Many people think the American story begins with the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the event we are celebrating the 250th anniversary of this year, but the origin story began long before.
The American Revolution grew from the Great Awakening, a revival led largely by remarkably young preachers, which created the moral framework that made America’s model of self-government possible. Dr. Rob Pacienza described this connection saying:
It is no coincidence that the American Revolution came in the wake of the Great Awakening. Preachers like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield ignited a spiritual revival. They preached the whole counsel of God and applied the Lordship of Christ to all of life. As thousands of American colonists came to faith, they began to see themselves not as mere subjects of the crown but as moral agents created in the image of God.
Jonathan Edwards was in his early 30s when his preaching sparked massive conversions in Northampton, and George Whitefield, only in his mid-20s, thundered across the colonies in his 20s and early 30s. The response was staggering as churches filled with ordinary men and women who embraced personal accountability to God and responsibility to one another. This shared moral vision forged a diverse, scattered population into a unified community ready for self-government and bold independence.
The American Revolution grew from the Great Awakening... which created the moral framework that made America’s model of self-government possible.
It was the values from the Great Awakening that shaped the Declaration’s words: all men are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,” including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Our country’s founding documents were penned by young leaders, just like the young preachers before them. Though later remembered as an elder statesman, Thomas Jefferson was only 33 when he drafted the Declaration of Independence in 1776. When Virginia drafted its first constitution in 1776, one of the youngest delegates was 25-year-old James Madison, whose service at the Fifth Virginia Convention helped form the constitutional ideas he would later incorporate into the Constitution of the United States. Alexander Hamilton was in his early twenties when he began writing about liberty and self-government.
These young men launched the great American experiment, the greatest form of government the world has ever seen, built upon the values of the Great Awakening.
Now, fast forward two and a half centuries, and the United States sadly reflects a nation with values far different than what our founders left us. The moral consensus that once grounded our understanding of human dignity, life, and liberty has left the nation’s conscience. Competing worldviews now vie for cultural relevance, leaving many Americans unfamiliar with the biblical principles that once shaped our public life. The consequences are visible all around us: abortion on demand, the confusion of identity, the breakdown of the family, and the growing sense of disorder that marks our cultural moment.
Scripture reminds us that these are spiritual problems, not merely political or social issues (Eph. 6:12), and the only remedy is the gospel of Jesus Christ. In response, believers are told to “take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day” (Eph. 6:13) and to “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5).
Thankfully, the same type of spiritual revival that served as the precursor to America’s 1776 founding could be upon us today. Stadium worship nights are packed with young people. Prayer meetings on college campuses are breaking out. Traditions once dismissed as old-fashioned, such as faith, family, even patriotism are being embraced with fresh energy by the youngest of Americans.
Recent Barna Group research shows Gen Z and Millennial churchgoers are attending services more frequently, and commitment to Jesus has risen significantly among younger adults, with Gen Z men in particular showing double-digit percentage point increases in self-reported commitment since 2019. And, the Pew Research Center has found that 31% of U.S. adults say religion is gaining influence in American life, a sharp increase from 18% in 2024, and the highest level in about 15 years.
As we embark on the next chapter of the American story, we should pray for another great awakening and be prepared for the work it would require of us.
As we embark on the next chapter of the American story, we should pray for another great awakening and be prepared for the work it would require of us.
“America250” gives us an opportunity to pause and ask what comes next.
If the First Great Awakening produced a generation willing to fight for liberty, perhaps this new awakening will produce a generation willing to preserve it. Preserving liberty, however, does not happen automatically. When renewal comes, it brings responsibility. If young Americans are to steward the freedoms entrusted to them, they must be prepared for the work that follows.
Many of the leaders who shaped this nation were young by today’s standards. Yet these young men displayed a rare combination of moral conviction, intellectual rigor, and personal courage. As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, those same qualities will be required of us again.
Editor’s Note: Coral Ridge Ministries is pleased to announce the launch of CelebrateAmerica.org, a new initiative to preserve and promote the integral role Christianity has played in shaping the moral and cultural fabric of the United States. Learn more here.
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