J. Edwin Orr produced many books on Revivals.
To get an overview of the twentieth century as to revivals, the following items are recommended:

The flaming tongue, the impact of Twentieth Century Revivals

Evangelical Awakenings, a five book set, covering Eastern Asia, Southern Asia, Africa, Greater Oceania and Latin America.

Lars

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Lars Widerberg

I went to the download section at this site and found 70 audio and video recordings of J. Edwin Orr's precious insights into this subject.
Highly recommended.
Lars

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Lars Widerberg

First off, I would have to agree to the simple definition of revival being the moving of the Holy Spirit.

I was blind to the fact that there were even any recent revivals because, well, they happened a few decades before I was born, BUT, what dawned on me this weekend is the church I go to and a lot of the Christians I know here in Southern California were in one way or another touched by the Holy Spirit's moving through Billy Graham http://www.billygraham.org/Biographies_Index.asp and Chuck Smith.

When Billy Graham came into San Diego the summer of 2003, do you know how many people said they were saved at one of his crusades? I had no idea God had touched so many lives through him. Many of the pastors and leaders in our church are the fruit of those crusades.

And Chuck Smith... how could I forget the history of my church, Calvary Chapel http://www.calvarychapel.com/costamesa/ (see "About Us")?! Ever heard of the whole Jesus people movement http://www.one-way.org/jesusmovement/index.html? There's church revival for you!

Now... I know that we come from many denominational backgrounds on here and maybe, well, these revivals don't count to you. But having grown up in Horizon, Maranatha, Calvary Chapel Escondido and even having attended Calvary Chapel Kyiv in the Ukraine this past summer, I now know how real these Spirit led, historical events were. And when Billy Graham came to San Diego the summer of 2003, I finally got to hear, in our very own stadium, the simplicty of the Gospel message and his heart for the lost, and got to be apart of the counseling training beforehand.

So... I don't know, this encouraged me, realizing that, duh, I'm living in the midst of the fruits of revival! I'm sure... the same is not true for many of you. So I do hope you see your revivals. I hope many more churches will wake up and that the Holy Spirit will continue to move across this world. And in the meantime, may God open our eyes to His everpresent, faithful work! May revival start in our own heart and spread!

P.S. Oops! Didn't see your post there Greg! True - agree with your definition too; the church being the church. Thanks for your input - didn't know about those revivals!

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Yolanda Fields

Sister Yodi you posted;


Quote;
When Billy Graham came into San Diego the summer of 2003, do you know how many people said they were saved at one of his crusades? I had no idea God had touched so many lives through him. Many of the pastors and leaders in our church are the fruit of those crusades.

And Chuck Smith... how could I forget the history of my church, Calvary Chapel. Ever heard of the whole Jesus people movement. There's church revival for you!


i've noted as of recent some other men of God taking a few pot shots at Billy Graham, but i for one have nothing negative to say about him ... Every time i've watched anything that had to do with Billy Graham i always sensed the presence of the Holy Ghost, and the love of Christ, and i praise God that in these times of fallen preachers, teachers, evangelist, etc., that Billy is still standing ... Yes there is evidence of lots of fruit via Billy Graham ... And i'm very well aware of Calvary Chapel, Chuck Smith, and there used to be a Hispanic brother from there that i used to listen to many moons ago on WZZD, christian radio ... Calvary Chapel broadcast were part of my formative years as a baby/young Christian, and let me throw this in while i'm going back down memory lane ... i remember way back, in about 1981, when i heard the Spirit say to me, "Whatever you do, don't stop listening to Charles Stanley", and i haven't ... He's another straight arrow in God's quiver that gives practical, everyday instructions of employing God, via His Word, into our lives ...



You also wrote;

Quote;
So... I don't know, this encouraged me, realizing that, duh, I'm living in the midst of the fruits of revival! I'm sure... the same is not true for many of you. So I do hope you see your revivals. I hope many more churches will wake up and that the Holy Spirit will continue to move across this world. And in the meantime, may God open our eyes to His everpresent, faithful work! May revival start in our own heart and spread!


The revival(s) you've mentioned are i'm sure the work of the Holy Spirit, but the one He's impressed on me can never be concidered "your revival", or "my revival", in any sense of seperateness ... When the revival comes that i hear and sense the Holy Ghost impressing on me, it will unmistakably be "OUR - REVIVAL" ... A fire ignited that will spread like gangbusters, with like consequences everywhere it ignites ... i'm talking a national/international engulphing of revival that will put the Welsh and Azusa street revivals to shame ...

i've seen local church movements of so called revival that start up, intensify, and then sputter out like a small meteorite, but the type of revival i'm talking about is more like a massive meteor with enough mass to burn thru satan's atmosphere and hit the hearts and minds of men with devestating conviction of sin ... The small types of revival any of us moderns may have seen have been more like localized tornadoes that hit and skip and hop around causing some effects of devestation to sin, but the revival i'm talking about in comparrison to a quick localized tornado is more like the recent 80 mile wide slow moving hurricane Frances that'll dump on us His latter rain to flood stage ...

In all the histories that i've read regarding great revivals they've all come out of collective prayer, amongst saints from many denominations, who all realized that they were in dire need of, as brother Lars so concisely pointed out, a real "awakening" from God Himself!

i believe that "awakening" to be immenient, earth shattering, and when it hits two things will be very clear to us ...

#1 - That we've had no idea of what "revival" truly is.

#2 - But that we'll instantly know it's real revival when it hits us ...

i can't wait!

I don't know how many of you read NO Compromise by Keith Green, but I still feel such a sense of "let down" that when Keith went to minister at oral Roberts Univ.(and He felt sure that the Lord wanted a revival to start there) that the work of the Holy Spirit was quenched by people "in charge" so as to keep some order. Here were all of these kids weeping and publically confessing their deepest sins and it would have continued- but man got in the way. I see that people get afraid that things won't be controlled. It is really too bad. My heart broke for that moment.

I recommend "No Compromise" to anyone who hasn't read it yet. It's the fastest book my husband ever read! :-)

In Him, Chanin

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Chanin

Okay, okay... I see what you're saying Greg. So then... I think Billy Graham would be an evangelist and Chuck Smith one of the leaders of revival, back in the 60's & 70's. I think the Jesus Movement was a revival and organized religion wouldn't open their doors to these kinds of people. So... at first, I do think this Calvary Chapel "revival" was... a revival. Yes, it's organized into a church now...

[laughs] Okay, nevermind. I know nothing! [laughs] Just kidding. My elementary, simple, feminine mind! I don't have to be right! [laughs]

I am becoming more and more open to this revival thing. Need to learn more about it, and most of all, it's something God needs to speak to my heart and the Holy Spirit needs to open my understanding to.

I don't know if this falls in the category of revival in the big sense, but as far as in my heart, this weekend God spoke to me a lot about living by a higher standard and being a good example to the rest of the body of Christ (from Ezekiel 8:7-13). That's expected of any Christian, I'm sure, but it was especially pressed on my heart since I am a part of leadership here at the church. How each of us live our lives in public and in secret WILL affect the WHOLE body of Christ. It's not a position to take lightly. I remember a pastor telling me once, "compromise creates casualties". May my brother's and sister's blood not be found on my hands!

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Yolanda Fields

Hi Yodi,

My husband & I were part of 'something' that happened in Colorado in the early '80's. In hindsight, it was revival on a small scale. Fred was saved in Denver through diverse people who were all focused on God and His saving power. Some were in Alcoholics Anon., some in organized churches, some just fervent Christians on their own. He and this band of fire-brands were instrumental in bringing dozens of souls into the Kingdom. They did baptisms in Sloan's Lake, church baptismals, wherever.

Fred moved 5 hours west, and the Spirit began working there. I was saved, Fred & I got married, and we watched the Lord fill up a little country church with all these people who seemed to come out of the woodwork. Many had tried believing in God but were stuck. The older Christians were blown away to see what was happening. None of us, since that time, have seen anything close to what happened then.

It did not last. Arguments over doctrine and interpretation killed it. The love disappeared and so did the Spirit. That church is closed now.

I've tasted brief moments like it since, and each time I hope and pray that 'whatever it was' will happen again! When God is waking up all these people around you, and all these connections start coming together, people are getting shook up and asking questions like 'Do you know anything about God?' and you can say 'Yes! Let's look it up' and you have a captive audience as you open your Bible.

Each time, something seemed to snuff it out. When men demand control, it dies. When worship leaders demand the spotlight and keep on with the 'music program', it dies. When people demand certain forms of prayer in certain set ways, it dies. When we don't obey the Spirit, but fear men's opinions, it dies.

I believe the Spirit is searching for that open-ended meeting, that not-too-structured gathering of heavy-hearted, serious-minded BELIEVERS who have a desire to call on GOD until He answers them! A spirit of solemnity, humility, a constant additude of beseeching prayer and communion with the Lord Jesus.... until He answers. That is the kind of meeting I long to be part of. He has blessed such gatherings in the past.

The more you learn of revival, sister Yodi, the more the Lord will break your heart to see this thing in your lifetime!! I must see it; my children must see it. Everyone I know must see it.

Church programs, good as they may be, are not cutting it. Christian counselors, good as their advice and care can be, are not enough. Unless we see a move of GOD, see His Hand sweep down from Heaven and do what no man can do, our dusty conversion stories will not be enough for this up-and-coming generation.

Many of us have given up. We've tried our best at 'doing' this Christian life and failed miserably. Our older children aren't getting it. Many of us are in a corner and glad to discover the prayer closet like never before. For it's there where the work of beseeching is done.

I have not yet seen what I long to see. But I am determined to try everything the revivalists of old have recommended!! Regular prayer times. Fasting. Prayer meetings. Prayer conferences. Spreading the word about revivals of the past through word-of-mouth, books, tracts, print-outs, tapes, whatever!

Yours in Revival,
Mrs. Fred

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Mrs. Fred

Mrs. Fred posted;

Quote;
It did not last. Arguments over doctrine and interpretation killed it. The love disappeared and so did the Spirit. That church is closed now.

Each time, something seemed to snuff it out. When men demand control, it dies. When worship leaders demand the spotlight and keep on with the 'music program', it dies. When people demand certain forms of prayer in certain set ways, it dies. When we don't obey the Spirit, but fear men's opinions, it dies.

I believe the Spirit is searching for that open-ended meeting, that not-too-structured gathering of heavy-hearted, serious-minded BELIEVERS who have a desire to call on GOD until He answers them! A spirit of solemnity, humility, a constant additude of beseeching prayer and communion with the Lord Jesus.... until He answers.


My comment to your post ... Precisely!

God's comment to your post ... Joel, chapters 2 & 3