GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH

01/14/2026

Derick Dickens clearly presents truth:

There are two recurring phenomena in American Christianity that always seem to find me: the latest “End Times” prediction from a well-meaning Dispensationalist, and bold claims that a massive revival has broken out in America. One offers a good chuckle and an eye-roll; the other gets me labeled a grouch for questioning the hype.
So in solidarity with fellow curmudgeons--Curt Cignetti, Oscar the Grouch, Archie Bunker, and my personal favorites Statler and Waldorf—I’m going to say the quiet part out loud:
There is no great Christian revival happening in America.
I’ve seen the Asbury videos. I know some reports say more young men are attending church again. I’ve seen Charlie Kirk’s crowds. But these phenomena look far more like moments than movements; bright flashes followed by silence.
We confuse going viral with revival.
We mistake emotion for holiness.
We mistake politics for religion.
And in every case, we wildly overstate what’s happening. I want revival. I pray for it. But revival is not what we’ve been calling revival.
Reality Check: What the Data Actually Shows
One of the most persistent media stories in 2025 was that Generation Z is turning back to religion. Sociologists love these “trend reversal” stories, and Christians are eager for good news. But the data tells a different story:
• The share of unaffiliated adults (“nones”) rose from 6% in 1991 to nearly 30% today.
• Gen Z is not more religiously committed than Millennials at the same age.
• There is no measurable increase in church attendance, affiliation, or doctrinal commitment.
Sociologists have been blunt: if a reversal is coming, it would require a transformation unlike anything we’ve seen in modern times.
In other words, what we’re calling revival is mostly wishful thinking mixed with media amplification. Viral clips spread faster than quiet decline, and emotional worship clips spread faster than statistical reports.
So for clarity’s sake, let’s define our terms.
What Real Revival Actually Looks Like
Historically, revival is not:
• a livestreamed chapel service,
• a viral political rally,
• or an emotional worship night.
Revival is holiness over time, not hype in the moment.
When God sends revival, several things happen:
1. Repentance exceeds excitement
2. Doctrine deepens instead of diluting
3. Communities change, not just worship sets
4. The Word takes center stage; not personalities
5. It lasts long enough to reshape culture
Previous revivals did not spread because of TikTok clips or high-production worship nights. They spread because the Word of God cut deeply, and because repentance transformed communities.
It was not flashy. It was not curated. It was not emotional manipulation.
It was Bible. Repentance. Holiness. Time.
Why Mislabeling Matters
Mislabeling moments as revivals makes us:
• shallow in discernment,
• addicted to spectacle,
• fragile to cultural trends,
• and easily manipulated.
When every surge of emotion counts as “revival,” then viral = spiritual, and we end up chasing crowds instead of Christ.
True revival is not:
• political,
• conspiratorial,
• algorithmic,
• or influencer-driven.
It is ordinary people suddenly gripped by extraordinary holiness, shaped by the ordinary means of grace—preaching, sacraments, prayer, discipleship, and the Church.
So How Do We Prepare for Real Revival?
Honestly, we prepare in ways that would never make the news:
• Deep study of God’s Word
• Commitment to God’s Church
• Persistent prayer
• Family discipleship
• Shepherding actual souls
• Covenantal faithfulness over time
These practices are not glamorous. They do not trend on social media. God is not a viral God.
Revival rarely begins in arenas; it begins in living rooms, pews, pulpits, and prayer closets.
These small things do not guarantee revival, but they prepare hearts for one, should God decide to move.
Revival may not be happening in America right now. But the path toward it has never changed—and it does not run through political rallies, viral clips, or emotional flashpoints.
It runs through Word, Sacrament, Prayer, Holiness, Time.
Call me a curmudgeon. And, to be honest, I will gladly tap into my inner Statler and Waldorf. But, I am not going to call every viral event a “revival.” Let’s hope for revival, but that starts in the prayer closet.

10/24/2025

08/10/2025

...Evangelism is not ultimately focused on or about the potential convert. Indeed the irony is that much seeker-sensitive evangelism and worship is about making the seeker the focus of attention : everything is designed or adjusted or aligned to make it so palatable for the seeker that he or she would come back next week.
"Is it any wonder that the fruit of this kind of evangelism frequently is church members who assume they are and should be the focus of attention? Should we not from the very beginning indicate that it is not about them? It is not about any of us.
"When we gather for worship, Christ Jesus is the passion and focus of our commitment and adoration. In mission, our commitment is to witness in word and deed to the reign of Christ. And evangelism is about learning that it is all about Christ.
"You are welcome to join us in worship and in mission, but only if you can appreciate that it is not about you. You are not the focus or the prime concern of this exercise. You are welcome to join us, but without any illusions or missing the point that this is all about Jesus."
-- Gordon T. Smith, "Called to Be Saints: An Invitation to Christian Maturity"

08/10/2025

"If God offers you a Savior from deserved punishment, and you will not receive him, then surely it is just that you should go without a Savior. Or is God obliged, because you do not like this Savior, to provide you another?
"He has given an infinitely honorable and glorious person, even his only begotten Son, to be a sacrifice for sin, and so provided salvation; and this Savior is offered to you: now if you refuse to accept him, is God therefore unjust if he does not save you?"
-- Jonathan Edwards

06/27/2025

J. C. Ryle: Lot's wife is meant to be a beacon and a warning to all professing Christians. It may be feared that many will be found like her in the day of Christ's second advent. There are many in the present day who go a certain length in religion. They conform to the outward ways of Christian relatives and friends. They speak the "language of Canaan." They use all the outward ordinances of religion. But all this time their souls are not right in the sight of God. The world is in their hearts, and their hearts are in the world. And by and by, in the day of sifting, their unsoundness will be exposed to all the world. Their Christianity will prove rotten at the core. The case of Lot's wife will not stand alone.

04/19/2025

John Piper: Education about God precedes and serves exultation in God. Learning truth precedes loving truth. Right reflection on God precedes right affection for God. Seeing the glory of Christ precedes savoring the glory of Christ. Good theology is the foundation of great doxology.

03/15/2025

A man by the name of Jacob Stam prayed, "Lord, the only thing we know about sacrifice is how to spell the word."

11/15/2024

J. C. Ryle: It costs something to be a true Christian. Let that never be forgotten. To be a mere nominal Christian, and go to church, is cheap and easy work. But to hear Christ's voice, and follow Christ, and believe in Christ, and confess Christ, requires much self-denial. It will cost us our sins, and our self-righteousness, and our ease, and our worldliness. All—all must be given up.