Is Revival on the Horizon?

I grew up during the late 60’s and early to late 70’s, a period that has come to be known as the “Jesus Revolution.” It was during these years that thousands of young people, particularly the “hippie” generation, began looking for answers that drugs, free love, and eastern mysticism among other things had not provided. The time was ripe for the gospel message to fill the vacuum that these things had created. As a result, a move of God, some church historians say, swept across America that was larger than any of the previous spiritual awakenings our nation had ever experienced. Including the awakenings under the preaching of George Whitfield and Jonathan Edwards.

I remember how the “Jesus Revolution” impacted my high school campus, I remember the “I found it” campaign and though I had already been called to ministry as a teenager, it impacted my life and subsequently my ministry. The Christian “hippies” became the Christian “baby boomers” and were used to build some of the greatest churches in our nation. We still are living under the blessing of their commitment and service to Christ. But interestingly a recent study by the Barna Group on the “State of the Church” revealed a declining interest in Church among the Baby Boomers and Generation X who have not returned to the church in the same numbers as before the COVID pandemic. While that is disappointing, the report also revealed some very good news.

The report’s headline read: “Young Adults Lead a Resurgence in Church Attendance.” While church attendance remains relatively flat for “Boomer” and “Xer’s”, Generation Z and younger millennials are attending church more frequently than ever before! The report stated that younger believers are also attending church much more often than Christians in older generations. What is stunning about this report to researchers and church historians is the fact that in previous reports it was suggested that younger generations of adults and students were significantly more irreligious when compared to older generations. But the current research completely discredits these previous studies. Further, and of particular interest, is the reported surge of younger men who are attending conservative evangelical churches in numbers even higher than women.

Why is all this important? Because in the history of national revivals and moves of God, almost all of them began with the younger generation. As historian Nathan Finn writes, “The Methodist Revival in Great Britain traced its roots to the Holy Club at Oxford University, which was founded in 1729 and included the Wesley brothers and George Whitefield. In the American colonies, Jonathan Edwards reported that one of the signs of spiritual awakening was that young people were being drawn to the faith. Yale University experienced the first tremors of the Second Great Awakening under the leadership of Edwards’ grandson, Timothy Dwight. The Student Volunteer Movement at the turn of the twentieth century was a missionary awakening that began among college students. Postwar evangelical ministries such as Youth for Christ and Young Life reached thousands of teenagers during the years when the percentage of Americans attending church reached an all-time high. Other ministries such as Campus Crusade for Christ, the Navigators, and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship enjoyed a harvest among collegians.” And over the past several years, amazing moves of God are continuing to occur on college and university campuses all over America with record numbers of young people being saved, baptized, and called into the ministry.

Is Revival on the Horizon? I think so, and I think the embers are already glowing. God knows we need it, so let us be surrendered saints that fuel the flames for the greatest revival in history before the return of our Lord. And remember, God is always trying to take us someplace new. I love being your Pastor!

For God’s Glory Alone,
Pastor Ray
 
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