CRY OUT AMERICA!

Awakening and Revival or Deprivation and Judgment?

By Billy Wilson

Exploring the connection between Awakening and our present moral decline as it relates to same-sex relationships in America

America now teeters on the precipice of judgment! The beacon of God’s word shines against our nation’s moral decay like a lighthouse flashing amidst blinding fog. The rocks of judgment surround us and the light beckons us to turn around. Yet, the soup-like fog of our carnal selfishness has dimmed the light into an almost indiscernible blur. A certain crash is on the way unless the church wakes up and the culture heeds the light.

Several months ago, I was privileged to tape a television program in the church that stands on the site in Northampton, Massachusetts where Jonathan Edwards was pastor during the first Great Awakening in America’s colonies. A local congregation has continued on this site since the mid 1600’s. It was very inspiring to reflect on the powerful, America-changing ministry of this awakening pioneer.

While departing from the church that day our attention was drawn toward the bulletin board in the church foyer. Along with several pamphlets and flyers announcing events that you would expect to see at churches all across America, like bible studies, parties and baby showers were two small posters that stated: Lesbian Group Meets Here. The time and place of the gatherings were given along with a contact number. I stood in amazement, momentarily stunned by what I was reading. Could this be true? Could a church with the rich history of Jonathan Edward’s ministry, in this small town known as the epicenter of the first Great Awakening, now host openly lesbian groups?

Following our trip I continued to study the ministry of Jonathan Edwards and scheduled an Awakening America Leadership Summit to be held across the street from this unique location in Northampton. The Summit was designed for national leaders to focus on repentance, humility and a new Christ awakening in the United States. In preparing for the Summit I reread Edward’s most celebrated sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. This is perhaps the most famous sermon ever preached in America.  History records that the sermon moved listeners to grab the pew in front of them for fear that they would fall into hell. This powerful, nation-affecting message concluded with the words, “let everyone fly out of Sodom, ‘haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed.’" Genesis 19:17 

Genesis 19 includes the account of Sodom and Gomorrah, their sin and their destruction. Unbelievably, the very church whose most famous pastor delivered this powerful sermon warning us to flee from Sodom, now entertains and embraces those whose struggles parallel Sodom’s sins.  A church whose pulpit once flamed with the gospel now embraces small groups that promote homosexuality. What a graphic display of the American church’s spiritual drift!

However, this unusual dichotomy does not stop there. The Awakening America Leadership Summit began on April 7, 2008 in Northampton. God met with us mightily.  Exactly two months later, on June 7, Northampton hosted the Transgender Pride Parade where several transgender women, who have used surgery and hormone therapy to seek a sex change, walked the Northampton streets without a shirt to demonstrate the removal of their breasts and prove that they are no longer women. I wept when I first saw the report of this parade, realizing the deep pain these people must be living with and the deep destruction that deception brings.

In the last few years, America’s courts have allowed for same sex marriage, the former president of the National Evangelical Association fell because of a same sex liaison and the attitudes of today’s youth are shifting dramatically in favor or extreme tolerance to the point of approval.  We must wonder where all of this will lead.

Last month I was honored to share with the audience of the Daystar Television Network about Awakening America and our upcoming nationwide, every county prayer gathering, Cry Out America. (See ??? for more information). When I arrived at Daystar I met Jim Garlow in the green room before the program. I felt that this was providential. Jim pastors Skyline Wesleyan Church in San Diego, California and is a lead servant in assisting California in preparing for the November vote against same-sex marriage. Jim is also an expert on America’s Awakening history and had attended and addressed the Northampton Awakening America Leadership Summit.  The battle for marriage in California is just one symptom of the great spiritual problems in our nation today.  Please join our ministry in praying for Jim and all those involved in this effort to protect marriage in California.

America’s moral and spiritual decline is deep and it will take deep repentance to turn around the present spiritual trend. The Awakening America Alliance is committed to calling the body of Christ to unite together in crying out for God to once again visit our nation. Our prayer is that the fog horn of prophetic boldness will trumpet the danger surrounding us until today’s church heeds the light and moves away from this precipice of judgment. God, please lift the fog from America’s eyes and let us see!

CG