Book Two: Reformations and AwakeningsMany have been taught that spiritual gifts and miracles ceased with the early church or the establishing of the canon of Scripture. This second of three volumes continues to examine the historical record of spiritual gifts and supernatural signs during the time of the Renaissance, the Enlightenment and the Modern Age, in a climate of intellectual revolution.
The French Revolution replaced Christianity with liberalism, but restorationist movements countered this and reestablished faith in the supernatural. England experienced the Weslyan Revival and America had two Great Awakenings. Modern Holiness movements and prayer revivals also led to a stream of new American healing ministries. In an unbelieving world dominated by secular and liberal ideas, the gospel continued to spread with signs following.
Jeff Oliver is the founder and president of Global Wakening, a ministry that is inspiring and equipping a new generation with a supernatural Christian worldview to ignite a global wakening of God's church. Jeff says, "Suddenly, the 21st-century global church finds itself thrust into the very climate in which the events, triumphs, and opportunities of the New Testament occurred, but we can win our global culture to Christ the same way the early church did-through faith and fearlessness in the face of persecution, loving acts of kindness, and the power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit. All we need is the fresh, prayerful, united effort of ordinary Christians stirring up the gifts of God that are within them." (2 Tim 1:6-7)