As the United States faces deep spiritual and cultural division, Dr. Michael Youssef and Leading The Way are calling believers to return to prayer, repentance, and revival through their AWAKE America campaign. What began five years ago as a simple online call to pray for a Third Great Awakening has grown into a nationwide movement of more than half a million intercessors.
This fall, the effort continues with large-scale AWAKE Rallies, most recently in Boston (Oct. 25), and next in Washington, D.C. (Nov. 15)—events designed to stir personal renewal and ignite corporate prayer for America.
NRB spoke with Dr. Youssef to hear his heart behind AWAKE America and the upcoming D.C. rally.
1. What has surprised you most about how Leading The Way and AWAKE America has grown into a national prayer movement over the last few years?
YOUSSEF:
I have been utterly amazed by how quickly the hunger for revival has spread. When we launched AWAKE America in 2020, we did not set out to create a movement. We simply obeyed God’s leading to call His people to prayer and repentance, and He did the rest. Within a year of launching the prayer campaign online, it went viral in the first year with 100,000 believers committing to pray for the next Great Awakening in our country. Now it’s grown to over half a million prayer warriors, with city-wide rallies now uniting believers in person across the nation.
In these last days, I believe God is gathering His remnant, those who love Christ more than their own lives, who are unashamed of the Gospel, and who long to see Him bring a Third Great Awakening in our nation. That gives me tremendous hope.
2. What unique role do you believe the American church should play in a significant city like D.C., and how does the setting shape the message of revival for this event?
YOUSSEF:
The church’s role has not changed for 2,000 years. Jesus called us to make disciples, be His witnesses, and act as salt and light to a dying world. That mission doesn’t change in D.C., but as one of the most influential cities in the nation and perhaps even the world, the Church has a unique opportunity to be a prophetic voice in this city in a way that can shape the moral and spiritual trajectory of the nation.
I immediately think of Daniel. He lived in the very heart of political power in Babylon—surrounded by idols, corruption, and compromise—yet he refused to bow to the spirit of the age. Instead of seeking power and position, he sought faithfulness to God. And because of that faithfulness, even those in influence around him came to recognize the one true God. In the same way, the American Church must stand courageously in this cultural Babylon.
We’re in a very polarizing time in our nation. I think many Christians have bought into the lie that certain programs, policies, and politicians can save us. But only Christ can solve the deepest problem of the human heart. And that is what we will be proclaiming at AWAKE DC.
3. How do you define what“spiritual awakening”looks like today, particularly for Christian communicators and media professionals, and what would success look like in tangible terms from your perspective?
YOUSSEF:
If you study the historic Great Awakenings, you’ll see that they have always begun with revival in the church. Revival is what happens when God’s people repent, return to His Word, and are set ablaze by the Holy Spirit once again—and that kind of sovereign move of God always begins with prayer. Awakening, on the other hand, is the overflow of that revival. It’s when the fire that begins in the church spreads to the streets, transforming the surrounding culture.
This is really important because we often get excited about big, emotional moments, but the ultimate measure of revival is prayer, repentance, and obedience. We are all called to experience personal revival every day, and that begins with returning to that simple place of adoring God and surrendering to Him.
So, is there a movement of repentance taking place? Are believers returning to the place of passionate prayer? Are they boldly proclaiming the Gospel? Is there lasting fruit that leads to changed lives, families, and communities? You can’t always measure those things with statistics and surveys, but when those things happen on a growing scale, you know a true revival is taking place—and an awakening is sure to follow.
4. How has your personal journey shaped your understanding of revival? What lessons from your past might be especially relevant for believers gathering at AWAKE DC and across AWAKE America today?
YOUSSEF:
I say often that I want to sprint into the arms of Jesus, and that desire comes from a heart overflowing with gratitude for the grace of God in my own life. Growing up in Egypt, I was a rebellious young man, but God in His mercy saved me. It happened at a revival meeting my older brother forced me to attend, where the pure and simple Gospel was proclaimed. That’s where I learned firsthand that revival begins when one heart is fully surrendered to Him.
Having grown up under a socialist, Islamic dictatorship, I don’t take for granted the unique Biblical foundations this country was built upon. But I also believe that the very freedom we’ve enjoyed has made us complacent. When I hear that only 4% of Americans hold a basic Biblical worldview, even though more than 60% claim faith in Christ, it breaks my heart. That’s why I’ve been sounding the alarm for years: the Church in America must wake up before it’s too late.
God brings revival when His people humble themselves, repent, and return to His Word. If the Church will do that, I believe we could yet see the greatest awakening this nation has ever known. That’s what AWAKE America is all about: calling God’s people back to their first love and to the unchanging Truth of Scripture. My prayer is that, while the door is still open—and while spiritual hunger is growing in our nation—we would walk through it boldly and seize this opportunity God is giving us.
Dr. Youssef’s passion is clear: revival begins with repentance in the Church and results in transformation in the culture. The AWAKE America movement invites believers everywhere to join in praying for God to bring a Third Great Awakening to our nation that reaches every heart and influences every nation.
NRB members are invited to attend AWAKE DC at DAR Constitution Hall on November 15 with an exclusive 25% discount on tickets. To claim your offer, email membership@nrb.org. Visit www.AwakeAmerica.com to learn more or sign up to pray.