The Seven Signs of True Revival

Iain Murray in his very helpful book, "Revival and Revivalism" shows what genuine awakenings look like. We read this book for our "elder discipleship" webinar program during the month of July.  He offers these seven signs.

1. The revival has made its appearance in various places, without any extraordinary means to produce it.

2. As far as I can see, there appears to be in the subjects of this work a deep, heart humbling sense of the great unreasonableness, abominable nature, pernicious effects and deadly consequences of sin…

3. They appear to have a lively and very affecting view of the infinite condescension and love of God the father…

4. They seem to me to have a very deep and affecting sense of the worth of immortal souls, ardent love for them, and an agonizing concern for their conviction, conversion, and complete salvation….This love, this compassion, this ardent desire for the salvation of sinful men and for Zion’s prosperity, far exceed any thing I have ever seen.

5. A considerable number of individuals appear to me to be greatly reformed in their morals.

6. A number of families, who lived apparently without the fear of God, in folly and in vice, without any religious instruction or any proper government, are now reduced to order, and are daily joining in worship of God, reading his word, singing his praises, and offering up supplications to a throne of grace…

7. The subjects of this work appear to be very sensible of the necessity of Sanctification as well as Justification, and that ‘without holiness no man can see the Lord.’

Iain Murray, Revival and Revivalism: The making and Marring of American Evangelicalism 1750-1858, (Banner of Truth Trust, reprinted 2004), p. 157-158