Can a “Jesus Revolution” Transform Nations?
Why most "revivals" come short (although we need more Asbury-like movements!)
I recently watched the Jesus Revolution movie and appreciated the story being told of this great move of God that greatly impacted America. With the concurrent events happening at Asbury right now, I am encouraged with the potential for God’s grace being seen again.
I was saved during the Jesus Revolution. In late July 1973, I was on my job in a city park and God touched my heart when I was not seeking Him nor even knew I needed Him. While picking up trash in an open-air chapel in the park, I was overwhelmed by His presence and fell on my knees, tears pouring down my face, as I simply said over and over the words “Oh God!” I did not know why this happened. I quickly got up and went on my way the rest of the day, completely puzzled by it. I was not unhappy or in desperate need of anything. I was an “All-American” redneck 17 year old who had had no interest in church; only my 57 Chevy, my dog, girls, rock music and sports.
A few weeks later a co-worker invited me to a non-denominational meeting in a community center where I saw hippies and older people sincerely in love with God. I then realized that Jesus was real, and I most certainly did not know Him like they did, so I asked Him into my heart during the worship and, without any outward emotion, my life was forever changed. A few months later on my birthday, I was filled with the Holy Spirit in an amazing supernatural experience.
Slowly I began to hear of similar experiences by thousands of young people just like me, all over the United States. A revival at Asbury college not far from me took place just a few years before, as part of this awakening. The recent movie Jesus Revolution (and another movie a few years ago called Woodlawn) give a good sense of what was happening in USA at that time. But it was also worldwide. Nancy, now my wife of 41 years, was living in the Congo in Africa experiencing the same things at that time. It was a global move of God.
I went to Western Kentucky University and helped start a campus revival there, helping thousands to hear the gospel and hundreds get saved, and a church birthed. When I graduated in 1977, I went immediately into fulltime ministry, and have been ever since. I have experienced amazing times of revival in my own churches but also have witnessed others such as the Pensacola revival of the 1990s. I’ve planted churches, served as bishop over other churches, and preached in over 60 countries around the world.
That is the impact of a sovereign touch of God in my life that I did not ask for. He sovereignly moved upon my life. Thank you, Jesus! I am thankful for revivals and truly value them. However, please hear me on this, I think many modern Christians have an inordinate view of revivals. I have a deep commitment to study church history and have written several books on it. One of the most surprising discoveries from my research is that no revival (as people most commonly define them today) has ever brought major change to any nation in history. NEVER.
Your definition of revival might be different so please be patient as I explain in the additional material in the subscriber section below. And let us rejoice whenever God is changing lives of individuals and churches as we hear about today, and pray for more. [But for more insight in what it takes to transform a nation you can subscribe to see the rest of this blog, or see my books.]
New zeal and spiritual passion among believers is great. God’s presence in church services, with signs and wonders, is to be welcomed. An increase of numbers of believers and attendance in church is wonderful. More prayer, evangelism, church growth and missions is important. All of these things together is often what people think a revival is. But here is a reality. Many, many times in church history in different nations around the world, these things have happened and there has been no significant impact in society. No major transformation of culture. That is fact. Many “revivals” have happened, and we should be thankful for them. But if modern believers think those things will change America or transform their country, they are hoping for what never was.
Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying. I highly value these revivals for individuals who are transformed (and sometimes in very large numbers), but I think many Christians pray for these revivals to come and chase after them when there might be one happening somewhere – vainly hoping that it will transform their nation.
Having said that, there is clear evidence of major national transformation many times in church history. In my lifetime of studies (including my Ph.D. in Christian thought), I found that when major national transformation occurred there was of course all those things that people commonly associate with revivals, yet there was ALWAYS one more thing that happened.
In many ways the Jesus Revolution of the late 1960s and early 70s did greatly change America because of those additional things. Will the current Asbury revival or similar meetings do the same? It takes time to see for sure. In my series of five books called Christ’s Strategy to Disciple Nations I show that one extra thing that was always essential to move from merely church awakening to national transformation. Subscribe below to learn more about it.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to TransformNation Substack to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.