Eighteenth Century Evangelicals as Spiritual Mentors: Love is unfurled

By Michael A.G. Haykin

Alongside the fourth and sixteenth centuries, the eighteenth century stands as one of the most significant eras in Christian history. The great evangelical awakening of the 1730s led to thousands of conversions across the Atlantic and revitalized the church throughout the English-speaking world.

In this study, historian Michael Haykin explores key aspects of this revival—Spirit-empowered preaching, the new birth and justification, the Lord’s Supper, hymnody, and spiritual direction—through the lives of its leading figures, including George Whitefield, Charles Wesley, William Williams, William Grimshaw, Anne Dutton, and John Newton. He also examines the spirituality of two influential Dissenters, Andrew Fuller and William Carey. The final chapter addresses the gifts of the Spirit. Through the lives of these individuals and the challenges they faced, we gain valuable insights into a vibrant, Spirit-filled Christianity that speaks to our own time.