A Great Awakening, Again?

By Michael Griego on April 17, 2026 • ( 0 )

A fascinating movie introduces many to a man they’ve never heard of and reveals the faith development of a man they thought they knew. Either way, it is true that “God does govern in the affairs of men.” ◊

It’s the best movie I’ve seen in years. Beyond the quality of all elements of film making, the compelling and intriguing storytelling, based on real personas and events in our own American heritage, A Great Awakening is a movie that all people should see.

People young and old should know the reality of life and faith struggles in our own history. People in the developing colonies of America before the Revolutionary War (1775-1783) were preconditioned for the movement of social and political liberty in the context of re-awakened personal Christian faith stirred and challenged by bold Christian men over previous decades.

While Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) was ministering in the northeast in Massachusetts and ultimately at Princeton, New Jersey, John Whitefield (1714-1770) arose out of Oxford University (and actually in a Bible study group with John and Charles Wesley!) as a new “born again Christian” and became an itinerate preacher in England after getting kicked out of the Church of England for his bold Christ-preaching evangelism.

The movie “A Great Awakening” focuses on the impact of John Whitefield (pronounced Whit-field) as a charismatic orator who preached the Christian Gospel of the Holy Spirit’s power and personal freedom in Christ throughout the British Empire from the late-1730’s until his death in 1770. He rode on horseback and preached outdoors in many cases in small towns of England and up and down the east coast colonies that would eventually become the United States of America.

Whitefield crossed the Atlantic Ocean 13 times and preached at least 18,000 times to over 10 million listeners. ¹

God’s Hand on Benjamin Franklin?
The other major character in the movie is the great American statesman (and writer, inventor, scientist, printer, and publisher), Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790). Most of us learn about him in elementary school and his famous kite experiment (1752) to demonstrate the electrical nature of lightening. We also may have read in high school his popular and pithy book, Poor Richard’s Almanac (1732).

In this movie, we track Franklin’s initial meeting with Whitefield and the development of a close friendship over 30 years from the early 1740’s to the death of Whitefield in 1770. Interestingly enough, Franklin’s printing of Whitefield multiple sermons developed Franklin’s printing and publishing success as well as spread the Word of God in stirring messages throughout the American colonies.

As God is in the rise and fall of nations, I believe this is how God moved through two disparate men to help awaken and unite a young and loose confederacy of colonies that ultimately declared independence from a growing oppressive British rule.

The movie begins with heated discussions at the Continental Convention held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from May to September 1787. The task for 55 attending delegates, presided over by George Washington, was crafting a new framework for governing the newly formed American nation. The ultimate result was the creation of the United States Constitution.

With clever flashbacks, we observe the evolution of the Franklin from his practical Deist ² faith to a realization, influenced by the sermons and teachings of Whitefield, to a belief that God indeed intervenes and governs in the details and affairs of human life.

I’ve lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing Proofs I see of this Truth — That God governs in the Affairs of Men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his Notice, is it probable that an Empire can rise without his Aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that except the Lord build the House they labor in vain who build it. I firmly believe this, — and I also believe that without his concurring Aid, we shall succeed in this political Building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our Projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a Reproach and Bye word down to future Ages. – Benjamin Franklin ³

Franklin also moved the assembly to reinstitute prayer, with which Congress still opens each session today:

In the beginning of the contest with Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this room for Divine protection,” he stated. “Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered….

Do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?

…I therefore beg leave to move that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning… ⁴

Does This Matter Now?
Of course it does. If one reviews the course of history honestly, the revelation of God is throughout. Revivals have started since Pentecost in Chapter 2 of the BOOK of ACTS.

Over time, God doesn’t change, man does. And spiritual revivals have marked human history through the vessels of God with the Reformation in the early-16th century, the First Great Awakening in the mid-18th century (of which this movie touches only upon a small storyline), the Second Great Awakening of the late-18th century and early-19th century.

Over the past, hundred years there has actually been a Third (1830 onwards), a Fourth (1857 onward), a Fifth (1880 onwards), and a Sixth Great Awakening (1904 onwards).⁵

What is clear is that God does move in the hearts of man and intervenes in the details of human affairs. We can choose to believe that or not. It does not change reality. Truth and the Word of God and the Spirit of God prevails whether people understand or choose to believe it.

What matters is our response to the revelation made so clear if one dares to look and confront it. George Whitefield kept it simple: You must be born again. (John 3:7)

Do you really believe that God intervenes in the affairs of men, even yours?
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“Study to know Him more and more, for the more you know, the more you will love Him.” – George Whitefield

¹ George Whitefield, Wikipedia, George Whitefield – Wikipedia

² Deism: belief in the existence of a supreme being, specifically of a creator who does not intervene in the universe.

³ Benjamin Franklin, in a speech to the Constitutional Convention (28 June 1787).

⁴ Ibid.

⁵ Overview of Revivals, in The Revival Library.