If America is going to see any of revival or Great Awakening in the near future, author R.T. Kendall says, the church needs to emulate the Cane Ridge Revival in Kentucky in 1801. But, Kendall says, it’s nothing that any one man can inspire.
Like at Cane Ridge, there must be a convergence between God’s Word and the Holy Spirit for massive revival to hit this country.
“All great revivals are something that came from above. No man can cause it,” Kendall told Dr. Steve Greene on a recent episode of Greenelines on the Charisma Podcast Network. “It’s a sovereign work of God.
“At Cane Ridge, one Sunday morning, a Methodist preacher stood on the top of a fallen tree and 15,000 people came in. That preacher said we must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give account of things done in the body, good or bad. As he preached, people began to fall over. Nobody prayed for them. Nobody pushed them. They just fell. For four days, there were never fewer than 500 people there. On the ground, Word and Spirit revival came.
“There’s a reason there’s a Bible Belt today throughout the South. All we can do is get on our knees and ask God in mercy to send revival because that’s what we need today more than anything in the world.”
Kendall says there’s another element that is necessary—forgiveness—something that is in short supply in this country these days. It’s especially crucial within the church.
“It’s the Holy Spirit that enables you,” Kendall says. “It’s the Holy Spirit that convicts you and makes you see. If the Holy Spirit doesn’t show you the need, there’s no hope. If you can get the leadership to forgive, and then get deacons on the church board to speak to each other and pastors to speak to each other—not to mention husbands and wives—then this is the most life-changing word there is.”
For more of R.T. Kendall’s thoughts on revival in America today, listen to the entire podcast.
