george whitefield
George Whitefield (27 December 1714 – 30 September 1770), also known as George Whitfield, was an Anglican cleric and evangelist who was one of the founders of Methodism and the evangelical movement. Born in Gloucester, he matriculated at Pembroke College at the University of Oxford in 1732. There he joined the "Holy Club" and was introduced to the Wesley brothers, John and Charles, with whom he would work closely in his later ministry. Whitefield was ordained after receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree. He immediately began preaching, but he did not settle as the minister of any parish. Rather he became an itinerant preacher and evangelist. In 1740, Whitefield traveled to North America where he preached a series of revivals that became part of the "Great Awakening". His methods were controversial, and he engaged in numerous debates and disputes with other clergymen.
Nov 11, 2022: Pepperdine/Seaver College: Back to the Past: Dr. Lisa Smith and the Genesis Lab Innovate New Virtual Reality Assignment
Dr. Lisa Smith does things differently. Whether it's her final exam, which calls on students to create a playlist of contemporary music related to a novel, or an assignment that pushes the course content outside of the classroom, Seaver College’s assistant professor of teaching of English does not go by the book.
“A lot of students dislike taking a 300 level literature class,” Smith admits. “Many of them haven’t had literature since high school. So I try to do things that are fun and different.”
Driven by this challenge to innovate, Smith collaborated with Payson Library’s Genesis Lab to create an immersive assignment for her ENG 380 class entitled, Passion and the Pen: Documents of the First Great Awakening. Given the dense and focused nature of this topic, Smith sought to incorporate new and exciting technology into her curriculum. Thus, she came up with an idea to seize her students’ attention – a virtual reality experience of George Whitefield’s Great Awakening speaking tour.
Dr. Lisa Smith does things differently. Whether it's her final exam, which calls on students to create a playlist of contemporary music related to a novel, or an assignment that pushes the course content outside of the classroom, Seaver College’s assistant professor of teaching of English does not go by the book.
“A lot of students dislike taking a 300 level literature class,” Smith admits. “Many of them haven’t had literature since high school. So I try to do things that are fun and different.”
Driven by this challenge to innovate, Smith collaborated with Payson Library’s Genesis Lab to create an immersive assignment for her ENG 380 class entitled, Passion and the Pen: Documents of the First Great Awakening. Given the dense and focused nature of this topic, Smith sought to incorporate new and exciting technology into her curriculum. Thus, she came up with an idea to seize her students’ attention – a virtual reality experience of George Whitefield’s Great Awakening speaking tour.
George Whitefield
“When a poor soul is somewhat awakened by the terrors of the Lord, then the poor creature, being born under the covenant of works, flies directly to a covenant of works again. And as Adam and Eve hid themselves… and sewed fig leaves… so the poor sinner, when awakened, flies to his duties and to his performances, to hide himself from God, and goes to patch up a righteousness of his own. Says he, I will be mighty good now–I will reform–I will do all I can; and then certainly Jesus Christ will have mercy on me.”
― George Whitefield, The method of grace. A sermon, preached on Sabbath morning, September 13th, 1741. In the High-church-yard of Glasgow
― George Whitefield, The method of grace. A sermon, preached on Sabbath morning, September 13th, 1741. In the High-church-yard of Glasgow
George Whitefield
“I go to a rest prepared; my sun has arisen, and by aid from Heaven has given light to many. It is now about to set - no, it is about to rise to the zenith of immortal glory. Many may outlive me on earth, but they cannot outlive me in Heaven. Oh, thought divine! I shall soon be in a world where time, age, pain and sorrow are unknown. My body fails, my spirit expands. How willingly would I live to preach Christ! But I die to be with him!” ― George Whitefield
George Whitefield
“If one evil thought, if one evil word, if one evil action, deserves eternal damnation, how many hells, my friends, do every one of us deserve, whose whole lives have been one continued rebellion against God!” ― George Whitefield
George Whitefield
“Simple Bible statements, apt illustrations, and pertinent anecdotes, were the more common weapons that he used. The consequence was that his hearers always understood him. He never shot above their heads. Here again is one grand element of a preacher’s success. He must labour by all means to be understood. It was a wise saying of Archbishop Usher, “To make easy things seem hard is every man’s work; but to make hard things easy is the work of a great preacher.”
― George Whitefield, The Collected Sermons of George Whitefield
― George Whitefield, The Collected Sermons of George Whitefield
George Whitefield
“If you say you are the chief of sinners, I answer that will be no hindrance to your salvation. Indeed it will not, if you lay hold on Christ by faith. Read the Evangelists, and see how kindly he behaved to his disciples, who had fled from and denied him. ‘Go, tell my brethren,’ says he. He did not say, ‘Go, tell those traitors,’ but, ‘Go, tell my brethren and Peter.’ It is as though he had said, ‘Go, tell my brethren in general, and Peter in particular, that I am risen. Oh, comfort his poor drooping heart. Tell him I am reconciled to him. Bid him weep no more so bitterly. For though with oaths and curses he thrice denied me, yet I have died for his sins; I have risen again for his justification: I freely forgive him all.” Thus slow to anger and of great kindness, was our all-merciful High Priest. And do you think he has changed his nature and forgets poor sinners, now he is exalted to the right hand of God? No; he is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and sitteth there only to make intercession for”
― George Whitefield, The Collected Sermons of George Whitefield
― George Whitefield, The Collected Sermons of George Whitefield
George Whitefield
“Thank you sir for your criticism. If you knew about me what I know about me, you would have written a longer letter.” ― George Whitefield
George Whitefield
“People want to recommend themselves to God by their sincerity; they think, 'If we do all we can, if we are but sincere, Jesus Christ will have mercy on us.' But pray what is there in our sincerity to recommend us to God? ... therefore, if you depend on your sincerity for your salvation, your sincerity will damn you.” ― George Whitefield
George Whitefield
“Most talk of a catholic spirit but it is only till they have been brought into the pale of their own church. This is downright sectarianism, not Catholicism. How can I act consistently, unless I receive and love all the children of God, whom I esteem to be such, of whatever denomination they may be?” ― George Whitefield
Whitefield was a staunch Calvinist. His central theme -- what must I do to be saved? -- was not new. His preaching style was. Ministers traditionally wrote sermons in longhand and read the text out loud in a dull monotone. The effect was often soporific. Drawing on his youthful foray into drama, Whitefield memorized his sermons, spoke without notes, varied the timbre of his voice and gestured with abandon. He drew freely on his own emotions, crying out, "My Master! My Lord!" It was said that he could utter the word "Mesopotamia" so that the entire crowd wept. The effect was electric. Crowds responded with outpourings of emotion. People cried, sobbed, shrieked, swooned and fainted. All of New England, it seemed, was seized by a spiritual convulsion.