Revival Quotes

I said there would be more on revival...

"Revival is like peeling back the layers of an onion." -Laine Johnson

In those layers are sinful habits and strongholds which need to be acknowledged and forsaken. Deeper sins lie beyond the surface. Someone pointed out additionally that the deeper one goes into an onion, the smellier it gets as well.

"Revival is messy." - Laine Johnson

It sure is. It messes with our schemes and plans. It messes with our pride and self sufficiency. It messes with our smug self righteousness. These are not things disposed of neatly.

"Revival is a painful process, like a scalpel cutting flesh. But in the end, if it does its job, healing can occur." -Laine Johnson

"In the eight years I've been on the road, I haven't seen revival break like this- and so early." --Wilson Green

"Lord, we have a little thimble of water standing in front of an ocean of what God can do."

-Wilson Green prayer

We saw just a little bit of the power of God manifested among us. There is so much more that God can and wants to do. Does our church realize the reservoir of power available to us? How easily satisfied we are, and often with so little!

"Christianity is countercultural."- Unknown

Christianity is a beast that cannot be tamed. Throughout the ages, attempts have been made to make it culturally acceptable and less objectionable to the masses. Today many attempts to "make the church relevant" to the unchurched at the end of the day emasculate the gospel and make it appear to be just another trend or fad. No one truly wants to be rejected, I am sure. However, the message of Christ requires radical acceptance and reordering of life and its priorities. The culture of the day -any day- stands opposed to that move. No, best to allow the faith of Christ to be what it is rather than attempt to make it more palatable to a fallen, sinful world.

In the previous post, I observed that each season of revival differs from others. But I expected that the revival team would quite often witness outbreaks of a move of the hand of God. Why is it different at my church? I have some thoughts, but they must be further processed before they can be shared.

I'd be interested in my reader's thoughts on this one. The ideas have been rolling around in my head for some time. This week I committed them to poetic form on paper:

"Desperation is the door.

Prayer is the key

That unlocks the door

To the room of revival."

Thoughts?

Revival Time!

A pastor's life can be very busy. I'm out lots of evenings and weekends and often in emergency situations. I've been so busy that I haven't had time to even blog lately.

For the past almost three weeks, I've been out each evening. We spent 1 1/2 weeks with a Life Action team for a Revival Summit. For the rest of the second week, we had an extra evening to meet and process the events of the Summit, then a Love And Respect Marriage Conference in Houston, followed by Sunday services, then across the river to share what God has done at First Baptist, Sulphur, with the fine folks at First Baptist, Lake Charles who are now hosting the team who was with us.

Then it was a Stewardship Committee meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday prayer meeting. I was home Thursday evening. Yeah!

Regardless, the days of the Revival Summit were some of the best times of my life. Many evenings I didn't get home until 10:00 or later. We started the evenings at 5:00 with a light supper followed by the summit. The body was tired, but the spirit refreshed.

God sent us a team of people hungry to see God move through them in the churches they serve. God sent me two men (whose pictures are on this post) who seem to love nothing better than to pray and to seek God. There are so many things I can share, for my heart is full.

Among the Revival Reflections (how's that for alliteration?) in my journal:

1. The team who came to lead us fasted and prayed for us many hours while they were here. What of us here? How badly do we wish to see God move at our church?

2. I learned that I can attempt desperate prevailing prayer- and enjoy it, thought it is sometimes painful. Time seems to quickly pass. I also learned to pray in all sorts of postures.

3. These two men, Laine Johnson and Wilson Green, are men who really pray. Of the things I already miss the most about the week and a half, it is the time of praying for them and with them.

4. I am learning to follow the Spirit's leading more closely. Over the years, I have been guilty of reading the latest church growth book or wanting to implement the hottest strategies, all the while tipping the hat to prayer and seeking God about it. I have often put more trust in programs than in God. When His power is manifested, no program, strategy, or scheme can duplicate or come close.

5. Revivals have similarities and differences. From the first service, the team seemed to be on different ground. Things they planned to do or subjects they planned to address seemed to be secondary as we sought the Spirit's leadership. There are common qualities in revivals of history. But in many ways they are like thumprints- unique.

6. What is next? Our staff, seeing God move among us and in us, determined that we did not wish to go back to the "way it was." What does the future look like? We don't know. One staff member said, "It would be better for us never to have experienced these days of revival than to have experienced them and then go back to the way it was before." Amen!

Other observations:

1. There were several spontaneous eruptions of prayer during those days. We began noon prayer meetings almost three weeks ago. They are continuing today. Even the children's group paused one night to pray 30 minutes for revival. Testimonies given publicly indicated new burdens for prayer. Team members prayerwalked our property. On the Friday night with no services scheduled, several of our members prayerwalked our grounds and went on to the High School football game being played nearby. They prayerwalked there as well. Our home team lost anyway. But that wasn't the purpose of their prayers!

2. I know of at least three people who were prayed for by name. Two of them gave their lives to Jesus Christ during the Summit and the other gave up some sinful habits.

3. My priorities- the ministry of the word and prayer. I have been greatly lacking in these areas. Why do we pray a little and work a lot? Shouldn't that be reversed?

Finally, perhaps the true test of the impact of revival is what happens after the revival leaders leave. Last Sunday we had church! We began morning worship at 10:30 and finished up around 12:40. There was one salvation during the service, one marriage vow renewal, a baby rededication, several ministries were prayed over and intiated, a family joined the church, a number of folks gave testimonies and words of encouragement, and one single mom who just "wandered" in tearfully admitted her need for repentance and forgiveness. Then Sunday night, four more precious young folks gave their lives to Christ. And none of it was planned!

This, I pray, is "only the beginning..."

Revival! I'll have more to say on this subject in upcoming posts.

Guest Book Review: The Jesus You Can't Ignore

We are in the midst of preparation for revival this week. We have a team leading us, but actual revival has not fully manifested itself. It will surely come, I believe.

Therefore, allow me to share a book review from our church librarian, Lydia Bryant:

The Jesus You Can’t Ignore
by John MacArthur

John MacArthur, the author of The Truth War and numerous commentaries paints a portrait of Jesus Christ that will take your breath away in his latest book The Jesus You Can’t Ignore.

In this age of political correctness & global mind-set, current thoughts on Jesus and Christianity seem to have departed from the belief system of yesteryear. John MacArthur reveals the issues of today where all aspects of Christianity and the Bible are brought into question.

Was Jesus a pacifist or an instigator? In this book you learn the reasons Jesus always seemed at odds with the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

You learn the historical context of each Biblical passage mentioned and you will definitely meet the Jesus you can’t ignore.
-Lydia Bryant, Librarian

Got to get reading!