PAST REVIVALS

The First Great Awakening of 1727

The First Great Awakening also known as “The Great Awakening” or The Evangelical Revival” was certainly not the greatest revival when measuring by numbers or geographical coverage, nevertheless, it certainly deserves the title because it was the first discernible occurrence that God’s Spirit flowed out concurrently across different nations.

Historically, the commencement of this awakening can be traced to the Moravian community known as “Herrnhut” (the Lord’s Watch), where they experienced a visitation from God after a period of prayer, reconciliation and repentance in 1727. Nikolas Count Ludwig Von Zinzendorf, a German, was the leader of the movement that began a 24 hour-a-day prayer meeting, which lasted the next 100 years and saw 300 radical missionaries sent out. Revival then spread under the ministry of Jonathan Edwards in 1734.

The effects of the revival were phenomenal as about 150 new churches began within a 20-year period, and 30,000 were added to the church just between 1740 and 1742. Changes were also noticeable morally.

Meanwhile in Britain, a colossal movement of revival had begun and was anchored in with the ministries of George Whitefield and John Wesley, two young men.  George Whitefield, for 34 years exercised a most amazing preaching ministry, with revival signs often following him. The peak of his ministry was at the renowned Cambuslang Awakening in 1742, where over 30,000 people gathered to hear him preach, followed by mass weeping and repentance for close to two hours.

Whitefield’s ministry saw him preach in almost every town of England, Scotland and Wales, covering over 5,000 miles in America in just one year, crossing the Atlantic seven times and winning countless souls. He publicly preached an estimated 18,000 power-packed messages to every class of people.

In this same Great Awakening season was John Wesley, known as one of the leaders of the 18th century evangelical revival. He preached whenever the chance presented itself. Wesley was an itinerant preacher for 65 years who journeyed on horseback over an estimated 250,000 miles where he preached 40,000 sermons! He wrote an estimated 233 books, which includes his extensive journals and a comprehensive commentary on the whole bible. He raised 750 preachers in England, 350 in America; 57,621 in America and 76,968 Methodists in England. With Charles, his brother, he penned 9,000 hymns. Wesley’s influence has far outrun his long life. His ways and theology has influenced Holiness, Revivalist, Charismatic and Pentecostal sects to the present day.

Undeniably, this Awakening was certainly ‘Great’ and had a remarkable effect on the majority of nations where Evangelical Christians could be found. It affected the present church, saw thousands converted and shaped social circumstances. In our time, we can see even a greater awakening if we would begin to cry unto God for a revival in our city, nation and the world at large.

43 thoughts on “PAST REVIVALS”

  1. The world in this age truly needs a revival! Christians must arise and revive the whole earth…. Revival is cominnnnggg!

  2. It’s amazing to see how God poured out his Spirit in those days and how hungry the people were to experience more of Him.
    Lord we pray a mighty revival in our day…

  3. There is a shocking similarity between what the church did in the past that led to the revival of old and what Gospel Pillars Church is doing right now in 2020 (prayers, repentance etc)

    Revival is certainly at the door and it will definitely be glorious

  4. Hallelujah! !!!
    Yes Lord ready us for the revival that is coming. We will not come short of Your plans. We will see a greater awakening in our days

  5. Wow. We are in much earnestness for such move of God again and even greater before the return of the Lord. Lord, count me as a faithful witness of your end time army and help me know my part

  6. Like it’s clearly written that the Glory of the later shall be greater than the former so also the revival of the later. But it’s depending on Earnest outcry of the body of Christ in our cities. God help us all

  7. Gabriel Ikponmwosa O.

    Let a New move of revival be birthed oh lord that will surpass the former one.
    Your word says that “The Glory of the latter shall be greater than the former”.

  8. Andy Nii Ayitey Mettle

    Lord we cry out for an awakening in our hearts in our families, churchesans nations!!
    Cause our man God to be a revivalist in this times like the Wesley’s and Whitefield’s!!

  9. Oh Lord even in this last generation may we experience a great awakening of revival by your Spirit in all nations of the world.

  10. Yes Lord even in this last age ignite us with the fire for revival resulting in a great awakening of revival by your Spirit in all nations of the world.

  11. Wow, this is just mind blowing, Father I ask that in this last days may we experience this kind of revival in our time

  12. Victor Motsoasele

    What I take out of this article is the effects of revival which includes the proliferation of churches within a country. Not underselling the importance of the myriad souls that are saved. With the significance of the moral upliftment of societies.

  13. Chuks Owen-Kings

    What an Amazing Insight… Praying 24 hours a day for 100 years… MY GOD!!!! GREATER THINGS YET TO COME IN THIS DISPENSATION. I BELIEVE AND I EXPECT

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