When an American church announces a homecoming picnic for its “online viewers” and people show up from 40 states and 4 foreign countries, does this reflect revival is in the air? It sure looked that way to me and Cindy when we attended an exciting May gathering at Leesburg, Virginia’s Cornerstone Chapel. Pastored by Gary Hamrick, the church had to cap online viewer attendance at 1000! Besides us, a small contingent of other folks from around Alabama were present.
When the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) unleashed COVID-19 on the world from a Wuhan, China lab—Anthony Fauci claimed it occurred naturally in nature—little did the CCP imagine they might be provoking a spiritual awakening in America.
See: https://www.whitehouse.gov/lab-leak-true-origins-of-covid-19/
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep fault lines in the relationship between parents, public health institutions, the Christian Church and government. Under government threats and intimidation, many U.S. churches complied with “do not gather” orders and declined to hold worship services. Not Cornerstone Chapel. Under Hamrick’s leadership, Cornerstone continued to exercise its 1st Amendment freedom to gather, worship God, and stream its services over the Internet. Consequently, its membership and online viewers expanded rapidly while some churches lost membership or died altogether.
Cindy interviewed an attendee from Athens, Alabama. “You’re taking notes?” the lady asked with an inquisitive smile.
“Yes. My husband is writing a story about today’s event for Boom Magazine in Alabama.”
“Really? Oh … so, our church is in Athens. They use Pastor Gary’s verse by verse (method) for one of our women’s Bible studies. Who does verse by verse for the book of Judges? It’s like, how do I get through verse by verse in Judges? But Pastor Gary does, and I was hooked! That was several years ago. We have a second place in Arizona. And Arizona’s not Alabama. We can’t find a church; so, when out there, we watch Cornerstone Chapel online.”
This modern gathering of “techno-members” at Cornerstone reminded me of the more primitive “great awakenings” that took place on the American frontier. Two great awakenings have impacted American history. One occurred about thirty years before the American Revolution, setting the stage for the “Black Robe Regiment” of preachers who led American colonists in the fight against British tyranny.
The second broke out on the American frontier around 1800 during a period of lawlessness and debauchery. Concerned that westward expansion minus the moderating Word of God would lead to America’s demise, Christian evangelists migrated to Southern Kentucky and Northern Tennessee, boldly proclaiming the Gospel. It was during revival meetings at the Red River Meeting House near Adairville, Kentucky that the flames of the 2nd Great Awakening were ignited.
Frontier believers in the early 1800’s claimed that God had revealed to them the coming of a third great awakening. According to an interesting book by Glenda Orme Clark titled, A Table in the Frontier: Pioneers, Protestants & the Presence of God, God assured these early American pioneers that another great world-wide outpouring would come after the year 2000.
Perhaps churches like Virginia’s Cornerstone are the sprouting seeds of America’s third great spiritual awakening.
Virginia is a stunning state. When you hit Interstate 81 up around Pulaski and begin the drive northeast through the scenic Shenandoah Valley, nothing compares. They say Virginia is for Lovers. I don’t know about that. But I do, for sure, believe Virginia is for lovers of history. Next issue, I’ll tell you about an amazing historic home—now a bed and breakfast—we discovered, where we slept in the same bedroom General Robert E. Lee once slept in; and where Frederick Douglas’s portrait hangs in the dining room.
Lest I forget, while passing through North Carolina on our way to Cornerstone Chapel in Northern Virginia, we stopped at a Cracker Barrell Restaurant where I met retired Army Master Sergeant Johnny Longo. “Everything happens for a reason,” he told me. In mere minutes, Sergeant Longo and I became fast friends as often happens between veterans. Sergeant Longo is a former special ops soldier who served about two and a half decades in various wars and capacities dating back to Vietnam. He later texted me: All gave some. Some gave all. (Our meeting preceded Memorial Day by forty-eight hours.)
He shared a photo with me of one of his three motorcycles—an Indian with a black POW-MIA flag flying from it. The sleek machine has transported him all over the country on Veterans’ rides. He confessed he’s done a lot of bad things “back in the day,” but that HIS grace is sufficient for him. As you read this, rest assured, Sergeant Longo is out there somewhere, probably on one of his bikes, witnessing the love of Jesus.
Nothing is more fun and exciting to me on these trips than the serendipity of meeting great Americans like Johnny Longo. America is not only a beautiful land of freedom; it’s a land of beautiful and courageous people in myriad profiles and colors. Sustained national revival is a blessing we desperately need. Lord, help us wake up.
(If) my people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2nd Chronicles 7:14: (NAS).
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!
Jeff Barganier is a novelist, travel writer and speaker. He travels far and wide upon the slightest excuse for something interesting to write about. His novels include Lawson’s Bluff (2021); The Slash Brokers (1998). He also manages Cindy Barganier Interiors LLC (www.cindybarganier.com) at The Waters in Pike Road, Alabama. Contact Jeff at Jeffbarganier@knology.net. You may print out his features at www.jeffbarganier.com and take them with you when you travel!