The Jesus Movement Captures National Attention
In June 1971, the Jesus People phenomenon landed on the cover of Time magazine, which featured an eight-page, positive report.
In his book, Eskridge cites a front-page story in The Wall Street Journal, an article in Newsweek as well as coverage in Life magazine. Here is how he stated it:
“In many ways, the advent of the Jesus people must have seemed like an oasis in the desert of several years’ worth of distressing news about the younger generation. The Jesus movement had, as one article put it: ‘an uncommon morning freshness, a buoyant atmosphere of hope and love along with the usual rebel zeal. A love that seems more sincere than a slogan, deeper than the fast-fading sentiments of the flower children.’
“For adults buffeted by several years worth of bad news about the sexual revolution, the rise of the drug culture, the generation gap, the domestic chaos and violence surrounding the civil rights movement and the seemingly intractable nightmare that was the Vietnam War, both over there and on the home front, the Jesus People were a refreshing bit of good youth news.”
To give an accurate report, the Jesus People Movement did have its casualties and counterfeits. The leading evangelist was “Samson-like,” who died at 43 of AIDS as he did not make a clean break from homosexuality. Another individual yielded increasingly to pride and ended up in polygamy, sex trafficking and assault. He is currently in prison for life. The “Fallen Angel” pioneer of all the Jesus music went through divorces and World magazine reported he fathered a son with an Australian woman during one of his tours. He died at 60.
In spite of the blemishes, the Jesus Movement was an authentic visitation from God. Let’s humbly learn lessons to avert the errors while gaining motivation to seek God with passion that He in our time might be merciful, spare us His wrath and do it again, however and through whomever He sovereignly chooses.
There’s no question we are reaching a tipping point and a place of desperation in our land. May we pray like the prophet Habakkuk did in his day for a fresh visitation from Almighty God before the clock runs out.
“Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy” (Hab. 3:2).
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Larry Tomczak is a best-selling author and cultural commentator with over 40 years of trusted ministry experience. His passion is to bring perspective, analysis and insight from a biblical worldview. He loves people and loves awakening them to today’s cultural realities and the responses needed for the bride of Christ—His church—to become influential in all spheres of life once again.
