America Hasn’t Seen a Great Awakening in 200 Years
Nearly two hundred years. That is how long it has been since the last Great Awakening swept across this nation in the early 1800s. The reality of that gap should grieve us. A nation once defined by spiritual hunger, reverence for God, and moral clarity has spent generations drifting, forgetting the very source of its strength. Revivals flare up and fade, but a true Great Awakening reforms the soul of a nation. It shapes culture, restores institutions, and redirects the course of history.
The First Great Awakening in the mid-1700s did not simply produce emotional gatherings. It reshaped government, education, families, science, and public life. According to the historical resources provided by WallBuilders, this movement ignited a renewed passion for liberty rooted in Scripture. It produced leaders like George Washington, the first U.S. President, who openly loved God and saw His hand in the founding of the nation. It also gave us Pastor Jonathan Mayhew, a fiery preacher who opposed tyranny and preached that obedience to God required resisting unjust authority. His ministry influenced future founding fathers, such as Samuel Adams and John Hancock; men who were pivotal in leading the American colonies towards independence, shaping a generation that believed God-given rights were worth defending.
That awakening gave birth to the United States of America. Without a population transformed by Scripture, convinced of God-given rights, and willing to defend them, there would have been no Declaration of Independence. There would have been no Constitution. There would have been no United States of America.
The Second Great Awakening, beginning in the early 1800s, carried that torch forward. It saw the rise of Abraham Lincoln, the President who officially abolished slavery, whose conviction that all men are created equal flowed from biblical truth. It also produced Joseph Story, one of the fathers of American jurisprudence, who helped shape the U.S. judiciary into a branch known for honor and justice, which still shows evidence in today’s judiciary. This awakening sparked reforms in education, government, and morality, influencing everything from universities to legal systems, as well as entertainment and new forms of media to share truth and information.
These movements did not come from momentary excitement. Revivals are powerful, but a Great Awakening is born out of consistent, reverent love and obedience to God as a nation.
It begins in the Church and spills into every sphere of society. Scripture declares, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:34). When a nation honors God, He restores what is broken.
We are now living in what many are coming to understand as the Third Great Awakening. In just the past four years, some of the most burdensome and destructive Supreme Court decisions have been overturned. Hobbs shifted the legal landscape on abortion, returning authority to states and saving countless lives. Kennedy restored the freedom to live out faith publicly by declaring that the separation of church and state cannot be used to silence religious expression. Loper Bright weakened corrupt bureaucratic power and returned the interpretation of law to the judiciary, marking a major pushback against unaccountable people who were never granted that authority.
These rulings reflect more than legal change. They mark a cultural shift toward life, accountability, and truth. Statistics and polling show a gradual increase in Americans choosing to be pro-life, and countless testimonies point to renewed spiritual hunger. Churches are seeing growth, prayer movements are spreading, and young leaders are rising with boldness, with adults increasingly turning to God. Out of this moment have emerged figures like Charlie Kirk, who is calling a generation to faith, patriotism, and conviction.
This awakening is not accidental. It is the result of believers choosing faithfulness in their daily lives, refusing to bow to cultural pressure, and proclaiming the gospel without shame. Scripture says, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17).
Liberty follows spiritual awakening because true freedom begins in the heart.
But this awakening will only continue if the Church fulfills its calling. Every Christian is called to reformation. This is not simply political; it is spiritual. God demands that His people stand for truth, love their neighbor, and defend the vulnerable. Jesus commanded, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). Light transforms whatever it touches.
The only way this nation survives and thrives is if the Church stands up for Christ and for those He has called us to love. Passive Christianity will not save America. Comfortable Christianity will not change culture. Only a Church awakened, obedient to God, and unashamed, will. History proves it. Scripture confirms it. And our moment demands it.