Bishop of Kensington: I’m praying for revival. Will you join me?

Revival is not about experience or emotion and it cannot be strategised or planned for, says Rt Rev Dr Emma Ineson. It is the faithful seeking of God’s heart for the transformation of our nation, and the drawing near to God of those who are far away. Let’s pray faithfully for it to begin with us

When I was a student, a revival took root in our hall of residence. It began with one student, who came back after the summer holidays with a conviction from God to pray daily for change with one other person. Unbeknownst to him, another student had the same thought. Two pairs began meeting at 6am - a small miracle in itself for students - and soon, more and more joined them. By the end of the year, a quarter of the students in our hall had become Christians. The culture shifted so dramatically that it left a legacy still bearing fruit decades later. 

This is revival: God’s Holy Spirit moving powerfully, transforming hearts and creating ripples of change that extend beyond the Church and out into society. Revival may look different in various contexts: an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, supernatural events, fervent prayer or widespread conversions. But at its core, it’s about God’s people being renewed and communities being transformed. 

At the heart of Psalm 85 is a cry: “Will you not revive us again, so that your people may rejoice in you?” (v6). This verse gives us a roadmap, inviting us to explore the who, what, when and why of revival.