Heralding the Quiet Revival

 

On the 30^th March 2024, a headline in The Spectator read: ‘A Christian revival is under way in Britain’. 

It was written by the writer and podcaster Justin Brierley. Well, there was some debate at the time on whether he had written the headline or some sub-editor had. Either way, he ran with the story. He spoke more of a spiritual rebirth and resisted the word ‘revival’ in his article. In fact, it is likely neither the Bible Society or Justin Brierley or the Spectator sub-editor get the kudos of heralding it. There was also the little-known college newspaper reporter of Asbury College in the US.

But the article caused a stir and was the most read Spectator online story of 2024. Brierley’s evidence for the revival was that a number of intellectuals had become Christians and that there seemed to be a shift in the whole landscape with even Richard Dawkins saying he was a ‘cultural Christian’. Justin Brierley felt that new atheism had received a backlash and people were questioning the deepest issues such as the meaning of life, God, and what happens after we die. He had seen first-hand a number of famous people moving from agnosticism, atheism and Islam into Christianity.

One of those, although perhaps not considered an intellectual because of his accent, was Russell Brand - who, that year got baptised by Bear Grylls in the River Thames. With Russell Brand remaining a controversial figure after the allegations of sexual assault, he received a mixed welcome from the UK Christian community. Brand asserted that he had been cancelled by the legacy media and that the accusations were untrue. Some believers felt he was using Christianity as a kind of last resort. Others, including Brierley, gave a cautious welcome. But Brand went from liberal to conservative, possibly so as not to alienate his large US audience. He also lost followers because of his new faith.

At the time there was also some evidence that Generation Z were a lot more open to talking about faith issues than was believed. Some said that there was a revival among young people. It was hard to know for sure, but I saw little sign of it on the university campus where I worked. But I wasn’t digging particularly deeply and, after Asbury, it really did seem like young people were having these discussions and that some were turning to Christ. It is said that the late teens and twenties are a significant time for young people in settling on their faith positions. I had become a Christian at university aged 20. It seemed possible, but the evidence was threadbare and, in many ways, things were as they always were. If this was a revival - it was a bit disappointing. Crime had not decreased and the atmosphere seemed as heavy and oppressive as ever.

 

As ever, people put their hope in a political solution - with the general election replacing 14 years of Conservative Government. But just as with Brexit, the promises of freedom simply remained promises. Perhaps it was all a distraction. People were certainly agitated enough about political issues for it to be another major change. But the talk, as before, was about ‘fixing’ a ‘broken’ Britain - if you even acknowledged that anything was wrong at all.

I wanted Justin Brierley to be right. But I saw few signs of a revival and, even on a personal level, felt little personal revival. I had published a short book ‘The Parables of the Cold Island’ with a half-concealed metaphor for an awakening and it had flopped. It had done spectacularly badly. I think I sold a handful of copies at the most in the first few months and most of them I gave away.

It was a year of loaves and circuses - the circuses of the major sporting events and the general election and the steady bread of incessant bad news. Well, maybe it is unfair to say that politics is a distraction - being as it influences so much of our daily lives. And maybe, just maybe, God was doing something quietly behind the scenes and ‘Aslan really was on the move’ as some liked to say.

Everything is a distraction to somebody or other. It remains my conviction that one of the healthiest and most necessary things that anyone can do, at almost any time, is to bawl their eyes out (preferably at a convenient time and location).

 

Pentecostal Perspectives

 

The Pentecostal church in the UK largely comes under two denominations - The Assemblies of God (AOG) and Elim. I’ve attended both and my background is of going from attending AOG to Elim (there really is not that much difference between the two in my experience). I also spent a long time between churches. These days I attend a Church of England church and feel I’m a lot less religious than I used to be when I first became a believer.

Below are a few views from Pentecostals (the denominational name of which I feel sure that many think sounds too much to them like the word ‘pentagram’ - drawing up images of sorcery and sacrifice).

“We want to see a revival in Britain. I’m not a healing evangelist; I don’t heal people but I know someone who does. I don’t believe my ministry of healing is of healing to Christians, I believe my ministry of healing is to unbelievers. Your burden should be for England, for Birmingham - if any place needs God it’s Birmingham. I want you to change Birmingham.”

David Hathaway - popular UK Christian evangelist preaching in Birmingham

“I believe revival is going to come to the UK. But there could also be persecution.”

Pastor David Owen

 

“I am so fed up with it always raining on someone else's patch! I rejoice and celebrate with all that is happening worldwide, I really do. But my deepest desire is to see it all here, and now. I do believe the atmosphere is changing over our beloved nation. I guess we all need to sharpen our spiritual antenna to become more conscious and understanding.

There has been a major change since Brexit. We must press in to not allow the enemy and his ignorant human tools (by that I mean they do not know they are puppets in his evil anti-God plans) to prevent the fullness of that happening.
There have been shoots popping up all over the place showing that God is on the move afresh…

Let's take the Kingdom by storm, in the violence that the gospel speaks about.” 

Earnest (Pentecostal believer)


When the quiet revival started it was the Catholic and Pentecostal churches which saw the initial growth in numbers. By contrast, according the report by the Bible Society, it was the Church of England which was losing congregants.

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).