The Forgotten Awakening, Second Edition

The Forgotten Awakening, Second Edition reveals the untold story of a spiritual revival among Western tribes during the Second Great Awakening (1799-1830), ignited by tribal prophecies and Christian teachings shared by figures like Jedediah Smith. This awakening, centered around Spokan Garry, the first Christian evangelist west of the Rockies, was overshadowed by the Indian Removal Act and the false belief that Christianity was solely a “white man’s religion.” Drawing from original research, Doug McMurry uncovers a history of mutual respect and shared faith between Native Americans and settlers, offering a vision of unity and God’s purpose for America.

Beginning in 1987, the Holy Spirit led me to the Library of Congress for research. 

The first thing He showed me was how He had reached out to Native tribes of the Pacific Northwest during the eighteenth century. Through prophecy and vision, the Holy Spirit was speaking to important tribal leaders, one after the other, alluring them to Jesus. The more I read of the original documents of that period, the more I came to see God’s heart of love for the tribes. 

The fact that these encounters preceded the arrival of white people in tribal areas challenged any idea I may have had that Christianity is “the white man’s religion.” King Jesus was reaching out to them directly, because He loved them and wanted them to know Him. I first published the story of these early encounters in The Forgotten Awakening in 2011.

In the years since then, I have become convinced that Jesus has an important plan for the First Nations. He led me to do this research so that I could portray God’s heartbeat for Native Americans. In the end, His love must triumph!

In 2025, I published a second edition to the original book, this time adding important events that God has been initiating among the tribes today. God is fulfilling the prophecy of Billy Graham back in 1975, that the First Nations are a “sleeping giant” God is about to awaken. As a new postscript, I added the testimony of the Oglala intercessor, Norma Blacksmith, as evidence that God is on the move. As God answers many prayers of intercessors pleading for a “next Great Awakening,” it is my conviction that indigenous people are going to be right in the middle of whatever God does next!