The Quiet Revival You Haven't Heard About | Michael Williams
God Is Doing Something New: The Quiet Revival You Haven't Heard About
"See, I am doing a new thing now. It springs up. Do you not perceive it?" - Isaiah 43:19
Hallelujah! We praise God for who He is and thank Him for all that He's doing. In every situation and circumstance of life, He's at work, in the dark, in the difficult, in the disturbing, in all the chaos. He is sovereign overall. He is the great and mighty God, and there is nothing that He can't do.
We thank our God that what the enemy meant for evil, He turns for our good. And we thank Him that even now He is turning things for our good.
When Present Circumstances Aren't the End of Your Story
At this particular point in their journey, the Israelites were in captivity in Babylon. They were there for a period of 70 years as a result of God's judgment. It was rough, it was tough, it was hard going. The situations and circumstances they found themselves in were challenging indeed.
But here in Isaiah 43:19, God comes to them with a message of hope, a message of assurance, and a message of comfort and encouragement. I thank God for those times when it has been dark and difficult, when it has been challenging, and God has come with a message of hope, assurance, comfort, and encouragement.
God reminded them in these verses that He had not finished with them, and that He was at work among them, that He was doing something new—something new that would surpass their past experiences and something that would probably surpass their present expectations.
Here's what I feel some people in this room need to hear today: their present circumstances were not the end of the story. Where they were in that moment was not the end of the story. He wasn't finished with them. He had a plan to restore them.
I really strongly feel I need to say to some people today, where you are now, your present circumstances are not the end of the story. Hallelujah! God has not finished with you yet. He has a plan to restore you and also to restore to you.
Do you remember the song "By the Rivers of Babylon"? This is the context. "We sat down, we hung our harps upon the tree, how can we sing the Lord's song in this strange land?" It was really hard and tough, but God reminded them that even in the hard and the tough and the difficult, He was at work.
There are some people who need reminding today that even in the hard and the tough and the difficult, God is at work. God was doing something.
God Never Stops Working
The Bible tells us that God is always at work. God is always doing something. Jesus spoke of this in John 5:17, where He said these words: "My father is always working, and so am I."
God didn't just create the world and sit back and relax, saying "that's me done," arms folded. Yes, He rested on the Sabbath day. After that, God has continued to be at work, and right now at this point in time, God is at work.
History shows how God has been at work. Your history and my history in our personal lives speaks of how God has been at work. Headlines in our papers today show us how God is at work. I thank God; God is at work in our world. In all the chaos, in all the confusion, in all the uncertainty, friends, being no doubt about it, God is at work.
He's doing things, incredible things, but also not only is He at work in the world at large, He is at work in our world too. He's at work in our lives, in our situations, in our circumstances.
I want you to know today God is at work in the members of your family who don't yet know the Lord. I was encouraged this week when I met with two people, and through various circumstances and situations that were incredibly difficult, through those conversations, I was in no doubt that God was at work in those families. And just as He is at work in those families, He's at work in your families too.
God is at work on your finances. God is working on your future. God is lining things up right now. God is making a way. God is opening doors. He is working, friends, in ways that we can't even begin to imagine. Time will reveal it. We will see it.
We often sing about Him being the way maker, the miracle worker, the promise keeper, the light in the darkness. What I wanted to highlight from that song is that we declared God never stops working, even when I can't see it. We declared You're working, even when I don't feel it.
Let's be honest, sometimes we don't feel it, sometimes we don't see it, but that doesn't change the fact that God is working. He never stops working.
The Quiet Revival: God's Work Comes Into View
Right now in the UK, God is working. He is doing something new. And what He is doing has now come into view. It is being seen. It is being spoken about.
In April of this year, the Bible Society released a report that shows us that here in the UK, God has been and is working, that He is doing something new. The findings of this survey were commissioned by the Bible Society and conducted by YouGov, and were presented in a report that carried the title "The Quiet Revival."
These findings show that over the space of the last six years, there has been significant growth in the numbers of people attending church. Here are the headlines of that report:
Church decline in England and Wales has not only stopped, but the church is growing, as Gen Z—those who are 18 to 25—lead an exciting turnaround in church attendance.
For so many years, we have been told the church in the UK is on its last legs, that the church is on its way out. But we have news here that the church is growing, that the decline has witnessed a turnaround.
In the last six years, church attendance has risen by 56%. There are now over 2 million more people attending church than they were six years ago.
The report shows that the most dramatic church growth is among young adults, and particularly amongst young men. In 2018, just 4% of 18 to 24 year olds said that they attended church at least monthly. Today, this has risen to 16%, with the number of young men increasing from 4% to 21%. There are more young men attending than young women, which is good news for the young women!
A Heritage of Young Men in Revival
Interestingly, in the reports that covered the opening of this church in 1929, the number of young men who were present was a feature. This is a headline from the Elim Evangel, our national magazine from 1929:
"December 13th, the Four Square revival is sweeping on through Swansea. The Central Hall during the week is packed to overflowing, and the Grand Theatre is crowded from top to bottom, and multitudes are being turned away unable to gain admission. All classes are attending the revival services, large numbers of ministers are attending the revival services. But listen to this—hundreds of young men are a striking feature in this spiritual awakening."
Isn't that incredible? It's in our DNA. It's in our history.
More Signs of Revival
As well as church decline being reversed, the church is also becoming more ethnically diverse, with one in five people (19%) coming from an ethnic minority. Close to half of young black people aged 18 to 34; 40% are now attending church at least monthly.
Bible Society's chief executive Paul Williams says this: "The quiet revival is a highly significant report, which should transform the perception of Christianity and church going in England and Wales. Far from being on a slippery slope to extinction, the church is alive and growing and making a positive difference to individuals and society."
Let me say it again because some of you need to get excited. The church, after years of decline, years of doom and gloom—we need to get excited. The church is alive and growing and making a positive difference to individuals and society.
We need to celebrate! Sometimes when all you've heard is doom and gloom, sometimes the breaking in of some good news doesn't get us that excited, but I want to tell you we need to get excited. God says, "I'm doing something. You need to see it, you need to perceive it, you need to get hold of what I am doing. I want you in on this."
The Times newspaper carried this headline: "Spiritual Gen Z drive increase in Bible sales." Book sales in the UK have remained flat. However, the sale of Bibles in the UK in this period has risen by 87%. Isn't that incredible? That's amazing. This book is still the world's best seller.
What's Happening on the Ground
It's not just statistics. It's not just things out there, friends. It's what's happening on the ground and across our nation. Churches are adding extra services, churches are planting new congregations. The church that my son and daughter-in-law attend in London now has 10 services every Sunday.
Last weekend, five churches in Bournemouth gathered on the beach to baptize 92 people. In this period of time, I know of a good number of churches here in Swansea who have also added services to increase capacity and make room for those who are coming. Other churches in Swansea have seen a real significant increase in the attendance of young adults at their services.
Can I encourage you? When it comes to the rising generation, we have some very encouraging statistics. I asked all the staff who are responsible for these areas to give me the figures for how many children and young people and young adults we are connecting with through services over a month.
Over the course of the month, we have 167 noughts to elevens, we have 130 elevens to seventeens, and we have 145 eighteens to thirties. That's 442 who were 30 and under. That's incredible. That is amazing.
I remember my first day in this church. It was July 2nd, 2007, and I stood here and I looked out on a congregation that was predominantly white, and also the hair color was predominantly white. I have never seen so much white-gray hair in one room all in one sitting as I did that day. But that's not the case today.
96% of people who come to faith come to faith under the age of 30. And the vast majority of those come in under the age of eighteen. God is at work.
God Was Preparing Us
Looking back over the six years where this has been happening, it's amazing what we've done. We appointed a new children's pastor. We appointed an early years worker. This week, the elders have approved the appointment of another early years worker so that at the 9:00 service we can start children's ministry. We appointed a new youth pastor. We appointed our very first student and young adult pastor.
It's no coincidence. God was at work. God was arranging, moving. Sometimes, friends, it's only when you look back that you begin to see how it all fits together. God at work. Every year, we've invested significant sums in these areas of ministry and mission.
The Enemy Is Also at Work
God is at work, but just as God is working, so is the enemy of our souls, the prince of this age, the devil. He is also at work now.
I am not overly focused on the devil and his works, and I don't believe we should be. Some people see the devil in everything—somebody in church sneezes, "that's the devil." Please, come on, don't call them a devil, give them a handkerchief! Not everything is the devil, but the devil is real, and he is at work.
Wherever God is at work, the enemy of our souls will also be at work. The Lord is coming to build up; the enemy is coming to pull down. While we're not to be overly focused on the devil, the Bible does say to us that we are not to be unaware of the devil's schemes. We need to know what he does, how he operates.
One thing we know about his schemes is that he will always attack and oppose what God is doing. The very areas that God is at work in, the very things that God is doing, he will oppose and attack. This quiet revival—the enemy is not happy about it, and he will oppose it, and he will attack it.
Here in City Church, although the statistics I'm giving you are great, though the news is great, right now the enemy is at work, and we are in a spiritual battle for this rising generation. We really are. The enemy has come to steal, to kill and to destroy, but can I tell you this? We declare today, in the name of Jesus, he shall not prevail.
Five Things We Must Do
Over the past six years, there's been no big fanfare, no big announcements. God has just got on with what He's doing, as He so often does. But now it's being seen, it's being recognized. The statistics are showing that God is at work.
In the verse from Isaiah, God says, "Look, I'm doing something new. Do you not see it? Do you not perceive it?" When I read that, the interesting thing I think about is this—it's possible for God to be doing something and for us to not always see it or recognize it. I think it would be a terrible shame for God to be doing something and for us not to recognize it, for us not to see it.
So friends, be in no doubt this morning. God is doing something. God is at work, and He's particularly working amongst the rising generation. He is doing something in the under 30s. Those of us who are over 30, don't worry—He hasn't forgotten about us. He's still working in us and with us and for us and through us. He hasn't finished with us yet, but there's something about this rising generation.
Here are the things we need to do:
1. Perceive What God Is Doing
We need to perceive what God is doing, not just in this season, but in every season, and even as we go forward. We need to perceive, we need to see, we need to be aware, we need to recognize what the Lord is doing. In order for that to happen, I think we need to ask the Lord, "Lord, would you give me eyes to see?"
My mind went to 2 Kings chapter 6. Elijah and his servant are surrounded by the enemy. Elisha's servant is all panic-stricken. Elisha is calm. The difference is the servant can only see what the enemy is doing, but Elisha is able to see what God is doing. So Elisha prays in that moment, he says, "Lord, open his eyes that he can see."
We read in verse 17, "The Lord opened the servant's eyes and he looked," and he didn't just see what the enemy was doing, but he saw what the Lord was doing. All around them he looked, and he saw the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire. He could see what God was doing.
Sometimes all we can see is what the enemy is up to. Lord, open our eyes when we are surrounded, and help us to see what You are doing.
2. Partner with Him
In this season when God is moving, when God is doing something, we need to partner with Him. How can we partner with Him? I think it begins, first of all, by saying, "Yes, Lord, yes to what You were doing. Yes, we want to be part of this, we want to be in on this." As a church, we want to be part of this.
While on others, You were calling, do not pass me by. While on other churches, You were calling, don't pass City Church by. Lord, we rejoice in what You're doing elsewhere, but Lord, don't pass us by. We want in on this. We want to embrace You and what You are doing. We want to cooperate with You, Lord.
There are some things that only God can do. We all know that only God can save, but I tell you what—we can invite. Only God can save, but we can create a place of warmth and welcome. We can ensure that when people come through those doors that they are welcomed, that they feel included, that they are helped, and that they are pointed in the right direction.
Some of the Gen Zers who are coming in are confused. They have messed up issues about identity, sexuality, the whole thing. They're gonna come in. They won't look like you look, they won't dress like you dress. Just pray that they do dress! But that's how we partner with Him.
3. Prepare for What He Is Doing
We prepare by making space and making room, not just physically, of course, physically we're trying to do that, but more importantly than physically, we've got to make room in our hearts and in our lives and in our busy schedules for these people who the Lord is bringing.
Are we prepared to journey with people who are making their way to the One who is the way, the truth and the life? You see, they're not gonna be cleaned up straight away. When you catch a fish, you've got to gut it and clean it, and some of these fish that are gonna come in need a bit of gutting, need a bit of cleaning. Are we prepared to journey with them?
Are we also prepared for the changes that it brings? I'm grateful to our seniors, the people who have been here since 1929, because over the years, they have witnessed changes. In the last 18 years, they have seen some changes. Our Sunday gatherings are not like what they used to be. The clientele is not like what it used to be. I thank God for those people who are in the house—they've witnessed those changes and are still here. It's amazing.
It also brings challenges. Are we prepared for those challenges? When God does something, it'll always bring changes, it'll always bring challenges. But I have also discovered those challenges and those changes always lead to greater blessing. They really do.
4. Provide for What God Is Doing
We need to make provision for what God is doing very practically. More people, more costs, more staff, more expenses. The tea and coffee and the squash costs, literature costs, Bibles cost, Alpha costs, everything we do costs, and somebody's gotta pay.
But the provision that is even greater and even more necessary than finance is the provision of time—your time, my time. Are we willing to provide that?
5. Protect What God Is Doing
We need to protect this. God's at work. We need to guard what God is doing. When a fledgling plant is growing, it is often put in an environment where it is shielded from conditions that could hinder its growth or wipe it out. When it comes to what God is doing, we really do need to guard it carefully.
The most important and powerful way that we can protect what God is doing is to pray. We need to pray for the increase. We need to pray for more, more, Lord, more of what You're doing. Lord, let what You're doing increase and intensify. But we also need to pray because right now, there is a spiritual battle going on for the rising generation. God is at work. The enemy is at work. There is a battle.
The Battle Is Real
For the last year, the enemy has really launched an attack at the rising generation in this house, at the staff who work amongst the rising generation, at the team members who work with this rising generation. It has been difficult. The enemy is at work, and friends, I want you to know it is the enemy.
We are not talking about flesh and blood. Our battle is not with people. The enemy will use people, but our battle is not with people. Our battle is not flesh and blood. Our battle is with principalities and powers of wickedness and darkness in those heavenly realms. We're not fighting people. There is a battle with principalities and powers.
Can I also remind us that our fighting is not done with the weapons of this world? Our fighting is done on our knees. When I fight, I fight on my knees.
If ever there was a time where we need to pray for our rising generation, it's now. I want to encourage you to pray for our rising generation. I want to invite you this week to join me in praying over the rising generation in this house. I want you to stand with me this week in prayer, submitted to God, resisting the enemy in this particular area.
I also want to invite you to pray with me that this quiet revival might become a loud revival, that there will be an increase and an intensifying of the workings of the Lord.
Please take this on board, pray with me this week for our rising generation. Pray against the enemy's schemes. Pray that what the enemy meant for evil, the Lord will turn for good.
Eyes to See, Hearts to Respond
Let's pray that we would have eyes to see, that we would have ears to hear, that we would have hearts that are open and receptive to the Lord and to all that He is doing. God is at work.
"Look, I'm doing something new, I'm at work, I'm moving, it's springing up, do you not perceive it?" Well, if you do, then come on, let's recognize it, let's partner with Him, let's prepare, let's provide, let's protect and let's pray.
Is there anybody excited in the house today, blessed by what God is doing? Is there anybody who's gonna say with me, "I'm gonna stand this week, and I'm really gonna pray. I'm gonna ask the Lord for more, and I'm gonna pray against what the enemy is doing"?
Father, we thank You for time in Your presence, and we thank You for Your word. Lord, we've talked about what You're doing, and we thank You for what You're doing, it's marvelous, Lord. But Lord, we want more. We want to see more. We pray that You will do the immeasurably more that only You are able to do.
Thank You, Lord, in this house and all over Swansea and throughout the United Kingdom and around our world, more, Lord, more.
Lord, I pray as we take time this week to stand, to pray, as we fall on our knees, as we fight the principalities and powers of darkness and wickedness in those high places, that Lord, the plans of the enemy would be frustrated and thwarted, that his plans to tear down would be superseded by Your plans to build up.
In the name of Jesus, oh God, may we see what the enemy meant for evil being turned for good. And Lord, in our hearts, in our lives, in the very essence of all that this house is, may we make room, make room for You and for whatever You are wanting to do.
In Jesus' name. Hallelujah!