Prepare A Place for Revival

Pastor John Miller of Church on the Rock in Texarkana joins Philip Cameron to unpack what genuine, lasting revival looks like — and how every local church can begin preparing for it right now. Drawing on the Asbury University awakening, the Jesus Movement of the 1970s, and the historic Prayer Revival of 1857, Miller paints a vivid picture of how God moves when His people make room for Him. "The Holy Ghost will only come to where He's welcome," Miller explains. "He is a gentleman — He will not move unless you ask Him to move." Miller traces the 1857 Businessman's Revival, sparked by a simple noon prayer meeting at a Dutch Reformed church in Manhattan under the influence of Charles Finney's convert Joseph Lamphier, which grew from a handful of attendees to a movement that brought a million people to Christ across America. He connects that historical pattern to today's stirrings at Asbury and secular campuses like Texas A&M University, arguing that revival must move beyond church walls to transform culture, politics, families, and communities. Practical takeaways include starting pre-service prayer with leaders, choosing songs directed *to* God rather than merely *about* God, shortening the sermon to extend worship, and opening altar calls. Miller's church saw 25 salvations in a single weekend using these simple adjustments. Visit churchontherock.org or download the Church on the Rock Texarkana app to connect with his congregation.