PROPHETIC SIGNIFICANCE:
Why would God send revival in the last days? In the Bible, He always gave believers an opportunity to repent, and he often allowed the worst
of pagans the opportunity to repent as well (eg. Nineveh).
The Lord is mightily at work in His World! See some of the recent highlights below, and be sure to check out the Christian news sources listed at the top of the Revival Links!
Notice: Sources often remove their news links after a period of time. Some of them move older stories to a subscription-only section. Even if the story is no longer on line, our summary will still be available on this page.
Dec. 14, 2011 - Denver Bronco's quarterback Tim Tebow demonstrates his exceptional faith on the football field in the face of criticism
from other athletes and the media. After his touchdowns he pointe skyward and takes a knee in prayer.
In postgame interviews, the young quarterback often starts by saying, "First, I'd like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"
and ends with "God bless." He stresses that football is just a game and that God doesn't care who wins or loses.
April 6, 2011 - The movie "Soul Surfer" opens this week. It is about 21-year-old Bethany Hamilton, who
lost her left arm to a shark attack at the age of 13. Her courage, perseverance and a strong faith has
enabled her to become one of the world's greatest professional surfers.
June 4, 2011 - The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a Texas ruling
that students could not say the word "amen" and invite the audience to pray during their graduation ceremony.
The reversal comes on the heels of increasing criticism of a federal judge's earlier ruling that agreed with the parents of
one graduating student that religious expression during the ceremony at Medina Valley Independent School
District would cause "irreparable harm" to their son.
Dec. 31, 2010 - According to the book "Megashift," by Jim Rutz, evangelical Christianity is the fastest-growing faith on Earth.
Rutz makes the point that Christianity is overlooked as the fastest-growing faith in the world because most
surveys look at the traditional Protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church while ignoring Christian
believers who have no part of either.
Rutz claims there are 707 million "switched-on disciples" in this exploding "church," and that if present trends
continue, the entire world will be composed of such believers by the year 2032.
Western Christianity is no longer the primary source of missionary activity. Non-Western evangelicals now
outnumber Westerners by seven to one! They are nearly invisible to Western observers because they are not associated
with the institutional churches at all. In fact, for the most part, they meet in secret, and their evangelism is often
validated by miracles.
Ed. note: It is difficult to
confirm many of the claims of this book/movement, and it could lead to the unbiblical conclusion that these new
evangelicals will usher in the Millennial Kingdom without the well-known prophecies of the End Times being fulfilled
first. We should watch this trend prayerfully and evaluate it biblically.
Oct. 12, 2010 - Colorado Christian University, which has been in existence for almost 100 years, will emphasize
this shool year as one of intentional evangelism.
Students will prepare their own Christian testimonies; outreaches are planned for prayer breakfasts,
prisons, soup kitchens and more.
The school has invited churches and other colleges to join them in an effort to spread the Gospel of Jesus
Christ from shore to shore.
Sept. 6, 2010 - Christians rallied in Sacramento, at "The Call to Conscience." It was a 12-hour prayer gathering led by Kansas City pastor Lou Engle as a protest of same-sex marriage, pornography and abortion.
Engle alluded to 2 Chronicles 7:14 in the Bible:
"The government is the people. And the people is a reflection of the Church," Engle said during the rally. "The problem is not the government; it is the church."
Sept. 1, 2010 - Following last week-end's huge rally on the Mall in Washington D.C., there is a spirited debate about whether Glenn Beck can mobilize a return to dependence on God in the nation. Most Christian leaders agree that is what we need, but are nervous about Beck's Mormon background.
Others, such as Lou Engle, founder of The Call rallies across the country, said Beck will get qualified support. "I think evangelicals will see him as a moral voice, not necessarily a spiritual voice," he said.
July 20, 2010 -
A decade ago, Lou Engle was a man with a vision: to rally young people across the country to pray for the nation.
Ten years ago, more than 400,000 young people turned out on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to pray for America. It was the beginning of what came to be known as "The Call," a series of strategic prayer events held around the country that brought millions of people to their knees to fast, pray, and intercede for the nation.
The Call movement was Engle's dream. Engle is a man with a rare zeal and burden to see the passage 2 Chronicles 7:14 come to life:
"If my people who are called by name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, than I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
Today, The Call is still going strong and is headed to Sacramento, Calif. early this fall for its 10th Anniversary and to once again move the heart of God for this nation.
Jul. 2 - The Family Research Council and other organizations have issued a "Call 2 Fall" on Sunday, the 4th of July. Here is a portion of the information provided on their site:
Q - Why a Call 2 Fall?
A - First, the Scriptures teach it. The key verse is 2 Chronicles 7:14:
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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
The first requirement on the path to renewal is to "humble ourselves," to fall on our knees and faces before the Lord in repentant prayer. Over and over the Scriptures teach this.
Second, our history records it. Our founding fathers sensed the need for a "Call 2 Fall" in view of the monumental struggle we were engaged in with Britain. The First Continental Congress called for a day of public humiliation, fasting, and prayer throughout the Colonies on July 20th, 1775 just after war broke out. James Warren wrote Samuel Adams:
Three millions of people on their knees at once, supplicating the aid of Heaven, is a striking circumstance, and a very singular one in America . May the blessings of Heaven follow in answer to our prayers...
A proposed law (H.R. 397) would designate the first week in May as "America's Spiritual Heritage Week." The text of this resolution provides an incredible review of the Christian beliefs of our Founding Fathers and the bold expression of their faith in words and in deeds. It also traces the continuation of this rich spiritual history to the present time.
Jun. 25, 2010 - In the late 1990's Brazil's megacity of Sao Paulo (with more than 22 million people) suffered from crime, corruption, poverty, and an out-of-control police force. High-level police officers began to pray together for their city. The prayer movement spread throught the ranks of the police, and out into the community, lowering the murder rate by 60 percent.
Jun. 25, 2010 - In Argentina's capital of Buenos Aires is experiencing a return to the Biblical example of one church - the body of Christ - in the city. Norberto Saracco co-leader of the city's Council of Pastors explains:
"We have had growth in the church, but not revival. Revival changes the structure of society. Now we have something better than revival: unity. Unity has opened the opportunity for true revival."
Apr. 30, 2010 - Thousands of people attended "Empowered 21" at the Oklahoma campus of Oral Roberts University to pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
"God, we pray for the great awakening in America," Lou Engle, co-founder of The Call, cried out to God in prayer.
Apr. 10, 2010 - Focus on the Family's movie critic Bob Waliszewski encourages viewing of this heart-warming movie. It is based on the inspiring true story of 8-year-old Tyler Doherty and his courageous battle with brain cancer.
Tyler's father, Patrick Doherty, wrote the story and believes it will give others hope.
"Not just the hope for people that are going through cancer, but the hope for those who are left behind to know that this... isn't it," Doherty said. "There's more to life, there's more that goes on after life. We have an eternity with God if you place your trust in Jesus Christ."
This movie should also raise awareness of Christian cancer support groups.
March, 2010 - A national campaign has been launched by Answers In Genesis to encourage Christians to post and/or record their statement of faith in Jesus Christ. This is the message America needs the most, and it has grown to all areas of the media, including television, the Internet, and billboards.
Get involved by posting your own thoughts about Jesus, by being part of the world's first video Bible (you and your family may quote a portion of Scripture for all to see), or sponsoring media ads
Mar. 13, 2010 - "Calling All Christians," a concert twice the size of Woodstock, is being planned! Jim Plack and the organizers of Jubileefest hope to gather 1 million people to a farm outside of tiny Houston, Delaware, this summer for a praise and prayer event for the nation.
"If half a million hippies can gather on farm in New York to do drugs and have sex," Plack told WND, "certainly God can bring a million Christians to a farm in Delaware."
"Every Christian should be there," quipped the Jubileefest website, "but we only have room for a million."
Did you see the Super Bowl spot from Focus on the Family?
It starts with Pam Tebow holding a baby photo of Tim Tebow, who is now 22, and a two-time Heisman Trophy winner.
Pam says, "I call him my miracle baby. He almost didn't make it into this world. I can remember so many times when I almost lost him. It was so hard. Well, he's all grown up now, and I still worry about his health. You know, with all our family's been through, we have to be tough."
Suddenly, she is tackled and disappears.
She returns and says, "Timmy! I'm trying to tell our story here!"
Tim stands next to her and says, "Sorry about that mom. You still worry about me, Mom?"
"Well, yeah," she says. "You're not nearly as tough as I am."
The tagline is "Celebrate Family. Celebrate Life." It gives the web address of Focus on the Family.
University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, and his mother Pam, will appear in a 30-second commercial on Super Bowl Sunday. The theme of the ad sponsored by Focus is simply, "Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life."
Focus on the Family's spokesperson, Gary Schneeberger, said the ad's goal "is to...help folks who are watching come to us if they're struggling in their marriage or struggling raising their children." Three cheers for Focus.
The National Organization for Women and many other organizations are pressuring CBS to pull the ad, claiming it is "too political." Colson reminds us that "It's not political for the Church or for believers to proclaim their deepest convictions in public."
Jan. 30, 2010 - Shirl James Hoffman starts this article with shameful examples of sports fanaticism, pointing out that Americans are consuming sports on an unprecedented scale, and evangelicals are leading the way in adapting their personal and church agendas to this fascination.
Less than a century ago, major segments of the evangelical community considered sports a cancer on the spiritual life; today their denominational progeny lead the parade to stadiums.
Sports can be used to spread the Gospel. Publicity surrounding recent Super Bowls have highlighted the faith of coaches and players, like Kurt Warner. But sports can bring out the worst in people as well, leading to scandals and corruption.
The narcissistic and materialistic culture of professional sports is the antithesis of Christian virtues such as servanthood, generosity, and self-subordination.
Hoffman calls for wisdom on the part of evangelical church leaders in three key areas:
Development of a proper “sports theology,”
Practice of ethical values in our exercise of sports.
Consideration of how to use sport’s potential for spiritual encouragement and outreach.
Source: Christianity Today
Editor's Note: This article is posted under opposite topics - Apostasy and Revival. Like most powerful influences in life, sports can be a good or a bad influence, depending on how it is used.
Jan. 18, 2010 - Despite constant reminders of massive death and destruction, Christians in Haiti demonstrated their faith on Sunday. A crowd gathered on a tarp-covered patch of concrete heard the Rev. Joseph Lejeune say:
"Think of our new village here as the home of Jesus Christ, not the scene of a disaster," he called out over a loudspeaker. "Life is not a disaster. Life is joy! You don't have food? Nourish yourself with the Lord. You don't have water? Drink in the spirit."
Manuel Roig-Franzia of The Washington Post heard songs of praise in the streets and called them "a symphony of hope in a landscape of despair.
At the city's Ebenezer Church a member of the congregation had been crushed to death when its steeple fell in. The church's pastor, Lassin Emmanuel, was caught in the rubble but was able to climb out. On Sunday he led what the reporter called "a rousing celebration of faith on the church patio." He explained, "These people are so very poor. They have nothing but faith in God. All they can do is wait for the second coming of Jesus Christ to save them."
Jan. 6, 2010 - Read the "End-Times Revival" section of our Year In Review article. Then check out other Christian end-of-year reviews and other encouraging stories.
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