Revival Stories
The 1927 Chinese Awakening: John Sung
During the time of China’s civil war (1927-1949AD), the period was tumultuous and the political arena was fierce as leadership factions battled it out. Yet, it was also the time when God would take the young fledgling Church in China - birthed in the fires of early revival - and deepen it, test it, and forge a resilient and vibrant Church through profound spiritual awakenings. Although God raised up many servant-heroes in this season, one of the most influential was a minister named John Sung.
John Sung was the son of Pastor Sung, who had been a frontline eyewitness to the Hinghwa Pentecost of 1909. As a young boy, John followed his father around and tried to imitate him as he ministered. He eventually earned the nickname “Little Pastor” as he preached to his classmates and excelled in his studies at the local school. He inherited his father’s fiery temperament, which often led to childhood clashes with his parents, but would also serve to embolden him later when faced with ungodly leaders. The Hinghwa Pentecost of 1909 definitely left its mark on him as a young boy, as he experienced the powerful move of the Spirit to bring repentance to a city.
After finishing his studies in his hometown, he yearned to study abroad in America to prepare for ministry. This was far too expensive for John’s family, but God arranged for a missionary sponsor to gather the needed resources to give him a scholarship to study at Ohio Wesleyan University. Upon his arrival in Ohio in 1920, John chose to specialize in Chemistry as his major. He earned high marks in college, graduating in just 3 years, earning a Master’s degree by 1924 and a PhD by 1926. Unfortunately, all during this time, John let slide his time in God’s Word and in prayer. The secular praises and accolades almost convinced him to abandon his plans for ministry. Yet, in 1926, he honored his earlier decision and registered at Union Theological Seminary in New York. While there, the liberal and atheistic teachings completely derailed him and caused him to walk away from his faith. But God was not done with John.
In January 1927, John found himself attending an evangelistic meeting whose main preacher was a phenomenal evangelist, the 14 year old Uldine Utley. Her messages on the cross of Christ stuck in his mind, and a few weeks later, he experienced a seismic shift in his heart: He completely surrendered to the Lord. He began to passionately share the Gospel with classmates and professors alike. So radical was his conversion that some in the faculty conspired to have him put into an insane asylum. While in captivity for more than 6 months, he hunkered down and voraciously read the Bible several times over, and when he was released, he returned to China.
John traveled throughout the Fujian Province for several years as an itinerant evangelist. Wherever he went, he focused on the cross of Christ and called for repentance. He emphasized the need to live by the Spirit but not necessarily dwelling too much on the gifts. Certainly, he used his prophetic gift often as he preached, in order to expose hidden sins and exhort sinners back to God. He prayed for many people, with tens of thousands of them seeing miraculous healing. Yet he always deflected men’s praise and pointed it all back to our Savior.
God used John to ignite revivals all throughout China, with more than 100,000 souls receiving salvation. God’s presence would stir up people’s conviction of sin and also elicit a deep-felt joy in knowing Christ. John would courageously preach the Gospel during the invasion by Japan and also during the persecution by the Communists. He would be sent to carry the fires of revival to Indonesia and Singapore and many other Asian nations. It is said that the greatest distinctive of his ministry was not just his extraordinary preaching, not his deep knowledge of Scripture, not even his unwavering commitment to pray for others. It was how normal it was to see palpable expressions of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit wherever he went. Although sometimes impatient or critical or tinged with pride, he was formed and forged by God to be one of the greatest revivalists of the 20th century.
QUESTIONS TO DISCUSS:
- What stands out to you about John Sung’s childhood that prepared him for revival ministry? What are some ways that God has shaped you in your childhood to prepare you for future ministry? What kinds of gifts has God given you? What weaknesses are God still working on you to this day?
- What caused John Sung to fall away from God in college and in seminary? When was a time you drifted away from God for a season? What were the reasons or the temptations you faced? Was there a God-situation where He jolted you back to Him? Why do you think God used the teenage girl Uldine Utley to call John back?
- John’s entire ministry phase lasted only 15 years. What grabs you the most about his impact for God in those short 15 years? What do you think was the personal cost for himself and his family? Standing in Heaven today, do you think it was worth all the suffering to see all the good God worked through him?