Podcast Episode 33
George Whitefield
with Dr. Thomas Kidd & host Nick Walters
This episode features host Nick Walters, founder of the Center for Christian History at Mississippi College, alongside a Deep Dive conversation with Dr. Thomas Kidd, Research Professor of Church History at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Kidd is a leading historian of the Great Awakening and one of the foremost scholars of early evangelicalism, with landmark works on George Whitefield that have shaped modern understanding of 18th-century revivalism. His research has helped illuminate how Whitefield’s ministry influenced transatlantic Christianity, early American religious culture, and the spread of evangelical preaching across the British Empire.
The episode also includes two historical highlights connected to the same week in Christian history. These sections help anchor each episode in a wider global story, providing listeners with additional touchpoints from across the centuries.
Highlight One: October 2, 1729 – On this day, twelve Baptist ministers met to form the Baptist Missionary Society for the Propagation of the Gospel Among the Heathen. This small gathering ultimately initiated a turning point in Protestant missions. The Society’s first missionary was William Carey, whose long-term work in India influenced Bible translation, education, and the growth of global Christianity. Carey’s legacy is still felt in countless missionary organizations today, and his name continues through institutions such as the university in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, which bears his name and honors his commitment to Christian education and global evangelism. Pictured is the seal of William Carey University.
Highlight Two: September 29, 1413 – The Lollards, followers of the English reformer John Wycliffe, played a critical role in promoting the supremacy of Scripture over ecclesiastical authority long before the Protestant Reformation began. One of the most famous Lollards was Sir John Oldcastle, who became a symbol of early English dissent. Charged with heresy on September 29, 1413, by Archbishop Thomas Arundel, Oldcastle went into hiding but was eventually captured and executed. His refusal to deny his beliefs made him a significant forerunner of later reform movements. His story is a reminder of the long struggle for biblical authority and religious freedom that shaped later reformers like Luther, Tyndale, and Cranmer.
This episode offers an expanded look at George Whitefield’s life and impact, along with these additional historical profiles that broaden the listener’s understanding of Christianity’s development across continents and centuries. The combination of the host interview with Dr. Kidd and these curated historical moments helps situate Whitefield within a larger global narrative of revival, reform, and missionary expansion.
Free image for this episode: Portrait of George Whitefield, NPG D4779, National Portrait Gallery, London, public domain / Open Government License.
