Incredibly for me, it has been two weeks since I last blogged. It is not that there is a shortage of blog worthy material, nor that I have stopped watching on my wall, but rather that I hadn’t quite figured out how to tackle the subject I wanted to write about (ref. the title) that goes to the heart of what are my own present preoccupations.

As always, I ask myself where to begin? My regular watching on my wall routine is to go through familiar media outlets like YouTube, X, Rumble, Telegram, Facebook and even the BBC for interesting stuff pertaining to developments on the world stage, much of which is happening at an alarming rate. I try to be like the children of Issachar, “who were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do” 1 Chronicles 12:32. Today, I was not disappointed, for one video struck me as providing a lot of clarity to what is really going on. It was titled “The Quiet Revival” (see here), and it touched on some of the themes I was wanting to address in this, my blog, particularly along the lines of curtailing free speech, especially relating to Christianity, and of young men now attending church in numbers not seen just a few years back.

But to kick things off as to why I feel the burden to write, relates to one of the sources I have been regularly checking out for some time, Bitchute (see here). I do so because this resource often provides important information and insights not typically found checking out mainstream media outlets. I was taken aback when a few days back, when I checked out the page for new content, fully expecting not to be let down, but finding when I did that the following message appeared: “After careful review and ongoing evaluation of the regulatory landscape in the United Kingdom, we regret to inform you that BitChute will be discontinuing its video sharing service for UK residents. The introduction of the UK Online Safety Act of 2023 has brought about significant changes in the regulatory framework governing online content and community interactions”. While disappointed, I was not surprised, because in recent years, particularly becoming apparent during the Covid scamdemic time, there have been moves to censor or worse the free speech of those who have the temerity to challenge the official narrative or deemed might upset some. My own experience as a Facebook user has been to be censored for posting content that went against their own community standards. The good news is that I can still find out the truth as more speak out and especially as more whistle blowers come forward, although one wonders for how much longer?

My task is not to do too deep a dive in order to come to a view on when there is a place for ensuring safety on or offline (for there is a place for protecting people from harm, including protecting people from hateful or misleading speech) but rather to point out how things really are. It is not just Christians being unable to share something they have long been able to do. It is something being seen the world over in many different ways, when people who offer alternative views to the ones who control things are shut down. There have been instances of people in the UK being jailed for publicly sharing their views, e.g. through social media, as well as Christians for doing something like sharing the gospel on the streets or praying outside abortion clinics. The video: “Christians in ENGLAND Facing 2 Years in PRISON for Public Evangelism!” (see here) is one of many that have come my way in recent days that serve to illustrate these points, while others pushing actual wrong views can do so with importunity, e.g. concerning the transgender matter. Those who maintain there are only two genders are all too often condemned and punished for being transphobic etc.

I have noted in my own neck of the wood that there are a number, especially among the elderly, who are praying for revival, more so today even than not all that long ago. I think I understand their motivations but the more mischievous me would want to ask what it is that has awakened this interest. I have given one reason: the marginalisation of authentic Christianity and it being replaced by something devilish makes revival not only desirable but essential, including my wanting people to turn to God. In this article I have touched on the free speech issue but there are many others but, rather than go through my own long list, folk who are interested to know more need to check out recent blogs posted on my website. My bottom line is a revival in the real thing (trusting in Jesus and returning to God) is the only way to leave the path to doom my country, the UK, is going down, with no hope for others doing so for us, noting the political system (all main parties) is mostly bankrupt.  

So back to “The Quiet Revival” and a report (see GenZ meme) that I shared recently on my Facebook page (and there are other reports e.g. “Incredible Reports Of Revival Are Sweeping Across The United Kingdom” (see here), “Gen Z Is Turning to God: The Quiet Revival in the UK“ (see here), and “Church Attendance in UK Skyrockets at Staggering Rate“ (see here)), speaking of an awakened spiritual interest compared with what it was not all that long ago. Something else these reports did not pick up on that I see as a contributory factor, but I have as I check out what the so called, much vilified, “far right, conspiracy theorists” have had to say, is how many of their leading exponents have called for a spiritual awakening even if not that specifically to do with the God of the Bible (something these young men will have picked up on as they realise they have been lied to). A good example of someone speaking important truth, recognising the importance of the spiritual without appearing to be mainstream Christian and who is branded by those in power as one of those that we should avoid, as his views are likely to rock the boat, is “Neil Oliver: ‘…they’re getting ready to shut us up for good!!!’” (see here).

The associated blurb to the first Gen Z meme, introducing some fascinating research, was “Incredible & hugely encouraging new research out from the Bible Society today. The Lord is moving powerfully throughout the UK. The ‘Quiet Revival’ research includes some remarkable results as shown below & is available to download in full here https://www.biblesociety.org.uk/research/quiet-revival” (which I found to be very revealing and informative).

One respected Christian friend, skeptical concerning such claims, wrote: “I am not seeing 16-24% of 18-24 yo’s attending church. That would be approx. 2 out of every 10 young adults. This doesn’t track with my every day experience”. My response to my friend’s comment was “I think it depends where you are looking. I have long been associated with Christian fellowships on the decline, although happily these days I am with one where I am seeing the opposite. Of course, there is lot of doom and gloom happening around us, especially as we see rife apostacy, wokeism and a resignation that our godless culture has won taking root in our churches. People like Gavin Calver and Justin Brierley are consummate researchers and I have no reason to doubt their findings. The Lord is sovereign of course and his ways are past finding out. Also, godly people, who have longed for revival, have gone to their reward having seen but a glimpse of what they hoped, longed and prayed for, and you and I He has left here. I think for me it is a matter of recognising our heritage and the truth, respecting and passing on their legacy, and being faithful, doing what the limited things we can to contribute (DV) to “the Lord moving powerfully throughout the UK” and the wider world”.

In a Facebook posting (righteously indignant rant) by another respected Christian friend, he begins: “NEITHER ABSOLUTE CONTROLLED CHINESE-STYLE DIGITAL AND WOKE CULTURAL MARXIST/COMMUNIST SOCIETY NOR THE RIGID LEGALISITC DOGMATISM OF AN ISLAMIFIED MARXISM À LA KEIR STARMER – WILL WE BRITISH ACCEPT” I agreed with much that he wrote but suggested in terms on how to break the hold of all these evils that he mentioned, that there has to be a better way, notwithstanding my belief we should not just sit back and let the baddies win. This article is my attempt to explain what that better way is. It is where I have to leave it, other than making the point, having studied past revivals, that God ever moves in mysterious ways and He uses all sorts of instruments and methods, including unexpected ones, to do His amazing work of bringing about revival.

My job is to be a faithful follower of Jesus and part of that involves me in waking people up to what is really going on in the world and, more importantly, helping them to discover for themselves some of the right answers, especially those relating to “life, the universe and everything” and also to the question of where we spend eternity and our relationship with God. This includes to GenZ young men, some/many, thankfully, are beginning to wake up to their own needs, as well as to anyone else who has an ear to hear. We need revival now. And as another old hymn reminds us, revival has to begin with me.