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The History of Revival: It’s Time to Pray

The History of Revival: It's Time to Pray

The dictionary defines revival as “restoration to life, consciousness, vigor, strength.” It is also “the act of coming into awareness of something.” The following video gives a brief summary of some of the great revivals we’ve experienced in the U.S.

The First Great Awakening – 1730s

In the 1730s, Jonathan Edwards started preaching in Northampton, MA. He was followed by George Whitfield. Whitfield spoke to thousands about spiritual rebirth, while Edwards spoke about sinners in the hands of a fearful God. The fear of God swept through the American colonies at a tremendous rate.

The Great Prayer Revival – 1850s

In the 1850s, America was in spiritual, political, and economic decline. It was a time of desperation for a lot of people. On September 23, 1857 in New York City, a layman named Jeremy Lanphier rented out a hall on Fulton St. and invited people to come pray on their lunch breaks. 6 people showed up that first day. The next week it was 40. Within 6 months, 10,000 people were praying. Over the next couple years, 1 million Americans (out of a total population of 30 million) put their faith in Jesus Christ.

The Jesus Movement – 1970s

In the 1970s, people were coming to the faith at such a stunning rate that Time Magazine featured a picture of a revival meeting called Explo’ 72 on their cover. The Southern Baptists saw more baptisms in a single year during this revival than any other time. In one year, 400,000 people were baptized.

What the makers of the following video want to take away is that the first step in any revival is always prayer.

Specifically, we should pray for:

Repentance
Reconciliation
Personal renewal
Spiritual awakening in our time and in our generation

If we want to see revival in the U.S. again, we need to start praying. Now.