A BRIEF SURVEY OF AMERICAN AWAKENINGS, REVIVALS, AND RENEWALS

Religious highs and lows --- spiritual recessions and revivals are an amazing phenomenon. The term “awakening” refers to -- · A stirring up from a state of sleep to awareness, · A turning from sin to salvation, · An abandonment of dry religious forms and rituals and a return to the living God · A redirection of focus from the secular to the supernatural. It starts as an intensely personal experience and then spreads to the public domain. Oh, men may pray, seek and expect it, but a real revival is the gracious work and miraculous act of Almighty God. Gordon Lindsay in his book, “The United States in Prophecy” (1971) pointed out that our wars, such as The French and Indian War, The Revolutionary War, The Civil War, World Wars I and II, etc. mostly occurred in 17 year cycles. Likewise, the Great American Revivals have occurred about every 26 years as if God provided at least one for each generation. So, God and the devil are both at work; Satan wants to kill people and God wants to save them. Christian historians cite the following: 1. 1735-1748 THE FIRST GREAT AWAKENING It started in Massachusetts among the Puritans with Jonathan Edwards and spread up and down the Eastern Seaboard among the struggling colonies with Evangelist George Whitefield. His flamboyant preaching drew big crowds of those who sought God. Also Samuel Davis in Virginia emphasized that “without a personal conversion experience you’re on your way to Hell.” There was strong conviction of sin, much weeping and repentance and they “prayed through” to salvation. He also condemned the “Party Spirit” saying that denominational divisions are of the devil. There was great enthusiasm and emotional outbreaks, loud shouting, and falling out in the Spirit. Critics opposed it as unchecked emotionalism and extreme zeal of mentally unbalanced people. 2. 1801 – 1830’s THE SECOND GREAT AWAKENING The Cane Ridge Camp meeting in Frontier, KY, was a co-operation between Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists. Crowds finally reached up to 25,000 people --- mostly the un-churched. Up to a dozen preachers on a platform 12’ x 16’ x six feet high took turns preaching, singing, exhorting, and praying at 3 services a day for many weeks. There were no musical instruments. People retired in little tents at night. There was highly charged and animated preaching. People sang, wept, howled and shouted so loud it sounded like a big water fall. There was “frenzied” worship, falling out in the Spirit, jerking, dancing, and running around. It was all highly criticized by contemporaries. 3. 1850 – 1860 THE HOLINESS MOVEMENT The leaders were John and Charles Wesley of Great Britain, starting in the early 1700’s. Their distinctive teachings: a. Salvation, and b. The “Second Blessing” of sanctification, or purification or perfection --- a crisis experience both preceded and followed by spiritual growth. These two points later developed into three points including “the Baptism into the Holy Ghost and Fire” among the Methodists, who later joined the Pentecostal ranks. The Holiness Movement developed into the “Church of God”, the “Pilgrim Holiness”, the Apostolic Churches, etc. The congregations punctuated the sermons with shouts of “Amen!”, “Glory!” and “Jesus!” But as size, wealth, and organizational structure developed through the years, their original fervor greatly declined. 4. 1858 – 1880’s THE THIRD GREAT AWAKENING A New York businessman, Jeremiah Lamphier, started a noon time prayer meeting in a fish market that spread across the nation. It grew to 6,000 and then to 50,000. Eventually about a million souls were converted in this time of refreshing from on high. 5. 1906 – 1909 and on THE PENTECOSTAL MOVEMENT The leader was William Seymour, a Negro, one-eyed, former waiter in a former livestock stable on Azusa Street, Los Angeles, CA. This was right after the famous Welsh Revival of 1904 and the Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906. Many Whites and Blacks of all walks of life came from all over the nation --- many from the Methodist Holiness Movement. There were more women than men and many young people who were baptized in water. At the earnest, energetic, and animated preaching, the crowds swelled. They prayed, testified, clapped, shouted and danced. They spoke and sang in other tongues. Many were “slain” falling prostrate. They prayed all night, day after day. There was little formality. There were countless miracle healings of every sickness and illness --- blindness, cripples, deafness, and even missing body parts were instantly restored before the eyes of all, including secular news reporters. Demon spirits were expelled. There was plenty of criticism and rejection by other established churches of the day. This great Pentecostal Revival continued as a strong movement all through the 1920’s and 1930’s (The Great Depression years). To this day, there are scores of Pentecostal churches, although they have cooled off considerably. Just before the 1900’s and on up to the 1950’s, there was an amazing era of Divine Healing Ministers traveling around the country in auditoriums and big tents. There are too many to name, but a few were: Marie Woodworth Etter John Alexander Dowie Charles Parham Smith Wigglesworth William Branham Charles Price Jack Coe Kathryn Kuhlman A.A. Allen Oral Roberts T. L. Osborn Etc. They were very God-conscious men and women given to much prayer and fasting. Their great faith, boldness, anointing, and power drew overflowing crowds who witnessed live signs, wonders, and miracles. Sadly and hard to understand, many of them seemed to fail one way or another in the end. They all had their jealous critics. 6. 1948 – 1952 THE LATTER RAIN MOVEMENT --- (Within the Pentecostal Movement) Starting in a Bible school in Saskatchewan Canada, involving a 1,000 students and preachers. Their main Scripture was Joel 2 and Acts 2 about God pouring out His Spirit. They laid great emphasis upon the Five Fold Gift Ministries of I Cor. 12:28 and Eph. 4:11. Also, all of the 9 Gifts of the Spirit in I Cor. 12:8-10: tongues, prophecy and Divine Healing. Their specialty was the practice of laying on of hands to impart specific gifts with prophecy to others. I Tim. 4:14 They encouraged the whole congregation to sing in tongues at the same time in worship. They preached the doctrine of “The Manifestation of the Sons of God” (Rom. 8:19 ) and performing the “Greater Works” (John 14:21 ) such as Philip’s transportation in Act 8:26 -40. Bill Britton advocated this message in his “Jesus Saves” tabloid. They were rejected as extremists by the Assemblies of God and other Pentecostal groups. 7. 1960 – 1967 and on into the 1970’s and 1980’s THE CHARISMATIC RENEWAL It started among the Roman Catholics of Notre Dame. The early forerunner was David du Plessis. It was then greatly championed by “The Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International” with chapters in every major city in the USA and around the world. Their members were from nearly every Christian denomination that can be named. It finally included, “The Jesus People” --- young people converted from among the hippies. A SIDE NOTE In the mid-1970’s there arose a “Shepardship - Submission - Discipleship Movement” within the Charismatic Renewal which taught that every Christian and minister (especially women) had to be totally submitted to another person above them like a big pyramid - shaped ecclesiastical hierarchy. Apparently, their goal was to build one big Charismatic denomination. The F.G.B.M.F.I., Pat Robertson, and most all independent Charismatic churches rejected it. It was short lived. A PERSONAL NOTE By the grace of God, I was privileged to have a part in the Charismatic Renewal, as a featured speaker in scores of FGBMFI chapters, as well as a guest on the PTL, 700 Club, and other TV programs. The Lord led me to establish the first Charismatic church in the capital city of Raleigh, NC. At one point in time, half of the Christians there who spoke with other tongues received it in our church – Christ Chapel. Of course, we give God all of the credit and glory for it. 8. 1983 – 1993 THE THIRD WAVE – starting at Fuller Theological Seminary Peter Wagner and John Wimber helped plant a string of churches called “The Vineyard Churches”, which were mostly young married couples. 9. 1994 – 1995 THE TORONTO BLESSING was like a spiritual party. The Toronto Airport Vineyard Church pastored by John and Carol Arnott is where it happened. The evangelist was Rodney Howard Brown from South Africa, who led a “Laughing Revival”, in which many were struck with uncontrollable and sustained laughter. Also, Randy Clark of Saint Louis, MO ministered. The membership went from 300 to 3,000 with millions of visitors flying in daily from all over the world. There was lively worship music with guitars, drums and tambourines for an extended period of time. There was profound weeping and deliverance from past hurts that was like a spiritual overhaul. Many were slain in the Spirit and had dreams and visions. They experienced physical healings and rolled on the floor. Some ran around making barn yard noises, for which they were soundly rebuked and finally dis-fellowshipped by the leader of the Vineyard Churches. 10. 1995 – 2000 THE BROWNSVILLE REVIVAL This was a large Assembly of God church near Pensacola, FL, pastored by John and Brenda Kilpatrick. The evangelist was Steve Hill, born in Turkey, who had attended Dave Wilkerson’s Bible school in Texas and had participated in the Brazilian Revival. The saints had been praying earnestly for many months and then revival broke out in nightly services. Hundreds of people did not want to leave at the end of the service. Thousands came forward for salvation and many backsliders were reclaimed. Crowds swelled up to 5,000. They wept openly, fell out, spoke in tongues, were healed, and shook violently. The young people spread the excitement into their high schools. Long lines waited for hours to get in before the church doors were opened. They had to erect tents with closed circuit TV for those who could not get into the sanctuary. 11. 2008 – April to October (6 months) LAKELAND, FL Ignite Church pastored by Steve Strader, the son of a pastor. The unorthodox evangelist was Todd Bentley, covered with tattoos and body piercings, who dressed rather casually, but prayed for hours daily. The singing went on for hours and the services were long, night after night. He would prophesy that God was going to heal people and then call out scores of illnesses by the Word of Knowledge and they would run up to the platform to testify of what God just did. As he touched them --- sometimes roughly --- they would fall back. He often shook his head back and forth and laughed a lot. People came from all over the world. They erected a tent seating 15,000. There was much acclaim and criticism and in the end his wife left him. 12. 2012 --- Now THE RESTORATION OF THE RESTORATION The epicenter is the Independence, MO area among independent Book of Mormon churches called “Restoration Branches”, prayer meetings and other believers. This is not the work of some great prophet, or even a group of ambitious leaders, but of God. Instrumental persons being used are not being named at this time in order to shield them from undue distractions. Historically, many of the original Book of Mormon believers did have the Holy Ghost and experienced many manifestations of the Spirit. This was especially demonstrated at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple in 1836, attended by 1,000 people. During the 8 hour service they prayed, preached, gave the “Hosanna Shout”, spoke and sang in tongues, swooned, fell out in trances, and had amazing visions. But through the years these things declined just like after the days of the Act of the Apostles, and after the “Golden Age” among the Nephites. They have been spiritually hungry and thirsty for years and now God is finally granting them a Divine Visitation. They are tired of heavy-handed ecclesiastical authority. They want the supernatural realities of God. The younger generation has been bored with shallow religious programs; they want to see the things they read about in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. They deserve the spiritual experiences that God has given to His people in the past revivals --- powerful prayer, praise, worship, --- supernatural signs, wonders and miracles. Now, those concerned with certain doctrinal issues must remember that Jesus said, “When the Spirit of Truth is come, He will guide you into all truth.” John 16:13. Thus anyone being led into the truth is being led out of erroneous teachings. When God changes people, things are different and that includes everything. Rigid doctrinal emphasis that serves only to divide the Body of Christ will melt under the Love of God. They won’t be gathered around a set of truths, but around Him, Who is the Truth. There is no need to dwell upon old teachings and dusty traditions of the past when you are experiencing the mighty miracle - working power of the living God. This final revival with unprecedented exploits will be the greatest of all, exceeding all others. Jesus always saves the best wine for the last. CONCUSION We have seen how God sends revivals. The devil hates it, but he can’t stop it. All he can do is stir up criticism. One simple strategy is to send in those who are not right with God in their hearts to act up and make fools of themselves, barking like a dog, crowing like a rooster, and wiggling like a snake, so that when other curious people or even news media walk in, that is all they see and then they discredit the whole thing. Granted, when a person becomes super-charged with the “electric” power of God, they may feel so exuberant that they can’t contain their excitement and joy, but there is a line that they just don’t cross. A saint shouts praises to God; a sinner yells like a mad man. A saint dances in the Holy Ghost; a sinner just knocks over chairs and other people. Trembling, quaking, and leaping are Scriptural. Going into convulsions is a demon coming out. But the undiscerning are always prone to dismiss the moves of God, missing God’s blessing, thus condemning themselves, and ending up with nothing. God rejects those who reject Him, His Word and His work. But God’s true children are looking up to Him, Who is coming right away. (From Dr. Paul Richardson of Virginia and posted with his permission)

Midterm Paper for 20th Century Church History

20th Century Church History Midterm Paper


I want to focus on “baptism of the Spirit” doctrine to begin with in this subjective review of the text. The rise of Charismatics and Pentecostals in the 20th Century was significant with connections to the Azusa Street Revival beginning in 1906 and the Welsh Revival beginning in 1904. Many Pentecostals trace the beginning of their movements in some way to these events.

The Scriptural basis for these events in Los Angeles and in Wales can be found in Acts 2:4, 17-18 (Joel 2:28-29), 43 KJV:

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

To begin, I will be focused primarily on the influence of the Azusa Street Revival in the beginning of the Pentecostal (& Charismatic) Movement with evidence of the move of the Holy Spirit. Persons like Evan Roberts (Welsh Revival) then William J. Seymour and Frank Bartleman realized that there was a key ingredient missing in the churches, namely the Holy Spirit and its effects (tongues and prophecy).

According to the text, a little prayer meeting in Topeka, KS led to the Azusa Street revival in California. Former KC missionary, Agnes Ozman spoke in tongues after midnight on January 1, 1901 following laying on of hands and prayers by Charles Parham and some of his students at Bethel Bible College in Topeka. This baptism spread across Kansas, into Missouri, into Texas, and then Los Angeles at Azusa.

William J. Seymour learned at a later Parham school by listening through a cracked door due to Parham’s strict segregation. He did not receive his baptism before leaving. Seymour’s leadership was rejected by a mission congregation after a week so he began a little prayer group. God used this little prayer group as an origin point for a revival with world-wide effects that changed church history.

Methodist minister G. B. Cashwell received his baptism with tongues at Azusa Street in 1906. He became a leader in the International Holiness Church and helped facilitate the same blessing with A. J. Tomlinson, General Overseer for Church of God (Cleveland), now 2nd largest Pentecostal body.

Another minister C. H. Mason investigated Azusa Street. Mason’s new teaching on baptism of the Holy Spirit led the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) to reorganize as a Holiness Pentecostal body.

My impressions of the effects of the Azusa Street revival are positive with God bridging the racial divide and the gender gap and using humble origins for starting new churches/movements and missions in the world. Negatives would have been disagreements over theology (Seymour vs. Parham), doctrine (Pentecostal vs. Holiness), and practice (i.e. Cashwell vs. Crumpler, Mason vs. Jeter & Jones).

For the second question, I decided to examine 3 church leaders that intrigued me—Aimee Semple McPherson, Richard Rossi, and John Wimber.

One of the first things that stood out with these leaders was the exercise of spiritual gifts and callings. McPherson became a popular faith healer and evangelist during the 1920’s and 1930’s. Her “Foursquare Gospel’ showed “Jesus is Savior (man), Jesus is Healer (ox), Jesus is Baptizer in the Holy Spirit (lion), and Jesus is Coming King (eagle)” based on her vision in connection with Ezekiel 1. “Pastor to the Stars” Richard Rossi’s underground house church movement emphasizes charismatic ministry especially healing. The Vineyard Movement with John Wimber evidenced unusual manifestations of the Spirit even in the face of controversary and questions.

An intense revival in Oakland, CA set the stage for the Foursquare Gospel vision of Aimee Semple McPherson while John Wimber faced criticism with the “Toronto Blessing”—Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship. Richard Rossi ministers to modern day “lepers and Samaritans” in the form of AIDS patients and homosexuals. He, like his hero Aimee Semple McPherson, ministered to celebrities in Los Angeles and Hollywood.
John Wimber emphasized strong teaching and knowledge of Scripture, but he challenged “Sola Scriptura” with the power of experiential spiritual revelations. Early disciples and apostles were not just stories in a book but living examples of ministry, faith and miracles like these 3 inspirational leaders.

Aimee Semple McPherson was not stopped by her gender, marital issues, and persecutions from leading her ministry as a healing evangelist, apostolic teacher, and gospel proclaimer. These ministries ranged from the small and personal (house churches of Rossi) to large, early “mega-church” (Angelus Temple of McPherson) to both large and small (Calvary Chapel of John Wimber). All of these are reflected in the book of Acts—large gatherings (Acts 2:9-11, 41) and household salvations (Cornelius-Acts 2:44-48).

I believe in active use of spiritual gifts in homes, “Temple” (churches), and community locations. I believe in revelation, visions, healing capable by all, and in dealing with strong, positive use of Scriptures but not in “dogmatic or dead” way. I do not want to limit God or ministry by only specific persons (ordained clergy and not others) and ministry not to modern “tax collectors, Samaritans, and lepers”. I also want to follow the leading and anointing of the Spirit and Its gifts and blessings. I have “heroes of the faith” (Jesus of course, Peter, John, Paul, and now Frank Bartleman and Aimee Semple McPherson) and believe in miracles and the overcoming work of Jesus in the face of persecutions and difficulties.

For the third question, Richard Rossi was instrumental in founding underground house churches in S. California. The Vineyard Movement emphasizes a main service connecting with God through worship and small “house groups”. The great revivals of Azusa Street in Los Angeles and the Welsh Revival began with small prayer meetings and small church groups.

“The Early Church succeeded so well, without all the things we have today. For instance, they had no church buildings, professionally trained clergy, Bible school, hymnals, overhead projectors, wireless microphones, CD copiers, computers, Sunday School curriculum, youth ministry, worship team, copy machine, choir, TV studio or station to broadcast over, nor even personally owned Bibles. Yet they made disciples because those things were not required to do so then, and they are not necessary to do so today. In fact, if we would be brutally truthful, they did a better job without all these things than we do with them!”

Proof of this rests with the House Church movement in China with an estimated 75-100 million believers—the majority without Bibles. It is the 3rd largest body of Christian believers in the world—greater than the Anglican Communion and Assemblies of God. “In the People’s Republic of China, the Simple House Church has grown exponentially, though it is illegal. As with the experience in China, historian Del Birkey’s studies cause him to conclude that the house church is the best hope for renewal today.”

In this last section, I wanted to focus on a topic that really interested me personally. I just finished reading Organic Church by Neil Cole. I could not put it down one night. Between reading the above and the section on “Simple House Churches” (pp. 42-48), I really garnered much to think about in what constitutes a church. Is “church” as we know it and practice it really Biblical? Or is it an institution that does not really match the Scriptures—dogmatic and “dying” (spiritually) and not making disciples, reaching the lost, and not affecting the overall community in Christ-like ways with the Holy Spirit? Are most churches living out the “Way, Truth, and Life” (John 14:6) or establishing something of a “social club” or static institution? These are tough questions that need asked in relation to conventional churches and church practices.

House or “organic” churches are modeled with D.N.A.—D.ivine Truth—Greatest Commandment (Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27): Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; N-Nurturing relationships—2nd Greatest Commandment (Mark 10:31, Luke 10:27)—Love your neighbor as yourself; A—Apostolic Mission—Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-18, Luke 24:46-49) or known as D.N.A.--D.ivine N.ature A.pplied. Jesus embodies all these concepts, and the Scriptures back up these important principles. Another interesting thing is the study of statistics on house churches showing significantly more satisfaction (13-20% more) in regards to leadership, faith commitment, connection with community, and spiritual depth. Moreover, house churches have also grown from 1% to 9% in a decade. Also, “the evangelistic effectiveness of mini-churches is statistically 1,600 % greater than megachurches!”

In conclusion, I learned that small church meetings and small churches can make a tremendous difference in the world in building the kingdom and in evangelizing the lost. This is an uplifting revelation. I have also learned about interesting church leaders such as William Seymour and Aimee Semple McPherson that stoked revival fires and promoted baptism of the Spirit and Pentecostal manifestations. McPherson had an early “mega-church” while the examples of Richard Rossi and house churches in China showed me their ability to take the gospel to unreached places and to reproduce in reaching the lost and advancing the kingdom. I’ve learned the importance of digging deep in Scriptures to examine what “church” was really like in the New Testament compared to most “church” situations in the U.S. today. My studies in revival, spiritual gifts, and organic churches give me much food for thought and heroes from which to learn.