Born again Christians base their faith on receiving the Lord through the Holy Spirit for a deeper acceptance of Jesus Christ. Born again movements were prevalent at different times throughout the world over the centuries, but the modern movement had its beginnings in the 19th century.
Here are five events that gave rise to today's Born Again Movement:
1. The "born again" and rebirth of Christ in a person can be traced to John 3:3-7 in the Bible. Nicodemus, a leader of the Jewish body, talked with Christ, who told him, "no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." When Nicodemus asked how this could be, Christ offered, "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'"
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2. The concept of the Holy Spirit's involvement in receiving Christ arose during the holiness revival in the early 19th century that spread throughout the U.S. and England,
says the World Council of Churches. Many ministers and believers split from the Methodist church, which they believed had turned from the literal teachings of the Bible. They focused on "entire sanctification" in a personal experience that cleansed a person of sin to receive Christ.
3. With the Pentecostal movement in the late 19th century, born again was referred to as a second blessing when a person was baptized through the Holy Spirit while praising God and Jesus Christ. Speaking in tongues was also a key to receiving the Holy Spirit,
according to the Pentecostals. This charismatic experience became celebrated by Protestants in other denominations and Catholics who broke from traditional ceremonies later in the 20th century.
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4. Revivals and public displays of receiving the Holy Spirit spread throughout the U.S. and England following the Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles in 1906. Services several times a day went on for three years with thousands of participants exhibiting acceptance of Christ through the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. Celebrants and witnesses brought this practice back to their own churches.
5. The Born Again Movement was accelerated with the
"Jesus movement" in the early 1970s, which followed a turbulent era in the 1960s from Vietnam War protests and clashes in the streets. Many of the people in this movement, known as "Jesus freaks" or "Jesus people," had been associated with the hippie era, but adopted the earlier practices of the holiness movement. Traditional Christians and evangelicals welcomed this change in a younger generation. Born again Christians began speaking openly, and included celebrities and politicians, such as President Jimmy Carter.
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