"Have we read or heard of any person, who called so many thousands, so many myriads of sinners to repentance?"(John Wesley concerning George Whitefield)

O how necessary it is to read biographies!

The Life of George Whitefield

This post is designed to introduce you to a well-written biography of one of my favourite figures from evangelical history: George Whitefield. I firmly believe that this biography should make its way onto the bookshelf of every pastor.

The life of George Whitefield is a source of immense encouragement to me. His endurance in suffering, humility in discord, strength in persecutions, gentleness in turbulent situations, passion in boldly preaching the word of God, zeal to win thousands for Christ, and love for God is remarkably uplifting and refreshing.

The shockwaves of his thunderous preaching were felt throughout the evangelical world. Bishop Ryle goes as far as to say that, "Whitefield was entirely chief and first among the English Reformers of the 18th century". I think he is right. It is rightly claimed that Whitefield's congregations were the largest ever reached by the human voice in the history of mankind. The Christ that Whitefield sweetly and passionately preached spoke to thousands through his ministry.

Dallimore's Rich Portrait Of Whitefield:

In this biography, Dallimore masterfully paints for us a rich, complex, and multi-faceted picture of Whitefield. He does so with honesty, beauty, elegance, integrity and theologically drenched eyes. But this biography is merely a 'trailer' of Dallimore's mammoth two-volume work. So, for those of us who don't yet have time to plunge into the 224-page version, this volume provides an excellent and enjoyable entry point into the life of Whitefield.

A unique feature of this biography is that it displays a slight hagiographical and apologetic edge. Hagiographical in the sense that the author presents Whitefield in a very sparkling light. His confession gives it away, "George Whitefield was a holy man" (p. 200). Apologetic in the sense that the author repeatedly defends Whitefield against unsubstantiated charges of both early and modern biographers. The author does so humbly and provides good reasons for his conclusions.

To sum up, this biography showcases Whitfield's life with clarity and vibrancy. I would not be surprised if this became a classic introduction to the life of this evangelical giant for the next generation.

This review first appeared on my blog (https://thereadingrevd.com)

The Reading Revd

This closer look at Whitefield's ministry in both Britain and America in the 1700s is actually a condensed version of two volumes by the same author but still contains much more information than a general profile. Whitefield's energy and commitment to a clear gospel message could inspire today's preachers in the same way it inspired so many others involved in the Great Awakening of America's colonial days. (Though his godly character shown is perhaps the greater inspiration.) The book further offers a deeper look at America's pre-revolutionary days. The author shows clearly the formation of Methodism in England and Whitefield's larger role in it. Some surprises here! Great reading.