We Don’t Need to See Another Soldier Taken Out

We know that different people are reading this blog each week. We often include articles and Scriptural exhortations that have a rather broad appeal.

Nevertheless, World Revival Network has a great burden for Spirit-led church leaders. 

If that is you, we would like to keep in touch. If not, we would ask you to help us as we reach out. Forward this blog to others who may be interested. Talk about it on Facebook, Twitter or on your blog.

Now, back to leaders. We have found that they are increasingly feeling overwhelmed and displaced. Few have any real friends or confidants.

The editors of "Leadership Journal" recently shared that over 70 percent of pastors do not have anyone in whom they consider to be a close friend. In 2001, the Albany Institute conducted a survey in which they found that 17 percent of pastors are experiencing burnout and over 40 percent more are headed that direction. In another survey, they found that 74 percent of pastors had too many demands on their time. Noted church consultant, Tom Harper, recently noted that 50 percent of the leaders currently in the pastorate will not retire in the pastorate. 

These difficult areas cannot be ignored. 

Addressing this is what World Revival Network is all about. If you or someone you know is struggling, don’t hesitate to call on our toll-free hotline (877) 804-LIFE. We are here to stand together for the great work of the gospel in this hour. 

We don’t need to see another soldier taken out. 

J.D. King, and other members of the ministry team have made themselves available to talk. Pray for them as they attempt to bring encouragement and greater understanding of the Kingdom of God.

How To Be A Hypocrite - By Steve Gray

Here's how to be a hypocrite: Compartmentalize your life. Divide the spiritual from the material. Be two different people in those two arenas.

That’s exactly what religion has done, and as a result it does not allow people to be fully human and to experience God in every area of life.

For the most part religion has not even allowed us to feel. It has put feelings in the material category making them fleshly and, therefore, evil.

Most people don’t want to be hypocrites, but they don’t always know how to be anything else. I think hypocrisy is a learned behavior we got from the ancient Greeks. They came up with an idea called “dualism,” which says that the spiritual world is separate from the material world. In Greek philosophy, the physical body was considered evil. Physical pleasures are evil and in a real spiritual person create guilt feelings. Sound familiar? It’s an idea that’s at home in most churches around the world.

The Hebrews never thought like that. They saw no division between the spiritual and the material. It was all one, all interconnected. To them there was no such thing as having either spiritual needs or material needs. A person simply had needs.

Yet, the church has gone Greek. Popular religion teaches us that spirituality is one thing and the material world is another. It keeps them completely separate. For example, what do you think of when you see the words “a spiritual person”? You probably pictured someone with a faraway gaze who is lofty, heavenly minded, always in prayer or meditation, and is disengaged from the physical world. You may even have pictured a monk or a hermit, the ultimate “spiritual” persons because they separated themselves from the world and pursued nonmaterialistic lives. Why do we think of spiritual people as otherworldly? There’s no biblical reason to think of them that way.

The dualistic mindset affects the way all of us try to solve the world’s problems. Notice that few people in our society run to church when they have material problems. They might pray, but they believe church has nothing to do with their workaday needs because the church has painted itself into a corner. It’s for spiritual nourishment, but shuns the material side of life.

Some churches have tried to break out of this dualism—ironically by becoming more aggressively dualistic. They try to meet both spiritual and material needs, but they keep them entirely separate. They never make the connection that meeting someone’s material needs is a spiritual act, and there really is no separation between the two.

When you start thinking like the Hebrews did, it changes your whole worldview—even how you watch the news. There are great difficulties in the world including genocides, storms, famines, and other such disasters affecting humans. But few churchgoers watch the news and see these as spiritual problems with spiritual answers that can change our natural world. At most they see them as material problems spiritual people might help solve with some humanitarian aid or comfort.

When the Hebrews were threatened with war, they got together and called on the name of the Lord. If famine struck they saw it connected as much to the spiritual realm as to the natural.

Everything that happens in life is both material and spiritual. What happens when we no longer allow a separation between our spiritual and material selves? What happens when we tear down the walls that compartmentalize us? Something amazing takes place—our lives become three‐dimensional and real. We begin to experience God not just as an abstract reality in the spiritual realm, but also as an ever‐present being in all of life. We experience God in the real world, at work, in our emotions, in our bodies, in our homes, and in our relationships. We feel energized. Our bodies are not profane, and there's no need to be spiritual only at church.

Real faith is not just mental belief, as so many churches teach. It is the conviction that God is ready to be active in every sphere of our lives. He is not a compartmentalized God. When God comes into your life, he makes you totally human. He energizes you until you are living life fully. You experience the best that a human can experience because God is at your side in everything.

To be spiritual is to be able to show the world that God is right here, right now. Not by doing humanitarian aid, or going away and writing a book about the visions you had all day long on a mountain top in some remote region of the world. The person truly alive in God brings him into every situation. It’s neither the lofty monk nor the soup kitchen person who is being spiritual. It’s the person who can see the need, and the disaster, and the relationship—see every situation—and bring God into it.

To be spiritual means to become fully human. It means to feel the restoring power of God in you, and to live as a complete human being with nothing missing. You’re not robbed of life by fear or lack. You live uninhibited on the inside without the hindrances, hang‐ups, unforgiveness, bitterness, agendas, suspicions, or any of the heavy burdens that can so easily become a part of being human. That’s what the Hebrews would call a spiritual person.

I want to live every moment as a whole person. I don’t want to be two people residing in the same body. I don’t want to be sub‐divided. I want to be personally unified. How about you?

What Are You Going to Do About This?

It is not all that difficult to believe, but churches and ministry leaders are currently in real trouble.

There are not only signs of real Spiritual declension, but there are also a number of other indications of an impending breakdown on the near horizon.

Here are just a few findings that have been released by Tom Harper, Director of the “Society for Church Consulting,” a reputable training organization based out of Louisville, Kentucky:

 · 67% of pastor’s wives are dissatisfied with their marriages.

 · 80% of pastors feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastor.

 · 1,300 pastors are fired every month.

 · 50% of current pastors will not retire as pastors.

 · Currently more than 3,700 churches in the United States permanently close their doors each year .

 · Only 17.5% of Americans actually attend a church service on any given weekend (not the assumed 40%). If the current attendance trend continues, by 2050 the percentage of Americans attending church will be just over 11%.

 · While the general American population only gives 1.8% of their income to charity, Christians are almost as bad; giving only 2.56% of their income to the church or other charitable causes.

A little over ten years ago, World Revival Network of Ministries was established by Steve Gray to provide help to Christian leaders and churches. At that time, we knew that there was a great need for resource, counsel, and prayer.

Now, more than ever, World Revival Network’s efforts to empower and mobilize leaders are needed. We pray that you will firmly stand with us as the church faces unprecedented challenges. In a season of great darkness, God is calling us to shine forth His glory. Never has there been a better time for global revival. This is your opportunity to step up.

What Happened to Demas?

Have you wondered what it was like to participate in a great move of God?  In the first century there were a handful of men who had this privilege. Reflecting on them, the Apostle Paul wrote the following:

"Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit." (Philemon 1:22-25)

Paul names several men in this overlooked passage; calling them "fellow workers." Just visualize for a moment what it must have been like? What miracles you would have experienced as you stood beside the apostle?

However, as you consider the opportunities afforded these men, you cannot overlook their spiritual character. On the pages of another epistle, Paul makes reference to this.

"Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis. Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings."(Colossians 4:12-14)

These men – described by Paul as "dear friends" – wrestled in prayer. They stood in the gap so others could find spiritual strength and maturity. They were great warriors for God. I certainly would not be shocked if many unrecorded exploits were accomplished through their ministries.

However, when reading about these men, it is easy to forget that they were moving through the opening stages of revival. We are listening in as everything is new and exciting. It is not difficult to grab hold of the purposes of God when everything is fresh and easy. It is an entirely different manner when things become hard and a difficult battle ensues.

In these quiet early passages, the great challenges of ministry are not yet manifest. Yes, hints of danger are on the horizon, but mounting persecution has not yet raised its head. In these triumphant moments, Paul and friends are conquering every obstruction before them.

It is easy to run as long as light remains, but what happens when the shadows lengthen.

As warm winds shifted and the seasons changed, this mighty apostolic team began to face difficult opposition. No longer was it painless to minister the gospel. The new crowds they were encountering were not as open to the message as the earlier ones. Paul and his workers were not only being publicly denounced by the Greeks, they were experiencing violence from prominent Jews.

In the closing years of Paul's life, many who once stood beside him dishonorably abandoned him. Anointed men with promising futures were convinced that they could not handle the pressure. It is easy to stand up for righteous when things are good, but who will remain in the face of mounting difficulty.

One can almost hear the deep sadness in Paul's voice as he appealed to Timothy - one of the few men who remained faithful.

"Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me." (2 Timothy 4:9-11)

In this tragic epistolary exchange, Paul digresses about Demas; a man once referenced in the same breath as Luke (Colossians 4:14). Who was this troubled man and what became of him?

When reading about Demas, many write him off as a pretender; a charlatan who was never really in the faith. For others, Demas' story is little more than a distracting sideline in Paul's overarching theological discourse. They believe these verses are interesting but inapplicable; something passed over on the way to more important passages. This is a wrong outlook. Mistaken assumptions cause us to miss the greater lesson of this scripture.

We have forgotten not only who we are, but where we have come from and where we are going. Churchgoers are blinded to the fact that we are becoming like Demas. Sure we started out in the right direction; moving in the glory and power of the Lord. We loved Jesus with all our heart and were prepared to serve Him all the days of our life.

Somewhere along the way things got harder. Troubles of this world came and started choking the purposes of God. You had everything you needed to fight, but somehow lost heart.

Passionate people of the Kingdom are in danger of losing their way. What happened to Demas? Whatever it was you cannot let it happen to you.

Coming to Nothing - By Steve Gray

"We...speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing."  (1 Corinthians 2:6) 

Although beginning in the glory, things on earth quickly went downhill. After Adam and Eve partook of the fruit, sin crept in. Where man was once in charge - Satan and his demons quickly began to push their weight around. Sin not only caused the fall, it placed the devil in the driver's seat. This tragedy would play out for several centuries until God broke in a marvelous new way.

Finally, as time reached its fullness, God sent His Son to transform everything. Jesus came with His father's Kingdom and permanently broke the devil's hold. With Christ's glorious death and resurrection, Satan's kingdom started to fade. Evil is not entirely gone, but it is certainly losing ground!

With Jesus' overwhelming victory, wicked earthly systems are increasingly coming to nothing. Their cracked foundations are not only collapsing, but a new order of things is replacing them. I believe this is what the Apostle Paul was explaining in 1 Corinthians 2:6.

While God is actively moving, it seems a worldly wisdom is often embraced. Paul wanted the Corinthians to know their lives could not be defined by the popular wisdom of the age. Though embraced by multitudes, this wisdom was withering. Rather than trusting in darkness, the emerging Kingdom of God should be the source of wisdom. 

I feel like we are dealing with a similar challenge today. There is little doubt that humanism and shallow earthly wisdom is widely accepted in America today. Many are more concerned with their own opinions and feelings than the precepts of the Kingdom of God. Sadly, church-goers are not much different from non-churchgoers. Somebody has to acknowledge that many of our ways are coming to nothing. 

Yes, the devil once held a foothold in the earth. Unfortunately he attached himself to many of the systems and practices. His twisted imprint is still all around us. While it can still be seen and felt, its basis for existence has been crushed.

How can we continue to trust in a wisdom and power that is fading? Jesus is bringing an ever-increasing kingdom that is displacing the works of darkness. He is increasing and Satan is decreasing.

In many ways, we are like David's mighty men in the cave of Adullam. Saul is still around but David is making his move. You cannot fall in love with the system of Saul while the Kingdom of David is advancing. 

While foolishness and sin surround us, we must trust in the glorious advance of God. Everything else is coming to nothing.

One Sin We Might Be Missing...

Over the years people have often discussed the different kinds of sins that are resident in the Church. I have heard them openly discuss the lying, cheating and various forms of thievery going on. When really pressed, some will reluctantly acknowledge the sexual immorality, back-biting and other more serious problems that negatively affect ministries.
 
I have certainly heard about many different sins in my lifetime. But there is one that I have never really heard anyone talk about.

Let me be clear, this is not the most serious of sins. I don't think that it will necessarily send you to Hell. Yet, it is one that is negatively affecting the Church.

The sin that I am talking about is the lack of productivity. 

The Lord resolutely affirmed the following in Genesis 1:28, “Be fruitful and multiply..."

In this important passage, we learn that humanity, as image-bearers of God, were supposed to spread His nature and character as they multiplied across the earth. Since the Lord was always fruitful in His labor, He rightly expected His children to be that way as well. In fact, productivity was not only his reasonable expectation, it was the very intent He had for creation.

While the Lord has always desired productivity and life from us, unfortunately much of what is now seen in the Church is barrenness and stagnation. Although we are called to produce for the Kingdom, there is so much lethargy, selfishness and consumption. In many ways, we have become the do-nothing-church.

Taking a page from Martin Luther, we justify our inaction and fruitlessness by arguing that we don't want to earn our salvation.  Any kind of reasonable Christian labor is discredited; written off as a feeble attempt at "works-righteous."

I not only believe that this commonly-held position is wrong, I think that it is hazardous to the great mission of God. In fact, I would argue that Christian inaction is nothing more than sin. Don't be fooled, we are always in disobedience when we don't produce for the Kingdom.

While there are many things that hinder the work of God in this hour, I believe there is one that we may be missing. God commanded His children to be fruitful and multiply and anything less than that is clearly less than God's best.

Why the Azusa Street Revival Ended and What we can Learn from it

I have had the unique privilege of being in Los Angeles this week and the opportunity to visit some of the original sites where the historic Azusa Street Revival transpired. As I shared some of my personal pictures and experiences, one individual asked me why the Azusa Street Revival ended.

The question of why revivals end is one that comes up often and usually elicts a number of different answers. Obviously the gradual breakdown of something that God has been in the middle of can be a mystery. So as I share my reflections, I cannot claim to have complete insight into these things.

In the case of the waning of the Azusa Street Revival, there seems to be a number of things that hindered it.  I would like share a few of them below.

Losing the Mailing List

When Florence Crawford ran off with the mailing list to Portland Oregon in 1909 and the Apostolic Faith newspaper abruptly stopped being mailed, crowds stopped coming. With no newspaper to broadcast the testimonies and provide information about the ongoing meetings, many thought that the revival had ended. You know, out of sight, out mind. Without the fresh crowds of people, the services began to lose some of the impact and urgency they once had. Fewer people to pray for and assist, allowed some of the other problems that had been lying under the surface to emerge.

Cantankerous, Independent People

You see, there was also this issue of vicious conflicts in the Mission. Over time people had disagreements over all kinds of ridiculous things. Should neckties be worn or not? Should a storm shelter be built or not? Of course my favorite was whether or not William Seymour should get married. As foolish as much of this this conflict was, it shouldn't be all that surprising. Both early Pentecostal and Holiness people were very cantankerous and independent. It was hard for them to stay put or get along with anyone for any length of time. There is little doubt that rambunctious, obstinate people were bulk of the membership of the Apostolic Faith Mission on 312 Azusa Street in Los Angeles, California.

Competing Churches

Some of the different people who attended the revival thought that they could do a much better job of perpetuating Pentecost than Pastor William Seymour and his team. By the second and third year of the revival, several competing missions would pop up; seeking to grab the attention away from the Apostolic Faith Mission. Interestingly, one of which was a mission launched by the infamous Charles F. Parham, the Pentecostal leader who had first impacted Seymour in Houston, Texas. Some preachers or lay leaders would come to the revival for a week or two and then think they should launch out and change the world. A few succeeded, but most failed.

Doctrinal Wars

To make matters worse, a doctrinal war over the appropriation and experience of sanctification erupted on Azusa Street. Coming from a Wesleyan background, Pastor William Seymour and his associates believed that sanctification, or a "moral cleansing," was a second, instantaneous work of grace. Yet others arose, William Durham to be specific, who taught that sanctification was more of a gradual process that took place over time. While Durham preached for a while at the Apostolic Faith Mission, he was locked out when it became clear that he didn't believe like Seymour. This created a great schism among the ranks that only intensified when Durham proceeded to start a new church nearby.

What is it that caused the gradual waning of the Azusa Street Revival? Well, as I have already shared, there were a number of things that may have contributed to its breakdown.

We have seen how the mailing list was stolen and how this stopped the revival's promotion. Also, there was the terrible problems of disharmony and schism. Of course the intense theological battles contributed to opposing factions and a general loss of trust among leaders. These attitudes and expressions contributed to this great revival's cessation.

I guess things first began to wane in the fall of 1909 (Exactly one hundreds years ago from today). Just a couple of years later, the revival at the Apostolic Faith Mission was pretty much snuffed out. While there is no denying that the flames of revival quickly spread around the world, impacting untold thousands, it had certainly ended in Los Angeles by 1912.

While it is difficult to perfectly pin down the cause of the Azusa Street Revival's waning, I believe we can make some valid observations that apply to us today. Modern day revivalists need to work to avoid schisms and intense personal conflict. However difficult it might be, Spirit-filled people should learn to major on the majors and minor on the minors. Moreover, if we can just figure out how to stay together in spite of our differences, our ministerial impact will be intensified.

Yet, as I finish this historic exploration, I think there is one important lesson that the revival at Azusa Street provides for us. I believe that it helps us to understand that revivals seldom end because of the trouble without, no, revivals end because of the trouble within.

Why is the Rope Breaking?

When I think about the struggles of ministry leaders, I am struck by the comment that Dr. James Dobson made a few years ago:

"Thousands of Spiritual leaders are barely hanging on from day to day. Our surveys indicated that 80% of pastors and 84% of their spouses are discouraged or are dealing with depression. More than 40% of pastors and 47% of their spouses report that they are suffering from burnout, frantic schedules and unrealistic expectations. We estimate that approximately 1,500 pastors leave their assignments each month, due to moral failure, Spiritual burnout or contention within their local congregations.”- James Dobson; Family News from Dr. James Dobson; Focus on the Family, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Issue #8, August 1998.

As Dobson and other noted researchers have affirmed, ministry leaders are struggling and many are falling away.

What is it about our churches that makes it so difficult for pastors and church workers? What kind of spiritual environments are causing men and women to quit the ministry? Why are their ropes so frayed? Why are they just dangling by a thread?

Until we can adequately address this issue, we will continue to have severe problems in the church. Unless we can see some real change, the frayed ropes will keep snapping.

I ask you to stand with us in the World Revival Network as we try to make a difference in the lives of Christian leaders. Continue to pray and believe for the righteousness of Jesus to be made known in our midst.

Powerful in Word and Deed

"'About Jesus of Nazareth,' they replied. 'He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed...'" (Luke 24:19)

What are we supposed to be doing as Christians? 

It seems that there is a lot of attention on what should be said. There are seminars on how to share one's faith. Every year the Christian publishing industry releases hundreds of books on arguing the gospel. I guess, in many ways, we've made Christianity all about talking.

Let me be clear, words are important and believers have certainly been called proclaim the truth of the gospel.

Yet, could there be more than just talk? Could the modern church only be getting part of the mission right?

The Bible says that Jesus was "powerful in word and deed." He didn't just make a proclamation, He made a demonstration as well. Jesus spoke and acted on behalf of gospel and I believe that He has called us to do likewise.

In this modern day, there is plenty of talk, but there is very little action.  Many times words by-themselves just don't go all that far.  What the world really needs is an anointed, Spirit-empowered people. It needs Christians who are powerful in word and deed. 

Tell me, are you ready to embody this?

The Calling Comes After the Loving

“God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

There is certainly a lot of talk in Christian circles about "calling."

Over the years, I have met a number of leaders who enjoy recounting when they first felt the “call” of God in their life.

"I want to tell you about the night I was called...."

I have heard them reminisce about the unique sense of mission that the Lord placed on their heart. They shared about the ensuing church work and outreaches they immediately launched into.

All of this good...

Yet, as I reflected on what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:28, I realized that we might have things a little out of order. Yes, it is wonderful that we have been called according to His purpose. It is precious that we are ready to do all these things to further the Kingdom. But you see, its not the calling, but the loving that comes first.

We talk a lot about being called, but we don't talk all that much about loving God. Perhaps, if we learned to love God more, our callings would just fall into place.

I have a sneaking suspicion that we've made "callings" too big of a deal. I mean, all true Christians are called aren't they?

I know that I'm being too simplistic, but it seems that if we ever got the loving before the calling, we might see a whole lot more good in our churches.

Revival is Not For Us - Steve Gray

Revival is not for our sake, it is for God’s sake. It's about Him, not us.

In Ezekiel 36:22 God says, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name.”

Throughout this chapter, God tells of all He is going to do to redeem Israel and bring her back to her own land.

In verse 32, God again says, “ I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake.” It becomes clear that God is doing this for the sake of His own great name and honor among the nations.

Honor is restored when He shows His name great through His own people. Even today, God accomplishing His goals through an undeserving people.

If God can get the job done through the fallen and turn them into the faithful, honor is restored.

Remember, this is about Him and His honor. It is for His Name, not ours. Don't try to make this about you.

Run or Fight?

Responses are important.

What do you do when your back is up against the wall? As trouble is mounting, your future is often determined by how you react.

As I thought about this question, I could not get the story of Colonel Joshua Chamberlain out of my mind.

Chamberlain was a mild-mannered teacher from Bowdin College in Maine. Burdened by the cause of freedom, he enlisted in the 20th Maine during early years of the Civil War.

After experiencing minimal conflict, on the morning of July 2, 1863, things suddenly erupted.

Chamberlain's unit was strategically positioned at the end of the Union line on a small hill near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Being the last unit, it was essential that they held off all Confederate advances. If they failed, the South would come in from behind and decimate the other units. They didn’t know it, but Chamberlain and his fellow soldiers were standing at the turning point of the war.

The two times that the Confederate army raced up the hill, the 20th Maine fought valiantly and pushed them back. Yet victory had come with a great price. With over half of the unit fallen, they were horrified to learn that their commanders were all dead.

With Chamberlain now at command, he found himself in a desperate situation. He was given an order to hold the ground at all costs. If they withdrew, the South would likely come in from behind and wipe out the Northern cannons. Yet, with most of his unit dead and a shortage of ammunition, there didn't seem to be much hope for victory.

As the Confederates were preparing for another advancement, Chamberlain knew that some wanted to retreat. He had to make a quick decision.

With death almost certain, he ordered the men to attach their bayonets and charge down the hill. Outnumbered and out-manned, Chamberlain did the only thing that he thought he could do; boldly advance into battle.

Sometimes, we face insurmountable challenges. Trouble comes and we find our backs against the wall. What kind of response are we going to have? Are we willing to raise the sword and charge down the hill?

When Chamberlain and his men let out a yell and raced down rocky incline, the Confederates were visibly shaken. They believed that somehow the 20^th Maine gained reinforcements. Many threw down their guns and surrendered. Chamberlain and his men were able to overtake a well-armed Southern Unit that was twice their size. This action stopped the Confederate advancement and enabled the Northern armies to win at Gettysburg and ultimately the war.

The decision of one man changed the world.

I’ll ask again what are you willing to do as you stand in the heat of battle? Are you going to run or are you going to fight? Your decision could literally change history.

“Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare for war! Rouse the warriors! Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.” (Joel 3:9)

Myths About Revival

While this article was originally posted eight months ago (December 31, 2008), we thought that it might be good to revisit it:

“When revivals are not a present reality there is ever a tendency to forget what they truly are.” - Preface to The Revival of Religion

There have been numerous myths about revival over the last one hundred and fifty years. Many have kept people fearful and unsettled. Facing unrealistic expectations, leaders believe that true revival is out of reach.

In the following, I would like to discuss seven myths of revival. Hopefully, in doing so, it will enable you to experience freedom and a release from the rigid traditions that are hindering revival.

1. Everyone will recognize revival when it comes

Most believe that when revival comes, it will completely overwhelm the whole church. No, not everyone recognizes a move of God. Because of tradition, fear and other foolish distractions, many turn away from God when He comes in power. Jesus had to deal with religious people in His day who did not recognize the move of God. He said, “They will dash you to the ground, you and your children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you" (Luke 19:44). Since the presence of God does not take away one's ability to think, feel and determine, some become willful and reject anything that does not already fit their lives. Some simply do not have eyes to see or ears to hear.

2. Revival always begins big

Many believe that when revival finally begins, it will make a big splash. It will be like a massive explosion that captures the attention of whole town. With a couple exceptions, this just has not happened in history. Revival usually begins small and relatively insignificant. It is true of the Great Awakening, the Welsh Revival and many of the great moves of God in history. Revival often starts in little out of the way place with insignificant people. Perhaps the Prophet Zechariah had this in mind when he asked, “Who despises the day of small things?" (Zechariah 4:10) Just as a forest fire begins as a little spark, revival often begins in seemingly insignificant ways. The problem with something small is that we have a tendency to overlook it. A little flickering flame often seems so unimportant that we just let the wind blow it out. We think, surely if something was significant, it would begin in a large, impacting way?

3. Revival is extraordinary

While the source and effects of revival are often extraordinary, revival itself happens in and through ordinary people. I think the Prophet Joel understood this when he wrote the following, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth…" (Joel 2:28-30). How can revival be extraordinary, if God is going to move through sons, daughters and the elderly? We keep looking for revival to show up in the extraordinary, yet God keeps bringing it into the lives of normal everyday people.

4. Revival is all God and no man

Eighteenth century revivalist, Jonathan Edwards, and many others sincerely believe revival is predicated on God’s sovereignty. They believe that God rains down on some and withholds from others - randomly – however He sees fit. Without diminishing the importance of God’s sovereignty and divine initiative, I must reiterate the value of men’s responses. Yes, there is no question that God makes the first move. Yet, the issue now is what to do in response to God. I think the following story illustrates this so well, “Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over” (Luke 9:16-17). While the miracle was orchestrated by Jesus, it actually happened in the faithful hands of the Disciples. God initiates but man participates!

5. Revivals are defined by unusual phenomena and manifestations

While many unusual things happen in true revival, one simply cannot zero-in on the spectacular. I think the great revivalist, Charles Grandison Finney, says it well when he wrote, “The apostles employed miracles simply as a means by which they arrested attention to their message, and established its Divine authority. But the miracle was not the revival. The miracle was one thing; the revival that followed it was quite another thing. The revivals in the apostles' days were connected with miracles, but they were not miracles.” We have a tenancy to think that it is only revival when really unusual things take place. If it is not blowing our minds, we question whether it is really revival at all. Understand that revival is really not about sensationalism, but changed lives. Unusual things certainly take place in a real move of God, but that is not the center of focus! As soon as our attention gets off Jesus, trouble is just waiting to happen. If Jesus alone isn't enough, then you don't have true revival.

6. Revival is an evangelistic campaign

There is a blurring of distinctions between revival and evangelistic campaigns. Evangelism, as important as it is, cannot be confused with revival. Noted revival historian, Richard Owen Roberts clarified this, writing, “When the term revival is applied to organized mass evangelism, both concepts suffer. Mass evangelism is work men do for Christ. Revival is something Christ does for men…When the term revival is applied to organized mass evangelism, both concepts suffer As significant as mass evangelism is, as wise as it may be to organize this work carefully- such labors cannot be called revival with any degree of accuracy.” Similarly, Paul S. Rees wrote, “Revival and evangelism, although closely linked, are not to be confounded. Revival is an experience in the Church; evangelism is an expression of the Church.” As long as revival is squeezed into the mold of evangelism, it will be inhibited.

7. Revivals are never advertised

Contrary to popular opinion, all historic revivals were advertised in one way or another. Most used the print media rather extensively, but other methods have also been utilized. George Whitefield, used the colonial newspapers to promote revival meetings during the Great Awakening. Participants in the campmeetings of the early 19th Century utilized handbills, communion tokens and word of mouth to elicit interest. The prayer services during the revival of 1857-1858 were extensively covered and promoted by newspapers in New York City. The Welsh Revival of 1904-1905 was heavily covered by international newspapers. The Azusa Street Revival 1906-1909 was promoted by a self-published newspaper (and as soon as it stopped being mailed out, people stopped attending the services). The Salvation-Healing Revival of the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, was primarily advanced through the Voice of Healing Magazine. “Advertising” has had a much larger role in promotion and propagation of revival than what many are willing to acknowledge.

In discussing these seven popular myths, I hope that you have been challenged. While you may not agree with everything I wrote, I think you will agree that we can no longer be shaped by things that are untrue. Someone once said that sacred cows make the best hamburgers. I am ready to eat, how about you?

Is Revival Ordinary or Extraordinary?

Over the last 275 years, arguments have ignited over whether revival is “extraordinary” or “normal.” Many inquire whether scripture and tradition would allow for “revival” to be a “regular part of the ongoing worship experience,” or whether it is the unfortunate “oddity of an easily-excited people?”

In the crumbling pages of revival literature this question often takes center-stage.

George Whitefield, the celebrated eighteenth century evangelist voiced the views of many when he affirmed that revival was “seldom seen once in a century”(George Whitefield quoted in Revival and Revivalism: The Making and Marring of American Evangelicalism 1750 – 1858 by Ian Murray; p. 23; Banner of Truth Trust; Carlisle, Pennsylvania; Copyright © 1994). Similarly, Jonathan Edwards described revival as, “a very extraordinary dispensation of providence; God has in many respects gone out of, and much beyond, his usual and ordinary” (Jonathan Edwards; Jonathan Edwards on Revival; Banner of Truth Trust; P.O. Box 621, Carlisle, Pennsylvania 17013; Copyright © 1736, 1741, 1995).

Whitefield and Edwards are not alone in this posture. Jeremiah Jeter complained in 1833 that revivals would “prove a snare…if employed as substitutes for the ordinary and regular ministrations of the sanctuary”(Jeremiah Jeter; Recollections; p. 162; Quoted in Anne Lovelace; Southern Evangelicals and the Social Order: 1800 – 1860; p. 73; Louisiana State University Press; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Copyright © 1980).

Likewise, a Southern newspaper editor remarked in 1851 that revival was “only intended as an extraordinary means of grace.” (Unnamed Editor of the Southern Christian Advocate; September 26, 1851; Quoted in Anne Lovelace; Southern Evangelicals and the Social Order: 1800 – 1860; p. 75; Louisiana State University Press; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Copyright © 1980). From these various points of view, revival is anything but a normative experience.

While prominent, this position is not universally accepted. There are dissenting voices who declare that revival has been a regular part of Christian life and should, therefore, be expected. While talking about the models of revival depicted in scripture, Dr. Ben Aker, Professor of New Testament Theology at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, noted that, “Through a number of the epistles, the Apostle Paul gives us a pastoral model of revival that is long-term and normative” (Dr. Ben Aker; Personal Conversation; September 23, 1998; Smithton Community Church; Smithton, Missouri). Aker and a number of others have had difficulty understanding revival exclusively as “supernormal” or as Finney penned, “excitements.”(Charles G. Finney; Lectures on Revivals of Religion; p.3; CBN University Press; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Copyright © 1978).

These men and women understand Christianity to be a vibrant, exhilarating reality; persuasive in speech and compelling in action. While their voices do not often rise above the opposition, they nevertheless resonate. Among this burgeoning chorus, one finds the renowned Baptist preacher, Vance Havner, writing, “Revival is simply New Testament Christianity, the saints getting back to normal” (Vance Havner; Hearts Afire: Light on Successful Soul Winning; p. 103-104; Fleming H. Revell Publishing; Copyright © 1952).

Similarly, Lewis Drummond, a popular Baptist preacher wrote, “Many of our churches are so subnormal that when they experience the normal they think it is abnormal and call it revival” (Lewis Drummond; Spiritual Awakening God’s Divine Work: A Handbook on the Principles of the Biblical Revival and Spiritual Awakenings; p.34; Home Mission Board; Southern Baptist Convention; 1350 Spring Street, NW, Atlanta Georgia 30367-5601; Copyright ©1985).

Surprisingly one even finds Richard Lovelace affirming, “Revival…is an outpouring of the Holy Spirit which restores the people of God to normal spiritual life.” (Richard Lovelace; p.40; Dynamics of Spiritual Life: An Evangelical Theology of Renewal; p.48; Intervarsity Press; P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515; Copyright © 60515). Pastor John Kilpatrick who led the Brownsville Revival affirmed, “We have become so used to the abnormal that now that the normal has come it seems abnormal." (John Kilpatrick quoted in Matt Costella; “The Brownsville - Pensacola Outpouring: Revival or Pandemonium?;” Foundation Magazine; March-April 1997; Copyright © 1997). Revived Christianity is not an oddity to these men.

Despite criticism to the contrary, few affirming the “normative” nature of revival would depict it as a construct of man. Nor would they deny revival’s supernatural or “otherworldly” origin. They are only suggesting that God’s intention for every local congregation is for it to be an effective witness in the earth. In their minds, ineffective, powerless Christianity is not the Biblical standard. Pastor Steve Gray insightfully summed this up when he noted that “Revival appears extraordinary, because so few churches walk in it” (Steve Gray; Personal conversation that transpired on Tuesday, December 17, 2002).

The God Advantage - Steve Gray

As soon as Israel left Egypt, they experienced breakthroughs and spectacular victories. By the time Joshua brought them into the Promised Land, word of Israel's triumphs had spread to the surrounding nations. Just before taking Jericho, one of their enemies acknowledged:

"All who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to...the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone's courage failed because of you." (Joshua 2:9b-11)

Israel was not afraid; they had the God advantage. With the power of God, they could boldly advance against all wickedness and opposition. No other religion or nation would dare stand against a people with such a great anointing and strength.

It grieves my heart as I think about how things have changed. Rather than feeling threatened by the strength of God's people, our enemies laugh. False religions, terrorists and all who stand opposed to Yahweh should be trembling in fear, but they are not! A powerless church that is caught up in non-essentials is no threat! Somehow believers have lost the God advantage.

As long as churchgoers remain dull and unchanged, terrorism and war will not go away. We desperately need to wake up! While evil men attribute everything to their god, our focus is politics. We are truly blind to the spiritual forces at work in this conflict. We have abandoned the presence of God and replaced it with moral crusades and legislative initiatives. If the prevailing issue is morality, we are in trouble. Most Christians are less moral than the terrorists. Obviously, there is a more important factor to be considered - the manifest presence of God.

What if there is another way to win this conflict? What would happen to our soldiers on the battlefield if believers truly moved in the presence of God? I believe we can triumph in these perilous times if Christians would only change their priorities.

In a time of darkness and trouble, it is time for the Church of Jesus Christ to regain the God advantage.