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Some Definitions Of Revival

Following are quotes from various Christians in their attempts to define revival, or to define the happening we often call revival.

"In the history of the church, the term revival in its most biblical sense has meant a sovereign work of God in which the whole region of many churches, many Christians has been lifted out of spiritual indifference and worldliness into conviction of sin, earnest desires for more of Christ and his word, boldness in witness, purity of life, lots of conversions, joyful worship, renewed commitment to missions. You feel God has moved here. And basically revival, then, is God doing among many Christians at the same time or in the same region, usually, what he is doing all the time in individual Christian lives as people get saved and individually renewed around the world."   John Piper

"Revival is a community saturated with God. In writing of the movement, I would like first to state what I mean by revival as witnessed in the Hebrides. I do not mean a time of religious entertainment, with crowds gathering to enjoy an evening of bright gospel singing; I do not mean sensational or spectacular advertising — in a God-sent revival you do not need to spend money on advertising. I do not mean high-pressure methods to get men to an inquiry room — in revival every service is an inquiry room; the road and hill side become sacred spots to many when the winds of God blow. Revival is a going of God among his people, and an awareness of God laying hold of the community. Here we see the difference between a successful campaign and revival; in the former we may see many brought to a saving knowledge of the truth, and the church or mission experience a time of quickening, but so far as the town or district is concerned no real change is visible; the world goes on its way and the dance and picture-shows are still crowded: but in revival the fear of God lays hold upon the community, moving men and women, who until then had no concern for spiritual things, to seek after God." Duncan Campbell (Hebrides Revival)

I'm not sure that Jonathan Edwards ever narrowed down a definition of revival, but the title of his treatise "A Narrative Of Surprising Conversions, The Distinguishing Marks Of A Work Of The Spirit Of God. An Account Of The Revival Of Religion In Northhampton, 1740-1742," is a pretty good descriptor. 

"A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God. Just as in the case of a converted sinner, the first step is a deep repentance, a breaking down of the hear, a getting down into the dust before God, with deep humility, and a forsaking of sin." Charles Finney

"We can define it as a period of unusual blessing and activity in the life of the Christian Church. Revival means awakening, stimulating the life, bringing it to the surface again. It happens primarily in the Church of God, and amongst believing people, and it is only secondly something that affects those that are outside also. Now this is a most important point, because this definition helps us to differentiate, once and for all, between a revival and an evangelistic campaign." D. Martin Lloyd-Jones

"Revival is an extraordinary work of the Holy Spirit producing extraordinary results." While that phrase conveys the fundamental concept of revival, over the intervening years I have come to the conviction that one single word describes revival better than any other — that word is "GOD." Richard Owen Roberts

"The best definition of revival is the phrase, 'Times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord." J. Edwin Orr

"Revival will come when even prayer is no longer used as a substitute for obedience." A. W. Tozer

To hear Leonard Ravenhill's plea for revival, watch Ravenhill, A Plea For Revival




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