America’s spiritual heritage has been formed by two great revival periods in history. The First Great Awakening occurred in the 1730s and 1740s and set the tone for what would be the next 300 years in American life.

The Second Great Awakening began in the late 1700s and extended to the early 1800s and reinforced and advanced America as a nation of churches and as a people of belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. Baptists and Methodists grew mightily in these years.

Can we have a third great awakening? Can we see a time of great spiritual advance in our increasingly secular culture?

The answer, of course, is “Yes.”

The answer is yes primarily because of God and also because of what we do.

What should we do?

First, Pray. We must be a people who are preparing the ground to receive the Word of God so that it grows and multiplies. The first two great awakenings were preceded by an intense time of prayer all across the nation.

Second, we must give, go, and spread the good news across the country.

Even in these dark times in American history, we have reason to be encouraged.

Let me give you two reasons for this encouragement.

First, we can be encouraged by what is happening in our own congregation. Over the last two years we have had more people in Bible study, more people in worship, and more people baptized than any time in the history of First Baptist Church. These are not declining days; these are days of advance.

Our three new campus congregations: Metairie Church, Metairie Korean church, and Hope Church of Waldheim are reasons for rejoicing.

Second, we have reason to rejoice for what is happening in America with the church planting movement. Do you know churches are being established all across the country and in the most unlikely of places?

Southern Baptist have designated 32 cities as Send cities, where we are making a concerted effort to establish new churches.

Do you know that Southern Baptists are growing by 25 churches per week? This is a total of 1200 churches a year.

Let me give you a way you can help in this effort. Plan to give to the Annie Armstrong Easter offering for North American Missions. By doing so, you will be providing for new church plants all across North America.

All the money you give will be used for new church plants throughout this continent.

Please do what you can. Please pray, and please give.

We can have another Great awakening.

I write a devotional daily that is sent out across the country and in a number of foreign nations. If you would like to receive my daily look at life and Scripture, please subscribe at WaylonBailey.com.