George Whitefield, an Englishman born to a humble inn keeping family, grew up to be a widely known and loved Calvinist priest. Having first been an unmotivated student, the Word of God captivated him and ignited a fire in his bones; a fire that could only be fed and tamed by proclaiming salvation by faith alone all across England and the New World. Yet, every proclaimer of the faith has faced opposition whether it be in the form of renunciation or becoming a martyr. It is a known fact that since much is given to us from the Lord that much is also required. Christians endure much hostility, from all kinds of fronts. When Jesus chose his disciples, they all had some kind of worldly trouble; from which Whitefield was not excluded. Jesus has never
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The young man secretly desired to be a preacher so he would stay awake into the early hours of the morning reading the Word of God. His other joys included participating in the theatre, his love and talent for the fine arts only grew as he entered his later years. Having been out of school for a year, George met an Oxford student who encouraged him to pursue a degree. He followed suit, and finished his grammar schooling to enroll in Pembroke College at Oxford. Whitefield did not see the Lord’s work on his life at this time, but all of these events and hardships he faced led him to meet the Wesley brothers, John and Charles. The group, including Whitefield, who called themselves the “Holy Club” greatly attributed to George’s conversion to Calvinism in 1735. George admits his adoration for the Holy Club experience in the following quote: “I know the place… Whenever I go to Oxford, I cannot help running to the spot where Jesus Christ first revealed himself to me and gave me the new birth.” Fasting for weeks on end combined with constant illnesses led to George being forced to return home for nine months of recuperation. During this time he did not take the advice of many to rest in bed, instead he was committed to furthering
The young man secretly desired to be a preacher so he would stay awake into the early hours of the morning reading the Word of God. His other joys included participating in the theatre, his love and talent for the fine arts only grew as he entered his later years. Having been out of school for a year, George met an Oxford student who encouraged him to pursue a degree. He followed suit, and finished his grammar schooling to enroll in Pembroke College at Oxford. Whitefield did not see the Lord’s work on his life at this time, but all of these events and hardships he faced led him to meet the Wesley brothers, John and Charles. The group, including Whitefield, who called themselves the “Holy Club” greatly attributed to George’s conversion to Calvinism in 1735. George admits his adoration for the Holy Club experience in the following quote: “I know the place… Whenever I go to Oxford, I cannot help running to the spot where Jesus Christ first revealed himself to me and gave me the new birth.” Fasting for weeks on end combined with constant illnesses led to George being forced to return home for nine months of recuperation. During this time he did not take the advice of many to rest in bed, instead he was committed to furthering