Carole and I were watching and listening to a teacher during our devotional time. He was talking about God’s Kingdom and shared what he is hearing God saying.

“‘My Ekklesia kingdom hubs will now begin to see miracles of realignment in people’s lives, government, and culture. This will be an era of miraculous realignment.”

The words that struck me most were, “Ekklesia kingdom hubs.”

Carl George served as director of the Charles E. Fuller Institute of Evangelism and Church Growth. His writing and teaching on the “Meta-Church” was built on the idea of Kingdom hubs. His 1991 book, Prepare Your Church for the Future, (Revell) is not just some guy’s idea, it seems prophetic for a time like 2021. The concept sub-title is “Large enough to celebrate, small enough to care”.

Many pastors, prophets, evangelists, teachers and apostles are saying America is on the cusp of our Third Great American Awakening. Without looking for it, I’ve been hearing a lot about revival and awakening.  There is a rising desire for an American Awakening.

One of my mentors was asked if he had ever seen a national revival. He said he had not, but he is desirous to experience one during his time on the earth. What he sees coming is a move of God that impacts our nation.

I’ve been wondering what a national awakening would look like—what the catalyst(s) would be and how such a revival could be shepherded. There have been regional events like the Wilmore, Kentucky college-based event, and historically, the Cane Ridge Camp Meeting revival. The Toronto Awakening comes to mind as does the Jesus People movement. God’s sovereignty is the catalyst in those as described as a “visitation.” God’s presence came in a dimension that was fresh, stunning, frightening. God “visited” and people were awe-struck.

An awakening creates an atmosphere where a general population receive an idea of God’s true nature and character—I think it will come in terms of His generosity of grace and what His judgement is about. Dr. Karl Menninger’s book title came to mind, “Whatever Became of Sin?” An awakening grows out of an awareness of personal and national sin that desperately calls for personal repentance and gracious forgiveness—grace-ious—because God is not obligated.

This weekend we watched a bio-video of Keith Green, a rock n roller on a search for truth. When Jesus entered his life, Green began to share his story—“He changed my life completely!” Those closest to him said Green was telling the truth. A resistant insider said she didn’t want her life changed. “I was happy with it as it was.”

The Western culture wants to return to normal—few are looking for a Person or power to change life “completely.” Jesus is welcome to come in if He will assimilate, but there are not wide-spread urges to fit into His Kingdom—kingdom come, will be done. How will Holy Spirit initiate that transformation? It is His job.

Over the weekend, we were reminded about the Brownsville Revival—Pensacola. Several years of daily meetings. People visited from across the nation, arriving in the morning to gain a seat for evening meetings. Lindell Cooley was the worship leader during that awakening. He now pastors Grace Church: Nashville. When I went to tell Carole about my experience, she was watching Pastor John Kirkpatrick preach. He was the senior pastor at Brownsville during the “revival.” I promise you, tuning in to Kirkpatrick preaching is not on Carole’s regular schedule. Something is going on here!

The word revival tends to have images and experiences of past generations or our past. The coming Awakening probably won’t duplicate what once was. Not everyone is going to plug into all the music or preaching styles. Like every other age, the awakening will be contextualized—it will speak many languages and fit into different cultures. Like the Day of Pentecost: everyone heard the Gospel in words and tones they recognized and understood.

Kingdom geography has always been about hubs. Not isolated events in isolated places, but in centers to which people traveled and then returned equipped and empowered. Think about the church at Ephesus—a cultural center and a training place. There are many such hubs in our world. I’ve included a link that focuses on what God could be doing related to hubs.

Pastor Cooley’s music leadership moved us from vocal music to preaching with the song,

More about Jesus would I know
More of His grace to others show
More of His saving fullness see
More of His love who died for me

More, more about Jesus
More, more about Jesus
More of His saving fullness see
More of His love who died for me.

Carole asked me, “Are we a Kingdom hub?”

©2021 D. Dean Benton

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