Revival

The state of Christianity in American churches appears to be in much disarray. Mainline denominations have been in decline for a number of years. Southern Baptists also find themselves in decline these days. Non denominational churches, including Bible churches in the South, seem to have made some gains. At least a portion of those gains have come at the expense of Southern Baptists and other denominations. This is not a new phenomenon. Actually, it parallels events in the early part of the 19th century. W. W. Sweet writes about this period in Baptist life saying, "Baptists admitted in a wintry season in which the love of many had grown cold, while members were being lost to the Methodists alone at a rate of four thousand a year." We may not be losing thousands to the Methodists, but it could be a correct observation to state, "the love of many have grown cold."

In writing of the revival which sparked in the early 19th century, J. Edwin Orr speaks of the revivalism that saved Christianity in Scottland. He says, "These revivals helped counteract an unbelief that kept the gospel from the people by dominating the theological schools and deadening the pulpit ministry. Not only through the revivals was Moderatism overcome, but in district after district, immorality, drunkenness, and profanity dwindled to the disappearing point."

These meanderings of thought bring a question to my mind, "Are we modern day American Christians too sophisticated to expect and experience revival? If so, maybe a revival of epidemic proportions is what is the only and primary hope for an end to the decline in Christianity in America.