The Great Awakening Revivals
The Birthplace of American Political and Religious Independence
May 18, 2009
By the early part of the 1700s, the colonies in America had grown into a prospering self-sufficient society. It was feared by some that as the colonies continued to become self reliant, that their faith in God would weaken, as they would become distracted by their own lifestyles and new found freedoms in the New World.
Early Colonial Churches
It can be said that there was a marked spiritual decline throughout each of the colonies despite their strong unification since the French and Indian War. While there were many who called themselves "Christians" throughout the colonies, many churches and people seemed to practice a form of cold religion. Even Harvard and Yale, which were founded to train young men in the ministry, were starting to make Christianity into a formal intellectual study, instead of a practicing way of life.
To make up for low attendance roles, many churches in the New England colonies adopted the Halfway Covenant. This article simply stated that any descendant of a present or past member could be admitted, or considered, a member of the church. While this may have brought the membership numbers up on paper, the fact remained that the general population was turned off by the lifeless, cold, and stiff attitudes of the church. Hypocrisy abounded in many of these churches, and there were not many takers willing to join forces with them.
However, there were true preachers of the Gospel who had a love for Christ and they vowed to spread the good news despite the seeming disinterest of the public. Their hard work and dedication brought about a Biblical Revival throughout England and America between the years of 1730-1760. Those in England called it the Methodist Revival. Those in America called it The Great Awakening. There were two preachers who stand out during this time who impacted the spiritual lives of the colonists the most: John Edwards and George Whitfield.
John Edwards, Preacher of the Gospel
John Edwards was a highly intelligent man, entering Yale at the age of 13. In 1729 he became the Senior Pastor of Congregational Church at Northampton, Massachusetts. One can say that the birth of the Great Awakening can be tracked back to 1734 where, within a short time span, 300 souls were saved under the preaching of Edwards.
Word soon spread of the spiritual revival going on at John Edwards’ church. Revival spread throughout Massachusetts into Connecticut. The colonists’ usual indifference to spiritual things soon lifted, and lives were changed far and wide. Edwards preached his entire life and even did mission work to the Native Americans. In 1757, he became President of the College of New Jersey, which we know now as Princeton University. Edwards has gone down in history as a great theologian and one of the brightest intellects of America.
George Whitfeld, Evangelist
The person that is considered by many to be the most powerful evangelist of The Great Awakening is George Whitfield. By the age of 23, Whitfield was preaching the gospel. However, he was looked down upon by most churches in England. They did not understand or accept his style of preaching. Yet, despite the disapproval of the English churches, the people loved Whitfield and he became the most popular preacher of his day. Though Whitfield was not granted access into the local churches by the leaders, he overcame this obstacle by preaching outdoors.
Whitfield traveled to America where he continued the tradition of preaching outdoors. He preached from one end of Colonial America to the other, making friends with people such as Benjamin Franklin along the way. It has been said that Whitfield preached to as many as 25,000 congregants at one time. Whitfield preached for 34 years and estimates are that he preached on a total of 18,000 occasions.
Whitfield wrote a gospel tract for Native Americans, preached to slaves, and founded an orphanage in Georgia. It’s reported that his influence prompted the founding of at least 50 different colleges. Whitfield is remembered as the powerful voice of the Great Awakening, and his life influenced early American history in many ways.
The Great Awakening did much to lift up the colonial way of life and it has impacted America and its culture ever since. This period of enlightenment went a long way in influencing the people’s hearts, awakening the need to seek religious and political freedom as an independent country. The Colonists were more united than ever, and this would greatly influence the cry for independence and the outcome of the American Revolution.
