“Revival” is a loaded word that evokes a variety of divergent images. For the historically-inclined, Jonathan Edwards’ (in)famous “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” sermon may come to mind. Contemporary readers may recall Billy Graham’s evangelistic crusades as a 20th-century image of revival.

Though revival has maintained dominance in American religious life even to the present, it was equally formative for evangelicalism in Britain from the 1730s extending into the 19th century. This may surprise modern hearers, but most Baptists in England were not sympathetic to the evangelical revivals at their genesis. For a variety of theological and political reasons, the prominent Calvinist theologian John Gill (1697–1771) believed the Church of England had compromised the gospel to such an extent that it effectively ceased to be a true church. Though Calvinistic Methodists such as George Whitfield (1714–1770) were doctrinally acceptable, Gill and others were wary that such preachers made “indiscriminate offers” to sinners, exhorting their hearers to come to Christ, thus infringing on the sovereignty of God. This contributed to a decline in the number of Calvinistic or “Particular” Baptist churches.

These obstacles notwithstanding, Baptist leaders would break through what amounted to a false choice between traditional Reformed doctrine and efforts to evangelize the lost. One such leader was Andrew Fuller (1754–1815). Fuller was a pastor and theologian best known for his role as secretary of the Baptist Missionary Society, the agency which sent William Carey (1768–1834) as a missionary to India in 1792. Fuller’s most original and influential work, The Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation, sought to answer the question of whether sinners who were not elected by God to salvation could be invited to believe in Jesus Christ. Fuller argued that preachers should call their hearers to repentance and faith. Drawing from Scripture, church history, and the natural ability-moral inability schema of Jonathan Edwards’ Freedom of the Will, Fuller made a persuasive case that the Five Points of Calvinism and honest, bold evangelism were not mutually exclusive.

A dedicated missionary advocate, Fuller desired that churches at home experience revival. Among various discourses on the subject published until his death in 1815, a letter intended for circulation among Baptist congregations provides insight into Fuller’s understanding of revival. Causes of Declension in Religion and Means of Revival (1785)[1] presents a multifaceted and nuanced approach to revival.

Content-wise, its most dominant motif is private and corporate prayer. Fuller included conventional advice of practicing evangelism and cultivating piety in the home. Perhaps most surprising is his insistence that charity towards the poor is a precursor to revival. The word “means,” in Fuller’s usage, were human actions done to achieve a particular outcome and believed to be effectual because they derived from revelation in Scripture.

The latter half of Causes in Declension moves dialectically between a rigorous personal examination of one’s heart and a bold approach grounded in faith. Fuller concedes that though the historic church has fallen short of its mission, it lives and moves in sovereign grace. Called to faithfulness, Christians nevertheless do not merit revival. Fuller captured the inherent theological tension between what we are responsible to do and what God freely chooses to be done. One need not dispense with historic Calvinism to passionately reach the lost. Unsurprisingly, scores of Particular Baptist churches were planted throughout Britain in the successive decades after the letter was penned. 

The longing for revival has not ceased among evangelicals, yet many have grown impatient to live in tension, either becoming complacent under the pretext of preserving the sovereignty of God or resorting to pragmatic measures that deceive or manipulate hearers. Fuller is helpful here for reminding us that in revival we are not left with an either/or, but a both/and. At its best, an evangelical expression of Calvinism upholds human responsibility without compromising divine freedom and visa-versa. The result is a humility coupled with boldness and persistence paired with patience. Fuller’s own concluding words in the circular letter encapsulates precisely this,  

Our need of God’s Holy Spirit to enable us to do any thing, and every thing, truly good, should excite us…. Without his blessing all means are without efficacy, and every effort for revival will be in vain. Constantly and earnestly, therefore, let us approach his throne. Take all occasions especially for closet prayer; here if any where, we shall get fresh strength, and maintain a life of communion with God.

For a pastor or layperson who may wonder how to appropriate Fuller’s insight in your own context, the following are plausible applications for the 21st-century church.    

Begin a weekly prayer meeting. Uncontroversial and inexpensive, it is nevertheless astounding how many Christians have forgotten the power of corporate prayer. Fuller credited the formation of the Baptist Missionary Society to a once-monthly regional pastors’ prayer meeting that began in 1784.

Be Intentional in Conversation about Conversion. Take opportunities to address the spiritual condition of individuals in your family and church. Fuller’s emphasis on family piety reminds us that we should not forget that unconverted persons need a kind of loving, gospel confrontation—no matter their age.

Create a Culture of Generosity. Know the people in your church well enough to meet their needs. This may include financial assistance but is not limited to it. Fuller knew that a generous spirit would invariably be attractive to unbelievers.

Two centuries after Andrew Fuller’s death, revival is no less urgent, the church’s responsibility no less weighty, nor is God’s power to effect renewal any less formidable.  

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[1]Andrew Fuller, Causes of Declension in Religion and Means of Revival in The Complete Works of Andrew Fuller, 3:319–324.  

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Ryan Rindels is pastor of First Baptist Church in Sonoma, CA. He earned his PhD in historical theology from Gateway Seminary of the Southern Baptist Convention. His dissertation explored Andrew Fuller's theology of revival. Ryan teaches as an adjunct professor at Gateway Seminary's Bay Area campus. He is married to Janai and they have three young children.