What were the Great Awakenings? Were they genuine movements of the Holy Spirit, emotional excesses, or something in between?

In this episode of The Reflection Podcast, Pastor Ed Blonski explores the major revival movements that shaped American Christianity, from the First Great Awakening of the 1730s and 1740s through the revival campaigns of Dwight L. Moody and the rise of Pentecostalism. Along the way, we examine the lives and ministries of key figures such as Gilbert Tennent, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, Charles Finney, and Dwight L. Moody, and consider how their influence continues to be felt today.

This episode explores:

• The religious landscape of Colonial America before the First Great Awakening

• The ministries of Tennent, Edwards, and Whitefield

• The rise of revivalism and the debate between "Old Lights" and "New Lights"

• The Cane Ridge Revival and the frontier camp meeting movement

• Charles Finney's "new measures" and their impact on American evangelicalism

• The Third Great Awakening and its connection to missions, social reform, abolition, and temperance

• Dwight L. Moody's transformation of mass evangelism

• The Azusa Street Revival and the growth of Pentecostalism

• Whether America may be experiencing another spiritual awakening today

• A Confessional Lutheran assessment of revival movements, conversion, and the Means of Grace

Throughout the episode, we ask an important question: How should Christians evaluate revival movements? From a Confessional Lutheran perspective, we rejoice whenever Christ is proclaimed and sinners come to faith, while also examining revival theology through the lens of Scripture, the Lutheran Confessions, and God's promised means of grace.

Featured Figures

• Gilbert Tennent

• Jonathan Edwards

• George Whitefield

• Charles Finney

• Dwight L. Moody

• Ira D. Sankey

• Walter A. Maier

Resources Mentioned

• Gilbert Tennent: Son of Thunder by Milton J. Coalter Jr.

• Jonathan Edwards: A Life by George M. Marsden

• Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography by Iain H. Murray

• The Divine Dramatist by Harry S. Stout

• George Whitefield by Arnold Dallimore

• Charles G. Finney and the Spirit of American Evangelicalism by Charles E. Hambrick-Stowe

• A Passion for Souls: The Life of D. L. Moody by Lyle W. Dorsett

📖 Learn more about St. Matthew Lutheran Church

👍 If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone interested in American history, church history, theology, or revival movements.

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How did the Bible come from God’s Word spoken to God’s Word in your hands?

In this episode of The Reflection Podcast, a ministry of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Hawthorn Woods, Illinois, we begin Season 7 with a new format and a deep dive into one of the most important questions of the Christian faith: How We Got the Bible.

We’ll trace the story of Scripture from oral tradition to written text, from Moses and the prophets to the Septuagint, from the eyewitness testimony of the apostles to the formation of the New Testament, and from ancient manuscripts to the Bible translations we read today.

Along the way, we’ll consider how God preserved His Word through centuries of copying, translating, preaching, teaching, and confessing.

This episode also explores why Christians can trust the Bible as the inspired, inerrant, living Word of God—historically reliable, textually preserved, theologically unified, and centered in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh.

Whether you are new to the Bible, returning to Scripture, or looking to better understand how God’s Word has been handed down through the centuries, this episode will help you see the Bible as a miracle of history, a gift of grace, and the living Word that brings you Christ.

Learn more about St. Matthew Lutheran Church here.

Subscribe to The Reflection Podcast, share this episode with a friend, and join us for more reflections on faith, Scripture, and everyday life.

Gospel of Jesus Bible Study

Conversation with former curator of the Museum of the Bible

On this episode climber, mentor, and storyteller Craig DeMartino joins me for a powerful conversation about faith, perseverance, and discovering purpose in every season of life.

Craig shares how the outdoors shaped him, how community forms us, and how God meets us in moments of challenge, growth, and calling.

Whether you’re a climber, an adventurer, or someone navigating a season of change, Craig’s insights will encourage you to live with intention and hope.

Join us as we explore courage, resilience, spiritual growth, and the surprising ways God leads us forward.

Listen, be encouraged, and share this episode with someone who needs a word of hope today.

Please take a quick second to rate this podcast on your favorite platform—Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening. Those stars really help others discover us.

Next, hit that like button or give us a thumbs-up—it’s a small gesture that makes a big difference.

Finally, share this episode!

Text it to a friend, post it on social media, or tell someone about it over coffee.

You never know who might need to hear this message today.

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