A Revival of God's Blessing

Last August I traveled to central Kentucky to speak for "The Great Gathering," the two hundredth anniversary of the Cane Ridge Revival.

America was only 25 years old in August of 1801, when settlers searching for spiritual roots made their way to Cane Ridge on horseback and on foot. With no hotels nearby, they threw bedrolls on the ground or slept in wagons. There were no air-conditioned church buildings to accommodate the crowds. No padded chairs or pews. No restrooms. No slick brochures to advertise the gathering. No recording artist or internationally-known preacher to headline the program. No microphones, video screens, or plexiglass pulpits. Why did so many people come?

Today we're used to seeing large crowds at sports events and conventions, but the thousands who showed up at Cane Ridge had probably never seen a crowd that size before (by some estimates 20,000 or more). The governor of Kentucky came, and so did prostitutes and drunkards. People with dark skin came, and so did people with white skin. Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians came. Committed believers and curious seekers came. But why?

Strange things happened at Cane Ridge in 1801, including "religious exercises" like falling, shouting, dancing, "barking," and running. Leaders like Barton W. Stone (a 28-year-old newlywed at the time) struggled to explain everything that happened, but ultimately they realized the preaching of God's Word—not a short-lived emotional experience—would lead to authentic and lasting revival. And that's why people came to Cane Ridge. For one remarkable week, denominational boundaries crumbled while preachers stood on tree stumps and taught simply and sincerely from the Bible. They didn't focus on denominational creeds or badmouth other Christians. They just preached Christ!

Cane Ridge was a formative event as the Restoration Movement gained momentum across the American frontier in the nineteenth century. Christians were stirred by the prayer of Jesus, "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me" (John 17:23). Believers were motivated to live out the biblical vision of "one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all" (Ephesians 4:3-6). They simply wanted to be "disciples of Christ," gathering in "churches of Christ," wearing the name "Christian."

From God's perspective, there's often more of the story yet to be written. The Old Testament wasn't the whole story; there was a new covenant yet to come. Even the cross of Christ wasn't the whole story; his resurrection was necessary as well. Two hundred years ago at Cane Ridge, God stirred among his people a new oneness and a new passion for his Word, but past revivals aren't the whole story. What does God want to do through us today?

While it's encouraging to see indications of spiritual awakening in our nation, it must be more than a blip on the religious radar screen—more than a rest-stop by the side of the road before we rush back into our busy lives and leave the Lord in the dust. It must be more than a polite nod toward the pluralistic "god" of our choice.

We need to pray for the Lord to bless us with deep, genuine, long-lasting, Christ-centered spiritual renewal in our land and in our hearts. Because if there's going to be a revival in America, first it needs to happen in each one of us.