Born in 1750 in Burke County, VA, George Liele’s life is the remarkable journey from being a slave of men to the true freedom of being a slave of righteousness. Set free by his earthly master Henry Sharp to go preach the gospel to slaves on plantations in Georgia and South Carolina, hardship during the Revolutionary War forced him to leave America.
Rev. E. K. Love writes,
“He was led by the loving hand of a smiling Providence, though he knew it not…Historians, blinded by prejudice, have tried to rob the brother in black of the honor conferred upon Leile…But the planting of the first Baptist church in the West Indies, so far as human agency is concerned, was inaugurated by George Leile, the black apostle of Georgia, who planted the standard of Christianity in the far-off West Indies, and despite opposition, oppression and persecution, he saw the church strengthened, prosperous and flourishing.”
Take a listen to the story of a humble church planter.
Here are some further resources:
- Akin, Daniel, “The Cross and Faithful Ministry As Seen in the Pastoral and Missionary Ministry of George Liele: First Baptist Missionary to the Nations”, Ten Who Changed the World, B&H, 2012.
- Hildreth, Lesley, “Missionaries You Should Know: George Liele”, accessed 23 March 2019.
- Holmes, Jr., Edward, “George Liele: Negro Slavery’s Prophet of Deliverance”, from Baptist History & Heritage, Vol. 1-4, 1965.
- Love, E.K., “Chapter VIII: Rev. George Leile–His Work in Savannah and Departure to Jamaica”, History of the First African Baptist Church, The Morning News Print, 1888.