Revival in America?! What Can We Learn from George Whitefield? with Tom Schwanda

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By C.S. Lewis Institute on February 20, 2026

What Can We Learn from George Whitefield?

Dr. Tom Schwanda, coauthor of Whitefield on the Christian Life, mines the Great Awakening for lessons that speak directly to our day. Drawing on Whitefield’s life and preaching, Dr. Schwanda explores how:

  • Passionate, gospel-centered preaching connected with people hungry for
    hope and truth;
  • A renewed emphasis on the joy of knowing and loving God and the necessity of being “born again” ignited spiritual renewal.

Come away encouraged and equipped with practical, historically grounded insights to help your church engage its neighborhood with clarity, compassion, and courage.

Date: Friday, February 20, 2026
Time: 8:00 pm - 9:15 pm ET
Cost: Free
Location: Zoom Webinar (Virtual)

Whitefield on the Christian Life: New Birth to Enjoy God

After experiencing a profound encounter with Jesus during his time at Oxford, Whitefield dedicated his life to teaching the Scriptures to others and calling people to experience the joy of knowing and loving God.

Learn more here

Additional Resources

Over the past 50 years, the C.S. Lewis Institute has developed many publications, discipleship resources, videos, and tools to help you grow in your faith. Because of your interest in this event we have pulled together the following resources that we believe will be of interest to you.

The Emergence of Evangelical Discipleship

Aimee Riegert, Tom Schwanda

In every age the followers of Jesus have been called disciples. Sometimes we in the contemporary church act as if we were the first serious believers of Jesus. In reality, we can learn a great deal from earlier Christians in how they sought to walk with Jesus.

Learn more here

Revival Born In A Prayer Meeting

Knowing & Doing Article

The Revival of 1857-58 was the last great national revival. But it by no means closes the story of revival in America. Revivals blazed before and after this awakening.

Learn more here

Spiritual Awakening - Past Lessons Future Hope

CSLI Resources

All across the USA and all around the world, many believers are praying and seeking for “revival” or “spiritual awakening.”  This seminar will address such questions as “What is “revival”?  How and why does it come?  Is revival always a good thing for the church and/or for society?  And what about so-called “counterfeit revivals”?

Learn more here

Tom Schwanda

Professor, Senior Fellow for Christian Spirituality, CSLI

Tom Schwanda is the Senior Fellow for Christian Spirituality at the C.S. Lewis Institute, Fellow in the Royal Historical Society of England, associate professor emeritus of Christian Formation and Ministry at Wheaton College, and visiting scholar at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. He holds degrees from Durham University (PhD, 2009), Fuller Theological Seminary (DMin, 1992), New Brunswick Theological Seminary and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (MDiv, 1975), and Moravian College (BA, 1972).He is also the author of numerous articles and book chapters and four books, including The Emergence of Evangelical Spirituality: The Age of Edwards, Newton, and Whitefield and most recently George Whitefield, New Birth to Enjoy God, in the Crossway Theologians on the Christian Life series. He is an experienced pastor and has taught widely on Christian spirituality.

 
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