Awakening: When Revival Leaves The Building
We’re in the final week of our Awakening series, and throughout this journey we’ve been asking a bold question: What if revival came to us in 2026? What if God awakened us again—personally, corporately, and ultimately missionally?
We’ve explored what revival looks like in individual hearts. We’ve seen how it shapes a church family. But today, we turn our attention outward.
What happens when revival leaves the building?
Revival Was Never Meant to Stay Inside
Throughout history, God has awakened people who had drifted into spiritual sleep—and every time He does, revival never stays contained. It spreads. It moves. It infects communities.
In 2011, I had the opportunity to travel to India with one of our missionary partners, One Hope. India is unlike anywhere else in the world—over four times the population of the United States, packed into about one-third of the land. That density creates immense challenges: poverty, sanitation issues, and overwhelming proximity.
And proximity changes everything.
After spending days eating what locals ate, drinking what they drank, and living in close quarters, I brought something home with me—parasites. It took four months to get rid of them, and during that time I learned a lot about infectious disease.
If I had to sum it up in three words, it would be this: proximity is everything.
That’s how things spread—good or bad.
A Holy Contagiousness
When we hear the word contagious, we usually think negatively. We think, Keep your distance. But not everything contagious is harmful. Laughter can be contagious. Joy can be infectious. A smile can change a room.
And revival? Revival is meant to be contagious.
God never intended spiritual awakening to stop with us. Our greatest mission field isn’t across the ocean—it’s right outside our doors. Our neighborhoods. Our schools. Our workplaces. Our families.
Revival doesn’t end when church ends. It begins when we leave.
God’s Heart: Revival Is for Everyone
From the very beginning of Scripture, God’s heart has always been global.
In Genesis 12, God tells Abraham, “I will bless you… and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
That promise wasn’t just about Abraham. It pointed forward—through generations—to Jesus. And through Jesus, the whole world truly was blessed.
Here’s the key: God blesses us so that we can bless others.
We often pray, “God, fill us. Empower us. Bless us.” And God faithfully does. But He never intended us to be containers of His blessing.
Because containers eventually get full—and then fall asleep.
We were created to be conduits.
God pours in. We pour out. And when we pour out, God keeps pouring in. Revival dries up when it’s hoarded, but it flourishes when it’s shared.
So the real question is this:
Are you a container—or a conduit?
The Pattern of Revival: Local Before Global
After His resurrection, Jesus gave His disciples a clear strategy:
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses… in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
That wasn’t random geography. It was intentional movement.
- Jerusalem – right where they were
- Judea – people like them
- Samaria – people different from them
- Ends of the earth – everyone else
Revival always starts locally before it moves globally.
Jesus didn’t ask His followers to be salespeople. He asked them to be witnesses—to simply tell others what they had seen, heard, and experienced.
Your story matters.
What Happens When Revival Hits a Community?
When revival leaves the building, three things begin to happen:
- People come to faith
Jesus said the harvest is ready—the issue isn’t willingness, it’s workers. People are searching. They’re waiting. They’re closer to faith than we often realize. - Lives are transformed
As people encounter Jesus, their thinking changes. Old patterns lose their grip. Not because of rules, but because hearts are renewed. - The Holy Spirit moves with power
God still works miracles. Healing. Restoration. Freedom. And He does it through ordinary people who are willing to go.
The world is looking for answers. And we already know the antidote.
Revival Is the Mission of the Church
Jesus said, “Go.”
Not “go overseas” (though sometimes that happens).
Not “go when you feel ready.”
Just go.
Go into your everyday life. Go into places where people already are. When we do, God shows up—addictions are broken, marriages are restored, hope is reignited.
That’s revival in motion.
What This Looks Like at Landing Place Church
If revival is truly going to leave the building, here’s what it means for us:
- Love people before they believe
Jesus welcomed people long before they had it all figured out. Belonging often comes before believing—and the church should be the safest place for both. - Have the courage to love, serve, and invite
Loving unconditionally takes courage. Serving selflessly takes courage. Inviting someone into the journey takes courage. But that’s exactly how Jesus lived. - Be a light in our community
The world is full of darkness—but light always wins. We don’t just carry the message of hope; we carry the presence of Jesus Himself.
Becoming Contagious
Revival isn’t meant to be admired—it’s meant to be shared.
My prayer is that this year we would awaken to the people God has placed around us. That we would ask, Who in my circle needs the love of Jesus? And often, it won’t be the obvious person—it may be the overlooked, the isolated, the one who feels they don’t belong anywhere.
The harvest is ready.
God is simply looking for workers willing to step into proximity, carry His love, and let revival become contagious.