Revival Stories

The 1909 Hinghwa Pentecost: Born on Good Friday


The first decade of the 20th century in China was a turbulent time, filled with violent uprisings and fierce persecution of foreigners and Christ followers. Globally, it was also a time of unprecedented outbreaks of revival all over the world: in India, America, Korea, and even in China. The northern part of China in the Manchurian region had seen powerful moves of the Spirit take place in 1908 under the preaching of the missionary revivalist Jonathan Goforth. But now God was about to release another wave in 1909: this time in the southern province of Fujian, just across the channel from the island of Taiwan.

Pastor Sung Xue Lian was the minister of a local Methodist church in the city of Hinghwa, part of the Fujian province. God blessed the work of Pastor Sung, and the church grew quickly from 200 attendees to more than 1000 in just 3 years. During these years, news of spiritual awakenings from around the world stirred the hearts of the missionaries in Hinghwa. One missionary woman there was so emboldened by the revival testimonies that she wrote a letter back to her circle of supporters in the United States and implored them to ask God to release a revival upon her Chinese city. Two elderly women heeded the challenge and deeply committed themselves to prayer. They prayed until they received reassurance from the Holy Spirit that revival was indeed on the way to Hinghwa. A written letter was dispatched to China two weeks before Easter in 1909 relaying the confident news that the outpouring would commence on Good Friday. Due to the slowness of overseas mail, the letter would not arrive until two weeks after Easter. But this did not delay God’s timetable at all.

An annual convention was underway in Hinghwa to celebrate the Easter weekend. Pastor Sung had invited a guest speaker Pastor Lim to deliver a message on Good Friday to the entire assembly. Pastor Lim had been an interesting speaker at the local Sunday School, but on this occasion, the Holy Spirit’s presence surged into the meeting room and released surprising power as Lim spoke on Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Before too long, almost all the people sensed their hearts breaking afresh at their own sinfulness and the astounding sacrifice of Christ upon the cross. The crowd was moved to profuse tears and conviction of sin. Pastor Lim himself was overwhelmed by the Easter story and broke down in sobs and groans as he preached. One by one, people started standing and confessing their sins to one another and crying out to God for mercy. Long-time animosity gave way to heartfelt embraces. Stolen items were returned. And in the coming weeks, thousands of the city’s residents put their trust in Christ to follow after Him.

As news of the Hinghwa Pentecost spread, delegations from all around China and even as far as the United States arrived to see what God was doing. The already fast-growing church had expanded to 3 services on Sundays to handle all the seekers and visitors. And a multitude of new churches sprang up in the city all throughout the district. Bible schools and orphanages were established. And one particular child, John Sung, the 9 year old son of Pastor Sung was notably set afire for God. He had wept so much on Good Friday that his shirt collar had been drenched with tears. His revival experience would shape him and prepare him to become one of the greatest evangelists and revival leaders in China in the 20th century. The fires of the Hinghwa revival continued to blaze brightly in 1909 and for several more years, but it would spark even greater awakenings in the coming decades.


QUESTIONS TO DISCUSS:

  1. How would you describe the role of prayer in birthing this revival? What was unusual about who God used and how He answered?
  2. Why do you think God used Pastor Lim to begin the revival in the city? What do we learn about the presence of God as revivals begins to break out?
  3. Revivals are often compared to wildfires. How is this metaphor especially appropriate to this revival and its impact upon individuals, the region, and future generations?
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