Christianity, Climbing, and Commentary...that's enough, right?
REVIVAL
Let's talk revival. Should we schedule them? How should churches prepare for them? Five night or three night? Monday thru Friday? Sunday thru Wednesday? Finally, why are so many revivals poorly attended, even by church members?
I am going to be brutally honest. I believe that "revival meetings" are so poorly attended because so many Christians have come to the place where they are just going through the motions. They stopped getting anything out of revival meetings because they stopped putting anything into them. They don't go expecting anything to happen, and in turn, nothing happens. After a while of attending revival meetings, and not feeling revived when the day is done, they start to think, "why bother?"
In recent years, I have attended some really depressing "revivals"; and not because the preacher didn't do a good job in the pulpit. Perhaps BroJ, as my pastor, will disagree; I know pastors like to put a positive spin on things, but my perception has been that our last few revival meetings have not been all that effective, even among those who did attend. By that, I mean that following revival week, I did not see any change in attendance, service, giving, witnessing, bringing in new people, etc.
One more thing. Among our priorities, anything that has to do with the church seems to fall way down on the list. Everyone is involved in so many thing; work, house work, the kids have school, soccer, baseball, karate, dance, piano lessons, the wife's family is coming in next week, excuses are not hard to come by....
We always do what we WANT to do and what is important to us, but it seems that the things of God are becoming less and less important to many.
The problem with revivals is so many are going through the motions. Yet - should we stop and deprive the precious soul who may be revived because so many waste their opportunity for revival? I wish the same preparations (visiting, witnessing, inviting, music, praying and expectation) were made for every worship service. When I try to preach after revival, i see people who worked hard trying to do the right things in revival and do nothing the next week. Makes it hard to preach that Sunday. Personally, I love revival for me. If just the preacher gets revived, what a difference that can be.
Agreed.... From what I've heard, many years ago revivals weren't necessarily scheduled....a church just "went into revival" after some had been saved...and they never considered stopping while the Spirit was moving. Then, over time, revivals went to two weeks (morning and evening), then one week, and now someone brings the subject up in business meeting like, "When can we have revival?"
One of the seemingly best (sweetest spirit) revivals we had was when we scheduled "cottage prayer meetings" the week before. This occured in people's homes who volunteered & was well attended. The church I pastored tried this two years later and the prayer gatherings were hardly attended. Still, cottage prayer beforehand can help.
Here is something to think about along the lines of our waning revival attempts of present day. The Scripture speaks about the Holy Spirit being taken out of the way in the latter times, right? Have you ever thought that this might be a gradual process and not an all of the sudden thing? My uncle questioned me on that once and I really don't know or have the answer, but I do know that people are alot less spiritual, committed, and zealous than they used to be. Could it be that we have so transgressed against God's will or purpose in our lives that His Spirit is gradually withdrawing or withholding Himself? Revivals are not a good time for me as a pastor. I spend most of my time wondering if the evangelist is going to have enough to preach to. It ought not be so. I get angry when I see the very ones that had something to say about revival miss services because of a cub-scout meeting or a softball game, or whatever. I am 42 years old and I remember those good ol' sweet spirit revivals when people were actually excited to come and see how God would work in the lives and hearts of others. I remember when revival also was a time to come to the lick log so-to-speak and do some real self-soul searching. I remember when songs were sung that held a message and that message touched the heart of saved and unsaved alike. What happened? I believe I can truly say, God is still willing and able, but we have become too numb, too busy, too prideful to have real revival!
We just had a cottage prayer meeting last night as we are preparing for our revival next week. We had about 25 present and there was not a dry eye in the house. One of the key ingredients to any revival being successful is it being saturated in prayer. Prayer and sacrifice are the key! Or as the Bible puts it, prayer and fasting are the key. According to a word study on fasting, fasting is an "affliction of the soul." If we have no prayer or no sacrifice on our part, God will not do His part. All of this is preparation for revival and preparation always precedes blessings!
Revival is for the church. Sometimes, I believe, individuals experience revival and perhaps the church as a whole doesn't.
Today it seems that lost people will not go to church, in general, and they especially won't attend revival services. Also, local churches, sometimes even in the same community or association, do not support others' revivals by even bothering to visit one time or "turn out" Wed. service to go visit a revival. Enough sour apples.
This may seem a bit quirky, but I wonder if Missionary Baptist churches in an area could organize a crusade type meeting? Others do this (Graham,etc.) but they always include anyone who claims to be a true church.
I'm not sure if there is enough of a burden or concern for the lost to do this. But I would love to try sometimes & see what happens.
I think a crusage by MB with MB diong all the leading parts (leading singing, leading the prayers, preaching and counseling) would be great. A county wide or city wide would work if there were enough advance preparation and lots of prayer. I don't think it would be best to let the pastors take turns preaching - select a man known for his powerful preaching.
I remember being in great revival services (sometimes with Bob Goodnight preaching) and feeling truly disappointed when the message ended. You didn't want to leave church. That must have been revival in the heart. Often there were no public professions, but people were strengthened spiriually.
Brother Bishop... are you suggesting a man "known for his powerful preaching" should be selected based on this quality? Why not select based on the man you think God wants for it? I mean... what if the man known for his powerful speaking is out of God's will at that moment in his heart and no one knows it? Surely you agree we should simply choose the man God wants (which will be a scripturally sound one). I have very poor speaking ability in my opinion, yet God has used some sermons I've preached. When I'm right with Him, He does wonderful with sermons, even though I am a very simple speaker with little to no ability.
I am going to be brutally honest. I believe that "revival meetings" are so poorly attended because so many Christians have come to the place where they are just going through the motions. They stopped getting anything out of revival meetings because they stopped putting anything into them. They don't go expecting anything to happen, and in turn, nothing happens. After a while of attending revival meetings, and not feeling revived when the day is done, they start to think, "why bother?"
ReplyDeleteIn recent years, I have attended some really depressing "revivals"; and not because the preacher didn't do a good job in the pulpit. Perhaps BroJ, as my pastor, will disagree; I know pastors like to put a positive spin on things, but my perception has been that our last few revival meetings have not been all that effective, even among those who did attend. By that, I mean that following revival week, I did not see any change in attendance, service, giving, witnessing, bringing in new people, etc.
Do I hear "Laodicean Church Age" anyone?
One more thing. Among our priorities, anything that has to do with the church seems to fall way down on the list. Everyone is involved in so many thing; work, house work, the kids have school, soccer, baseball, karate, dance, piano lessons, the wife's family is coming in next week, excuses are not hard to come by....
ReplyDeleteWe always do what we WANT to do and what is important to us, but it seems that the things of God are becoming less and less important to many.
The problem with revivals is so many are going through the motions. Yet - should we stop and deprive the precious soul who may be revived because so many waste their opportunity for revival?
ReplyDeleteI wish the same preparations (visiting, witnessing, inviting, music, praying and expectation) were made for every worship service. When I try to preach after revival, i see people who worked hard trying to do the right things in revival and do nothing the next week. Makes it hard to preach that Sunday. Personally, I love revival for me. If just the preacher gets revived, what a difference that can be.
Agreed....
ReplyDeleteFrom what I've heard, many years ago revivals weren't necessarily scheduled....a church just "went into revival" after some had been saved...and they never considered stopping while the Spirit was moving.
Then, over time, revivals went to two weeks (morning and evening), then one week, and now someone brings the subject up in business meeting like, "When can we have revival?"
One of the seemingly best (sweetest spirit) revivals we had was when we scheduled "cottage prayer meetings" the week before. This occured in people's homes who volunteered & was well attended. The church I pastored tried this two years later and the prayer gatherings were hardly attended. Still, cottage prayer beforehand can help.
Here is something to think about along the lines of our waning revival attempts of present day. The Scripture speaks about the Holy Spirit being taken out of the way in the latter times, right? Have you ever thought that this might be a gradual process and not an all of the sudden thing? My uncle questioned me on that once and I really don't know or have the answer, but I do know that people are alot less spiritual, committed, and zealous than they used to be. Could it be that we have so transgressed against God's will or purpose in our lives that His Spirit is gradually withdrawing or withholding Himself? Revivals are not a good time for me as a pastor. I spend most of my time wondering if the evangelist is going to have enough to preach to. It ought not be so. I get angry when I see the very ones that had something to say about revival miss services because of a cub-scout meeting or a softball game, or whatever. I am 42 years old and I remember those good ol' sweet spirit revivals when people were actually excited to come and see how God would work in the lives and hearts of others. I remember when revival also was a time to come to the lick log so-to-speak and do some real self-soul searching. I remember when songs were sung that held a message and that message touched the heart of saved and unsaved alike. What happened? I believe I can truly say, God is still willing and able, but we have become too numb, too busy, too prideful to have real revival!
ReplyDeleteWe just had a cottage prayer meeting last night as we are preparing for our revival next week. We had about 25 present and there was not a dry eye in the house.
ReplyDeleteOne of the key ingredients to any revival being successful is it being saturated in prayer.
Prayer and sacrifice are the key!
Or as the Bible puts it, prayer and fasting are the key.
According to a word study on fasting, fasting is an "affliction of the soul."
If we have no prayer or no sacrifice on our part, God will not do His part.
All of this is preparation for revival and preparation always precedes blessings!
Revival is for the church. Sometimes, I believe, individuals experience revival and perhaps the church as a whole doesn't.
ReplyDeleteToday it seems that lost people will not go to church, in general, and they especially won't attend revival services. Also, local churches, sometimes even in the same community or association, do not support others' revivals by even bothering to visit one time or "turn out" Wed. service to go visit a revival.
Enough sour apples.
This may seem a bit quirky, but I wonder if Missionary Baptist churches in an area could organize a crusade type meeting? Others do this (Graham,etc.) but they always include anyone who claims to be a true church.
I'm not sure if there is enough of a burden or concern for the lost to do this. But I would love to try sometimes & see what happens.
I think a crusage by MB with MB diong all the leading parts (leading singing, leading the prayers, preaching and counseling) would be great. A county wide or city wide would work if there were enough advance preparation and lots of prayer. I don't think it would be best to let the pastors take turns preaching - select a man known for his powerful preaching.
ReplyDeleteI remember being in great revival services (sometimes with Bob Goodnight preaching) and feeling truly disappointed when the message ended. You didn't want to leave church. That must have been revival in the heart. Often there were no public professions, but people were strengthened spiriually.
ReplyDeleteBrother Bishop... are you suggesting a man "known for his powerful preaching" should be selected based on this quality? Why not select based on the man you think God wants for it? I mean... what if the man known for his powerful speaking is out of God's will at that moment in his heart and no one knows it? Surely you agree we should simply choose the man God wants (which will be a scripturally sound one). I have very poor speaking ability in my opinion, yet God has used some sermons I've preached. When I'm right with Him, He does wonderful with sermons, even though I am a very simple speaker with little to no ability.
ReplyDelete