Episode 26 - How to have a revival

Can revival really be planned—or is it only something God does spontaneously? In this episode of the Circle Dwellers podcast, Matt and Tim Krell of Life Mission Fellowship unpack Lecture 3 of Charles Finney’s classic Lectures on Revival of Religion to reveal the practical, biblical steps that ignite genuine renewal. Drawing on Hosea 10:12 (“Break up your fallow ground”), they explain how revival begins with the church itself—through repentance, self-examination, and obedience rather than emotional hype. The brothers walk through Finney’s process of spiritual bookkeeping, how to write a “sin list,” and why real change starts when believers stop waiting for a feeling and simply repent. They also share Finney’s remarkable conversion-retention results (from Getting Evangelicals Saved by Paris Reedhead and Deeper Experiences of Famous Christians by J. Gilchrist Lawson) and explore how disciplined holiness, not hype, brings lasting fruit. If you’ve ever prayed for revival or wondered why modern efforts fizzle, this episode will give you Finney’s time-tested roadmap for true transformation.