Should Christians Really Pray for Revival?

Some churches cry out to God for revival. Others schedule “revivals” on the calendar. Still, others insist revival is God’s concern, not ours.

Three pastors and TGC Council members sat down to discuss whether Christians should seek revival and, if so, how we should go about it. Kevin DeYoung is pastor of University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan; Richard Phillips is pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, South Carolina; and Bryan Chapell is pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church in Peoria, Illinois. All three agree that we need to make a distinction between praying for revival and trying to manufacture it.

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Kevin DeYoung (PhD, University of Leicester) is senior pastor of Christ Covenant Church (PCA) in Matthews, North Carolina, and associate professor of systematic theology at Reformed Theological Seminary (Charlotte). He is the author of more than 25 books and a popular columnist, blogger, and podcaster. Kevin’s work can be found on clearlyreformed.org. Kevin and his wife, Trisha, have nine children.

Dr. Bryan Chapell (MDiv, Covenant Theological Seminary; PhD, Southern Illinois University Carbondale) is a founding Council member of The Gospel Coalition and President of Unlimited Grace Media, daily broadcasting messages of grace across the U.S. as well as offering pastoral training in many nations through conferences and internet resources available at unlimitedgrace.com. Nationally, Dr. Chapell is Director of the Christ-centered Preaching Institute of Metro Atlanta Seminary, a ministry of Perimeter Presbyterian Church, where he also serves on the preaching staff. Dr. Chapell is President Emeritus of Covenant Theological Seminary, Pastor Emeritus of the historic Grace Presbyterian Church, and the retired administrative coordinator of the Presbyterian Church in America. He is the author of many books, including Unlimited Grace, Each for the Other, Holiness by Grace, The Multigenerational Church Crises, and Christ-centered Preaching, a preaching textbook now in multiple editions and many languages. He and his wife, Kathy, have four adult children, and a growing number of grandchildren.

Richard Phillips (MDiv, Westminster Theological Seminary; DDiv, Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary; MBA, University of Pennsylvania) is senior minister of Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, South Carolina, and a former Council member of The Gospel Coalition. He is a regular writer for Reformation21 and the author of numerous books, including Revelation. He and his wife, Sharon, have five children.