Perspective and Vision

What Can God do with a Handful of Young Adults?

Holy Club:

1738: Charles recruited John to help him form a group.

George Whitefield: 1st Great Awakening.

Haystack 5:

Williams College - James Richards, Francis Robbins, Harvey Loomis, Byron Green and Samuel Mills

Inspired by William Carey.

“We can do this if we will.”

1808, formed “The Brethren.” Committed to take the gospel to the unreached.

First missionary sending group in America.

1812 - Sent out the first group of missionaries.

Student Volunteer Movement

1883 - Luther Wishard - Williams college. Inspired by the former students.

He convinced D.L. Moody to host a summer Bible conference for college students.

In 1886, at “The Mount Hermon Bible Conference” at which D.L. Moody was speaking, 100 students pledged themselves to foreign missions.

Robert Wilder was one of the key student influencers at the conference, but his sister, grace, was the one who had influenced him.

Robert Wilder and John Forman took an 8-month tour of 162 campuses, sharing about what happened the previous summer and raising interest in missions. (Sounds like the Traveling Team).

In 1888, the Student Volunteer Movement (SVM) was born.

By 1891, there were 6,000+ students represented by the SVM.

Their watchword was, “The evangelization of the world in this generation”

Wales and LA

In 1904, A student in Wales named Evan Roberts was moved by God when a minister prayed aloud, “Bend us, O Lord.” He cried aloud “Lord, bend me!”

He went back to his hometown, and shared his story.

An awakening broke out in his hometown which spread to the whole nation.

Miraculous signs happened and tremendous moral reform occurred.

Welsh Revival

Meanwhile, similar revivals were happening all over the world.

In 1905, Evan Roberts in Wales was corresponding with Frank Bartleman in Los Angelas California about a similar outpouring of the Holy Spirit that seemed to be happening.

The main leader was William Seymore, a black man with one eye.

In 1906, the Azusa Street revival occurred. Crying, dancing and speaking in tongues were all a part of the multi-ethnic revival.

The Straight-Laced and the Hippies

In the fall semester of 1969, six students at Asbury College in Kentucky decided to do what they called “The Great Experiment.”

For thirty days, they would start their morning with 30 minutes of prayer and Bible reading, and act in obedience to what God was speaking to them about.

At the beginning of 1970, they each invited six more students to join them, now totaling thirty-six students.

On February 4th 1970, during a chapel service, students were invited to share. Revival broke out.

For 185 hours, students prayed, were convicted of sin, an confessed their sin.

As I was finishing up this research back in the spring of 2023, another revival broke out at Asbury college. People had been praying for years.

At the same time, the Jesus movement was breaking out amongst the hippies

2000’s

2002 - Allison Brookes - “Campus Ohio” - 40 days of prayer.

Movement traveled - Crossed denominational lines.

2010 - The Year of Nonstop Student Prayer:

4 Key Themes I See in These Stories:

1. They had a belief that God would use any willing person?

And that He was worthy!

Full devotion to him.

God would accomplish his work through them and empower them.

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Galatians 2:20 ESV

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

2. They had a drive to make the most of the present moment for Christ.

They acted promptly and did not let the tyranny of the urgent keep them from engaging in the priority of God’s call on their lives.

2 Corinthians 5:15 ESV

and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

To stay focused Eph. 5:15-16

Ephesians 5:15–16 ESV

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

3. They saturated their lives and ministries in prayer.

Often, it was intentional prayer “experiments” that proceeded an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Mark 9:29 ESV

And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

John 15:7 ESV

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

4. They aggressively recruited people to engage in the Great Commission.

They did not just stop with doing evangelism personally, they mobilized others to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.

Matthew 9:37–38 ESV

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Questions:

What dream captivated the hearts of these passionate young adults?

What is captivating our hearts?

Lets pray that God’s glory would be what captivates our hearts.