NEW YORK CITY, 1857 — Jeremiah Lanphier opened the North Dutch Church on Fulton Street in the financial district of Manhattan for a prayer meeting. Six showed up a half-hour late. 14 came the next week. 23 after that. Then 40. Next, revival spread like wild fire.
Soon, this once meager weekly prayer meeting mushroomed to 10,000 people gathering for prayer daily. What would eventually become known as the Businessmen’s Revival saw 1 million converts throughout the United States, with countless others around the world.
What does it take to bring about revival?
D.L. Moody said “Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.” That becomes evident when you begin looking more closely at other great revivals throughout history.
In the U.S. alone, the Great Awakening, the Civil War Revival, the Urban Revivals, and the Azusa Street Revival — all were preceded by prayer. The same has been true in countries like Ireland, Poland, China, South Africa, Columbia, and Cuba.
Today, another movement of God is stirring in Wilmore, Kentucky. What started as a few people staying late after a worship gathering on Wednesday, February 8, hasn’t stopped. Day and night, Asbury students and pilgrims from around the world have been worshiping and praying. And it shows no signs of slowing any time soon.
The New York Times has dubbed what’s happening at Asbury University as a “‘Woodstock’ for Christians,” but I’d like to counter that they have it backwards. Revivals like this have been happening for centuries, with far greater geographical and generational implications.
Woodstock was a flash in the pan compared to what the Holy Spirit does in the hearts of believers in a time like this.
The university reported 50,000 people from around the country have descended upon the chapel since those first students lingered to pray after a typical chapel service.
It’s typical for older generations — myself included — to fear for the faith of the younger generation. Year after year, surveys have only indicated that Christianity in America and the Western world is dwindling. And yet . . .
And yet here we are. An unprecedented, non-personality driven revival led by Generation Z. And at the center of it all: prayer.
Of course, this is nothing new. The Bible includes many examples of God moving powerfully through prayer as in Nehemiah 1:5-11 and several Acts passages (1:13-14, 2:1-4, 2:37-47, 8:5-8).
I spoke with Byron Paulus, founder of OneCry and CEO emeritus of Life Action Ministries, about revival on Haven Today in 2007. Here’s what he said then:
“Boy, when God births a genuine, authentic work of his Spirit, the generational impact is felt forever. Now the excitement of the revival can often times be just a few years. The first Great Awakening was longer, the second Great Awakening strung out over a period of a couple decades. But the longterm, eternal impact goes on forever.”
I’m not surprised to see him covering what’s happening in Asbury today:
A Call to Prayer
The message for you and me today? Pray vigilantly.
- Pray for the little town of Wilmore, Kentucky (population 6,000) as they take in a constant flood of pilgrims and spiritual seekers.
- Pray for the people touched by this revival as they return to their own communities.
- Pray for the churches receiving their own flood of baptisms and conversions as a result of this movement spreading.
- Pray for all who are looking on with skepticism. May the Spirit open their hearts to the possibility of another Great Awakening in our time.
- Pray that this movement of the Spirit will return the church to what it is ultimately meant to be. As Howard Snyder, a retired professor of Asbury Theological Seminary across the street says: “The people of God faithfully following Jesus.”
As you pray, perhaps you can ask others to join you. What might God do through the collective prayer of you and your community? You never know what sort of revitalization of faith in Jesus may come of it!
About the Author
As the leader of the Haven Ministries, Charles Morris is always thinking of ways to lead Christians and non-Christians to Christ—hence the familiar slogan, “Telling the great story … it’s all about Jesus.” A former secular journalist, Charles has worked for United Press International, and as a press secretary for two former U.S. senators. He and his wife, Janet, have authored several books, including Missing Jesus. Charles’ latest book is Fleeing ISIS, Finding Jesus: The Real Story of God At Work.
**Portions of this article were drawn from Haven’s March 2022 Anchor Devotional by Glen M. VanderKooi: Prayer and Revival.
Revival (DVD)
What is revival? Should we expect it today?
This high quality film tells the true stories of how God has worked in revivals in the past. Journey through church history, from the Pentecost to present day. Go back in time to visit key places like England during the Reformation, America in 1734, Wales in the Evangelical Awakening, Northern Ireland in 1859, and the Scottish Hebrides in 1949.
Expert contributors expound key lessons we can learn for today about the means and instruction the Lord provides in his Word for seeking him. God has done mighty acts in the past, and he can do so again.
