Revival Stories

The 1996 Smithton Outpouring (Part 1)


Steve Gray was the pastor of the Smithton Community Church during the 1980’s and 1990’s. Faithfully sharing the Gospel in this little town of 532 residents in Smithton, Missouri, Steve Gray had seen plenty of good fruit from his ministry. Many observers would have declared his church very successful by most modern measures Yet, even though he passionately taught about revival for a dozen years, the long-awaited outpouring of historic revival seemed to evade him and his congregation.

In the fall of 1995, Steve Gray was joined by the families of his two sisters, who had come from different churches in different states. These families had loved and served their home churches and yet had been wounded and felt like they had to leave. Now, they found themselves in Steve Gray’s church in little Smithton, Missouri. By this point in time, Steve was already feeling more and more frustrated and dejected by the lack of revival in his church. It always seemed like they would approach and get right up the door leading to revival, and then… the church would just stop short and back away. I have no doubt that hearing the sad stories of woundedness from his two sisters also inserted more exasperation and hopelessness into the mix. But then, unexpectedly, Steve found himself also immersed in a particularly painful situation where some close friends in the church turned on him, betrayed him, and left him completely shattered and broken-hearted. He let himself slide into a dark gloom that doubted he would ever see revival.

By March of 1996, Steve was about ready to give up on his ministry. He even considered leaving his family. He just wanted to escape and get away from all the pain. He preached a final message on Sunday, March 10th, to his congregation, and then he walked out ready to skip town. He had agreed to go the Brownsville Revival taking place in Pensacola, Florida. He did this, not because he was seeking revival any longer, but because he needed any excuse to get away and get alone with God. Steve described this moment in his life as one filled with utter hopelessness. But God was preparing something for Steve in Brownsville.

The next two weeks were a tumultuous time for the members of the Smithton Community Church. They knew that something was obviously disturbing their pastor. Worries, doubts, and much soul-searching rippled throughout that church. There were times when folks surrounded the altar and cried out with much tears and desperation for God to do something. A cloud of darkness threatened to settle upon them. But they continued to pray fervently and seek hard after God. Steve’s wife, Kathy, kept on trying to lead the people with messages on the Holy Spirit and an urging towards prayer. On Wednesday, March 20th, the children in the church began to give words of prophecy. They spoke of God’s goodness and grace and holiness. One 5 year old girl climbed out from her father’s embrace, pointed to the sky and said, “It’s coming, it’s coming, I know that it’s coming!”

Meanwhile, Steve was experiencing extraordinary encounters with God at the Pensacola awakening. Initially skeptical and bitter, he witnessed unbridled joy in the Brownsville place of worship. The Lord tugged gently at his heart, and Steve spent many days on his knees lost in tears and utter brokenness. In the midst of all this, a glimmer of hope was planted in his heart.Jesus spoke to him, “I want you to have a revival.” If Steve were willing to surrender himself completely to God, then God would do a mighty work in him and through him.

On Sunday March 24th, Steve called his wife Kathy and told her he was coming home. He travelled all day and ended being late for the evening service. But when he entered the sanctuary, while everyone was in the middle of worshipping God, all eyes turned to their returning pastor. The normally shy and careful Steve Gray found himself, all of a sudden, hit by a virtual lightning bolt of the Holy Spirit, and he started jumping and twirling and dancing to the music. It was like electricity surged throughout the building, and soon everyone was at the front of the church filled with a joy they had never experienced before. On that day, all the desperation, all the deep hunger for God, all the yearning was met with an explosion of God’s very presence and goodness. The long-awaited revival in Smithton, Missouri, had finally arrived!


QUESTIONS TO DISCUSS:

  1. When have you had to pray and wait for something that you desperately wanted to see happen for God’s Kingdom? Were there any times you were tempted to give up? What was that experience like? How did it end?
  2. What hard circumstances are you facing as you pray for and seek after God’s kingdom plans to unfold?
  3. When has God spoken to you a word that meant all the world to you?
  4. Is there something that you feel woefully inadequate to do for God, yet you sense God is calling you to step into it? How do envision this particular story in your life will conclude?
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