"We are immortal until our work on earth is done.”
George Whitefield has been called the greatest evangelist of all time. His dedication to soul-winning helped turn two nations back to God during the Great Awakening!
Born on December 16, 1714, George Whitefield was the youngest of seven children, and he was only 2 years old when his father died. His mother remarried when he was 10, but the marriage was not a happy one, and young George was soon sent away to school.
At school, he quickly earned the reputation of being a good speaker, but at age 15, he convinced his mother that school would do him no good. He returned home to work. It was during this time that God began to work in his life. Every evening he read the Bible until well past his bedtime, and he felt himself willing to become a minister. Realizing more and more how important an education would be for a preacher, he returned to school and eventually finished.
At age 17, Whitefield entered college and joined the “Holy Club,” where he met the Wesley brothers, John and Charles. These men became dear friends and eventually helped Whitefield understand the Gospel more fully and to see his own need for genuine salvation.
God continued to grow Whitefield’s understanding of His Word. During his lifetime, he would preach over 18,000 sermons and would lead countless souls to Christ. It has been said that his voice was so loud and clear that he could be heard one mile away when he preached outside. Benjamin Franklin said he had a “voice like an organ.” Crowds of up to 80,000 people gathered to hear him preach.
Whitefield also gave much of his life and resources to helping orphans. He believed strongly in loving the vulnerable and less fortunate, just like Jesus did when He was on Earth. Whitefield gave to those who needed.
You may not understand everything there is to know about God’s Word, but God can save you and help you share His Gospel with others! Are you devoting all you have to serve Him however He wants to use you? Is there someone to whom you could be a blessing today?
1 Corinthians 13:1 – Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.