a fine job in producing an edition in modern typesetting, broken up with helpful headings, well bound on good paper. It was a pleasure to read devotionally on all counts.

[Carl Palmateer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend of Ben Franklin and one of the founders of Methodism who is known more for his part as a leader of the Great Awakening. This edited collection clarifies the dated language, connects and expands obscure references but keeps faithful to the original text.

[Travis Daggett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A treasure.

[Ken]

Whitefield was one of the main contributers to the Great Awakening. He was a friend of Benjamin Franklin and was renouned for his powerful oratory. While have no complaints with most of what I have read - it just doesn't capture me the way other authors of his theological bent have. Still have a lot to read, so ..... we'll see