First Generation

First Generation is about a movement. Some of us have experienced what we might call a revival, but revivals are not movements. Revivals happen when we return to something we have lost, but movements are not a return to anything—they are fresh beginnings.

In the church true revivals are rare, but movements are rarer still. Few of us will ever witness one. Revivals occur when Christianized people who have drifted away from their spiritual moorings swing back toward repentance and sincere faith. Movements occur when a mass of unreached and unchurched people embrace Christianity. These first-generation believers have a different sort of faith than most of us will ever know. Their faith is less sophisticated, but more genuine. Their communities, and especially their family members, often persecute them. They are susceptible to false doctrine, but they pray often and they give recklessly. They are tireless evangelists. They frequently witness miracles.

Movements begin in opportunistic times. They are revolutionary and occur during upheaval and change. Though they are inspiring, they are also dangerous. They are unpredictable, unmanageable, and usually unexpected.