Last month I attended the Healthy Church Growth Conference here in Boston.
I’ve been to a lot of conferences over the years. Some inspire me. Some challenge me. Most leave me with pages of notes and a handful of ideas I’d like to remember.
But every once in a while, God uses a message to stop me in my tracks.
This conference was one of those moments.
A lesson by Tony Fernandez stayed with me long after the conference ended. His message was simple:
God has a standing offer of revival for anyone who seeks Him with humility and repentance.
I couldn’t shake it.
Instead of moving on to the next project or the next responsibility, I found myself asking a different question:
How am I going to respond?
Not what I learned.
Not what I agreed with.
Not what inspired me.
But what am I actually going to do?
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Why Holy Discontent May Be the Beginning of Revival
It Starts With Me
When we hear the word revival, we often think about churches.
We think about baptisms.
We think about crowds.
We think about movements.
And all of those things are wonderful.
But as I reflected on that lesson, I realized something:
I need revival.
Not just churches.
Not just the world.
Me.
I need fresh faith.
I need fresh hunger for God.
I need fresh repentance.
I need a renewed passion for the lost.
I want what David prayed for in Psalm 51:
“Restore to me the joy of your salvation.”
I remember what it felt like when I was a young Christian.
Everything was exciting.
Every scripture felt alive.
Every conversation about God mattered.
Every opportunity to share my faith energized me.
I want that again.
And I suspect I’m not alone.
Many Christians still believe in God, attend church, and try to do the right thing.
But deep down they’re tired.
Distracted.
Numb.
Spiritually exhausted.
The fire is still there somewhere.
But it needs oxygen.
What Fasting Taught Me
Earlier this year, I completed a seven-day fast.
It wasn’t easy.
There were moments when it was physically difficult.
But there were also moments of incredible clarity.
God exposed areas of my heart that needed attention.
He reminded me of what truly matters.
And shortly after that fast, I experienced one of the greatest joys of my entire year.
I watched my son David get baptized into Christ.
As a father, it’s hard to describe that feeling.
Nothing else I’ve experienced this year compares to it.
Now let me be clear.
Fasting didn’t force God to act.
God had already been working in David’s life.
Many people had been praying for him for years.
But I am convinced of this:
God moves powerfully when people seek Him sincerely.
That experience left me wanting more.
Not more activity.
Not more busyness.
More of God.
Revival Is Rarely a Solo Project
One thing I noticed while studying revival throughout Scripture is that it is often communal.
It’s not just one person.
It’s God’s people coming together.
Before Pentecost and the explosive growth of the early church, the disciples gathered constantly in prayer.
Acts 1:14 says:
“They all joined together constantly in prayer.”
That phrase jumps off the page.
Together.
Not isolated.
Not independent.
Together.
That’s why I don’t want to pursue revival alone this time.
I want to seek God alongside believers around the world.
I want us to pray together.
Fast together.
Repent together.
Believe together.
Why Repentance Comes First
Most people want revival.
Few people want repentance.
We want spiritual power.
We want renewal.
We want blessings.
We want breakthroughs.
But we often resist the very thing that unlocks them.
Listen to God’s promise:
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
— 2 Chronicles 7:14
That’s one of the most encouraging promises in the Bible.
God promises:
- Forgiveness
- Healing
- Restoration
- Renewed relationship
But notice what comes first:
- Humility
- Prayer
- Seeking God
- Repentance
Revival begins when we stop pointing at everyone else’s problems and allow God to expose our own hearts.
What Needs to Change?
That’s the question I’ve been asking myself recently.
Not:
“What needs to change in the church?”
Not:
“What needs to change in society?”
Not:
“What needs to change in other people?”
But:
What needs to change in me?
Maybe for you it’s:
- Spiritual laziness
- Prayerlessness
- Bitterness
- Pride
- Materialism
- Endless scrolling
- Impurity
- Fear
- Distraction
Whatever it is, revival requires honesty.
Psalm 66:18 says:
“If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”
That’s a sobering scripture.
God wants to revive us.
But He also wants us to surrender.
Join the Fast for Revival
That’s why I’m inviting Christians around the world to participate in a 72-Hour Fast for Revival.
June 28 – July 1, 2026
You don’t have to fast for all three days.
Maybe you’ll fast for:
- One day
- One meal
- Social media
- Entertainment
- Something else that’s competing for your attention
The goal isn’t legalism.
The goal is hunger for God.
Together we’ll pray for:
- Personal revival
- Church renewal
- Repentance
- Evangelistic boldness
- Healing in families
- More baptisms
- Spiritual awakening around the world
I believe God wants to move powerfully in this generation.
I believe churches can be revived.
I believe disciples can be restored.
I believe families can heal.
I believe people who have drifted away can come home.
But revival begins with people willing to humble themselves before God.
A Final Challenge
If you were preparing for a marathon 40 days from now, you wouldn’t wait until race day to start training.
You’d begin today.
The same is true spiritually.
Don’t wait until the fast begins.
Start now.
Pray.
Reflect.
Repent.
Ask God to reveal what needs to change.
Prepare your heart.
Because revival doesn’t begin with excitement.
Revival begins with repentance.
And when God’s people seek Him with humility, amazing things happen.
Let’s seek Him together.
