Why past revivals failed, what must happen now

DDM News

Historian David Barton believes a spiritual revival is stirring among today’s youth.

He says it has the potential to become a national awakening, Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathers.

Barton shared these thoughts on June 9 at the Life and Liberty Forum in Dallas.

The forum was organized by the Danbury Institute ahead of the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting.

The Danbury Institute supports life, liberty, and the Christian foundations of American society.

Barton, a frequent speaker on America’s Christian heritage, opened his talk with a sobering observation.

He said today’s young people live on spiritual “leftovers” from previous generations.

According to him, their discipleship is “thin, precarious, and inadequate.”

Despite this, Barton expressed hope that revival is beginning to break out.

He pointed to increasing Bible sales and growing church attendance among young men.

He also mentioned young athletes who openly express their Christian faith.

However, Barton asked a key question: “Do revivals impact the culture?”

He answered, “They should. But not always.”

Barton argued that some past revivals failed to change the broader culture.

He cited the late 1880s, when revivals happened in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

“Didn’t change the culture,” he insisted.

That time period is often called the Third Great Awakening.

It influenced abolition, temperance, and women’s voting rights.

Still, Barton argued that other social forces overwhelmed its impact.

He referenced the 1920s revivals with Billy Sunday.

“Didn’t change the culture,” Barton said again.

He blamed the rise of Planned Parenthood and the Scopes Trial controversy.

Barton also discussed the 1970s Jesus Movement.

He acknowledged that thousands came to faith.

New churches were planted, and Christian music and film flourished.

But he claimed it failed to reverse the sexual revolution of the 1960s.

“That’s still going,” he said. “We’re still fighting that.”

In contrast, Barton praised the First Great Awakening of the 1700s.

He credited it with deeply transforming American culture.

Traveling preachers like George Whitefield and Francis Asbury brought revival to local communities.

That grassroots movement, he said, spread until it changed the nation.

So, what makes a revival become an awakening?

According to Barton, it takes two key ingredients.

“First, a revival must involve true biblical discipleship,” he explained.

“Second, it must be relevant to the day we live in.”

He urged Christians to act on modern issues using biblical principles.

He mentioned opposing no-fault divorce and defending traditional marriage.

He also promoted free-market economics and preserving due process.

“These are the practical teachings of Jesus,” Barton said.

“That’s what the Great Commission commands, teach all things.”

Barton then warned against being “two-thirds Christians.”

“We’ll do family. We’ll do church. But we don’t do government,” he said.

“Government is God’s institution. We have to be involved,” he added.

He closed with a call to action for his audience.

“We have an opportunity to turn this revival into an awakening,” Barton said.

“And that’s what I challenge you to do.”

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