LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Reflection of Hansen and Woodbridge
Submitted to Dr. Gregory Faulls
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
EVAN 500 – B01
Spiritual Factors of Growing Churches
by
David J. Miller
Four Concepts
Collin Hansen and John Woodbridge wrote the book A God-Sized Vision. It is written
because Revival is something that very few people have personally experienced. Because of this,
it is hard for people to understand the true power that comes with revival. It is in this book that
they first set out to show that there is a truly distinct disconnect of what is prayed for and what
Mighty God is capable of doing through what they call a God-Sized Vision. Throughout all of
history, revival has served an important part within the history of the church. It is through these
revivals that there has been a renewal of faith and the presence of the Holy Spirit among the
church.
Secondly, Hansen and Woodbridge make is clear that the beginning of revival must begin
with one’s repentance and prayer. Prayer is what takes the simple hopes and dreams of man and
transforms them to the infinite realm of God’s supernatural omnipotence. Repentance prepares
and cleans the heart of the individual, allowing it to be filled (through God) with love, mercy,
and grace until it overflows. This brings about a supernatural feeling and encounter with God.
Thirdly, the importance of having a God-Sized Vision is emphasized. This is where we
focus on what God wants to do. Having an understanding of the perfect will of God and what He
wants to do through the church and through the individual. For example, Charles Finney
believed, “Christians have waited for God to move, when all along God has gifted the church
with everything it needs to spark revival… Finney deployed ‘new measures’ [like the] anxious
seat, which became a staple of American evangelism leading to practices such as the altar call.”1
1 Collin Hansen and John Woodbridge, A God-Sized Vision: Revival Stories that Stretch and Stir, (Grand
Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010), 33.
The last part of the book, Hansen and Woodbridge write about several of the revivals that
have happened in church history. It is through these examples that it helps the reader come to an
understanding that God is capable of much more than we realize. That when we dream of
something big, God’s wishes and perfect will are bogger than we could ever imagine.
Reflection
Collin Hansen and John Woodbridge illustrate, “Though God alone can instigate revival,
the church need not wait idly… When Christians petition God for revival, they acknowledge that
all their efforts to organize and contextualize go for naught unless God goes before them.”2 This
statement really got me thinking about how I personally thought and approached the idea of
revival.
I remember growing up in church and hearing the pastor pray for revival. Pray for the
Holy Spirit to come and change the church, change the community, change the nation. As a
young person, I never put a lot of though into it. I didn’t know what the pastor was asking for,
and because I was innocent and naïve, I didn’t know why he would ask for a revival.
Now, that I am older and I see the world for what it is, I know what the pastor was
praying for and I know why he prayed for it. I know that this is a dark and sinful world and to
blunt, the world rejects Jesus. The world is a place in which people live for themselves and there
is little room for God.
The perverted ways of the world are celebrated and encouraged. To be a follower of Jesus
is to be “square” and uncool. The church is full of false teachers. We have gone from the Gospel
of Jesus Christ (redemption and salvation) to the Prosperity Gospel. We have gone from
2 Ibid,. Pg. 35
repentance of our sins to “cheap grace”. There is no more accountability, instead “Love Wins”
and “Love Conquers All”.
Revival is something this country and world needs. I know that I have to do my part and
be the difference in the workplace, in my community. I need to fervently pray for God to work in
the church, the community, the nation. That I confess, that I repent and that I pray for God’s
mighty hand to sweep across this world.
This book has shown me what I already knew, but has encouraged me in way to not give
up. God does have a great and mighty plan. His will, will be done.
