Revival in the Marshall Islands – 1964

God, at times, “breaks in” to the lives of individuals and the Church to revive them.  Revival is the renewal of the first love of Christians.  It results in the awakening and conversion of sinners - unbelievers, to God.  

Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

Acts 3:19 speaks of times of refreshing when the “times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”

Psalm 85:6 “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you”?

The Lord visited the Marshall Islands in revival in 1964.  The Holy Spirit brought an awakening and renewal of the “first love” to the Church and many unbelievers were swept into the Kingdom.

Students spread out through the house seeking to be alone. The prayer meeting left the confines of the house and continued, unabated, in a field recently cleared on property being used for the

very early stages of what would become the Calvary Bible Institute Campus in Laura Village. Students were scattered across the field and the great brokenness and weeping wafted across the night air until the whole village was affected. The Holy Spirit penetrated hearts and homes all over the village. People gathered on the fringes of the field to watch the "brokenness" of the students. Hearts were gripped and many began to weep under the convicting work of the Spirit. That prayer meeting continued for three days and nights in the field. The house was filled with new converts seeking help.

For the next 18 months Majuro was bathed in an unusual move of the Spirit. I believe there were over one thousand people converted on that small coral atoll in about a year and a half. No special meetings, no special speakers, nothing but prayer and praise and the move of God.  There were many days spent baptizing hundreds and eventually thousands of new believers in Christ in the Majuro lagoon.

Sam preached the first Good News Crusades in Truk, Yap and Palau in the Eastern Caroline Islands.  The Marshall Islands caught a mission’s vision in 1968.   Over $8,000 was pledged by Marshallese Christians to buy bicycles outboard engines small boats and canoes for outreach efforts.   The following year in the Marshall’s 2nd annual youth camp, money was raised to send the first Marshallese missionary to the Marianas Islands.

Great refreshing and excitement was felt with each fresh report of geographic gain.  The services were filled with victory.

A gain in the forward flow of the Pentecostal revival in Micronesia was the radio ministry opened to Sam Sasser in 1964.  His preaching in Marshallese on a weekly basis aroused and awakened great interest across the Marshalls and gained many new open doors.

Sam passed away in 1995 and his family took his heart to the Marshall Islands, as he had requested, to be buried as a sign and display of his love.

Sam Sasser wrote the following account:  

Historical Pentecost began in Micronesia on the Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands and its geographical movement and expansion was rapid.  Changed lives, empowered by the Holy Spirit, were the greatest reason for this rapid spread. 

The outpouring of the Spirit began in 1964, some three years after the Sassers' arrival. It was on October 18th. The evening studies had just ended. A tired group of some 22 students who had been working hard pouring cement all day, seemed to fall under a burden of prayer.  Brokenness and a deep seeking of God were evident. The back porch of the old Ajidrick Bien home given to the Sassers to live in was the site.

One of the first American Evangelists to join the Sassers in special meetings was Linfield Crowder. Crowder was especially used through the years making many trips to these central Pacific Islands. A great outpouring of the Holy Spirit was witnessed by Crowder, Sasser and John Burke, missionary pastor to the servicemen's work on Guam, on the Arno Atoll in the Pekarij Reef. This was the first time that many people gathered in a "church service" received the Holy Spirit.

The word was spreading rapidly with the students and people touched by God in Majuro going out to other islands.   Sam used canoes, outboards and finally field trip ships to reach the majority of the Marshall Islands. The students formed a choir and sang, witnessed and worked from island to island. Students were left behind to pastor when needed and the geographical expansion of the work of God was gaining momentum.

Fast Forward to the present time 2021 Florence Sasser writes: 

First Corinthians 3:9 tells us that “we are God's fellow workers”…. we are laborers together with Him.  Dozens of committed workers, both Marshallese and American missionaries,  were a part of the move of God in the Marshall Islands and it’s expansion into other island areas.  I do not give names, lest I forget some amazing people who ministered with us and continued the work after we left in 1970.  Those of you who might be reading this short summary of the revival who dedicated your lives to the Kingdom work, know who you are.  May the Lord reward you with fruit that remains throughout eternity.

Today there are thousands of people who continue to love Jesus and “do the work of the ministry.” Hundreds of Marshallese pastors and leaders continue to plant churches, disciple and multiply believers.  

For an update to the present time, please visit the “ “Florence Sasser” page of this website.