Tag: Revival

A Fourth Great Awakening?

America has had three “Great Awakenings” in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries respectively. God seems to spur His people to wide-spread repentance and spiritual fervor about every hundred years. Although unlike what sparked the first three, responses to the Charlie Kirk assassination over the last several days have rekindled the hopes of Christians that a fourth Great Awakening has begun.

The first Great Awakening covered a period from the 1730s to the 1770s. It was largely led by the passionate preaching of colonial preachers like George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards. Their strong evangelical messages centered on individual relationships with Jesus Christ. They challenged many of the traditional church practices and governance structures. New denominations like Baptists and Methodists grew out of this movement. Thousands turned to faith in Christ and strong commitment to His teachings. The movement is seen by historians as greatly influencing the American Revolution.

The next Great Awakening ignited from the Protestant revivals that peaked during the early 1800s. At the turn of the 19th century, evangelical revivals were spreading like wild fires, mainly among the growing Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches. Out of this spiritual renewal in America sprang new institutions such as presently well-known colleges, seminaries, and mission organizations. Changes of hearts in many Americans contributed to the questioning of the morality of slavery and other national issues. Scholars are still discovering new levels of impact this Awakening had on the Civil War.

Usually considered the last Great Awakening, the third nationwide revival occured during the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Again, it was experienced mostly among the more conservative Protestant denominations. It focused on strict biblical doctrines, living a more holy life, and social activism with emphasis on personal evangelism. An outgrowth of this movement was greater interest in worldwide missions, the Holy Spirit, and Pentecostal spiritual healing and worship. This era saw the enactment of prohibition and the national commitment to World War 1.

For most of my adult life, I have joined other Christians in lamenting that America has not experienced another Great Awakening in our generation. I often hear that God appears to have given up on us in the 21st century. Have Americans not shown enough serious interest in nationwide revival, or in revival, period? Have we drifted so far from God as a nation that He considers us unworthy of His intervention and subject moreso to His wrath? It is not much of a stretch to conclude that we have not just drifted, but rather have fled, from Him over the last several decades. Prior to this year, I had concluded that, instead of looking for the next Great Awakening, we should be preparing for God’s imminent judgment and Christ’s Second Coming.

However (and I’m so thankful for this “however”), observations over the past few months have renewed my hope that America may be healing spiritually. Without getting too political, I’ll just say that I believe our government is beginning to make more morally sound decisions. Many influential Americans are seemingly more comfortable sharing their faith openly. Then there was the tragic assassination of perhaps the most powerful spokesman for Christ in our day, Charlie Kirk.

Most of us didn’t realize the magnitude of influence for Christ and family values this man had on our society, especially the younger generations. That was obvious at his awesome memorial service attended by over 100,000 followers listening to some of the most powerful and prominent people in the world testify to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Cell phone activity monitors showed at least another 100,000 in the immediate vicinity of the stadium. And that is trivial compared to the tens of millions who watched it on television and the internet. It was the biggest revival service in history!

Even more impressive are the 60,000+ requests within hours to form Turning Point USA chapters throughout the country. Charlie Kirk’s assassination and immediate reactions have caused a tsunami of spiritual awareness and interest in the gospel. This could certainly be the catalyst for another Great Awakening across America. Statistical data were showing a turning of our population toward Christ, particularly Gen Z young adults, before Kirk’s untimely death. Now, it appears that trend is on the verge of exploding. We may be seeing an answer to the appeals of millions of prayer warriors during recent years.

Whether this movement erupts into a fourth Great Awakening throughout our land will be known soon. It depends on our letting God work through us. He has surely given us a flame to fan into a raging fire for His Kingdom. This may be a final test for America. Let us pray without ceasing for a massive shift of the population from the pursuit of what the world offers to the ways of Almighty God. Pray and become an activist for Him.

2

“Coincidences” May Be Signaling Nationwide Revival

A host of recent events and trends points to a powerful spiritual transformation ready to sweep across our land. Viewed separately, these intimations might be considered coincidences, but collectively they appear to be orchestrated by God and a prologue to something epic in the near future.

All eyes are on the spontaneous revival at Asbury University. An almost identical phenomenon happened in 1970 on the same campus during a time of historic unrest and ungodliness in America. That event was a major catalyst to the “Jesus Movement” that spread from California across the country and lasted for over a decade. Is it a coincidence that God chose this same venue to do it again at such a low point in our culture?

Eight months ago, Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court. For 50 years, America had allowed over 50 million babies to be aborted under an essentially unrestricted highest federal court ruling. Is it a coincidence that this landmark reversal was a precursor–perhaps a prerequisite–to God’s calling our nation to repentance?

Just a few weeks ago, Damar Hamlin’s tragic injury on the football field brought all the players to their knees in public prayer for his life. Later, ESPN sports analyst, Dan Orlovsky, prayed for Damar on his national TV show. Is it a coincidence that sports teams that have disparaged public prayer for years are now praying openly and giving God glory in interviews?

Hollywood movies have declined sharply in recent months. Fewer film fans have been buying the filth and violence that passes for entertainment. Last year marked the worst year for Hollywood movies at the domestic box office since 1998. Meanwhile, wholesome, family movies, particularly faith-based, are all the buzz. Is it a coincidence that a plethora of well-produced Christian movies are now out-earning most of the big celebrity name releases?

The Chosen has become an icon in the television and box office industry. This series of Jesus’s life has received a 100% critic score and 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. It is now released in 180 countries. Is it a coincidence that one of the most popular shows to ever hit the TV and big screen is a relatively new and unique showcasing of Jesus?

While on the topic of the cinema, a highly anticipated blockbuster movie, Jesus Revolution, will launch in theaters everywhere on February 24. The storyline is the ’70s Jesus Movement. It is predicted to be one of 2023’s top movies. It has been in production for over a year. Is it a coincidence that for months this movie has been scheduled to release just days after unplanned revival broke out at Asbury?

COVID was the worst pandemic in American history. Such epochal diseases are referred to in the Bible as pestilence and were usually elements of God’s wrath on sinful, unrepentant populations. They served to both punish and get people’s attention. They often preceded a humble turning to God for forgiveness. Is it a coincidence that the devastating COVID epidemic in America came just before what may be a national movement back to the Creator?

How many more “coincidences” can you think of? I believe that, if America doesn’t recognize these as not “coincidences” at all but as orchestrated acts of God, we will not survive. Our One True God has perhaps given His chosen people of the 21st century one final opportunity to repent and return to Him. If we fail, we may very well write off this great experiment of our pursuit of happiness with liberty and justice for all.

I welcome your comments.

1

Is Christian Revival Coming to America Again?

Perpetual worship at Asbury University

On Wednesday, February 8, what started as a typical, regularly scheduled devotional service on the campus of Asbury University ignited into spontaneous worship, confession, repentance and testimonies. The outpouring of God’s Spirit was without expectation or preparation. Could this be the catalyst for nationwide, even worldwide, revival that faithful Christians have been praying for in recent years?

The word is out! Hundreds of curious people a day are visiting the university’s chapel to experience what is happening. Long lines of vehicles are backed up on the highway leading onto the campus. My pastor has joined numerous other pastors from all over the country spending a day or two there personally observing God at work. All are returning to their home churches with the life-changing story of this phenomenon.

Asbury University is a small Christian non-denominational university (1600 students) in Wilmore, Kentucky. One might think that, if God is beginning something new and epic, He would begin it in Washington, D.C., or at the U.N. If He wanted it to sprout from the Christian academic realm, why not at institutions like Liberty or Baylor Universities? I assume He is just being the God of the Bible who almost always chose the smaller, simpler, and weaker things to accomplish the miraculous.

And, this isn’t the first time for God to use Asbury for launching a major movement for His glory. On February 3, 1970, similar revival fires birthed on their campus began to sweep across America during a time of unrest, dissention, and rioting throughout the land. Prayer movements had been going on since the previous October and culminated in a seemingly routine chapel service similar to the current one. It exploded into a Spirit-filled, non-stop revival. Over the next few months, students sent over 2000 witnessing teams across the country to other schools, churches, and communities sharing the gospel of Christ. Many credited this happening as starting, or at least boosting, the “Jesus Movement” of the 1970s which spread like wildfire throughout North America, Europe, and Central America.

The Bible says God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He blessed His chosen people, Israel, beyond measure. When they turned from Him, they incurred His jealous wrath. When they repented, His Spirit moved powerfully in their midst bringing immeasurable blessings again. This spiritual cycle has been repeated in America’s history with the same results. Our country has been blessed more abundantly than any country in history. Yet we have turned from Him as evidenced clearly by today’s modern sinful culture. I believe the COVID pandemic was probably an element of God’s wrath on America and the rest of the world for our unfaithfulness. Could the Spirit’s work at Asbury be the seed of repentance and renewed dependence on God that will draw the hearts of America and beyond back to Him as Savior and Lord?

I honestly didn’t expect to see this in my lifetime, but I am repenting for my lack of faith and praying earnestly and often for God to cover our nation and world with the overflow of His work at Asbury. I urge you to do the same. God’s Word says His Spirit will not always strive with man. This may very well be our last chance.

4

Powered by WordPress.com.

Up ↑