18 August 2011

UNDER THE WATERFALL: Patrick ButlerThe questions everyone at The Uprising in Southern California are asking is, “Will Jesus Movement revival happen again here? Can it happen again?” In the back of everyone's mind is, “This nation needs it to happen again.”

I'm in Orange County California at Huntington Beach right now because it's a completion of a circuit for me that began about 40 years ago. I saw first-hand as a teenager the Jesus Movement come into the O.C. like a trickle, then a stream, growing into a river of life and finally an all-out flood.

What happened here in the years between say, 1969 and 1971, changed the nation and by proxy, the world. Many towns in America now have a Contemporary Christian music station, for just one example, because of the Jesus Movement. There was no such thing in America prior to 1968-69. Try to even imagine modern Christianity without that music scene and it's nearly impossible to conceive it.

That's why the idea of a reoccurrence of the Jesus Movement, especially here in the homelands — the turf if you will — the birthplace of that movement is so intriguing, even enticing.

But I wouldn't be here if this were merely a move of man to replicate what was a completely unexpected move of God 40 years ago that caught everyone — including church people — by surprise. That would make this a nostalgia event. I don't have enough time left in life to waste on feel-good memories.

It is precisely the spontaneous, unrehearsed, unplanned aspect of what is being called “The Uprising” and the hope that seems to be going along it from local youth-oriented pastors and churches such as The Sanctuary Church in Westminster and The Refuge Calvary Chapel in Huntington Beach that has drawn me out here for a look-see. There is a time and season for everything and locals here are hoping this is the time God will revisit the land he did 40 years ago and move for a new generation.

The Uprising also reflects the heartbeat of a nation, not just O.C. Californians, that knows it's still in trouble. The country saw this in Texas just two weeks ago. Despite what elected officials or business branders want us to believe, we are not on the road to the type of recovery we will be satisfied with. Following The Response in Texas just two weeks ago, The Uprising almost seems like a God-planned response to The Response. The timing of  The Uprising, which begins tonight at The Sanctuary, seems like a channel, an outlet for the fantastic energy, encouragement and synergy gained at The Response.

The Uprising is already different from The Response. This is not a call to the state's churches to bring believers out for prayer and repentance as the Texas Response was. The Uprising is not heavily advertised in Sunday bulletins or CCM radio outlets.

The Uprising is a passionate outreach for life as it was in 1971; to those sullenly sitting on the beaches of Orange County or surrounding sun-soaked spots and invite them to come to a tent of meeting located on Huntington Beach. For those not familiar with Orange County or the Jesus Movement, this is a classic archetypal set-up and certain to stir up lots of memories from long-time residents. There are thousands still living here touched by the Jesus Movement and need a big breath of fresh air — especially here in Orange County, where many still believe that Disneyland is the happiest place on earth.

The result 40 years ago was the changing of a generation at risk from drugs, directionless despair and outright self-destruction. As it was back then, it is now; a generation is at risk, and once again we need God to get us out of it.

I know. I was there. And it's why I'm back here 40 years later and two weeks after tens of thousands of believers cried out to God in Houston that he would have mercy on their nation. I want to see if The Uprising is part of the answer to those prayers offered up at Reliant Stadium. I have a feeling it may be the beginning of just that. Let's hope and pray it is.

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