Bittersweet Irony: Is the Church Ready for Holy Spirit-Filled Evangelical Christian Revivals?
ANALYSIS
There is a bittersweet irony ready to unfold in America. A most wonderful happening is ready to burst forth on the screen of our nation. When it does, it will probably be unlike anything that has been seen at least in the last 75 years.
We are already beginning to detect precursors of this great event. Widespread anecdotal evidence is popping up even in some of the most unexpected places. The settings are certainly not the usual suspects for such events. But yet, at Asbury University, Auburn University, Lee University in Cleveland, Ohio State University, Clemson University, and Florida State University, along with more minor snippets in college towns all across the country, the authentication is there. You ask what these episodic phenomena might be. They are nothing more than the almost spontaneous outbreaks of Holy Spirit-filled evangelical Christian revivals.
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If you look closely, you can see a thread that runs through these occurrences: they are all taking place on college campuses. Are they a portend of greater movements to come? Only time can reveal that answer. But there is every indication that these may be the seismic shocks that precede the outbreak of the earthquake of true revival in America.
There is a sad irony, however, in another common thread for these events. Again, if you are paying attention, you will note that not one of these outpourings occurred within the confines of an organized church setting, and if the truth be known, there may not even be any church involved at all in many of these cases.
The simple reality is that the formulated church in America is not prepared for a revival. You see, we as Christians have been too busy building a brand instead of being obedient to the Great Commission. We have been trying to conform folks to our morality and preferred worship styles when we should have been proclaiming the Christ who transforms men and women and boys and girls to His likeness.
Surely there are those churches that are about the Master's business with great energy. But far too many times, assimilation is the rule of the day, and "going" has been replaced with "sitting on the premises." Then all too often, the "social gospel" has taken root in the American church to the detriment of the proclamation of the real Gospel of Jesus Christ. To be foundational, Christianity must be rooted in disciple-making.
Now it is our young people, Gen Zers, who, through the pursuit of their newfound faith, are bringing shame on the established church. But thank God, they are. Because it is in the hearts of this next generation that true revival will be borne in America.
At Southern Evangelical Seminary (SES) we have seen this day coming. In fact, we have longed for this day, and we, like many others, have fervently prayed for it to come. That is why SES is now seeking to be the tip of the spear for this new wave of Christ followers who will soon be appearing all over the map of the United States. We are intent on helping this new Spirit-filled movement to be more than an explosion of emotion. That's why we are going to continue to do what we have been doing since our founding over 33 years ago.
SES will be defending the faith, and we will be training this new generation through quality education opportunities and through social media and virtual faith links. We are taking the concept of "going" seriously. This time though, the going will be done through ways and means that are more familiar to this next generation. Nevertheless, our message will still be that same "Old, Old Story of Victory in Jesus," and the fulfillment of the Great Commission's admonishment of "making disciples."
So, when the revival comes — and it will come — it will be a real movement of God that can be sustained through discipleship based on the foundations of what SES has always taught and will continue to teach: there is a God who loves us and who seeks to have a real relationship with us, and He can be known through His Holy Word. If you really are interested in wrapping your mind around what your heart truly wants to believe, then turn your eyes to the only truth that matters, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you are really serious, look for podcasts from our professors, take a look at our website, and be sure to watch for our new initiative that we are calling Truth That Matters. SES is steadfast in the truth; you can be too.
After a successful career as a lawyer and judge, Judge Phil Ginn retired as the Senior Resident Superior Court Judge for the 24th Judicial District in North Carolina. Throughout his 22-year judicial career, he had the privilege of holding court in almost 50% of the county seats in North Carolina. Currently, Judge Ginn serves as the president of Southern Evangelical Seminary (ses.edu) and is a regular contributor to Christianity.com and The Washington Times. Judge Ginn has also been featured on Fox News, CBN, Newsmax, Decision Magazine, The Christian Post, Townhall and many others.
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