In 2023, we discussed the long-standing fight within the Methodist Church and a coming schism that happened and gave rise to the Global Methodist Church and new groups of unaffiliated churches. In the last of those articles, we discussed the possibility of a Fifth Great Awakening, a spontaneous pushback against growing secularism in American society. Great Awakenings are unique to America. The first occurred from 1730 to 1740, the second from 1790 to 1850, the third from 1850 to 1900, and the fourth around 1960 to 1980. They all shared the pushback against growing secularism.
Jesus’ Final Warning and Hope
In our daily lives, our sense of community, association, and shared purpose drives us to form both secular and religious organizations with good intentions. Our perception that collectively, we can accomplish more than individually gives these tendencies weight. We somehow forget a warning from Jesus about the tendencies and fallacies of man.
In an almost final act of warning, just four days before Jesus’ crucifixion, he made a strong statement when he cleansed the Temple of the money changers. The Second Book of John has the most detailed description of the event.
“In the temple courts He found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So He made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves He said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’”
Jesus had issues with the direction of some within the Jewish faith, but he did not turn his back on the of the value of religious organizations; he even foretold the coming of his church when he told Peter.
“So I tell you, you are Peter. And I will build my church on this rock. And the power of hell will not be able to overcome it.”
I take this to mean that Jesus recognized the value of and need for the church and that his disciples and followers would be stronger together than apart. But we see both sides when we couple this with his warnings to the money changers. Like all organizations, churches exhibit bureaucratic and self-serving tendencies as they grow. This tendency and failing of man, not God, has caused many schisms and failings down through the years.
Continued Struggles
I believe the United Methodist schism has created a new sense of clarity and purpose for the churches that left. Still, the churches within the old United Methodist Church (UMC) framework seem more entrenched in the positions that drove the schism. Those churches still working to leave are plagued by roadblocks, some fatal to their churches’ survival. However, churches are not like countries, and members can vote with their feet and leave.
For both sides of this discussion, there has been an awakening or renewal of purpose free from the conflict that plagued the UMC for decades. Just as with the end of any bad relationship, there is a sense of relief and a chance to recapture the energy and emotion that accompanied the conflict.
However, as mainline denominations struggle in general, larger churches within them are growing, as people look for a sense of community in addition to faith. Smaller churches are seeing a higher weekly participation rate and are increasing in number as well. More participation in smaller churches seems to be a trend, and I believe this was the intent of Jesus and his followers.
“13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.”
The concept of a mega-church would seem foreign to me. Modern churches sometimes forget or ignore the teaching of Paul’s guidelines for churches in his letters.
Signs of a Fifth Great Awakening
Our earlier articles noted that Great Awakenings are often acknowledged or recognized only with hindsight. Today, there are some unusual signs of a spiritual awakening, some from new, different, or unusual sources.
First, cutting across the main line denominations is the evangelical form of worship, with those churches growing disproportionally. The reasons often cited for this growth might sound familiar and, in some ways, mirror our political struggles. People also cite growing anxiety in the secular world for themselves and their children as reasons for turning to the Bible. In a world filled with technology and constantly shifting sands of morality, finance, and family values, the stability of the Bible and church have greater appeal. Changing social dynamics, emphasizing personal faith, more engaging worship and preaching, and better outreach through media and technology will set the stage for a Fifth Great Awakening. This is always how they happen because they must push back from the existing structure to “awaken.”
Second, as we noted last year, some of this trend can be seen in the popularity of contemporary Christian music. Just as President Trump engaged younger voters through podcasts, evangelical churches seem more in tune with outreach to newer worshipers.
“Each of these ‘Great Awakenings’ was characterized by widespread revivals led by evangelical Protestant ministers, a sharp increase of interest in religion, a profound sense of conviction and redemption on the part of those affected, an increase in evangelical church membership, and the formation of new religious movements and denominations.”
Third, several sources have noted that Bible sales have suddenly jumped over twenty percent in the United States. This has happened as a third of people are not religiously affiliated with any church. This contrasts with an increase of only one percent for other printed books. Within the Catholic Church, sales of a new Word on Fire version of the Bible sold a projected two-year supply in only twenty-four hours. Introduced in 2020, this edition of the Bible has already sold 500,000 copies.
Election Connections
As a nation, we are abandoning what does not work and returning to what is proven to work, but we are doing this in ways that mirror societal changes. Our recent Presidential Election illustrates this desire to move toward proven solutions to societal problems. We saw a similar movement and patriotism coming together after 9/11 with a renewed common purpose.
These changes and movements are broader than Methodism. Other denominations are moving toward schisms as progressives push to reinterpret the Bible and impose new interpretations on their denominations. The Bible is a constant passed down through millennia and does not need a secular reinterpretation to fit neatly into changing mores. Values need to be changed to conform to the Bible.
Our political climate and recent elections stress most Americans. Some attribute a renewed interest in the Bible and worship to this stress and anxiety over the nation’s future. People see hope in tradition; religion is a stabilizing influence for many. Surprisingly, twenty-one percent of Gen-Z respondents in a recent survey said they read their Bibles more often. If you are looking for some good news for the future of our nation, this might be it and might be a sign of new or renewed faith in the youngest generation.
Of greater significance are events like the Revival at Asbury University in 2023. A simple two-sentence email announcing, “There is worship happening in Hughes Auditorium. You are welcome to join.” This straightforward announcement sparked Gen-Z gatherings of 15,000 worshipers. As word spread, other gatherings of more than 50,000 worshipers from many denominations, colleges, and countries joined.
Many equate the growth in Bible sales with political uncertainty, and I agree. Standing on something solid occasionally is a good thing in a world built on the shifting sands of technology and political infighting. The Bible and faith offer that foundation. Also working to change how we worship is the effect of technology. Many churches work to connect with worshipers through social media, podcasts, and broadcasts of services.
Keeping Faith
If you have ever seen the old 1997 movie Oh, God! Starring George Burns as God and John Denver as the grocery store manager Jerry Landers, you know the struggles. This movie sums up several issues we see playing out today in society. Two of the most prominent are organized religion and prayer.
At one point, Jerry says to God, “I don’t belong to any church.”
God (George Burns) replies, “Neither do I.” God observes, “Religion is easy, but faith is hard.”
Then, at the movie’s end, as God departs, Jerry asks, “Sometimes, now and then, could we just talk?”
To which God replies, “I tell you what, you talk; I’ll listen.”
John Denver and George Burns, Oh, God
What a great, straightforward description of the need for and power of prayer. I recently discovered a song by Gen-Y singer Charity Gayle, Seed of Faith, that expresses this conflict that is stressing us all.
“Fear not for I am the Lord your God
And trust, that I’m working all things out,
So in the field of doubt plant a seed of faith,
And I’ll send the rain,..
Let it rain, let it rain,
Cause things start to change”
Charity Gayle – Seed of Faith
Years from now, Americans will look back on this post-election period and decide whether it was a time of serious secular reflection or a more serious rediscovery of religion. We will know if the struggles of the past eight years opened our eyes to the need for the stabilizing influence of religion in our lives. I hope I will have the opportunity to live through this change and the Fifth Great Awakening.
Post image created with Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and Adobe Photoshop 2025 AI.
Resources and Further Reading
‘Vindictive’: UMC criticized for plan to cut funds to departing African conference, By Michael Gryboski, The Christian Post, christianpost.com, November 24, 2024.
2023 Asbury revival, Wikipedia, wikipedia.org, Last accessed December 29, 2024.
3 killed as Methodist violence flares in Nigeria, By Cynthia Astle, Baptist News, baptistnews.com, December 22, 2024.
AME Church announces retirement settlement agreement during General Conference, By Adelle M. Banks, Religion News, religionnews.com, August 26, 2024.
Bible Boom: Why Are People Buying So Many Bibles?, By Jonah McKeown, National Catholic Register, ncregister.com, December 5, 2024.
Bible Sales Are Booming in the U.S., New Data Shows ‘They’re Looking for Hope’, By Michael Foust, Crosswalk, crosswalk.com, December 2, 2024.
Bible Sales Skyrocketed In 2024 Thanks To Fresh Editions And New Audiences, By Scott Barkley, Religion Unplugged, religionunplugged.com, December 14, 2024.
Bible sales surged in 2024 but is it a cause for celebration?, By Leonardo Blair, Christian Post, christianpost.com, December 3, 2024.
Bible Sales Up 22% In 2024, With First-Time Purchasers Influencing The Rise, By Decision Magazine, Harbinger’s Daily, harbingersdaily.com, December 5, 2024.
Deadly violence in Nigeria linked to breakup of United Methodist Church over LGBTQ policies, By Associated Press, Associated Press, apnews.com, December 17, 2024.
God Bless the U.S.A. Bible, Wikipedia, wikipedia.org, Last accessed December 26, 2024.
Great Awakening, By Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, Britannica, britannica.com, Updated October 24, 2024.
Growth Factors: Why Are Evangelical Churches Experiencing Growth?, By Western Church, Western Church, westernchurch.net, March 12, 2023.
How Many Bibles are Sold Each Year? Unveiling Annual Sales Data, By Adam Phillips, The Witness, thewitness.org, August 16, 2024.
Jesus Drives the Money Changers from the Temple, By Jack Zavada, Learn Religions, learnreligions.com, October 7, 2022.
Jesus Never Told Believers to Go to Church, By Dan Foster, The Good Men Project, goodmenproject.com, December 24, 2023.
Lawsuit between SMU and UMC is headed to court again, By Cynthia Astle, Baptist News, baptistnews.com, October 31, 2024.
Oh, God! – You Talk, I’ll Listen Scene, YouTube, youtube.com, Posted April 5, 2017, original movie 1997.
Sales of Bibles Are Booming, Fueled by First-Time Buyers and New Versions, By Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg, The Wall Street Journal, wsj.com, December 1, 2024.
Seed of Faith, By Charity Gayle, YouTube, youtube.com, Last accessed December 27, 2024.
Small Churches Continue Growing—but in Number, not Size, By Aaron Earls, Lifeway Research, research.lifeway.com, October 20, 2021.
The Four “Great Awakenings” in American Christian History, by Matthew A. McIntosh, brewminate.com, October 8, 2021.
The new battleground for Methodists is in Africa, By Cynthia Astle, Baptist Global News, baptistnews.com, December 16, 2024.
The Word on Fire Bible (Volume I): The Gospels, New Revised Catholic Version, Commentary by Bishop Robert Barron. bookstore/wordonfire/.org.
UMC bishop clarifies threat of Global Methodist Church agitators in Nigeria, By Cynthia Astle, Baptist News, baptistnews.com, August 29, 2024.
Why Surging Bible Sales Signal The Need For A Rebrand Of The Church, By Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes, forbes.com, December 12, 2024.
Wither Methodism, By W. James Antle, III, The American Conservative, theamericanconservative.com, November 9, 2024.
