Nathan W. Bingham

uh... it looked a lot like worship but he said it wasn't worship because they did not compete with the church of england the societies never met at the same time as the church of england but he was setting up really kind of a church within the church and uh... even more importantly he established what were called classes class meetings where ten fifteen methodists would gather together regularly to study to pray

and to be disciplined by a leader of the class meeting. So not only were there societies that looked a lot like congregations, but there were cells or classes within the society that led to real discipline, real conversation. How are you praying? How is your spiritual life going? How is your sanctification going? There was accountability.

and to be disciplined by a leader of the class meeting. So not only were there societies that looked a lot like congregations, but there were cells or classes within the society that led to real discipline, real conversation. How are you praying? How is your spiritual life going? How is your sanctification going? There was accountability.

And all of that would come to make the Methodist movement a very powerful movement. And almost immediately after Wesley's death, these Methodist societies separated from the Church of England. It was really only Wesley individually that was keeping them in the Church of England. They separated and established the Methodist Church.

And all of that would come to make the Methodist movement a very powerful movement. And almost immediately after Wesley's death, these Methodist societies separated from the Church of England. It was really only Wesley individually that was keeping them in the Church of England. They separated and established the Methodist Church.

And although the Methodist Church in America was very small in the 18th century, it grew rapidly in the 19th century. And by the middle of the 19th century, the Methodist Church had become the largest church in America. And so the success of Methodism in 50 years in America is a story we'll talk about later, but a very remarkable story.

And although the Methodist Church in America was very small in the 18th century, it grew rapidly in the 19th century. And by the middle of the 19th century, the Methodist Church had become the largest church in America. And so the success of Methodism in 50 years in America is a story we'll talk about later, but a very remarkable story.

So Wesley brought all of his own abilities as a preacher, but even more as an organizer to the formulation of an Arminian Methodism. Whitefield would call himself a Calvinistic Methodist. And by that he meant, I believe in method, I believe in discipline, but I don't believe in Arminianism. But Whitefield was the greater preacher and the not-so-good organizer.

So Wesley brought all of his own abilities as a preacher, but even more as an organizer to the formulation of an Arminian Methodism. Whitefield would call himself a Calvinistic Methodist. And by that he meant, I believe in method, I believe in discipline, but I don't believe in Arminianism. But Whitefield was the greater preacher and the not-so-good organizer.

And so Whitefield did not leave as big an organization behind him as Wesley did. But in the Great Awakening in America, Whitefield remained really a very central figure as a preacher. But he was not the only figure. There were others as well. Jonathan Edwards preached significantly during the awakening. His preaching was greatly blessed.

And so Whitefield did not leave as big an organization behind him as Wesley did. But in the Great Awakening in America, Whitefield remained really a very central figure as a preacher. But he was not the only figure. There were others as well. Jonathan Edwards preached significantly during the awakening. His preaching was greatly blessed.

And, of course, an indelible impression was left on history by his preaching of his famous sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, which created a great response. What's usually not remembered is the great response came the second time he preached that sermon. The first time he preached that sermon in his own congregation and nothing much happened.

And, of course, an indelible impression was left on history by his preaching of his famous sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, which created a great response. What's usually not remembered is the great response came the second time he preached that sermon. The first time he preached that sermon in his own congregation and nothing much happened.

Preachers are aware of that kind of phenomenon. It was the second time in a friend's congregation that he preached that sermon where there was the huge response. And that points to a very important part of the Great Awakening. The Great Awakening, by and large, was driven by preaching but by the preaching of ministers to congregations other than their own.

Preachers are aware of that kind of phenomenon. It was the second time in a friend's congregation that he preached that sermon where there was the huge response. And that points to a very important part of the Great Awakening. The Great Awakening, by and large, was driven by preaching but by the preaching of ministers to congregations other than their own.

the great fire of the great awakening seemed to fall where ministers were visiting other congregations or preaching in other places and this is important from a historian's point of view because it again points how the awakening was beginning to disrupt the old order beginning to undermine the settled pattern of parishes and um...

the great fire of the great awakening seemed to fall where ministers were visiting other congregations or preaching in other places and this is important from a historian's point of view because it again points how the awakening was beginning to disrupt the old order beginning to undermine the settled pattern of parishes and um...

That comes to expression most powerfully in a very important sermon that was preached during the Great Awakening by one of the famous preachers of the era, actually a man by the name of George Tennant. He was actually a Presbyterian. Tennant was one of those who was very successful in his preaching. His father had been a preacher. He had brothers who were preachers.

That comes to expression most powerfully in a very important sermon that was preached during the Great Awakening by one of the famous preachers of the era, actually a man by the name of George Tennant. He was actually a Presbyterian. Tennant was one of those who was very successful in his preaching. His father had been a preacher. He had brothers who were preachers.

And Tennant was one of those also traveling around preaching in different places. And he preached a very famous sermon called The Danger of an Unconverted Ministry. And in that sermon, he talks about unconverted ministers and what a bane they are on the church. He says they are like caterpillars, crawling around, seeing to eat up everything green.