Hey Fam! Happy Thursday!
It’s now been 4 days since I got back from California, and I’m finally feeling readjusted to Florida life. Thank you all SO much for stepping up and taking things over in my absence. I got reports that many people were touched by the Lord while I was gone, which makes me so happy!
My trip was incredible. In addition to having wonderful quality time with my son, I got to tour the sites of 4 different 20th-21st century revivals, and the Lord deposited something special into me at each place. I also visited the locations of several major 20th century demonic movements, and I got to repent, intercede and prophesy at each of those locations.
The first revival on my tour was the “Azusa Street Revival”. The Azusa Street Revival began on April 9th, 1906, at 216 Bonnie Brae Street in downtown Los Angeles, while a man named William Seymour was leading a bible study on the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Even though America was still a predominantly Christian nation at that time, the baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in tongues was not something that many believers experienced or were taught about.
The Holy Spirit came in power during this bible study, and the people were filled and began to speak in tongues. Some even spoke in known languages interpreted by others of differing nationality, just like in Acts 2. This led to many others coming and receiving the baptism as well, and after 3 days there were so many people there that they had to move to a bigger place. That place was 312 Azusa Street, in an old horse stable. There, they had meetings every day for years, and countless thousands came from all over the country to experience the power of God. Every type of miracle, sign and wonder you can imagine was evident there. From time to time there was even a literal Glory cloud over the building that looked so much like fire that the fire department was called several times by neighbors.
Historians say that this was one of the most consequential revivals in history because it sparked and spread the Spirit filled, Pentecostal movement across America and the world. In fact, the reason we all attend churches that warmly embrace moves of the Holy Spirit today, is because of the impact that was made on the worldwide church by what happened at Azusa Street.
Here we are at each spot. The third picture is the sign outside the Bonnie Brae House.
For more info on this revival check out these two videos. The first is about 6 minutes and the second is about 55 minutes.
While I was there, the Lord deposited in me a greater expectation and a greater faith for supernatural demonstrations of His power. Acts 9:41 type stuff. Can I get an amen?!
The next revival happened in 1949. In the fall of that year, Billy Graham was recruited by Christ for Greater Los Angeles to hold a tent crusade on the corner of Washington and Hill Street in Downtown LA, about 3 miles from the Bonnie Brae House. Up to this point, Billy Graham was a relatively unknown evangelist working for Youth for Christ. The crusade was scheduled to last for 3 weeks, but shortly after it started, the attendance was not what the organization had hoped for. There was talk of ending it early, but that all stopped when 3 notable people got saved. One was a famous radio broadcaster who told everyone on his show about his salvation. Another was a former wire tapper for the mafia. Another was Louie Zamperini, a former Olympic athlete and WW2 vet whose life story was later made into a bestselling book and Hollywood movie called “Unbroken.”
This sparked much greater interest in the crusade and also caught the attention of William Randolph Hearst, the man who owned about 30% of the overall media in America (radio, TV, newspaper and magazines). Hearst told his reporters to “puff Graham”, which meant to put him into all the media they owned so that everyone would know about the crusade. After this, so many people came that they ended up extending it to 8 weeks. By the end, 350,000 people had come and thousands had prayed to receive Christ.
This one crusade made Billy Graham a household name overnight, and led to an international crusade ministry that allowed him to preach the gospel to over 200,000,000 people in person, and a radio and TV ministry that has touched countless millions more. Due to Hearst’s “puffing” of Graham, he was regularly featured on the cover of nearly all major newspapers throughout his ministry, which was a major driver of his widespread influence. Eventually, he became so famous and respected, that he was even allowed to hold enormous crusades in communist countries, where all religions were illegal. Talk about favor!
Here’s me at the corner of Washington and Hill Street, where the city and county of Los Angeles placed a plaque memorializing the 1949 crusade. It was placed there in 1983. Next to my pic is a picture of the tent from the 1949 crusade. They called it the Canvas Cathedral.
Here’s a video that shares more detail of this crusade, including the crisis of faith Billy went through just before it and the fruit of Louie Zamperini’s ministry.
The thing the Lord really impressed on me here, is a grand perspective of what He can do through one truly laid down life. It reminds me of the scripture in 2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the LORD roam throughout the earth, so that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”
The next revival is the one recently made more famous by the Jesus Revolution movie- The Jesus People movement. Although the central hub for this movement was Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, the movement actually began in San Francisco.
In early 1967, the counterculture movement had reached mass popularity and countless thousands of young people were led to believe that rejecting all forms capitalism (including working a job), all forms of organized religion, and all forms of American tradition, along with the adoption of drug abuse and promiscuous sex- was the key to inner joy, world peace and creating a utopia. This was the birth of the “hippie” movement.
During the height of the hippie movement, young people all over the country were told to come to the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco in June of 1967 for what was being called “The Summer of Love”. They were told that there they would find likeminded people that they can live in this utopia with. Close to 100,000 kids came and initially they were really enjoying themselves. But, when food and money ran out and shelter became impossible to find, people got disillusioned and they started to question whether this lifestyle was really the key to utopia. In addition, many were getting STD’s, having bad drug experiences, and getting sick with all kinds of bodily infections. After experiencing all of this, many of these hippies were convinced that there had to be a better way. It was at that time that local missionaries began to minister to them and lead them to Christ. One of the people who got saved there was Lonnie Frisbee, the future face of the Jesus People Movement.
The others, once returning to their hometowns, told their hippie friends that what they had believed was a lie and that Jesus was what they were truly looking for. This is how a nationwide movement was born that later graced the cover of LIFE and TIME Magazines. Is that a story of God taking what the enemy meant for evil and turning it for good, or what!?!
Here’s me at Haight- Ashbury. Next to it is a building with a sign commemorating the summer of love.
Here’s me at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, along with a picture of the old Jesus People tent that was on the property.
Here’s me at Pirates Cove, along with a shot of the old hippie baptisms.
You can read more about the origins of The Jesus People Movement by clicking here- https://theconversation.com/jesus-people-a-movement-born-from-the-summer-of-love-82421
The thing the Lord really impressed on me here was a faith that just like He did in the 1960’s, He can take all of these demonic movements we are seeing today, and He can use them to lead people to Jesus in a powerful way. My prayer is “Do it again Lord! Do it again!”
On that note, one encouraging thing is that just two weeks ago, on Pentecost Sunday, there were over 200 churches that came together for a mass baptism where 4,166 people got baptized. Experts say this was the MOST BAPTISMS IN ONE DAY IN US HISTORY. How amazing is that!?
Here’s a video that shows the baptisms- https://youtu.be/Uc3x_1dv3jI
The last revival is one that I watched happen with my own eyes. On July 9th, 2020, what began as a worship “protest” to stand up for the biblical and constitutional right to worship Jesus freely without government interference, became a nationwide movement. The Let Us Worship movement started with about 300 people worshipping on the Golden Gate Bridge right after the State of California formally banned singing in church. The next day, they went to Huntington Beach where 1000 people came and hundreds were baptized. After this, local and national media outlets began publicizing it and it spread like wildfire. Since then, they’ve gathered thousands of people in dozens of different cities and seen countless lives touched.
I was greatly impacted by not just watching it happen (which was a huge encouragement after seeing widespread lockdowns and the targeting of churches), but I was also impacted by it personally in a major way. I’ve been to their gatherings 6 times, in 6 different cities. Tampa in September of 2020, Azusa Street on New Year’s Eve 2020, West Palm in January 2021, Miami on New Years Eve 2021, Independance Hall in September of 2022, and Times Square in September of 2022. Each time I would go, a new download was given to me. This time, as I went to the Golden Gate Bridge where it all started, the Lord said, “a new boldness and courage is coming on you, that will crush the fear of man.” I say Amen! Here’s me on the bridge. Below is a picture from the original gathering.
To read more about the origins of this revival click here- Hundreds protest California’s singing ban at Golden Gate Bridge: ‘Let us worship’ | Fox News
I hope these testimonies inspire you as much as they do me. I pray that the fullness of the grace, power and revelation that was placed upon me on these adventures, gets transferred to you x10!
Also, if you want to see some of the other cool stuff we saw on the trip click here- https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5qmfw9udhvjbjbb/AAD73nKJG-bsGAySm9r3vJwea?dl=0
On another note, I hope to see you this weekend! I’m super pumped to get back to a full weekend of ministering and pour out what He’s been pouring into me!
This weekend our schedule will be:
Friday at Bayfront Park (169) at 7
Saturday at Riverwalk (96) at 5
Sunday at Siesta Beach (273) at 4
Please pray and please come when you can!
Also, join us tonight for fellowship and prayer at our house starting at 7:30. We’d love to see you there!
Love you!
Chris