In 1771, America was on the verge of revolution.

We didn’t realize we were also on the edge of revival.

That year Francis Asbury landed on American soil. He was only 26 years old. When he arrived there were 316 Methodists total and only 9 preachers to lead them. He was what they called a circuit rider, carrying the Gospel on horseback from outpost to outpost. He raised up a collective of  circuit riding preachers, venturing into the frontier edges of the nation. They were Jesus pioneers who pushed the Kingdom forward, planting new churches and gaining new ground out on the fringes of unreached places. Did it work? By the time of his death, the Movement grew from 316 to more than 200,000 and from 9 preachers to over 4,000. And the pioneering ministry of Asbury helped sow the seeds of America’s Second Great Awakening.

The time has come for the next generation of Circuit Riders. The major cities, university towns and cultural centers of our state are becoming frontier places for the Gospel all over again. We need the Kingdom imagination to envision our unique opportunity for a new harvest. We need to raise up and send out a fresh wave of

Jesus Pioneers.