George Whitefield: The Evangelist

by John Charles Pollock

John Pollock vividly portrays George Whitefield and his times - George's long search for peace with God, his joy at being forgiven and justified through Christ's atoning death and then his enthusiastic sharing of the Gospel. Often facing misunderstanding and even opposition from the established Church, he started to preach in the open air, beginning among the mining community and those who normally wouldn't come into Church. The story is told of how God worked in a remarkable way through George in Britain and also in the Colonies of America. Travelling many miles by horseback, crossing the Atlantic on countless occasions, sometimes experiencing illness and fatigue, countless people were drawn to Christ through this man - the "Billy Graham" of his time. Come and catch the drama and also the passion and commitment George Whitefield had for the Gospel.

Genres: Biography, Christian

287 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 18, 2016

About the author

The late John Pollock, an award-winning biographer, had a flair for telling a dramatic story. He used this talent to write many biographies including ones on D. L. Moody and Major General Sir Henry Havelock.

Reviews

[Christine Dillon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific biography that deserves to be widely read. The life and times of GW were brought alive. So encouraging to read how God used GW. We will meet many of his generation in Jesus' Kingdom because he dared to be hated and mocked.
Inspiring for anyone who wants to follow Jesus.

[Martin Wickens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes a great author writes on a subject that doesn't interest me. But the author covers the uninteresting subject well. Sometimes a poor author writes of a great subject. On a rare occasion, a great author writes about an outstanding subject. This was one of those occasions.

John Pollock is an outstanding author. I've read or listened to his book on the Apostle Paul, The Apostle, several times.

Pollock weaves together his subjects life story along with the facts in a seemingly effortless way. His book on Whitefield has definitely made it to my favorites list.

Not only because of the way Pollock writes, but because of who he was, Whitefield is one of my favorite people to learn about and try to follow.

Whitefield I believe shaped the world we live in far more than many realize. His ministry impacted the UK and USA in a way few men ever have. He traveled between the two nations more than almost any other during his period of history.

Whitefield set the foundations for Methodism before the Wesleys were converted themselves. That is not to take anything from them. They are outstanding men in their own right.

Whitefield was not a perfect man. The book reveals his side of the schism between him and the Wesleys. Some of his initial dealings in getting orphans to Bethesda were at the least unorthodox. Not immoral or sinful, but there were a couple of unusual occasions which amount to what we might consider custody rights. His perhaps biggest perceived area was around slavery. Pollock doesn't shy from this. Whitefield did not support slavery, nor did he believe black people were in any way inferior. The book explains well Whitefield's approach. Whitefield was greatly loved and sought out by black communities which speaks for itself.

Whitefield blazed a trail for open air preaching, was gracious, evangelical in the best possible way, and a unique man in the history of the church. To my understanding, there are only a handful who are his equals since the apostles.

I won't rewrite the book here or share every thought on my mind. Suffice to say that I highly recommend this book.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another good and very well researched biography of a notable Christian historical figure by John Pollock. The remarkable ministry of the evangelist George Whitefield in the 18th century is recounted in detail. A man of unrelenting commitment, a voice that could reach thousands without modern aids and a biblical message that changed the lives and countless people in the UK and even more so in the USA. Highly recommended!

[Matthew C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-done overview of Whitefield's life. It can sometimes feel a little disjointed, but this might be the fault of the primary sources available. Lots of nuggets and anecdotes that I will use in the future. This book needs to be read alongside full-length Whitefield sermons to get a sense of the man.

[Anna Hardin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pollack is an excellent biographer--another great effort!