It’s important to long for revival for a few reasons: First, it has some biblical basis. The Psalmist prays, “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” It’s right there: a prayer for the revival of the Jewish people and their faith in God. We’ll make a stronger biblical case throughout the book for the concept of revival, but for now, wouldn’t that be a great prayer for the Christian church?

—Adapted from the introduction, “Why Revival?”