When I was a student in college, I read about George Whitefield. I was in awe of his passion and works. There was nothing in his biography that I would have said anything negative about.  Now as I re-read a biography on George Whitefield as a husband, father and pastor, there are some things on his life, I do not want to repeat as a husband, father and pastor.

What You Want to Learn From Whitefield

George Whitefield had an unmatched passion and enthusiasm for preaching the gospel and winning souls for Jesus.  He was ordained at the age of 22. He attracted the crowds of 10,000 or more both indoors and outdoors.  His sermons were focused on the new birth or the teaching on the need and the necessity of regeneration brought by the work of the Holy Spirit. Consequently, the cross of Christ and the righteousness of Christ became the focus of his preaching. He also attempted to apply the gospel by reaching out and making pleas for the slaves. He established the orphan house in Georgia and devoted himself to support it throughout his life. He endured opposition and criticism both from Christians and non-Christians, saying at one point, "I was honored with having a few stones, dirt, rotten eggs and pieces of dead cats thrown at me."

You want to learn boldness, courage, and determination to live for Jesus at any cost.

What You Don't Want to Learn From Whitefield

George Whitefield lived in a religious culture where celibacy was the highest calling and marriage was allowed only within carefully prescribed emotional and sexual limits. Sex existed primarily for procreation. Therefore, he had no children with his wife, Elizabeth.  The Methodist code shaped and influenced Whitefield, who was convinced that no passion or emotional commitment could be stronger than the "spiritual marriage" to Christ and his church. This meant for Whitefield, impassioned feelings between the sexes had to be suppressed to prevent the possibility of idolatry. His wife miscarried several times and became ill but Whitefield traveled for months by himself. Moreover, Elizabeth largely remained in silence, which was reflective of the role of women and marriage at the time, and she did not receive much attention even by later biographers of Whitefield. Whitefield’s priority list would have been Jesus, ministry, and marriage last, whereas marriage should have a higher priority than ministry in a biblical man's life. If you come from a religious background, you can certainly relate to Whitefield and face similar situations. What you want to unlearn is the religious tradition that marriage is only for procreation and sex is almost always a negative thing.  The Bible clearly teaches that marriage and sex are God’s design and intended not only for procreation but also for pleasure. You want to unlearn religious convictions that are not grounded in the Bible but in the church and culture.

After the jump, what you want others to learn from your biography.

What You Want Others to Learn From Your Biography

Men, if biographers were to write your biography 50 or 100 years from today, what would they learn? What would be the legacy and what would people remember you for? What would it be like for you to begin to live your life with the end in view? How would you live your life if you were to live according to what would be recorded in your biography? Examine your life, and ask yourself how you are like George Whitefield in your area of ministry. Examine your relationships: are they failing because of your misunderstanding of the Gospel? Or are they flourishing because you are doggedly pursuing the mission of Christ? Examine your purpose for living, your understanding of the meaning of life, and how you live it. Your goal should be that people would learn and remember that your life was all about Jesus, that you have children, students, and people who honor and follow your example of living for Jesus. As for myself, I want to leave a legacy of obedience to the Father as I do all things from my identity in Christ. I want to obey Jesus and love my wife as Christ died and sacrificed for the church. I want to obey Jesus as I shepherd my children to be like Christ. I want to obey Christ as a pastor used as a vessel by God to make disciples of all nations as led by the Holy Spirit. George Whitefield was to 18th-century England and the American colonies what Billy Graham is to America and the world in the 20th century. He was the powerful, prominent preacher, evangelist, and missionary who travelled and crossed the Atlantic to reach as many people for Jesus. Along with John Wesley, he represents the evangelistic revival movement in the Anglican Church during the 18th century and the first Great Awakening in America. The two were also influential figures in the establishment of Methodism and the English Methodist movement, which gave rise to the Methodist church denomination in the world. For more on Whitefield, check out this article from the Resurgence from their New Calvinism series. Pastor Samuel is the campus pastor at the Federal Way campus. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook.