All posts tagged Art of Revival

In one generation, it appears as awareness of God’s judgement toward mass repentance.  In another, souls begin to be stirred in passion for Christ.  In most recent historical trend, revival is associated with the activity of the Holy Spirit in the setting of a congregational worship.

Over the course of Christian history, one thing is certain about “Revival.”  It comes in all shapes and forms.

It is fluid, free flowing and at times, subjective.  It may not look like you expect it to.  In fact, the revival that one church body needs may be entirely different than the awakening needed for another.

The term can also be misunderstood, misused and to be frank, counterproductive to the central mission of the church.  This is why “Revival” is becoming a word that is endangered.

In the midst of all the church growth programs, books and tv ministries trying to define it for us, I thought I would look to the past to find out what revival has historically looked like.

Starting with a quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer:

Revival of church life always brings in its train a richer understanding of the Scriptures. Behind all the slogans and catchwords of ecclesiastical controversy, necessary though they are, there arises a more determined quest for him who is the sole object of it all, for Jesus Christ himself.What did Jesus mean to say to us? What is his will for us to-day? How can he help us be good Christians in the modern world? In the last resort, what we want to know is not, what would this or that man, or this or that Church, have of us, but what Jesus Christ himself wants of us.  

(The Cost of Discipleship, 1937, (New York: Touchstone, 1995), 35.)

The line that sticks for me is that “Revival” produces “a more determined quest” for Jesus Christ, the “sole object of it all.”  This undoubtedly fleshes out as a congregation-wide re-focusing on the central mission of the church, producing Christ-followers through evangelism, gospel-oriented preaching and biblical discipleship.  This is one expression of revival I long to see.

I’ll keep posting as I find more historical ideas and case studies.  Until then, I’d love to hear your thoughts on what Revival means to you.  Comment Below or message me here.