An Unbelievable Opposition

John Cennick was punched in the nose, beaten until his shoulders were black and blue, dunked in a dirty pond, sprayed with ditch water and blackened with musket smoke when he preached. Hecklers tried to drown his voice by beating drums and pans. Or they set dogs barking by swinging a cat in a cage. They hurled dead dogs at him. In spite of this terrible opposition, he preached outdoor sermons in Wiltshire for five years. He wanted to win souls.

Does that sound like fiction story or something not believable? Yet it is true history of a man of God who lived in England during the 1700's. The Apostle John many years before stated that we should not be surprised if the world hate us (1 John 3:13). This was a true reality for Cennick every day as he preached the Good News of Christ and shed the light of the Gospel with those who were in darkness. We think of England as a wonderful Christian country but in those days there was such vehement opposition to the truths of God's word.

In the life of the Church we run across men of such stature that they seem to tower over the masses of professed believers. John Cennick was used of God in such proportions that can only be labeled as “apostolic!’ He was a God filled man with a God filled message. And such a filling of God's Spirit is 100% open to all of us that desire to be used of Him (Acts 1:8).

He preached “Christ Crucified” and did not stop, even when demanded, in sharing the Scriptures with crowds that opposed Him. He labored amongst the Methodists, Calvinists, and finally amongst the Moravians. He was not a “denominational man” but rather was a “God appointed man” who did not shrink back from declaring the whole counsel of God. Do we not need such men who will fear God more then men (Luke 12:5). Who will suffer for the preaching of the everlasting Gospel (1 Peter 4:1) And who will belong to God above all human ties? (Romans 7:4)


Desiring To Be Bold As A Lion!

“At nine years of age, he heard his dying aunt exclaim, ‘Last night the Lord stood by me and invited me to drink of the fountain of life freely and I shall stand before the Lord as bold as a lion.’ For years John was unable to get those words out of his head. What a privilege to be able to stand before the Lord as bold as a lion! How he wished he could be sure of the same future. He prayed, fasted, hoped for it, but found himself unable to do good. He lied and cheated and frittered his hours in spite of his best resolutions to do otherwise. One day, his heart became unbearably heavy. He entered a church to pray. As he knelt there, he seemed to hear Jesus say, ‘I am your salvation.’ The weight rolled off him. His desires changed. No longer did he want to fritter his time on cards. One day when he refused to play for the sake of his conscience, he was told that there was another ‘stupid religious fellow’ like himself. The man turned out to be a Methodist who introduced John Cennick to John Wesley. Soon John Cennick was standing under a tree in Kingswood, preaching for the Methodists.

John Cennick would become one of the most outstanding preachers of the eighteenth century revival. Known as the ‘Apostle of Wiltshire’, because of his early evangelistic work in that county, his most important legacy was his preaching in Ireland. Born of Quaker parents, raised in the Anglican Church, he joined the Methodist movement. But after several years with the Wesleyan Methodists, he broke with John Wesley and joined George Whitefield's Calvinist Methodists. Later he left the Calvinist Methodists for the Moravian Brethren. When clergymen complained that their churches were empty because everyone had gone to hear John, Bishop Rider replied, ‘Preach Christ crucified and then the people will not have to go to Cennick to hear the Gospel.’” And there is need in our day of such men who will be simply led where God wants them and not have allegiances to build denominations only. For the true work of the Gospel is to build God's Kingdom and see it come to earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).


Great Crowds and Great Suffering

“Cennick preached twice daily to crowds so great that those who wished to hear must be present two or three hours before the time. All the windows were taken down so that people might hear in the burying-ground, yard and environs, yet multitudes were disappointed. On Sundays all the tops of the houses near the meeting house, all walls and windows were covered with people, and Cennick had to go in at the window, creeping over the heads of the people to reach his pulpit. Often seven or eight priests were together to hear him, and many of the Church clergy, many teachers of religion and many collegians.” What an amazing scene almost beyond imagination. May God raise up such an interest and desire for the word of God in our day that we would clammer to hear it even with a cost involved.

In another account we hear of his hard labors for Christ: “He ranged out over seven counties in Ireland, holding meetings in barns or fields or houses, preaching every day and often several times a day, and forming Moravian Societies. He was beaten by hoodlums, attacked by mobs, set upon by dogs, and was arrested and fined He and his wife lived in poverty, yet were often overflowing with the joy of the Lord. He condemned sin in every form and was utterly uncompromising in his Gospel declaration.” We hear again another account of his hard, laborious trials he endured: “Cennick often addressed thousands in the open air, with rain coming down in torrents. He preached in old barns, disused cloth mills, and in village cock-pits. He slept in the old ruined church at Portmore. He sat on the roadside, cold and lonely, munching his meagre lunch of bread and cheese. If money was plentiful, he used a horse; if not, he would walk twenty miles to preach.”

We have to realize that true Christians have suffered much for the spreading of the message we believe today. It was with a great cost that from 12 disciples that Jesus taught we have now over 1 billion possible believers in Jesus Christ. It only came by one way: Suffering! (Romans 8:17) Apostolic Christianity is Christianity that bears the Cross of Christ and follows in the sufferings of Christ (Acts 9:16). Cennick followed the path his Master trod and was very familiar with suffering for the name that he counted so precious (Acts 5:41). May God open our hearts to take small steps in suffering for this glorious expansion of the Gospel in our day and time.


Suffering For Christ The Way

We have many lessons to learn from this apostolic figure in Church History. His life teaches us that “suffering” is something not disdain but embrace. His life also teaches us to cater a “boldness” for sharing the truth of the Bible with a lost and needy world. Why are there no more modern day John Cennick’s you may ask? I would simply reply when we have a man that will suffer for the gospel as much as Cennick then we will truly have another John Cennick! These Scriptures must have been close to this man of God’s heart: “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” (1 Peter 4:14) and also, “However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name." (1 Peter 4:16) Let us follow the captain of our salvation dear saints that was made “perfect through suffering.” (Hebrews 2:10).

John Cennick’s life ended abruptly as he passed away after having a fever in England for five days. He died at the age of thirty six! By the time of his early death, he had established over 40 churches. Matthew Wilks said of Cennick: “His Christian qualities were not less distinguishable. If unaffected humility , deadness to the world, a life of communion with God, and a cheerful reliance on a crucified Saviour constitute the real Christian, he was one of in an eminent degree. Tis true, his language was not with the enticing words of man;s wisdom; yet his doctrine and address were powerful, and found access to the hearts of thousands.” George Whitefield remarked hearing of the death of Cennick: “John Cennick is now added to the happy number of those who are called to see God as He is!” And with the same faith may we all realize that we see God in a mirror dimly but let us pursue the relationship with our Heavenly Father and simply obey His voice to us. God might not call us to do such radical things as Cennick but if we just followed the will of God for each of our own lives as simple slaves of Christ will be pleasing to our Father in Heaven. (Ephesians 6:6).

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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon