The Power of Revival: A Conversation with Pastor Steve Gray on GoodVue News

In a world that often feels spiritually dry, there are moments when revival breaks through—when the presence of God moves so powerfully that lives, churches, and even entire communities are transformed.

This was the heart of Good News, where hosts Dr. Lee Kanter and Duke White Jr. sat down with Pastor Steve Gray, a man who has witnessed firsthand the miraculous power of revival.

As the pastor of the Cornfield Revival in Smithton, Missouri, which lasted from 1996 to 2000, Steve Gray shared the extraordinary story of how revival changed his church, his community, and ultimately, his own life.

But this episode wasn’t just about looking back at past moves of God—it was about asking:

What does it take for revival to happen today?
How do we prepare our hearts for an authentic move of God?
Are we truly willing to be transformed?

If there was one clear message from this episode, it was this: Revival is not just a historical event. It is something we can experience today—if we are willing to surrender completely to God.

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The Reality of a Nation in Need of Revival

Before diving into Pastor Steve’s incredible revival story, Duke and Lee addressed a hard truth—the state of faith in America today.

Citing new Barna Research, they revealed shocking statistics:

Only 16% of U.S. adults say God is the most important part of their life.
Less than 1 in 3 believe that God is actively involved in their daily life.
Only 9% claim an intimate, interactive relationship with God.

These numbers paint a grim picture of a society where faith is becoming less central and self-focused belief systems are taking over.

Lee pointed out that this isn’t just about individuals losing faith—it’s about a cultural shift where people no longer acknowledge God’s authority, His guidance, or His call to holiness.

Pastor Steve’s response was bold and direct:

“The reason these numbers are so low is because of leadership failure—not because of the people.”

This was a strong statement, but one that carried profound truth.

Instead of blaming society, Pastor Steve challenged Christian leaders to take responsibility. He argued that when pastors fail to teach true discipleship, when they prioritize comfort over transformation, and when they avoid the power of the Holy Spirit, the result is a watered-down faith that lacks power, conviction, or change.

This set the stage for his personal journey—a radical transformation that led to one of the most powerful revivals in recent history.

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From Brokenness to Revival: Pastor Steve’s Journey

Before Pastor Steve saw revival, he went through a season of deep personal struggle.

He had spent 12 years pastoring a church in Smithton, Missouri, and despite pouring everything he had into it, he felt empty, frustrated, and spiritually exhausted.

He had given everything, but still felt no breakthrough.
The church was growing, but he personally felt stuck.
He was preaching revival, but he wasn’t experiencing it himself.

One day, after years of feeling spiritually drained, he stood in the pulpit and said:

“I am like the woman with the issue of blood. I’ve given all I have, and I’m still no better.”

Then he walked away from the church.

For two weeks, he isolated himself—staying in a hotel room, barely eating, screaming into his pillow, and crying out to God.

What happened next changed everything.

He shared that during this time of brokenness, God spoke to him with a clear message:

“I want you to have a revival.”

At first, he didn’t believe it. He thought he was just trying to make himself feel better.

But night after night, God repeated the message.

Finally, God spoke again:

“I didn’t say you had to be the revival.”

Those words shattered his old mindset.

For years, he thought revival depended on his preaching, his leadership, and his ability to “make” things happen.

But now, he realized that revival was God’s work—it wasn’t about him at all.

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The Moment Revival Began

Two weeks after leaving his church, Pastor Steve returned to the pulpit—but he was a different man.

As he walked toward his wife, preparing to embrace her, he was hit with what felt like a lightning bolt from heaven.

He felt electrified.
The congregation physically saw his transformation.
His speech changed.
His emotions changed.
His spirit was completely renewed.

That night, the atmosphere in the church shifted.

And for the next three and a half years, revival spread like wildfire.

People traveled from all over the world to experience the presence of God.
The church went from small-town services to hosting five services a week.
News outlets like Newsweek, TBN, and CBN covered the revival.
Pastors flew in, confessing that they didn’t even know if they were truly saved.
Lives were being radically transformed.

But most importantly, God was moving in a way that no one could manufacture or explain.

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What Revival Requires Today

As the conversation shifted to the present day, Pastor Steve made it clear:

Revival isn’t about getting people to church more often—it’s about emptying yourself and surrendering to God fully.

“I thought I needed to be filled,” he said. “But I needed to be emptied.”

Duke and Lee pressed him to define what needs to happen for revival to return today.

Here were his key takeaways:

✅ We must remove the limits we put on God. Too many believers have a pre-set comfort zone with God. Revival requires surrendering everything.
✅ Christian leaders must be bold. Pastors need to stop preaching soft, comfortable messages and start calling people to deep repentance and transformation.
✅ We must pray with desperation. The Smithton Revival didn’t start overnight. It came after two years of dedicated prayer every Tuesday night.
✅ Stop blending in with the world. Modern Christianity is being replaced by self-focused faith that accommodates everything but demands nothing. That must change.
✅ The Holy Spirit must take center stage. Many churches fear the power of the Holy Spirit—but revival cannot happen without it.

Pastor Steve ended with this powerful statement:

“If we don’t prepare, we won’t be ready. If revival hits and we’re not empty, we’ll ruin it.”

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A Call to Pray for Revival

As the episode came to a close, Pastor Steve led a powerful prayer for revival to sweep across the world.

A revival that breaks chains.
A revival that changes lives.
A revival that makes us love God with all our hearts.

And with that, GoodVue News ended with hope, urgency, and an undeniable hunger for more of God.

Revival isn’t just a historical event.
It’s something we can experience—if we’re ready.