1930s Great Awakening in Great Britain

The 18th century was a time of spiritual decline in Great Britain¹. The Church of England, the established church, was seen as formal and lifeless, and many people were turning away from the Christian faith altogether. However, in the midst of this spiritual darkness, a new movement was stirring. This movement, known as the Great Awakening or the Evangelical Revival, would sweep through Britain and the American colonies, leaving a lasting impact on the religious landscape of both nations.

The Rise of Evangelicalism

The Evangelical Revival was characterized by a renewed emphasis on commitment to God’s Word, to Christ’s Lordship and a personal devotion to Him. It was a reaction against the dry rationalism and formalism that had come to dominate the Church of England. The revivalists stressed the importance of a personal experience of conversion and the need for a heartfelt relationship with God.

The Holy Club at Oxford

The seeds of the Evangelical Revival were sown at Oxford University in the late 1720s. A group of students, led by brothers John and Charles Wesley, formed a religious society known as the “Holy Club.” They were nicknamed “Methodists” because of their methodical approach to spiritual disciplines such as prayer, Bible study, and accountability². In effect, this was the beginning of the Methodist practice of ‘Biblical discipleship.’

The Holy Club was concerned not only with personal piety but also with social actions. They visited prisoners, taught them to read, and helped the poor³.

The Moravian Influence

Both John and Charles Wesley were deeply influenced by the Moravians, a Protestant group with roots in Bohemia and Moravia. The Moravians emphasized a personal relationship with Jesus and a simple, childlike faith⁴. John had left for the newly established colony of Georgia, in October 1735, with the intention of serving as a minister to the English settlers and a missionary to the Native Americans⁶

However, his time in Georgia was marked by difficulties and disappointments. He struggled to adapt to the environment and faced conflicts with the colonists⁷. Despite these challenges, Wesley’s experiences in America shaped his views on evangelism and the role of lay preachers. He observed the Moravians’ effective missionary work and realized the potential for lay people to spread the Gospel⁸. This realization would later inform his approach to organizing the Methodist movement.

While there he met members of the Moravian Church, led by August Gottlieb Spangenberg and was so impressed by their faith and godliness, and especially their confident assurance of faith – a new revelation for him. The failure of his mission and encounters with the Moravians led Wesley to question his own faith. He wrote in his journal, “I, who went to America to convert others, was never myself converted to God.” ²

John Wesley’s Aldersgate Experience

Back in London, Wesley became friends with a Moravian minister called Peter Boehler and joined a Moravian small group called the Fetter Lane Society. His own conversion experience came on May 24, 1738 at a Fetter Lane, in Aldersgate Street, London, where his heart was “strangely warmed”. While listening to a reading of Martin Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans, Wesley felt his “heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation, and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.” ²

He described it as a moment of assurance of his salvation through faith in Christ⁵. Others consider it his moment of conversion. This experience would transform Wesley’s life and ministry, leading him to embrace a new understanding of faith and igniting a passion for evangelism that would shape the course of the Evangelical Revival².

Nevertheless, Wesley was continually plagued with doubts, heaviness and spiritual depression for seven more months, until he attended another Fetter Lane meeting. On January 1, 1739, Wesley attended a love feast of the Fetter Lane society. Wesley described the event:

‘Mr. Hall, Kinchin, Ingham, [George] Whitefield, Hutchings, and my brother Charles were present at our love feast in Fetter Lane, with about sixty of our brethren. About three in the morning, as we were continuing instant in prayer, the power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried out for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground. As soon as we were recovered a little from that awe and amazement at the presence of his majesty, we broke out with one voice, ‘We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.’ ³⁰

George Whitefield, who was twenty-four at the time, wrote regarding the Fetter Lane society meetings of that time:

‘It was a Pentecostal season indeed. Some times [sic] whole nights were spent in prayer. Often have we been filled as with new wine. And often have I seen them overwhelmed with the Divine Presence, and cry-out, ‘Will God, indeed, dwell with men upon earth! How dreadful is this place! This is no other than the house of God, and the gate of Heaven!’ ³⁰

Wesley continued to recognize his encounter with the power of the Holy Spirit experienced at that January 1 meeting when he wrote about another Fetter Lane meeting on June 16:

‘In that hour we found God with us as at the first. Some fell prostrate upon the ground. Others burst out, as with one consent, into loud praise and thanksgiving. And many openly testified, there had been no such day as this since January the first preceding.’

Clearly, the Holy Spirit was poured out on Wesley and the others as on Pentecost, highlighting the true power of the Evangelical Awakening.

After his Aldersgate experiences John Wesley began preaching with renewed zeal. He and Charles preached in London churches, but they were often met with opposition from Anglican clergy who disapproved of their emotional style and their emphasis on personal experience².

Open-Air Preaching

Meanwhile, in 1738 George Whitefield had gone to Christ Church in Savannah, which had been founded by John Wesley during his visit. Whitefield decided that one of the great needs of the area was an orphan house. In 1739 he returned to England to raise funds, as well as to receive priestly orders.

But on his arrival, he found himself barred from many Anglican pulpits because of his enthusiastic preaching⁹. Nevertheless, while preparing for his return, he preached to very large congregations. was drawn to Bristol due to its proximity to his home, his connection with Howell Harris, a leader of the Welsh revival, and his awareness of the spiritual needs of the people there.¹⁰

His friends suggested he preached to the miners of Kingswood, outside Bristol, in the open air. So, following the example of Harris, he began preaching outdoors¹⁰. Whitefield’s open-air sermons drew huge crowds, sometimes numbering in the tens of thousands¹¹. To further promote his revivals, Whitefield strategically utilized newspaper advertisements, which increased his notoriety and drew even larger crowds².

Because he was returning to Georgia he invited John Wesley to take over his Bristol congregations and to preach in the open air for the first time at Kingswood and then at Blackheath, London.

John Wesley was initially hesitant to preach outdoors, but he was eventually persuaded by Whitefield to try it¹². Wesley’s first open-air sermon was in 1739 to a group of coal miners at Kingswood, near Bristol¹⁰. He quickly realized the power of this method to reach people who would never enter a church¹³. To make himself heard by the large crowds, Wesley developed specific techniques for open-air preaching, ensuring that his message reached as many people as possible¹³.

Open-air preaching became a hallmark of the Evangelical Revival. It allowed the revivalists to reach a wider audience and to bypass the restrictions of the established church¹⁴. This innovative approach broke down traditional barriers and allowed for a more direct and personal engagement with the masses, contributing significantly to the rapid spread of the revival¹⁴. The revivalists also incorporated the singing of hymns into their open-air preaching, led by Charles Wesley, who wrote over 6,000 hymns to express the message of the revival¹⁶.

The Wesleyan Movement

John Wesley’s organizational skills were crucial to the success of the Evangelical Revival. He formed Methodist societies, small groups where people could meet for prayer, Bible study, and mutual encouragement¹⁷. To maintain order and ensure the integrity of the societies, Wesley published “Rules for the Methodist societies” in 1743³. He also appointed lay preachers, both men and women, to help spread the message of the revival¹⁸. These lay preachers played a vital role in the movement’s expansion, reaching people in areas where ordained clergy were scarce¹⁹.

Wesley’s emphasis on lay preachers was a radical departure from the traditional Anglican model, which relied on ordained clergy²⁰. This innovation allowed the Methodist movement to grow rapidly, as lay preachers could reach people in places where ordained clergy were scarce¹⁹. Within the Methodist societies, Wesley established a structure of class and band meetings, providing further organization and support for spiritual growth²¹. These small groups were guided by the “General Rules,” a set of guidelines for Christian living that emphasized personal holiness and social responsibility¹⁸.

Other Revivals

In addition to the widespread revival sparked by Wesley and Whitefield’s preaching, there were other notable outpourings of the Spirit during this period. One example is the revival at the New Orphan Houses in Ashley Down, Bristol, founded by George Müller²². Müller, a Prussian evangelist, relied on prayer and faith to provide for the orphans in his care²³. The orphanage, established to address social needs and provide spiritual guidance, became a center of spiritual renewal, with many orphans experiencing conversion²⁴. In addition to his ministry to orphans Müller was also active in church-planting, evangelistic and missionary endeavours.

Another example is the revival at Kingswood School, also founded by John Wesley²⁵. The school, originally established for the children of colliers, became a place where young people were transformed by the power of the Gospel²⁶. Like the orphanage, the school aimed to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of the community.

The Legacy of the Great Awakening

The Great Awakening had a profound impact on British society and religion. It led to the growth of new denominations, particularly Methodism, and to a renewed emphasis on personal piety, evangelism and social responsibility within existing churches¹⁶. The revival also contributed to the rise of evangelicalism as a major force in British Christianity². It’s important to note that the Great Awakening wasn’t confined to Great Britain; it also had a significant impact on the American colonies, permanently affecting Protestantism as adherents strove to renew Biblical Christianity, individual piety and spiritual devotion².

Social Impact

The Evangelical Revival had a significant impact on social reform movements in Britain. Evangelicals were at the forefront of efforts to abolish slavery, promote education, and improve the lives of the poor²⁷. Their emphasis on personal morality and social responsibility helped to shape the Victorian era. The revival’s impact was particularly notable in the expanding industrial areas, where the Methodist faith helped workers, both men and women, endure economic hardship and poverty¹⁶.

Lasting Influence

The Great Awakening’s emphasis on personal experience, devotion to Christ, adherence to the Bible and social action continues to influence Christianity today. Many evangelical churches trace their roots back to the revival, and its legacy can be seen in the ongoing emphasis on evangelism, devotion to Christ, social justice, and spiritual renewal.

Timeline of key

1732:

• George Whitefield becomes a student at the University of Oxford

• The “Holy Club” is formed at Oxford, including John and Charles Wesley and George Whitefield

1734-1735:

• Jonathan Edwards leads the influential Northampton revival in the American colonies, which impacts the broader movement1737:

• George Whitefield, at age 23, begins open-air preaching, reaching out to people the established church wasn’t connecting with

1739:

• April 2: John Wesley preaches to about 3,000 people near Bristol, marking the beginning of his field preaching
• Charles Wesley is convinced of the effectiveness of field-preaching, joins the open-air sermon movement
• The Evangelical Revival The Evangelical Revival gains momentum with widespread open-air sermons

1739-1740:

• George Whitefield visits America and preaches to vast crowds in open fields

Early 1740s:

• John and Charles Wesley, along with George Whitefield, face opposition and sometimes violence for their preaching
• The revival spreads rapidly, reaching various parts of Great Britain

Throughout the 1730s and early 1740s:

• Wesley and Whitefield appoint lay preachers and leaders to help with growing evangelistic responsibilities
• New converts are organized into Methodist societies, divided into classes for intimate meetings and spiritual growth
• The revival emphasizes personal conversion, holy living, and the need for a definite conversion experience
• An estimated quarter of England’s population (of about 6 million) is converted during this period

This timeline highlights the key developments of the Evangelical Revival in Great Britain during the 1730s, showcasing its rapid growth and significant impact on British society.

Conclusion

The Great Awakening in Great Britain was a time of remarkable spiritual excitement. It was a movement that challenged the status quo, revitalized the church, and transformed countless thousands of lives. The legacy of the revival continues to shape Christianity today, reminding us of the power of the Gospel to change individuals and society, notably through revivals where people encounter the living God.

Synthesis

The Great Awakening in Great Britain was a nation-changing period in the 18th century, marked by a resurgence of Christian enthusiasm, personal holiness, Biblical discipleship and social responsibility. Key figures like John and Charles Wesley, and George Whitefield, driven by their own spiritual awakenings, spearheaded this movement through innovative approaches like open-air preaching and the establishment of Methodist societies and small groups or classes. The revival’s impact extended beyond individual conversions, influencing social reform movements and leaving a lasting legacy on the landscape of Christianity.

John Wesley, reflecting on the movement, emphasized the importance of unity and love, stating, “Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may. Herein all the children of God may unite, notwithstanding these smaller differences.” ²⁸ This sentiment highlights the unifying power of the Gospel that transcended theological differences during the Great Awakening.

George Whitefield, known for his passionate preaching, commented on the impact of the revival, observing the changed lives of those who heard the message: ‘“On Sunday mornings, long before day, you might see streets filled with people going to church, with their lanterns in their hands, and hear them conversing about the things of God…[the people] were so deeply affected that they were like persons mourning for a first born child.’“ ²⁹ This observation captures the profound emotional and spiritual impact of the Great Awakening on individuals and communities.

The Great Awakening also highlighted the tension between personal spirituality and social action. While the revival emphasized individual conversion and a personal relationship with God, it also spurred a commitment to social reform and addressing the needs of the marginalized. This tension, evident in the work of the Wesleys and other revivalists, continues to be a defining characteristic of evangelical Christianity today.

Despite internal disagreements and theological debates, such as those between Wesley and Whitefield regarding predestination and perfection⁹ the Great Awakening had a lasting impact on British society and the development of Methodism. The movement’s growth eventually led to its separation from the Church of England, as the increasing number of converts required a less controlled structure to provide for their spiritual needs⁶.

The Great Awakening’s emphasis on personal experience, emotional expression, and social action continues to resonate in modern Christianity. Its legacy can be seen in the ongoing focus on evangelism, social justice, and spiritual renewal within various denominations. The revival serves as a reminder of the transformative power of the Gospel and its ability to inspire both individual and societal change.

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Authors note

This document was drafted by Tony Cauchi and refined in collaboration with AI research. It has been thoroughly edited to ensure accuracy and readability.