The First Great Awakening (1730′s -1740′s) – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Great_Awakening
-Began in New England and Spread through the Northeastern parts of the U.S.
-Started with Jonathan Edwards - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Edwards_%28theologian%29
The Revival Sermons of Jonathan Edwards - http://truthinheart.com/EarlyOberlinCD/CD/Edwards/Edwards.html#N_2_
and John Wesley – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wesley
The sermons of John Wesley - http://wesley.nnu.edu/john_wesley/sermons/alph.htm
-This Great Awakening was a revival that made religion intensely personal to the average person, made them aware of the enormity of their sin and redemption through Jesus Christ, along with introspection and a commitment to a new standard of personal morality.
-Brought the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the colonial slaves.
-It is disputed that it may have brought about the American Revolution. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolution
The Second Great Awakening (1800 – 1830′s) – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Great_Awakening
-Was the Second Great Revival in the United States.
-Major Leaders Included:
*Charles Finney – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Grandison_Finney
The Sermons of Charles Finney – http://www.charlesgfinney.com/1836SOIS/indexsois.htm
”1. When there is a want of brotherly love and Christian confidence among professors of religion, then a revival is needed. Then there is a loud call for God to revive his work. When Christians have sunk down into a low and backslidden state, they neither have, nor ought to have, nor is there reason to have, the same love and confidence toward each other, as when they are all alive, and active, and living holy lives… 2. When there are dissensions, and jealousies, and evil speakings among professors of religion, then there is great need of a revival. These things show that Christians have got far from God, and it is time to think earnestly of a revival. Religion cannot prosper with such things in the church, and nothing can put an end to them like a revival. 3. When there is a worldly spirit in the church: it is manifest that the church is sunk down into a low and backslidden state, when you see Christians conform to the world in dress, equipage, parties, seeking worldly amusements, reading novels and other books such as the world reads. It shows that they are far from God, and that there is a great need of a Revival of Religion. 4. When the church finds its members falling into gross and scandalous sins, then it is time for the church to awake and cry to God for a Revival of Religion. When such things are taking place as give enemies of religion an occasion for reproach, it is time for the church to ask God, “What will become of Thy great name?” 5. When there is a spirit of controversy in the church or in the land, a revival is needful. The spirit of religion is not the spirit of controversy. There can be no prosperity in religion, where the spirit of controversy prevails. 6. When the wicked triumph over the church, and revile them, it is time to seek for a Revival of Religion. 7. When sinners are careless and stupid, and sinking into hell unconcerned, it is time the church should bestir themselves. It is as much the duty of the church to awake, as it is for the firemen to awake when a fire breaks out in the night in a great city. The church ought to put out the fires of hell which are laying hold of the wicked. Sleep! Should the firemen sleep, and let the whole city burn down, what would be thought of such firemen? And yet their guilt would not compare with the guilt of Christians who sleep while sinners around them are sinking stupid into the fires of hell.” -Charles Finney-
*Lyman Beecher – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyman_Beecher
*Barton Stone – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barton_Stone
*Peter Cartwright – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Cartwright_%28exhorter%29
-Unlike the First Great Awakening which focused on the Church this Great Awakening focused on preaching the gospel to the masses and had a hellfire and brimstone message.
-It introduced a new form of religious expression “The Scottish Camp-meeting” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_meeting
-Inspired Missionary Societies to Evangelize the North American West.
-Inspired Christian Education in schools.
-Started Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Latter Day Saint Movement, and The Seventh Day Adventist church as a result.
-Involved Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches also.
-Brought Reformation to Anglicans, Presbyterians, and Congregationalists.
-Brought about Antebellum Reform http://www.historynow.org/09_2005/historian.html and the abolition of slavery.
*The third and fourth “Great Awakenings” are disputed. But the first two are not.
The Third Great Awakening (1850′s – 1900′s) – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Great_Awakening
-Affected Protestant Denonminations.
-Had a strong sense of social activism.
-Started Salvation Army, Nazarene, and Christian Science churches as a result.
-Brought about many social reforms such as Womens Rights, Prohibition, and Child Labor Laws.
Major Leaders Included:
Dwight L. Moody – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwight_L._Moody
The Sermons of Dwight L. Moody – http://www.biblebelievers.com/moody_sermons/index.html
William (Billy) Ashley Sunday – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Sunday
Billy Sunday Sermon on Booze and Drinking – http://www.billysunday.org/sermons/booze.html
Quotes By Billy Sunday:
-”Hell is the highest reward that the devil can offer you for being a servant of his.”
-”Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.”
-”They tell me a revival is only temporary; so is a bath, but it does you good.” -Billy Sunday-
William Booth – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Booth
Quotes of William Booth:
-”In answer to your inquiry, I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be Religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, Forgiveness without Repentance, Salvation without Regeneration, Politics without God, and Heaven without Hell.”
-”While women weep, as they do now, I’ll fight; while children go hungry, as they do now I’ll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight, I’ll fight to the very end!”
-”“The greatness of a man’s power is the measure of his surrender.”
-” We must wake ourselves up! Or somebody else will take our place, and bear our cross, and thereby rob us of our crown.”
-”It is against stupidity in every shape and form that we have to wage our eternal battle. But how can we wonder at the want of sense on the part of those who have had no advantages, when we see such plentiful absence of that commodity on the part of those who have had all the advantages?”
-”Go straight for souls, and go for the worst.” -William Booth-
Ira Sankey – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ira_Sankey
The Fourth Great Awakening (1960′s – 1970′s) – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Great_Awakening
-This “Awakening” is disputed to whether or not it qualifies as such.
-It brought about a new emphasis on a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit such as speaking in tongues, healing and prophecy and:
- Salvation by faith alone.
- Sanctification (or Holiness) of the believer.
- Tongues as evidence of Spirit Baptism.
- Faith healing as part of God’s redemption.
- The “very soon” return of Christ
-Saw a rise in Non-Traditional, Non-Denominational, and Charismatic Churches as well as Mega Churches.
-Included the “Azusa Street Revival” also known as the “Pentecostal Movement” or “Charismatic Movement”
Major Leaders Included:
William J. Seymour – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._Seymour
Charles F. Parham – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Parham