On a Saturday in May, over seven thousand people were baptized at an event called Baptize California at Huntington Beach. Skeptics might dismiss it, but what if it is evidence of the latest spiritual awakening?
I say “latest” because it has happened before in America. In the 1700’s an awakening happened with the fervent preaching of Jonathan Edwards. The 1800’s awakenings are associated with Charles Finney and D.L. Moody. The 1960’s awakening is known as the Jesus Movement. During these awakenings, formerly cold responses to Jesus became hot-hearted conviction resulting in baptisms, church growth, and societal change.
How and when God ordains an awakening is a mystery. What would it look like if a spiritual awakening occurred today? In the first place it would reflect what Jesus meant when he said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20).
If enough people became baptized followers of Jesus, statistics would show it. In fact, recent polling results could be an early indicator. Pew’s latest Religious Landscape Study reports that since 2019, more Americans are identifying as Christian. Barna reports that U.S. adults who have made meaningful personal commitments to Jesus increased from 54% to 66% of the population since 2021, “the clearest indication of meaningful spiritual renewal in the U.S.”
Another indicator is what is happening on college campuses. Beginning in 2023, events at Auburn University and others resulted in hundreds of spontaneous baptisms. One of the speakers, Pastor Jonathan Pakluda, said they “went slow to confirm that they were believers.” Baptism is the believer’s public profession of faith, not a substitute for it. It is the outward sign of an inward change. The organizers of these campus events encourage baptized students to connect with a local church community.
Baptize California had a similar approach. They carefully explained the gospel, invited people to believe, baptized those who did, and connected them to a community of believers. Pastor Mark Francey said that about 500 local churches and 30 local pastors participated in the event. “Churches are working together in unprecedented ways around Jesus’ Great Commission to make disciples and baptize the nation,” he said. “A spiritual awakening has begun in California, one that will sweep from the beaches to the neighborhoods of America, and to the nations of the world.”
The heart of the believer leaps at the thought of someone receiving Christ and living the faithful, repentant life. For the unbeliever, reports of spiritual awakening in America are meaningless unless it touches you personally. Think about it. Has Someone been calling you to wake up? “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).