Jesus Cropped from the Picture

Jesus Cropped from the Picture

The theology of Revivalism did not discuss God’s Kingdom purpose and put little emphasis on the Church. The goal was to bring individual sinners to an individual decision, for an individualistic faith. JohnWesley understood the dangers of Frontier Revivalism when he said, “Christianity is essentially a social religion…to turn it into solitary religion is indeed to destroy it.” 76 An example of Revivalist assumptions was D.L. Moody’s influential 19th century ministry. His message centered on salvation for the individual sinner, encapsulated in the Three R’s: Ruined by sin, Redeemed by Christ, and Regenerated by the Spirit. Moody’s gospel presentation, however, left out the larger Kingdom purpose of God that goes far beyond personal salvation. His teaching furthered a one-dimensional view of the atonement. For Moody, the church was a voluntary association of saved individuals. His influence was so great that by the 1870s the Church was no longer seen as a grand corporate body, but as a gathering of individuals . 77 This emphasis has persisted as part of the bones and marrow of the Traditional Method today. Frontier Revivalism also shifted the focus from the message to the messenger. More emphasis was placed on how well someone could deliver a message . Over time, it became assumed that the number of conversions was directly related to the speaker’s ability to communicate. This idea unintentionally transformed the American preacher into a celebrity.

A final effect of Frontier Revivalism is its contribution to America’s fascination with their inner life . Before Revivalism, self-love was viewed

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