I was privileged to recently experience the new movie, “The Great Awakening“, in the theater just before being released on home video. And I must say, having now watched the movie three times, it has become my favorite movie in a very long time.
I very rarely go to the theaters anymore; and the last movie I really wanted to see in the theater was the documentary about the “Free Burma Rangers” in early 2020. “The Great Awakening” was a delightful surprise and a very biblical movie that fit a large sum of historical truth into a 2-hour story.
This story and God’s usage of George Whitefield, without doubt, is the most unknown and under told in the history of America. Many, many people were greatly used of God during the years building to 1776. Names such as William Tennant Sr. and his sons, Jonathan Edwards, David Brainerd, and others, ought to be taught in American history classes in every school in our country – and without doubt, George Whitefield as well.
History for me.
In February of 2009, while attending the True Church Conference in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, I received my first small book of Select Sermons of George Whitefield. The first sermon I read was, Walking with God, based on Genesis 5:24 – “Enoch walked with God.” That sermon had a profound effect on my life during the early days of my salvation. Immediately I sought out and found the book, “George Whitefield’s Journals“, published by Banner of Truth. This book, along with the Scriptures, has impacted my life spiritually and physically up until this very day. It is one of my most treasured books!
This led me to purchase and read a number of books on Whitefield and the Great Awakening over the years. This time spent reading, pondering, and praying through these means of grace have helped me in ways too numerous to number.
One of my favorite scenes.
“I’ll tell you a story. The Archbishop of Canterbury in the year 1675 was acquainted with Mr. Butterton the actor. One day the Archbishop . . . said to Butterton . . . ‘pray inform me Mr. Butterton, what is the reason you actors on stage can affect your congregations with speaking of things imaginary, as if they were real, while we in church speak of things real, which our congregations only receive as if they were imaginary?’ ‘Why my Lord,’ says Butterton, ‘the reason is very plain. We actors on stage speak of things imaginary, as if they were real and you in the pulpit speak of things real as if they were imaginary.’ “
“Therefore,” says Whitefield, “I will bawl, I will not be a velvet-mouthed preacher.”
~George Whitefield
The acting and cinematography were well executed and on point. I appreciate and commend actor Jonathan Blair‘s (IMDb) performance as George Whitefield. He captured the essence of Whitefield and has brought Whitefield back into the light of our generation.
Easily this could have been a 3-hour movie. As the movie entered into the finally and credits, I was not ready for the story to end.
What I would love to have seen added.
If I were to have added anything, it would be that I would have loved to have seen three unique details. 1.) I would have like to have seen John Wesley hand George the book,”The Life of God in The Soul of Man“, by Henry Scougal. This was the very means of God that so affected Whitefield propelled him by grace unto the new birth. 2.) I would have loved to have seen Whitefield standing the stairs of a Christian’s home preaching while holding a candle. This very night, Whitefield passed into eternal glory. 3.) I would have loved to have seen the funeral line up of thousands of people, including massive numbers of slaves, honoring his passing away.
Trailer and Information.
Website: https://www.agreatawakening.com/
More on the life of Whitefield, watch/listen to the biography by John Piper.
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Jeremy B. Strang 
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