Signs We Could Be Nearing a Spiritual Awakening
Are we seeing another spiritual awakening?
The last time America saw a great one was during the 1970s Jesus Movement. That’s more than five decades ago! And I had a front row seat to it all, coming to faith myself at that time.
I have to say, I haven’t felt this much cultural stirring since then.
All around are promising signs we could be at the beginning of yet another spiritual awakening. I’m filled with hope that this might be the start of something only God can do.
We saw it at this year’s Harvest Crusade. More than 45,000 people packed Angel Stadium, so many that the fire marshal had to lock the doors. One guy even climbed the fence just to get in—and he accepted Christ! Most incredibly, there were over 6,500 professions of faith in Jesus Christ. This looks like a spiritual shift in culture to me.
See Why There’s Hope for America
The Difference Between ‘Spiritual Awakening’ and ‘Revival’
We often hear the words revival and spiritual awakening used interchangeably, but there is a distinction between the two.
Revival simply means to be refreshed, restored, returned to original condition. It’s what a Christian needs when they’re feeling spiritually dead. It can happen within an individual life or a local church, but it is simply getting back to the Christian life as it was meant to be lived.
But while revival is what happens to the church, a spiritual awakening occurs when God sovereignly pours out His Spirit in such a way it impacts an entire culture. This is what happened during the Jesus Movement and at multiple times in American history.
But I believe a spiritual awakening starts with us because when God’s people come alive spiritually, it can change everything. When the church experiences revival, it affects the world.
David Jeremiah said it like this, “Revival is the rekindling of a flame. And when the fire is lit, it doesn’t just warm the church—it lights up the world!”
As I’ve said, I believe there are signs the world is lighting up. What other hope do we have for our younger generations? And for that matter, any generation?
Young People Are Growing Spiritually Hungry
Gen Z is hurting. They’ve been called the “hopeless generation.” They have the highest suicide rate of any generation. 72% of teens use AI companions regularly instead of talking to real people. 42% of High School students experience constant sadness, and 22% of High School students have contemplated suicide.
But here is something really amazing—we are seeing a spiritual hunger and resurgence about Jesus especially among young people, specifically Gen Z and Millennials. This is exactly what happened during the Jesus Movement. It was the youth coming to Christ out of desperation.
This marks a dramatic shift from previous data, which consistently showed elders and boomers were the more committed Christians than their younger counterparts.
Our young generation is hungry for spiritual truth. One commentator put it this way, “Gen Z and Gen Alpha are coming to Christ in massive numbers. They don’t want fluff. They don’t want a watered-down gospel. They want the tough, honest truth. They want the unfiltered gospel of Christ crucified and the power of the resurrection.”
Young Men Are Outpacing Young Women Spiritually
Even more surprising is that this spiritual change is happening with men, especially younger men! In fact, recent data has shown that younger men are more likely to become Christians than younger women. This is exciting. We are so used to women leading the way spiritually.
Since 2019, commitment to Christ among Gen Z men has jumped 15 percentage points. Bible sales are up 22%, with first-time buyers being led by Gen Z and young adults.
Instead of leaving the faith, they’re reaching for Scripture. We’re seeing this spiritual momentum in pop culture, too.
Pop Culture Is Shifting for the Better
For the first time since 2014, two Christian songs are charting simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100: “Hard Fought Hallelujah” by Brandon Lake and Jelly Roll and “Your Way’s Better” by Forrest Frank.
Add to this the fact that Christian filmmaking is gaining momentum, seen through the phenomenal success of shows like The Chosen and House of David.
With over 200 million viewers worldwide, The Chosen is a global phenomenon. And House of David was an instant success upon its release this year, sitting as Prime Video’s number one show for some time—not to mention, it’s already underway for season two.
And don’t forget the global impact of Jesus Revolution. I’ve heard many stories of unexpected people that were reached through that film. And there have been mass baptisms inspired by the true Pirate’s Cove Beach baptisms portrayed in the film.
Thousands of people have been baptized through what we’ve done with our Annual Jesus Revolution Baptism and others, like Baptize SoCal. And they all connect back to the Jesus Revolution movie and what happened at Pirate’s Cove during the Jesus Movement.
Now Is the Time for Christians to Wake Up
Did you know the time of the Jesus Movement is not too far off from what we’ve seen in recent years?
During that time, there were riots, racial tension, and a real fear of nuclear war. It felt like our nation was unraveling before our very eyes! Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
But with all the talk of a “revolution,” one actually took place. It wasn’t a political revolution or a moral revolution—it was what TIME Magazine dubbed a “Jesus Revolution.”
And when I put all we’re seeing together, I start to see a pattern. I start seeing hopeful signs we’re nearing another Jesus Revolution.
Can I say for certain what we’re currently seeing will turn into something larger? Of course not, God only knows. But what I do know is that we can each do our part as His people—we can fan the current spiritual flames by waking up spiritually ourselves.
Think about the words of this writer today:
If all the sleeping people will wake up, if all the lukewarm people will fire up, if all the dishonest people will confess up, if all the disgruntled people will cheer up, if all the estranged people will make up, if all the gossipers will shut up, if all true soldiers will stand up, if all the dry bones will shake up, if all the church people will pray up, then we can have a revival.
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Is there really hope for America? Yes, and it’s found in Jesus Christ. Receive “Hope for America” today, where Pastor Greg Laurie insightfully guides you through this topic in depth.
