The Great Awakening

The "Great Awakening Movement" between 1720 and 1740's was one of most splendid chapters of early Christian history. The movement stirred up a mass religious conversion in colonial America with a call to live a holy life. The seeds of the Awakening were sown when Rev. Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) began to preach revivalistic sermons in Northampton, Massachusetts. George Whitefield (1714-1770) started his preaching tour of colonial America between 1739 and 1740. It was during his preaching tour that the Great Awakening erupted. Edwards and Whitefield were the two major catalysts in the Awakening era. It was during this period that churches of many different denominations had tremendous growth. Every believer's life is a living testimony of God's grace of salvation; George Whitefield said it so well in May 21,1740,"Christ was God and man in one person, that God and man might be happy together again."