Monday, January 19, 2026

It is the 19th of January 2026. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

 

A very happy Monday to you- here at the Almanac, we take this day, the first of the work week, and dedicate it to you and your questions, comments, recipes, palindromes, world war 2 soviet ciphers… whatever… but mostly your questions.

Brad in Valdosta, Georgia, wrote in- Valdosta, down there near the Florida border- it was the location for the movie Ernest in the Army- and it's where the real Doc Holliday grew up, and it’s where Adam tracks stops after he escapes prison on his way back home in East of Eden.

Brad had a question about the Asbury revival in particular and about the idea of “revival” in general- he tells me that his background is Episcopal and was interested in the conversation around Asbury, and then, he wonders “did it just disappear” and “does this tell us anything about American Christianity in particular”.

So- Brad- it was almost 3 years ago- February of 2023- a chapel service at Asbury University transformed into a 2+ week event and over 50,000 people showed up- 250 million social media posts, 100s of articles and think pieces- heck, I was even a guest on “Freely Given” with Gretchen and Katie to talk about it.

The Asbury event was hailed as Gen-Z’s religious moment- and there have been more than a few (unfortunately misleading) pieces since then suggesting that Gen-Z is looking to reverse the trends of their elders when it comes to church-going.

A few things: I know the fact that 2023 being 3 years ago seems ridiculous. Absurd. The next thing you’ll tell me is that 2016 was a decade ago. Impossible.

But, even 3 years (a decade even) is hardly enough time to track a major cultural shift. We can always ask, “What is God doing”? And the answer will be some variation of: reconciling the world back to himself through his Son by means of his Gospel being preached and believed.

This is God’s primary work- but there’s something about this repenting and believing- it is sometimes more visible than other times. Church historians have worked through terms like “renewal” or “revival” or “outpouring” and pointed to occasions that certainly looked like it- and at other times, God is working silently and quietly- there will be something- and evidence of it- and Good news being preached to the lost… but trust me- it always looks different.

Asbury was the home of a revival in 1970- it has been part of the Wesleyan Holiness tradition that emphasized and sought out visible revival- and it seems something like that happened in 2023. There was a curious bit of excitement and restraint in February of 2023- celebrities were shooed away, and the students tried to keep it local- but in the end, after 16 days, some 250+ colleges and over 100 worship teams showed up. 

What will become of all of that? Is a fair question- and it’s not dissimilar to the questions about news of “revivals” among Gen-Z. I am sure it is happening- and anecdotally, we have interesting stories about a new generation and a new kind of seeker.

BUT- from the 1990s, things have been on a sharp decline. I was shocked to read that the high point of evangelicalism in America was likely the 90s, when 3 in 10 Americans identified as Evangelical… this is another good word about perspective- because I spent the 90s in Orange County, California, where I would have put the number at something like 70-80% evangelical.

We are local creatures- informed by the bigger picture- but it can be hard to want a bigger and longer picture about present trends… these things take time.

In 1926, if you told an American that the rest of the century, when it came to the church, would belong to Asia and Africa and South America, that the embers of European Christianity would be cooling as the Americans would redefine Christianity in the public square… And so, in 2026, I wonder about Asbury and America and the Global South and revival- and as the historian, I can help you look backwards- for this part of the ride, I’m sitting shotgun with you.

Thanks for the question Brad.

  

The Last word for today comes from the daily lectionary and a text from Acts 8, just mentioned on the weekend show: 

32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
    and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,

    so he did not open his mouth.

33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
    Who can speak of his descendants?
    For his life was taken from the earth.”

34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [37] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.

 

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 19th of January 2026, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man wondering where verse 37 went- he is  Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who is t-2 hours to the big game… 8 degrees? Whatever- Go Rams. I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.