A Brief History of Renewal
Is cultural decline inevitable? Historian Arnold Toynbee studied 21 civilizations and concluded that collapse isn’t automatic—renewal comes when a “creative minority” rises to meet the moment (A Study of History). History bears this out: William Wilberforce and the Clapham Circle helped abolish the slave trade in 1807, while the Sunday School movement educated an estimated 75% of working-class children in 19th-century Britain. Renewal happens when leaders pray, sacrifice, build institutions, and reshape culture sector by sector. The lesson? Decline is not destiny. When faithful, courageous minorities live differently, history turns—and nations change.
In this THINQ talk, A Brief History of Renewal, we step back and look at the long arc of history to discover a surprising pattern—renewal is not an anomaly. It’s a recurring response when faith feels brittle, institutions feel strained, and the people of God long for something more than survival.
From early church movements to modern awakenings, renewal has rarely looked the same. But it often begins the same way: with honesty, humility, and a return to first loves. Wisdom, after all, is truth in action over time. And history reminds us that renewal is less about chasing the next movement and more about discerning what God is already doing beneath the surface.
This conversation invites us to think carefully, patiently, and faithfully—resisting both despair and naïve optimism. It helps us ask better questions about our moment, our practices, and our hopes for the future.
If you’re wondering where renewal fits in today’s cultural and spiritual landscape, this is a conversation worth entering.