The Christian tradition affirms that transformation ultimately occurs only through
the power of the Holy Spirit indwelling the life of the believer. Transformation of society
should be a natural byproduct of the growing influence of the church reaching out to
every strata of life with the love and truth of Jesus Christ. As the apostle Paul writes,
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”2 The
Holy Spirit is the ultimate emancipator.
This project would propose that the United States and the world-at-large need
another Great Awakening. Witness these indicators: the predominance of relativistic
thought with its accompanying moral drift, the rise of militant religions, the increasing
intrusiveness of government in the lives of citizens, the devaluing of life represented by
trafficking and human rights abuses, and the continual corruption in many countries by
dictators and kleptocrats.
Yet the church of Jesus Christ remains a city on a hill, with light that cannot be
hidden or dimmed. Throughout church history God has sent revival to the church, often
resulting in awakening that transforms individual lives, and society. Examples include the
role of St. Patrick and the Celtic saints in spreading the gospel and saving civilization,1
Saint Francis and his followers who gave their lives to humbly follow Christ through
poverty and rebuild His church, and Martin Luther who nailed the Ninety- Five Theses to
the door of the Wittenberg church, marking the start of the Protestant Reformation. More
modern examples of the power of Christ working through His church include the
Holiness movement with its accompanying moral reforms during the nineteenth century,
the quick rise of the Pentecostal movement worldwide in the past 100 years, and the role of Pope John Paul II and Polish Catholics in speaking truth to power and bringing down
the Communist regime in Poland and beyond.
Updated: Mar 15, 2023
FirstLoveWorks was birthed out of revival meetings in 2002-2003 we hosted in Newburyport, MA. Our ongoing goal is to provide opportunities for people to personally experience the love of God in Jesus Christ, and the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. We are interested in hosting meetings through which the gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed, renewal and revival is fostered, and Christians of various church backgrounds can fellowship and network together to promote the expansion of God’s kingdom. We also host arts performances in which the general public has opportunity to experience the majesty and love of God.
