A Skeptic Studies the Bible
Charles Finney was a young lawyer in Adams, New York, skeptical of religion. But as he studied law, he noticed the Bible was often cited as the highest authority. He decided to read it for himself.
Wrestling in the Woods
On October 10, 1821, Finney went into the woods to settle the matter with God. "I will give my heart to God, or I never will come down from here," he resolved.
He wrestled in prayer all day. Finally, he surrendered: "Lord, I take Thee at Thy word."
Waves of Electricity
That evening, alone in his law office, Finney had an encounter he struggled to describe: "The Holy Spirit descended upon me in a manner that seemed to go through me, body and soul. I could feel the impression like a wave of electricity, going through and through me... I wept aloud with joy and love."
The Great Awakening
The skeptical lawyer became the most influential evangelist of the Second Great Awakening. An estimated 500,000 people converted under his preaching. His revival techniques shaped American Christianity for generations.
It all started with a lawyer who decided to take God at His word.
