The Holy Club
John Wesley and George Whitefield were the two greatest preachers of the 18th century Great Awakening. They were also best friends who fundamentally disagreed about predestination.
They met at Oxford, where both were members of the "Holy Club" - a group mocked as "Methodists" for their methodical devotion. They sailed to America together, failed as missionaries together, and both had powerful conversion experiences.
Whitefield's open-air preaching drew crowds of 30,000. Wesley organized the converts into small groups called "classes" that became the Methodist movement. Together, they were transforming England.
The Split
Then came the split. Wesley believed people could choose God; Whitefield believed in predestination. The debate turned public. Followers chose sides. Many thought the friendship was over.
But when critics asked Whitefield if he thought he'd see Wesley in heaven, he replied: "No, sir, I fear not. Wesley will be so near the throne, and I will be so far away, I shall hardly get a sight of him."
Wesley Will Preach My Funeral
When Whitefield died in 1770, he had requested that Wesley preach his funeral sermon. Wesley, in tears, praised his friend as one who had loved him despite their differences.
They proved that theological disagreement need not destroy godly friendship. Their combined impact - Methodism and the evangelical movement - shaped Christianity for centuries.
