Are We on the Edge of Another Great Awakening?
Moments of social upheaval, spiritual drift, and institutional breakdown have often set the stage for unexpected renewal across the centuries. Patterns emerge not through mechanical repetition but through the deep human need for meaning, belonging, and transformation. As we navigate the turbulence of the 2020s, leaders would be wise to recognize the familiar signs that a new awakening could already be taking shape.
Scripture shows how God works through cycles of decline, repentance, and renewal. In the book of Judges, "the Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord" (Judges 6:1, CSB), yet God repeatedly raised up deliverers after seasons of moral and spiritual collapse. The pattern of falling away and divine restoration is not confined to Israel's history. It reflects the larger human tendency toward spiritual drift and God's consistent mercy to call His people back.
In the 1730s, the First Great Awakening reshaped colonial life after decades of drifting religious formalism. Preachers like Jonathan Edwards echoed the call of Joel 2:13, "Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and compassionate." In the 1790s, the Second Great Awakening emerged after the exhaustion and skepticism that followed the American Revolution, much like the renewal that followed Israel's periods of national crisis. Again, in 1857, a prayer revival spread from New York across the nation just as economic collapse and civil unrest loomed, reminding believers that "if my people, who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face...I will forgive their sin and heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14, CSB).
Over the years, many calls for revival have focused heavily on systems of activity. Researchers and practitioners often highlight essential features like prayer movements, Scripture engagement, evangelistic fervor, and solemn gatherings. These are valuable markers, but history suggests that revival cannot be reduced to a checklist of actions. What these researchers sometimes overlook is the critical role of broader systemic conditions that shape the readiness for spiritual awakening.
One way to understand these conditions is through the STEEPLES framework. STEEPLES looks at Social, Technological, Economic, Environmental, Political, Legal, Educational, and Spiritual factors. These external domains create both pressure and opportunity for renewal. Recognizing them helps leaders understand that revival movements are not isolated spiritual moments. They are also deeply influenced by what is happening in the world around them.
Revival movements have often emerged at the intersection of spiritual readiness and external disruption. When we look back at the great awakenings, we find consistent signals, trends, and drivers at work. Many historians and researchers have noted that periods of spiritual renewal often arise in a larger pattern of historical cycles, where social disruption and spiritual hunger converge at pivotal moments.
Signals included spontaneous prayer gatherings, unexpected conversions among youth, mass dissemination of Scripture, and rapid multiplication of small communities of faith. These signals often began quietly, largely unnoticed by national leaders, until they reached a tipping point.
Trends unfolded more visibly. Each awakening coincided with declining trust in institutional religion, a hunger for authentic experience of God, and a willingness to innovate new models of church and ministry. Localism, volunteerism, and lay leadership became increasingly important.
Beneath both the signals and the trends were powerful drivers. Economically, periods of financial hardship sharpened the search for meaning. Politically, moments of crisis exposed the insufficiency of worldly ideologies. Legally and culturally, periods of disruption opened space for fresh expressions of faith. Spiritually, there was always a recognition that the arm of flesh could not accomplish what only the Spirit of God could do.
Today, we are witnessing similar patterns. The Asbury Revival of 2023 revealed a grassroots hunger among Gen Z for something deeper than institutional religion. House churches, decentralized ministries, and spontaneous worship gatherings are multiplying quietly but steadily. Bible sales have also seen a measurable increase in recent years, reflecting a renewed interest in Scripture engagement across a wide range of demographics. Digital discipleship networks are replacing traditional platforms as younger generations seek authenticity over performance. Just as Paul wrote to the Colossians that "Christ is all and in all" (Colossians 3:11, CSB), today's emerging believers are striving for a faith centered on Christ Himself, not mediated through institutional control.
The signals are clear: spontaneous prayer movements, increased Bible engagement among young adults, hunger for unstructured worship, and growing theological self-education online. The trends are visible: collapse of institutional trust, rise of local and relational ministry, increasing emphasis on grassroots discipleship rather than top-down programming.
The STEEPLES drivers are pressing in:
Social fragmentation through polarization and loneliness
Technological acceleration with AI and digital discipleship platforms
Economic uncertainty with inflation, instability, and wealth concentration
Environmental stress is causing existential anxiety in younger generations
Political disillusionment across the ideological spectrum
Legal conflicts around religious liberty, education, and identity
Educational disruption as alternative learning models replace traditional ones
Spiritual confusion in a generation that recognizes its need but resists easy answers
If history holds true, we are entering a period when a fresh awakening movement could reshape the spiritual and civic landscape by the early 2030s.
Leaders can begin preparing by creating environments where authentic Christian communities have room to grow, cultivating deeper formation among younger generations, and discerning where old structures may no longer serve the movement of the Spirit. It is unlikely that awakening in the 2030s will mirror the forms or methods of past revivals, but it will draw from the same deep spiritual hunger that has fueled renewal throughout history.
While it is too soon to declare an awakening imminent, it is not too soon to watch, pray, and prepare with wisdom. Jesus reminded His disciples, "The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest" (Matthew 9:37–38, CSB). That call remains just as urgent now as it was then.
Here are three possible scenarios for the future:
Baseline: What if small-scale awakenings continue but never break into broader national consciousness, remaining localized and fragmented?
Collapse: What if institutional churches react defensively to decentralized movements, leading to deeper division and missed opportunities for renewal?
Transformation: What if a new generation of believers catalyzes a Spirit-led movement that reshapes faith, community, and mission for the next century?
Keep exploring the signals, trends, and drivers shaping the future. Take the next step by engaging your ministry team in a conversation about what this future could mean for your context through Incite Futures Labs from Forbes Strategies. We help leaders anticipate change, navigate complexity, and build their preferred future. Let’s collaborate!
