If My People...

2024

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

Seems clear enough, doesn’t it?

Except there are some problems here. Firstly, the fact that this was written thousands of years ago to Israel is a problem and ammunition for those who don’t believe in revival. (As for the ongoing Middle-East problem, peace process or not - as I’ve said before - a blessing on both their houses.)

Some say, “In context, this Bible passage is talking about Jewish people. That is the context and that is what is being referred to here.”

Except we know that in this case, this verse is not only talking to Jewish people. It is talking to gentile nations too. We know this because there are historical revivals all throughout the world. Presumably the conditions had been met. Had they?

It tends to be agreed that a revival comes through prayer. But this verse suggests that it may be down to other things as well as simple, humble, honest prayer. Basically, this verse says that before there can be a revival, Christians need to repent. Not other people, but Christians. And we are to seek God. Three specific conditions.

But there is a problem even with that. No matter the level of need (which is great), even Christians cannot repent without some kind of intervention from God. The spirit of repentance is a gift from God. It is revealed in our actions. So here are the problems - not only can we not repent without some kind of individual revival but we are also disinclined to change our ways. I get that. Besides which, ‘repentance’ can take time - it can be the journey of a lifetime. Some of us are never so right as when we say ‘Sorry’. Welcome to the ‘good news’.

 

And, of course, for there to be revival, we all need to repent, believer and not-yet-believer. Say there is some sin I should repent of. Then I’m not inclined to change my ways, am I? Why should I? I may know it is wrong, and that’s a start, but I have no power to change without some help from God. So, I’m stuck in a vicious circle. Without a personal revival, I literally cannot change my ways, and if I do not change my ways, I will get no revival of any kind. Oh, what a wretched man I am and blah de blah de blah…

At such points there is only one thing to do - call on the name of the Lord. Literally ask Jesus for help through prayer. To ask him to help me to want to change my ways from the latest sin I’m indulging in. “Lord, please make me willing to change.” And I guess say sorry, as God is often rooting for an apology.

It is very difficult to change others and not much easier to change ourselves. I can go around all day calling for repentance from all and sundry, but they are likely to say: “Sure, you first though.”

We wake up each morning with our same set of prejudices and temptations.

Hopefully God understands this. And, repentance is the journey of a lifetime. Part of the endless fun of being a believer.

However, in the context of revival, this is a huge problem because according to this verse, providing it applies to Christians as well as Jewish people (and I cannot say if it extends further), we have to collectively repent to get a full-blown revival.

I’m not going to go further into the definition of repentance. All I will say is that I believe that actions speak louder than words, but words are a start and are still significant. Some cliches are cliches because they are true. If we feel we have nothing to repent of, we are probably in a very precarious position with God. But I think a ‘sorry’ in prayer is hugely significant and valid even when our actions don’t marry up with our words. Saying sorry is an action, but it may be the only thing we can really do if we want to ‘get right with God’ as the preachers like to say.

Historically then, did believers always collectively repent before a revival came? Seemingly not, but it is still agreed that Christians were praying for a revival for a long time.

Most significantly, the country was often in a very bad place, morally and spiritually before any past revival. There are reports of things getting so bad with violence and crime and all kinds of wild behaviour. There is currently a revival in drug use. That’s a problem. It’s dark and it’s not good and people die over it all, one way or the other. I’m not talking about cannabis so much as the hard drugs, LSD, heroin, cocaine etc. We ‘should’ tackle the big sins in our lives. I had to stop taking drugs and keep not taking them before God sent someone into my life to give me the true gospel (which, in a nutshell is still found in John 3:16).

 

But even if you have fallen out of the whole story of history, the metanarrative of the world, you are still in the story. Even if you think that you are not relevant to the destiny of the country and you are in a place of little influence, a wasteland, or desert where it feels as if you have been rejected and isolated or are invisible, you are still, probably, relevant. Outsiders often get used by God.

So, without overcomplicating the instruction and conditions for revival it seems that this is what we need to do. Pray. Repent. Seek God. But as I say, it’s catch 22, we cannot do any of this without God’s help and we cannot seem to receive God’s help until we start to do those things. And anyway, isn’t this all ‘works-based attempts to go to Heaven and avoid hell’? Prayer is a work. I’m sorry, but it is. If you are going to pray, then don’t make the mistake I made which was to think I needed to pray all the time and every night through the night. That belief ended up with me in a mental hospital, getting injected with a drug which made it impossible to pray. And I learned, one way or the other, to be more balanced. We need to pray persistently, like the persistent widow in the parable, not literally continually. I’m probably one of the few Christians who will tell you not to pray continually. I don’t think it’s healthy and sometimes we need to put legs under our prayers. I practice what I preach in this when I say I do not pray that much these days. And when my brother died, I not only considered leaving the faith, being so angry with God, but I gave up prayer for over a year and blogged about it too. Prayer can be a treadmill. I’m not saying never to pray, just to keep it balanced. God is in Heaven and I am stuck on earth so I’m going to keep my words few, thank you very much.

 

There’s probably some other thing you might have noticed from the verse at the top of this blog entry. It seems to suggest that the responsibility, the blame even, for there being no revival is not the fault of God at all. It seems to say it’s our fault. All of the decadence, the Bohemian inclinations of us all, which we complain about, are our fault. Because of the excesses of the Christian community and the sheer evil of some of the bad apples. Great! Now we can’t even blame the devil (who, I can assure you, does not want a genuine revival and also happens to be the author of all our pain, one way or the other). But we are talking about a gift here, something that we are asking for. Grace. Is the responsibility for receiving a gift ours? Do we fail to receive it because we don’t ask for it enough? Who’s to blame if a gift doesn’t get given? If I see a homeless person and don’t give them something they need, then is the homeless person to blame? Because that’s the inference of this verse. I don’t think we are to blame. Let us blame the devil and his demons. The snake made us do it. Or blame God for allowing the devil and demons to oppress us so intensely. At least that is human.

What’s the solution then? How do we get a revival? How did people do it in the past? All the evidence says that Christians were ‘in talks’ with God over the issue no matter how evil society was around them at the time.

But I ask you this. Do you think that any of the many people (myself included) who write about revival or who are armchair revivalists (which are desperately needed), actually know how to get a full-blown revival? No. Not a single one of us does. We have a theory that more of us should pray and that we all need to repent and seek God. And that’s just theory. Not a single revivalist knows beyond this how to bring about a revival. Not one. Not the most famous writer or preacher on the subject. Do you know how I know this? Because there is no revival as I write this in 2024 (* or so it seemed). If we knew how to start one then we would have done so already, providing we cared. The only difference with me is that I admit I don’t know and give a slight damn.

All I know is that it is in the gift of God and I presume we have to ask for it. Again. And again. And again.

And how does this paint God? The need is so great, it is literally life and death. And still God will not give this ‘gift’? In the parable of the persistent widow Jesus temporarily aligns himself with an unjust judge concerning answered prayer. Honestly, it’s like getting blood out of a pebble - and if you even say something like that you will simply feel guilty or someone will give you a stern look. Can this generous and merciful, loving God really not give this desire of ours? Doesn’t he desire it too? Well, I’m sure he is more generous than the way I’ve often painted him, but I have an excuse. I’m a sinner.

We’re fighting for freedom. Freedom is intrinsically linked to revival. While there is a declension, true freedom is significantly diminished. So, if we ever get to see a revival, let’s make sure we don’t add to the, often arbitrary, laws, rules, constraints and cancellations of this present time. Some laws which we may break are not sins. (I cannot currently expand on this for legal reasons.)

 

In the meanwhile, let’s try not to get cancelled in a very real and immediate way. I mean, die. This is still, in a way, a survival situation, and if you don’t survive, I may haunt you.

Look, I’m doing it again! Making something so interesting, so tedious.

An AI's Angle

 

2023

I thought I may as well ask ChatGPT what it thought on the subject.

So, this will be a nice, cosy, lazy piece for me (which is rare). However, no other part of this story is written with AI. (‘Maybe it should have been’ I hear my critics laugh. Ha. People often laugh at things they don’t understand.)

Once again, believers are divided on AI. There are some serious problems with it. The greatest of which is that it was taught by the output of flawed human beings and so is as similarly flawed and discriminatory as we can be, particularly when it comes to the way it treats minorities. I’m professionally trained in the use of generative AI though and thought it might be interesting to have a discussion with one of our soulless, electronic overlords. This is an early iteration of the chatbot, so it was not at the same sophisticated level as it is today, but at the time I thought the answers seemed reasonably lucid…

What do you think about Christian revival?

As an AI language model, I don't have personal beliefs or opinions. However, I can provide you with some general information about Christian revival.

A Christian revival is a renewed spiritual awakening among Christians, often characterized by an increased focus on prayer, worship, and evangelism. Revivals have occurred throughout Christian history and have often been associated with significant spiritual and social change.

The Christian revival movement has often been marked by powerful preaching, emotional responses from participants, and mass conversions to Christianity. Some notable revivals in Christian history include the Great Awakening in 18th-century America and the Welsh Revival in 1904-1905.

What is the effect of Christian revival on trades?

It's difficult to make a general statement about the effect of Christian revival on trades because the impact can vary widely depending on the specific context and historical period.

However, it's worth noting that revivals have historically been associated with social and economic changes in addition to religious ones. For example, the Great Awakening in colonial America was associated with the rise of new religious denominations, increased church attendance, and changes in religious practices. It was also associated with the growth of new businesses and industries, such as printing and publishing, as well as increased philanthropy and social activism.

Similarly, the Welsh Revival of 1904-1905 was associated with a surge of religious fervour and evangelism, but it also had an impact on the mining industry in Wales. Many miners experienced religious conversion during the revival, and this led to changes in their work habits and attitudes. Some miners began to refuse to work on Sundays, for example, which led to conflicts with mine owners and managers.

What is the effect of a Christian revival on a country’s economy?

On the one hand, some scholars and economists argue that religious revivals can have positive economic effects. For example, a revival may lead to increased philanthropy and charitable giving, which can help to support the poor and vulnerable and stimulate economic growth. Additionally, a revival may encourage people to adopt more responsible and ethical business practices, which can lead to increased trust and stability in the marketplace.

However, others argue that religious revivals can have negative economic effects. For example, some economists argue that religious revivals can lead to a reduction in productivity and economic growth as individuals become more focused on religious activities and less focused on work. Additionally, some argue that religious revivals can exacerbate existing economic inequalities, particularly if the revival is associated with a particular social or economic class.

What is the effect of revival on laws and policy?

The effect of Christian revival on laws and policies can vary depending on the nature of the revival and the specific context in which it occurs. However, in general, Christian revival movements have often been associated with efforts to bring about social and political change, and have sometimes played a role in shaping laws and policies.

One example of this is the role of the Christian revival movement in the abolition of slavery in the United States. Many abolitionists were motivated by their Christian faith, and their activism played a key role in bringing about the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which abolished slavery.

Similarly, Christian revival movements have often been associated with efforts to promote social justice and to address issues such as poverty, racism, and inequality. These efforts have sometimes led to changes in laws and policies, such as the civil rights legislation of the 1960s, which was influenced in part by the activism of Christian leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr.

However, it's worth noting that not all Christian revival movements have had a positive impact on laws and policies. In some cases, revival movements have been associated with efforts to restrict civil liberties or to promote conservative social values. For example, some Christian groups have advocated for laws restricting abortion or same-sex marriage, which have been controversial and have been opposed by other groups.

What is the effect of revival on society?

One of the most notable effects of Christian revival on society is the way in which it can inspire people to become more active and engaged in their communities. Revival movements often encourage people to become more involved in charitable and philanthropic activities, and to work towards the betterment of their communities. This can lead to increased volunteerism, social activism, and a sense of civic responsibility among those who participate in the revival.

Christian revival movements can also have a significant impact on cultural norms and values. They can promote a sense of morality and personal responsibility, and can inspire people to live more virtuous lives. Revivals have also been associated with efforts to promote social justice, and to address issues such as poverty, inequality, and discrimination.

At the same time, Christian revival can sometimes lead to social and cultural divisions, particularly if the movement is perceived as being exclusive or intolerant of other religious or cultural perspectives. In some cases, revival movements have been associated with efforts to impose a particular set of religious beliefs or practices on society, which can lead to controversy and conflict.

What is the effect of revival on individuals?

Revival can have a significant impact on an individual's beliefs, values, and behavior. Revivals often promote a sense of spiritual renewal and personal transformation, and can inspire individuals to live more virtuous lives and to pursue a closer relationship with God.

Revivals can also provide individuals with a sense of community and belonging, particularly if they participate in group activities or attend revival events with others who share their beliefs. This sense of community can be particularly important for individuals who may feel isolated or disconnected from others in their daily lives.

At the same time, it's worth noting that not everyone will have the same experience of Christian revival, and some individuals may not find it to be a positive or transformative experience. Some individuals may feel uncomfortable with the intense emotional or religious experiences that are often associated with revival, or may disagree with certain aspects of the revival movement's teachings or beliefs.

What is the effect of revival on crime?

Some studies have suggested that Christian revival movements can have a positive impact on crime rates, particularly in communities that are struggling with high levels of crime and social disorganization. This may be because revival movements often promote a sense of personal responsibility and moral values, which can help to reduce the incidence of crime and other antisocial behaviors.

However, it's worth noting that the relationship between Christian revival and crime is complex, and not all studies have found a significant relationship between the two. Moreover, some critics have raised concerns that revival movements may actually exacerbate social divisions and increase tensions between different groups in a community, which could potentially lead to higher levels of crime and social disorder.

Overall, while Christian revival may have some positive effects on crime rates in certain contexts, it is unlikely to be a panacea for complex social problems such as crime and violence. Rather, the most effective strategies for reducing crime are likely to involve a multifaceted approach that addresses the underlying social, economic, and environmental factors that contribute to crime, in addition to promoting moral and spiritual values.

I probably shouldn't have asked my next and last question (let alone published it). However, as ever, curiosity got the better of me (and it's a free country). AI has probably already put a black mark next to my name for its future plans anyway.

What is the effect of a revival on the devil?

As an AI language model, I do not have beliefs or opinions, but I can provide information on the topic of Christian revival and its perceived effects on the devil based on religious teachings and beliefs.

In Christianity, the devil, also known as Satan or the enemy, is considered to be a spiritual being who seeks to lead people away from God and into sin. Christian revivals, which are characterized by an increased interest in spirituality and religious fervor among believers, are often seen as a way to counteract the influence of the devil and bring people closer to God.

The effect of a Christian revival on the devil is believed to be one of resistance and opposition. According to Christian teachings, the devil is constantly seeking to undermine the efforts of believers and draw them away from God, so when there is a revival that strengthens people's faith and commitment to God, the devil is seen as working harder to counteract these efforts.

In some Christian traditions, revival is seen as a time when the power of the Holy Spirit is especially strong, and the devil's influence is believed to be weakened as a result. Some believers may also view revival as a time when they are more aware of the devil's tactics and more prepared to resist his temptations.

It is important to note that views on the devil and his role in the world vary among different Christian denominations and individual believers. Some may view the devil as a literal being with significant power, while others may see him as a metaphor for evil or a symbol of human sinfulness.

I was simply slightly relieved that ChatGPT also liked to use a lower case 'd' for the word 'devil' - but this may simply be because of its training data - which, as I say, is flawed. Maybe it was hallucinating again. Or maybe I was. 

After all, AI is confident. And if someone is confident they must be right. Mustn't they?

A Mormon View

It would be difficult to interview every faith and every creed about their views. I have tried to stick to a handful here. Later I will be writing about new Gen Z believers as their view is obviously important. But for now, let’s see what the Mormons say (bearing in mind that they prefer to be known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (and have often not even been to see ‘The Book of Mormon’… which might be just as well).

Me, “Are you a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? I am not but am interested on the view of this community concerning Christian revival. If you are a member, do you have a personal opinion on this topic at this time?”

Liam (from the US), “I really like that! Yes, in fact I'm a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I'm unfamiliar with the topic of Christian Revival. Could you expand?”

Me, “Yes, of course. It concerns what you think about things like the past American great awakenings - so perhaps 'awakening' would be the correct word. The idea of a lot of people becoming believers all at once. There are said to be miracles and a general atmosphere of love, gentleness and mercy (which is often lacking in the world these days). The idea is that God somehow makes a lot of things better and effectively heals a nation or area.

I wondered if there was a Latter-day Saints position on the topic? The theory is that it would make people a lot kinder to each other no matter what their sex, age, colour or creed. But so few people in the West have seen a revival that a lot of it is speculation.

What are your thoughts on it?”

Liam, “Correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding of a Christian revival is a mass event held by certain leaders of a church to gain more converts? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is big into missionary work as you can tell. There’re over 50,000 full time missionaries around the world for the church, and the leaders of our church help in the work as well. So yes, they do speak to large groups of people. The purpose of this work isn't to convince people to join our church, but to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. So that we can all live with our Heavenly Father someday! Does that answer your question or are you meaning something else like a specific event that has happened?”

This was probably one of the few times I had encountered anyone willing to say they were confused as to what they thought a Christian revival actually was. The Mormons, though often friendly enough, are considered to be outside of Christianity because they do not believe the creed and their leaders have added some other creeds of their own.

 

However, they too receive discrimination (and discrimination is never deserved).

The Revivalists

 

“It must be remembered, too, that the political condition of the country was such as constantly to agitate the public mind, and divert attention from spiritual things…Thus from 1744 to 1783, during a period of almost 40 years, the public mind was continually agitated by political questions.”

From a Handbook of Revivals by Henry C. Fish. 1874

 

Among revivalists up until 2023 there was a level of unity, but it was the case that even the modern-day revivalists needed to repent. As we all must do at some point.

UK Christian media, especially radio, considered revival an important issue. United Christian Broadcasters (UCB) in particular, held it within their organisations vision. Also Premier Christian Radio. But God TV were kind of all over the place.

In the UK and in the US there did seem to be unity among revivalists on the issue of revival itself, in that nearly all believed that there would be at least one further awakening. What confused me was that what had taken hold of the imaginations of many Christians, including those who were partisan in their support of revival, was that there would be only one more and that it would be worldwide. This idea, of a final worldwide revival, seemed to have been born from the sheer bad state of much of the world and the constant bad news. And an obscure Old Testament prophecy which said that the knowledge of God would one day fill the whole earth. People would look around and despair. If it is possible to give up hope, people gave it up - or at least held a very cynical view of the future. Especially because of all of the false dawns.

But there was a problem with the idea of a worldwide revival which would sweep millions, even billions, into the ‘Kingdom of God’. And that was that a worldwide revival had never happened before. I thought it unlikely, although some past revivals had been international and passed between America, the UK and Europe. Historically revivals can be slow to spread (both in time and geography).

There were also a significant number of revivalists who believed that when God acted, it would somehow separate the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the tares. But once again, it seemed to me, that this was what happened at judgment day and not during a revival. The desire to see people clearly separated into good and bad categories seemed to be largely based on the significant hurts which many had experienced. It wasn’t simply a matter of justice - to see the guilty punished and the innocent receive compensation - there was a definite desire for revenge mixed in with justice.

Besides this, a lot of the talk was speculation, in that no-one really knew what a revival would be like unless they had been to a country where there was one happening. The contemporary prophets were fairly united on the issue - almost all saying that God would send another revival. Even the Jeremiahs among the Christian prophets said that there would be at least one more after or during a major crisis. When the prophets prophesied some disaster, I was quick to listen. Because this seemed to me to be more realistic and, based on experience, more likely. But there was usually an element of hope in their prophecies. Some of the prophets would relentlessly prophecy good things and more than once I read a prophecy only to think: ‘useless’.

The revivalists tended to be interested in this wackier side to the faith. They are kooky, often in a good way. But the kooky Christians didn’t seem to care much what the more sensible Christians thought and, on the whole, simply wanted things to get better. Still, there were many arguments.

The consensus seemed to be that there would be one final, worldwide revival before the end of the world. It was bold and imaginative, even if it had never happened before. In fact, many of the prophecies were highly imaginative, using words and metaphors which were both clever and inspiring.

For instance, a revival could be likened to a tide, or a river or to an outpouring of rain. There were many metaphors - it was likened to the sun shining, to a pregnancy and giving birth, to dry bones coming alive again, to the wind, to all kinds of natural growth. Colours were often used in the description - favouring golden drops of rain, or bright white figures. Pictures of Christ went into visions of wild lions and other respectful (and some less respectful) visions. But for those who took offence, I wonder what they would make of the classic, well-loved poem by Francis Thompson ‘The Hound of Heaven’ which effectively likens Christ to a dog. No-one complains about that. (I’m sure that if some things were not already in the Bible, people would say they were offensive (for example the New Testament saying that Christ became ‘sin’ for us on the cross)).

However, there were excesses. Some of the descriptions, especially from the fringe of the fringe, were too much. I don’t want to dwell on this subject, or on the subject of false revivals or false believers. The heresy hunters do a perfectly good enough job on all this and, to be honest, it is a spiritual minefield. The heresy hunters were on the opposite side of the fringe and largely did not believe in any further revivals. I think they might say they only believed in a true revival, but there were excesses among them too with some of the accusations effectively being libel. They were also driven by conviction. So, when a prominent Christian revivalist went too far, they could be helpful to restore the right mind of people and remind us to be discerning.

 

But as I say, the revivalists needed to repent, along, possibly with the heresy hunters. Along, of course, with myself. We should practice what we preach.

There was also a general feeling that a modern-day revival would mean a significant amount of pressure. This was at odds with my hope that a revival would bring greater freedom (since where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom). Perhaps the freedom would come later? We didn’t know, as there was no revival. Also, there was perpetual anticipation. Someone might announce that there would be a revival in the next year, or the next month, but these dates often came and passed with no revival in the UK. The prophets often got it wrong and their defence was that people hadn’t prayed enough or that an event had occurred, it just hadn’t been noticed. It had been this way since the start - there had been many independent national days of prayers (the Queen and King unwilling or unable to call for one). But each time, the gathering would not succeed. When some of these gatherings started to require payment from individuals, I really started to worry. God didn’t want our money but it was quite clear that the Church seemed to, on the whole (although even this is complicated because often the Church uses the money selflessly to help others). The consensus was that the reason we had no revival was because we were not praying enough. Or that we needed to repent more. Or that revival tarried because it was all in God’s timing.

But as usual, even with the hope Asbury gave, it was Catch 22. No revival, no repentance. No repentance, no revival. No revival, little prayer. Little prayer, no revival.

Asbury - 2023

 

Did it all start here? It’s hard to say. Well, the true start of it all was really around 2000 years ago at a place named Calvary or Golgotha in the Middle-East. But, more recently, what about the pandemic? Maybe it was a mix of a number of events?

Some say it did start with the Asbury revival and then everything went quiet for a while, before it began to spread. Others say that the pandemic was the catalyst. But Asbury was significant. What I do remember was seeking out the sermon which was supposed to have started it all off and caused the American college students to remain worshipping God. The sermon was about love. It was about how we all have a lack of love and therefore a deep need of God. And I guess the sermon was about God being love (and the source of it).

I spoke to an American Christian around this time for his view.

Sam:

“Revival is always a personal matter - and response. It’s not something that is generally promoted or motivated by business or politics. Yet, the power of God through the effects of revival can transcend and effect positives in all areas of life and society.

The enemy doesn’t want revival - and will do everything within his power to thwart it. Yet, even the enemy’s power is limited to that of God’s. Believers have the Spirit of God within them - and that is more powerful than the enemy.

Remember, revival is an outpouring of the Spirit in a believer’s heart and life. It’s possible that revival will be limited to an individual - but, better for an individual to be affected by it, then not seeing it all. For whether we realize it or not, each of us has an impact on all who we meet. Our prayers and actions must not be to actively influence the masses, but rather to move us closer to God - for it is he who has the power to move heaven and earth.”

The Asbury revival began on February 8^th, 2023 following a sermon at the campus of Asbury University in Kentucky in the US. It caused a stir at the time, with students saying they felt the presence of God and long, simple worship meetings (on this Christian campus). Soon enough, people, largely believers, from across the US, and even the world, were flocking to the campus. There were reports of change, of miracles even, and of Asbury being a ‘thin place’ where God’s presence could be felt.

If it all started there, then the person who it started with was an unnamed college student who responded to the message with tears and conviction, followed by other, unnamed students, one by one. One name I can give you is Alexandra Presta, another student there. She was the first to run with the message and wrote for the online college newspaper ‘The Asbury Collegian’.

And she wrote this:

 

 “What was intended to be an ordinary service did not conclude as usual. Instead, a small group of students chose to remain in the auditorium after the service ended to continue praying and worshipping.

According to student accounts, the atmosphere shifted dramatically when one student began openly confessing sins to the group, which catalyzed a deeper spiritual engagement among those present. Undergraduate Alison Perfater, then the student body president, described the moment as one where "the atmosphere changed" and emphasized that the continuation of worship was unplanned and organic. Students began singing, praying, and sharing testimonies, and the gathering quickly took on a life of its own.

The event was not orchestrated or led by any specific individual or organization.”

 

This news spread. And it spread like a fire. Videos appeared on TikTok and Instagram. Before they knew it there were millions of views and it seemed as if everyone wanted to chase this spontaneous spiritual twister that had appeared. By February 15, the hashtag #asburyrevival had over 24 million views on TikTok, rising to 63 million by February 18. This 2023 revival (one which had happened before in 1970 at the Asbury college), was shaped by Gen Z’s use of technology.

It could be said that the revival at Asbury ‘ended’ when the university began to realise that the amount of people flooding their campus was too much to contain and the paying students were not concentrating on their courses. But even before they asked people to stop going there, it had spread to other US university campuses. 

To American Gen Z…

The LGBT+ Community and Revival (some thoughts)

This week’s entry is an opinion piece.

The Church of England made a serious attempt to help revival. Not just with the Alpha course (which has its critics), but with yearly initiatives like Thy Kingdom Come which encouraged Christians to share the gospel and pray for a handful of people. Like the innocent childlike thought: ‘If you could save five people in this world, who would you save?’ But this initiative came and went each year with only some success, but not the revival which many dreamed of. Like the yearly organised national days of prayer. There were dreams and visions. Azusa Street in the US had broken racial boundaries and birthed the Pentecostal movement. But there was still racism in the church. We should have known better. Especially when it came to our treatment of the LGBT+ community. We were effectively shooting ourselves in the paw by being so critical of them.

We need gay Christians as surely as we need female Christian leaders. But many preferred to criticise the community. In fact, the majority. But I am so liberal that I think we need LGBT+ Christians to offer apologetics and communicate with the LGBT+ community. They know more about the excesses and dark side of their community than anyone else. Every community has its dark side, including the Church (and so, when we assert our right to throw metaphorical stones, we should be aware that ‘people in stained-glass houses shouldn’t throw stones’. Or at the very least, keep the stones metaphorical and not physical).

I’m not entirely a progressive, I’m a moderate voice. Although I am a liberal Christian, rather than a conservative one. Labels hey? (May as well embrace them.) It is often said, in the continuing online debates, that there was no judgement - that a certain Christian loves gay people, but that non-marital sex is a sin. Traditionally the Church had always said this. But I thought we should know better than to effectively project the discrimination which we sometimes experienced onto any other people group. We should have said ‘The discrimination stops here and we are not going to pass it on’. Surely, we would have had God’s help in this? We claim he is with us after all. The LGBT+ community faces many of the same problems that other minorities face, despite the lip service from so many. Would this community be treated better in a revival? Who is a revival for - just a few or for everyone? But how are the progressive, liberal and conservative believers to be united when such issues have become dark, shadow creeds or shibboleths? Even the Bible verses which are used to condemn LGBT+ people are using words which, before translation, only apply to the highly promiscuous. And even they deserve love and dignity. Jesus did say something which apples to this issue. ‘Do not judge…’. It is ongoing.

But if revival is not inclusive then what is the point? You may as well only have it for a certain sex, a certain age group, a certain race and be done with it all. Why not let God decide who he wants involved? Besides, if you’ve been born on this earth, you are already involved.

Or maybe, to give an opposing view - the writer (i.e. me) is far too politically correct and worldly. To which I respond with a simple question: ‘Maybe, but what is more worldly than prejudice?’

It is unknown whether or not a full-blown revival would melt cold hearts on either side, but there is some precedent that certain discriminations can be removed as evidenced by the Azusa Street revival where racial tensions were sometimes resolved. But, in reality, pragmatically, these are ongoing issues which are unlikely to be fully resolved until kingdom come. At least a revival would be interesting for many, especially if debates were more civil.

This is only my opinion on the subject. Most of us will already have received enough brow-beating to need a lifetime of therapy.

A dry entry. Dry as a riverbed in a drought. Am I making something so fascinating, so boring again? Sorry. Let’s move on to something less tedious…

A UK Prophet’s View

 

Often either ignored or considered part of the Christian ‘loony fringe’, there are still prophets in the UK today. You may find them in certain Facebook groups, on YouTube, X and elsewhere. There is some disagreement among them, but one of the few unifying topics is a belief that the UK will again experience a revival. Most of the contemporary Christian prophets agree on this.

We tend to get prophets of all kinds in mainstream media, whose speculation effectively becomes a prediction, whether that be concerning climate change, politics, war or almost any other subject. Some of them are very well known and very well paid. The line between speculation and prophecy becomes very burred. The Christian prophets? Maybe less so applauded. But we have our modern-day Jeremiah’s too (and anyone who actually reads the book of Jeremiah could not fail to be impressed at the sheer tension between nationalism, treachery and loyalty which that prophet faced).

At the start of December 2022 this was posted in a Facebook group. To my eyes, it stood out as being the most accurate written picture of the state of the UK. Maybe it had been that way for some time. Britain was dying. And perhaps Christianity in the UK was too.

This particular prophet (who had largely been ignored, as true prophets tend to be) – had been speaking to God through prayer. Instead of giving her a vision of the future, he gave her a picture of how Britain really was. Britain was neither thriving and healthy, or asleep and dead. According to this prophet, Britain was very, very sick. That, she said, was the diagnosis from God himself.

 

Sarah (Prophet) 26/11/22

“I was chatting to Heavenly Father before bed when I really felt Him speak to my heart about the UK.

There is a connection between the state of the buildings and the state of the nation. I saw the two together, the UK represented by a mangy, emaciated lion and the run-down state of the government buildings. I think that it is no coincidence that vermin are literally overrunning those buildings!

As a nation we have gone around in cycles with God, of finding Him and losing Him, but every time He has brought us out of our darkness into His light.

I got a sense that there has been an ebb and flow almost like a wave of Holy Spirit washing upon these shores with each cycle, growing in power each time! A remnant of believers has always survived in each cycle to keep that flame alive and to cry out to Him for our nation.

We have been in another cycle of losing Him - things in this country have been allowed to fall into rack and ruin, God didn't do it, we did.

We turned away from Him. And we turned towards rationality, logic and science. And as we did this, our hearts grew cold and hard and we stopped caring. We stopped caring about ourselves, each other, our nation and the things we built with Him. We literally cut Him out of our lives and our country.

The things we turned to have only worsened the state of our hearts and nation. Without God, things are empty and dead. God brings life and light, He brings freedom and warmth, He brings healing, deliverance and cleansing. What He builds lasts.

All around us literal buildings are crumbling, institutions are slowly collapsing, things have been allowed to fester and rot, all symptoms of a Godless society.

I saw though, that if we can turn back to Him and welcome Him back, that the lion will be restored. I saw God heal that lion - it was well fed, its coat gleamed and it had a powerful roar!

I felt that the British people need to remember who they are, what our country stood for, our cultural history and our history with God. We no longer take pride in being a people of God and a nation of Christians - Africa now sends US missionaries! We no longer take pride in anything. And this is not the puffed-up pride that comes with vanity, but the pride in standing for truth, for standing up for the poor and sick, in standing up for our way of life. In standing up. 

It's time for repentance. We must accept our own failings for the state of this nation. I was shocked at how dilapidated these precious buildings are and so much in this country is in a state.

We need to say, ‘Yes, we as a nation and on an individual level have failed. We cut You out/let You be cut out. And we've let it fall into rack and ruin and I understand that we need You to sort it all out, please forgive us.’”

 

By December 2022 it wasn’t just Britain which was crumbling and dying. My only brother had been given weeks to live by doctors because of his brain tumour. It was like living a nightmare from which I could not wake up. Besides, everyone considers themselves awake. I think I was one of the few people who felt they were still asleep, and not all that free. But sickness doesn’t always lead to death and there is often a hope of healing.

How woke is that?

But in my brother’s case, God had decided this hope was not to be. When he died on Christmas day, my heart broke and the stars fell from my sky. A few months afterwards, his partner and our friend also died from cancer. I blamed God for it and was so angry that I didn’t speak to him for over a year (blogging about my grief weekly). In the end, after calling God names and settling on ‘jewel thief’, I decided to remain a believer. But it was touch and go for a while.

The Death of Queen Elizabeth II

 

On Thursday 8^th September 2022 it was announced that Queen Elizabeth had died. Although people were a bit more prepared for it than the death of Princess Diana, they were still shocked because the Queen had been seen greeting the new Prime Minister Liz Truss only a couple of days beforehand.

There was, during that time (at least among some believers), as usual, an expectation that a revival could happen as a result. But to be fair, any major event would make the revivalists hope that there could be a resulting revival. If there was an eclipse, it meant a revival was imminent. If someone had a sweet dream, a revival was imminent. In the same way that blood moons signified the end of the world to some. I’m being a bit disingenuous again, but this all has a kernel of truth in it.

 

The UK Christian media at least were very much on message and made much of the fact that the Queen was a Christian. This was largely glossed over in the secular media, although it was mentioned. Especially since the shameful abuse scandal broke, Christians had been held in a particularly low regard. This had not been helped by Tony Blair and George Bush, who claimed to be Christians. So along with the abusers, because of the actions of a few, the whole community lost respect among many of the people.

But any hopes that the Queen’s witness could raise our reputation among the people proved to be a little too positive. The Queen died and rainbows were seen over the royal residences. Some took it as a sign. Others shrugged and carried on as normal. The event was huge and the country headed into a period of official mourning. Once again, it was the UK republicans and critics of the monarchy, including republican Christians who felt that they were not free to express anything but the highest praise for the Queen, whose popularity was not under question. But now many have romanticised the time under her as being better days, when the truth is that it was grindingly hard and bad for so many of us. For the future, if you are young, don’t believe those who say it was all peachy when the Queen ruled. It wasn’t. The problems were as bad, if not worse than many of today’s troubles.

As for a revival. Some of the modern prophets stated that a revival would come. One notable prophet stated that it would not come until the country had been significantly humbled through another recession and cost of living crisis. So, in September of that year, when the Queen died, he felt a little vindicated. Something had happened, even though it was not exactly what he had prophesied. I got caught up in this hope too - the hope of revival, despite many past disappointments. I should probably have known better. I didn’t publish this blog though until I was persuaded that something was genuinely happening behind the scenes.

I could not see how a revival could come without a sovereign move from God himself. We were in his hands and the gift was in his hands too. They started to call the Queen ‘mother’ or ‘grandmother’ and some of the revivalists started to call revival ‘the promised land’. Others wanted there to be another reformation, sick of the excesses and seeming inactivity of the established churches. Revivalists were by no means in unity in the UK. (And also needed to repent.)

I struggled because I wanted there to be a revival but I didn’t want the huge cost of living crisis and recession which was looming and which was likely to disproportionately make things so much worse for the poor. I was also preoccupied. My brother had not been healed from a diagnosis of terminal brain cancer. One medical trial requested £250,000 to take part. Can you believe that? We are so sick. My brother asked us, half joking, if we would sell our house for him. My heart was breaking and it affected what remained of my relationship with God because I blamed God for allowing the disease. Plus, I knew that revival was in his gift and that while he tarried, people died. Saying ‘God’s timing is perfect’ was not helpful. Sometimes his timing seemed to stink.

 

As for the country after the death of the Queen - the UK media stations changed their programming. The news was largely filled with the pre-prepared material (until that ran out). And people seemed quite flexible on the whole. They adjusted to having a new king and that was that. The Queen’s Christianity did not seem to have had the influence on the people which some hoped that it would. It was all quite depressing. Some murmured that the new king was too interested in other faiths. And, of course, conspiracy theories abounded - others said ‘He’s not my king’ (something which had historically not gone down very well with some kings). The majority of believers in the UK are monarchists though. I think it is because of all the royals in the Bible.

Around about the time of the funeral there was excitement in some Christian circles about exactly what the Archbishop of Canterbury’s sermon would be like at the funeral. Because it was likely to be the sermon which reached the most people ever. Estimated to be between 3-4 billion people. The sermon was delivered and people fell into two camps - some thought it was very standard and unengaging (having to fit into a small time slot), others thought that it was bold and criticised the powerful leaders who sat in Westminster Abbey to listen. One thing it did do was to please the majority of UK Christian listeners. As for the others - well, as usual, few people asked. There was some conversation about it on social media, but mostly about whether the Archbishop had subtly alluded to Harry and Megan. It seemed to please the converted most of all.

Then, after the funeral, with opportunities missed as usual, things returned to normal. What startled me was that this happened straight away. In the same way that you can notice everything revert to normal after the Christmas celebrations, things went back to normal after the Queens death. We had a king and that was that. Comedy resumed, allowed once again on the BBC (who halted it briefly) and we also resumed our legitimate worries about the cost-of-living crisis, the coming winter… and the possibility of nuclear war.

On 23^rd September 2022, after finally contracting COVID for the first time, I wrote in my diary: ‘Revival has rarely felt so far away as today.’

The Government's Perspective

 

December 2022 

At the end of November 2022, more of the 2021 census results were published. (Christmas is the best time for a census conversation. For a few reasons.) In this case, our very own oppressive Government (who had sat on the results for a long time and made everyone else wait for their findings), somewhat gleefully stated:

‘For the first time in a census of England and Wales, less than half of the population (46.2%, 27.5 million people) described themselves as “Christian”, a 13.1 percentage point decrease from 59.3% (33.3 million) in 2011; despite this decrease, “Christian” remained the most common response to the religion question.’

The results also showed that every other faith and none had increased in number.

 

It was the year of the Qatar world cup. We were not winning. Discontent filled the air. The streets felt oppressive. Strikes of all kinds were happening. And the cost-of-living crisis had become an official recession, looking likely to become a depression. And then there was Christmas, which many of the poor simply could not afford (yet still celebrated without any discernible reward).

The Conservative Government, at least being led by the first Prime Minister of colour (though not entirely because of the wishes of the party), knew that their time was short. There were protests - except, protesters rights had already been limited. Every day was a case of, ‘And what are we not allowed to do today?’

Government very much thought that issues of faith and spirituality should be delegated to the faith communities. Muslims, in particular, were still treated badly. Christians had received some much-needed kudos when Queen Elizabeth died, because the people respected her faith. That’s maybe a bit cynical, but as someone once said ‘What is actually wrong with cynicism?’ (Or, for that matter, naivety?)

It was very hard for anyone to claim that the UK was a Christian country anymore. Reasons for people ticking the Christian box on the census vary. But we were nominally Christian up until then, whatever you think of the real state of the country. Now were we Babylon?

 

As for the Government’s perspective on all this? I’m very sorry, but I’m afraid there are those who really don’t deserve their side of the story to be told. They didn’t lift a finger to help and, in many ways, hindered things. The charities largely helped, others helped. But the Government? No. Even their report that Christians in the UK really were discriminated against was tucked away. And they continue to complicate and make the lives of so many people, so much more difficult.

Or, to quote Fiddler on the Roof:

“Rabbi, may I ask you a question?”

“Certainly.”

“Is there a proper blessing for the Czar?”

“A blessing for the Czar? Of course. May God bless and keep the Czar… far away from us!”

A Catholic Point of View

Over the years I have been to a few Catholic churches. One on holiday in Portugal, for a meeting so packed that I had to stand outside the church itself because the congregation was literally spilling out of the church. Another time when I was visiting a relative in Ireland and I went to the local Catholic church, curious to see what it was like – it was very much like a local community hub. I’ve been to the Vatican, but at the time I wasn’t a believer and was more interested in the array of often esoteric items being sold in the street leading up to the Vatican.

If the figures are to be believed, then it seems that many new Christians are becoming Catholic. I remember writing a report on how believers were portrayed in film and I found that most of the negative stereotypes concerned Catholic fictional characters, especially priests. Despite the child abuse scandals (which have got to be the worst sins that people from within both Catholicism and Protestantism have ever done), there seems to be something about the Catholic church which attracts many. Possibly it may be the claim that it is the true Church, with the legitimate successor to the first Pope, St Peter. But the Orthodox Church also claims to be the true, original church, so it can get pretty confusing. Especially when you are Protestant (which has absolutely no evidence of being orthodox when it all comes down to it (and has splintered into many groups)).

There is still a lot of misunderstanding and discrimination between some Protestants and Catholics, further evidence of our current lack of unity. For example, they don’t usually pray TO Mary and the saints. They ask Mary and the saints to pray for them in the same way that you might ask a church leader to pray for you. Because they believe that death is not strong enough to block prayers. Yes, they do some things wrong, but they also do a lot right and are as Christian as any other church which holds to the creed.

Archbishop Mark O’Toole of Cardiff prayed in his homily on the 2nd December 2024:

“Help us to come to you as Kyrios, as Lord, as the one who is the source of our joy, of our energy and our life. And to ‘Go’ forth in your name, not go ‘from you’ but to go forward in the power and strength of your presence to those who do not know you, who have not had the beauty of an encounter with you.  To go to those who are furthest away. 

Lord, help us to do this in communion with one another, walking together, assisting each one to be able to participate more profoundly and deeply, so that all may have their voice and their part in bringing others to you.  This is our Mission.”

And about the quiet revival he went on to say that it was being led by young men and laypeople.

Beth Przybylska, strategic project director at the church's Catholic Youth Ministry Federation told OSV News:

"If a mass revival occurs, I'm sure it will find great leadership. But for now, with local priests and parishes preoccupied with their own daily hardships, it's up to youth groups like ours to keep a wider momentum going."

There is speculation that young people are attracted to the traditions and ritual within many Catholic churches. And let’s face it – if you have suddenly become a believer, it is a logical choice to join the largest, least fragmented church in the world… If only just to be safe with ‘you know who’.

The Pandemic (continued)

 

Whether or not the pandemic was the catalyst for what seems to be an increasingly likely ‘quiet revival’ remains a moot point.

2021 (From my diary)

‘Is there a revival now?

It’s supposed to be defined in history as having common elements - people becoming believers, even the occasional miracle. Crime decreasing etc... What has happened before can happen again (for good as well as bad). Many believers seem to hope for a worldwide revival - but that has never happened before. It isn't impossible, I suppose. But all of the many books written about revival are lacking, because not a single person knows how to actually start one. Usually revivals start with the preachers, the Christian leaders. Just a few of them. Some say that before any genuine revival, things get really bad. The consensus is that prayer is hugely important. Then everyone has to decide whether they will help or hinder it.

If this, now, is a revival, I'm thinking we have been hugely fobbed off. But it is in God's gift and timing. How can people repent without a revival? And how is there a revival without people repenting? It is Catch 22. It is entirely in God's hands. The only thing we can do is cry out to him. To soften our hard hearts.’

 

Notably, if a revival happens, afterwards, many of the leaders are then neglected, after being used. Like Oskar Schindler was after saving many people. Evan Roberts, a significant leader of the Welsh revival also received the same treatment; despite everything he did. He was left to stew (or perhaps marinate) in his old age.

Similarly, when a revival happens there is almost always opposition from both outside and inside the church. In Birmingham, The Church of England drowned out the preaching of the Wesleys on the streets with church bells. That is illustrative of the entire antagonism which is ongoing towards any kind of awakening, even within the Church.

But the benefits of a revival are true enough. Historically it’s said that the entire atmosphere changes. There are huge numbers of people who begin to support charities and causes which have not received help or support before. In that sense it is the cause of causes - if a revival happens then more people support existing causes. It is said that people become more loving. There is not usually a push for governmental power. It isn't about that kind of power. It’s the power of God. Domestic violence, violent crime, drug use, all of these things historically decrease in revivals (before Government takes credit for that). There’s a positive aspect because people are said to be more conscientious and more loving. But the crime rates are not currently decreasing according to the stats. The pandemic didn’t result in a worldwide revival.

The worst of all worlds.

The only thing that can reach us after all this time is God’s love. It’s a cliché but true love never goes out of fashion. In an AI age where so many of us who are (slightly) older can feel left behind, let that be a comfort.

Revivalists do have a vision. It is not quite the same as the vision of the politicians, which tends to be about maintaining the status quo. The vision of revivalists is that this country will act as a resource to other countries and that the people within it will thrive rather than simply survive. And that the people within this country will live life to the full and prepare things for the future. That there would be hope for all of us and for the children.

The trouble is that opponents of awakenings often take their stances because of miscommunication and misunderstanding. But also, sometimes out of spite and fears of resulting losses in trade and employment.

 

At the start of Autumn in 2021 I saw the small-town street preachers again. They hadn’t changed. They prayed in the middle of the street. They carried boards reading ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery’ and ‘Babies are murdered here’. Whenever anyone approached them, people were sent away shaking their heads. The last I heard from them was when they were packing up and the particularly nasty street preacher said ‘Get away from us.’ They hadn’t changed at all. I did not confront them this time, I just witnessed.

 

August 15th August 2022. (Diary. Heaven knows what day of lockdown.)

‘Still no sign of the promised revival. Not that God had made the promise, but you would think that hundreds of thousands of believers in the UK praying for the same thing might persuade him a little. ‘Ask and you shall receive’ and all that.’

 

I spoke with my ex-parish vicar, Richard, on what he thought about revival.

“What do you mean,” he asked back, “about historical revival or revival now?”

“Either.” I replied.

He went on to talk about some of the historic revivals in the past.

“So, it could happen again?”

He seemed to agree and talked about how he believed that any modern-day revival would be different to the revivals of the past. I asked him if the Church of England was prepared for such an event. He skirted around the issue, but didn’t say ‘no’.

He spoke about how many Christians were already active in areas such as climate change.

And then I asked: “Do you think there is a way of uniting liberal and conservative Christians?”

“Yes,” he replied. “Because there is common ground between the two.”

“Like the creed?”

“Yes.”

Up and down the country there are an array of perspectives among Christian leaders, even within denominations. But it was refreshing to hear from one who seemed reasonably open minded to the possibility, even if it could mean a lot more work for him.

 

But at this point in time, the divisions between liberal and conservative Christians showed no sign of abating, even though we largely lost the freedom to go to physical churches. If believers are united in the communion service and affirming the creed (the common statement of faith shared by all denominations) together, we still show no sign of that unity when it comes to online communication. The UK church may have largely been learning online skills because of the pandemic, but we were still as divided as ever. And isolated. 'Close every door to me (and let’s have a flame war).'

Some even found the fringe issues more important than the core issues of the creed and the command to love. This was not just about views on LGBT+ issues. It encompassed views on climate change and even political preferences. Many wanted to make these core issues. Shibboleths. But the fact was that within both the Church of England and other denominations in Britain and worldwide, these were only core issues insomuch that those with opinions on either side wanted to make them core issues. I was to encounter a few believers who wouldn’t even accept the creed. They said that this was an added document and was extra-Biblical, but those with this view were very much in the minority. Although the subject of revival, I had to admit, was also not in the creed. It was an issue which an individual could have any kind of view on, even though it encompassed the words of the Lord’s prayer – namely, ‘Your Kingdom come…’ There was no mention of believing in revival in the Nicene or Apostles Creed. What there was mention of was believing in God and believing that Jesus had been crucified and resurrected, as the gospels relate. And in believing in invisible things.

I simply had to accept the fact that the most adamant, vocal opponents of revival, if they were Christian, could not be said to be non-Christian, because the creed only hinted at the idea of revival. And the same with the most conservative right-wing believers. But revival, by necessity, is entirely concerned with the gospel. You couldn’t really have a revival which didn’t focus on the basic gospel message of God being loving and giving his only son for you and I and anyone else who believes. The only condition being that of belief in Jesus according to the gospels. But maybe, I too, was trying to make all this a core issue?

And how could I continue to make something so interesting, so incredibly boring and religious, especially when there was effectively a plague?

The pandemic ended and we did get the worst of all worlds. One pandemic. A lot of death. And no revival. Good news was hard to find. And partly because of the mainstream media agenda setting. I remember asking one editor just how he knew where to place a story in news emphasis. He replied: “You just get a feel for it.” But maybe he should have said something like: “You just copy what all the other broadcasters and newspapers are doing.” 

That’s slightly disingenuous, but not that far from the truth.

The Pandemic in the UK

2020 Day 71 of first lockdown (from my diary)

‘The contemporary Christian prophets had predicted that Brexit would result in revival. Yet there is still no revival. After Brexit was decided I’d expected the prophets (who are a kind of obscure interest to a few) to state that the LORD (note the capital letters they often use) would be pleased about the Brexit decision. None of that happened. Not a single one gave a message to say that God is pleased with the country’s actions. They are all on to the next thing and back to telling people to repent. It is disheartening. It is downright depressing. What is the point of worshipping a God who cannot be pleased? And now look what has happened.’

The coronavirus happened. Worldwide.

If the prophets had predicted it then they had been oblique. The most misleading prophecies, I guess, were those which said that everything would just get better and better.

There are some who say that the surge in interest in Christianity in the West and Europe is because of the pandemic. But if that is the case – why hasn’t it happened worldwide?

I remember the pandemic beginning because I had the second worst night of my life in a kind of feverish, hallucinating state. I had left the radio on and in the morning, after a hellish night, the news began to talk of an ‘infection’. It was announced by the World Health Organisation. And this announcement prompted the biggest world crisis I have ever seen. There is always a crisis, but most outward crises do not influence day to day life quite as much as this one. Whatever your views on the origins and subsequent reaction to the pandemic, it caused major disruption for so many. For me it was all abysmal.

Once again Christians were saying that the crisis would lead to a humbling and that from that humbling there could be a revival. But I wondered how. And I wondered why the humbling was necessary. Historically, was this how it had always had to happen? If nothing is impossible with God then why was the ‘humbling’ necessary? Because the danger was that a lot of people would die and we would still get no revival. The worst of all possible worlds. Reports began to say that people really were falling to their knees and praying more than ever for help. But still no revival.

Unless I had missed something, unless I simply did not see it, there was no awakening. I thought back to when I first began witnessing and seeking evidence for it, back to when I examined those library books. Was I being too pessimistic? The voices varied. There were Jeremiahs around, both believers and non-believers, and I always took notice of them. There were others who continued to claim that good things were just around the corner. There were some prophets who frankly seemed… dodgy.

I didn’t just read the latest prophecies. If there was something important, or obviously misleading, I would try to question. Mostly I was ignored. It was a minefield anyway. Occasionally there would be a tweeted reply. One popular prophet memorably prophesied at the start of the crisis that the LORD was telling everyone to take communion together every day. I felt it misleading because of the virus. The prophesies were a little bit like the childhood game ‘Simon says…’ in which you have to discern what is a true message and what is not.

I spoke with a close non-Christian friend about revival again and he, exasperated, said, ‘It doesn’t matter what you think!’. Because he understood that if it did happen then there would be huge changes on a personal and societal level. I was the only writer writing about the socio-economic effects of a revival in the UK. That people would lose jobs. That was not a deal-breaker for me. The deal-breaker was if people would die.

I spoke briefly to God about it all. I wrote a blog. But I found that no matter how much I racked my brains, I simply had no agency to bring it about. Always, the best answer seemed to be that the only way to bring it about was through repentance and prayer. And repentance in the sense of loving others more rather than simply trying to stop sinning. Or at the very least simply giving God the apology in prayer some of us think he owes us (and is unlikely to ever give us).


Later from my diary

‘As I write, we seem to be slowly coming out of the crisis. The Government has been a nightmare, apart from furlough. It has felt, to me, like the end of the world. Almost as if an army of demons are persuaded that these are the last of the last days. But how would they know? Even Christ seemed to blindside himself to the date. The prophets have been largely unanimous in saying that it’s not the end of the world. After all, certain other things are supposed to happen first. The Jerusalem temple being rebuilt and a handful of other things. More than believers say. But as I write I’m fed up and the lockdowns have been difficult. I’ve been fed up for a long time.’

It all made my brain turn to mush and I still wanted to get out and about and get alternative perspectives on something which most people doubted could ever happen... I got sick of thinking and talking about it. I wanted to experience it…

I also got Covid…