Revival History
Course Description
Prayer plays a vital role in contending for and stewarding revival, it was that way in generations past and it is the same for this generation. This course will look not only into the mandate to pray and the effects of prayer; but students will also learn about practical aspects on how to conduct a prayer meeting. You will be equipped to be a change agent in your church and your community.Â
The course consists of 8 sessions, each session including a video and corresponding course notes. After each session the student will complete a 15 question quiz. Each quiz must be completed before moving onto the next session.
Recommended Reading
Trail of Fire, Danielle K. Norris
Session Overview
Lesson 1: What is Revival?
Defining revival biblically and historically. We’ll explore the nature of revival, how it differs from evangelism or spiritual renewal, and how God uses it to awaken His Church and reach the lost.
Lesson 2: The First Great Awakening
An in-depth look at the revival that swept through colonial America in the 1730s–1740s, with figures like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield. We’ll study its theological emphases, emotional responses, and long-term impact.
Lesson 3: The Second Great Awakening
Spanning the early 1800s, this revival reshaped frontier Christianity and birthed powerful new movements. We’ll examine leaders like Charles Finney and the rise of camp meetings, abolitionism, and societal reform.
Lesson 4: The Prayer Revival of 1857
A quiet movement that started with no preaching—just prayer. Students will learn how Jeremiah Lanphier’s noonday prayer meeting in New York became a national call to repentance and revival through lay leadership.
Lesson 5: Azusa Street and the Pentecostal Outpouring
The early 20th-century revival that launched the global Pentecostal movement. We’ll explore how a humble prayer meeting in Los Angeles ignited a worldwide renewal marked by tongues, healing, and racial reconciliation.
Lesson 6: The Healing Revivals and the Voice of Healing Movement
This lesson covers the dramatic post-WWII revival era, with miracle ministries like William Branham, Oral Roberts, and A.A. Allen. We’ll evaluate both the power and the pitfalls of mass evangelistic healing campaigns.
Lesson 7: The Jesus People and the Charismatic Renewal
In the 1960s and 70s, revival came to the counterculture and mainline denominations. We’ll discuss how hippies met the Holy Spirit and how spiritual gifts spread through unexpected places—from Catholic churches to coffee houses.
Lesson 8: The Brownsville Revival and Toronto Blessing
A study of late 20th-century revivals, including the manifestations of the Spirit in Pensacola and Toronto. What are the signs of true revival? How do we discern excess from encounter—and what lasting fruit remains?
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