The Next Big Historic Event

[deacon blues]

Something I have observed in my 41 years of being in the UPC: it seems we are predisposed to believe and embrace the idea of striving after, looking for, and even trying to create the NEXT BIG HISTORIC EVENT that duplicates the Day of Pentecost, Azusa Street, etc.

Now let me qualify myself to say that I am not opposed to the idea of another igniting event that would be the flashpoint of a movement of historic proportions. I hope and pray that the church I pastor would see such a revolution.

BUT do we look at those rare events in time where the course of history is radically changed at the expense of the less visible and less quantifiable efforts that cannot be measured by a small window of time? Are we frustrating ourselves because we are trying to recreate a Day of Pentecost or Azusa Street, when we should be embracing what was birthed out of those events acknowledging you can't create a move of God of that magnitude?

Look at how "event-driven" we are. We have weekly church and go through our calendars, but so much of what we do is focused on and ramped up to "The Big Event". Be it BOTT, District Conferences, other preaching conferences, revivals, special meetings, General Conference, we seem to try to recreate that "on the verge of something" moment that is about to break wide open. It's as if we are gold miners trying to find that "mother lode" vein of ore that will help us strike it rich.

What about all of the mighty works of God that are stretched out over time? What about the great things God has done over a period of decades and generations? What about those things that are birthed out of faithfulness, consistency, hard work, labor, prayers, patience and endurance?

Is a church of 3,000 built over 75 years any less remarkable than 3,000 souls in one day? Certainly one would choose the 3,000 in a day over 75 years but how often does 3,000 in a day happen? Our movement in 100 years has finally reached the level of churches where we see assemblies that number in the thousands. Think of all the people that were impacted in that time. Thousands. Not in one day, but over decades of time.

But for many decades churches that numbered 300-500 were considered our largest churches. In our distirct of TN the two largest churches run less than 700. The next level of churches 150-400 number about 20. The rest of the district is less than 150. Probably half the district are less than 100.

What is it that we need? A big explosion? Another Azusa Street? If that happens are we going to complain? No. But should that always be the goal? Does it create in our minds its an either/or situation? I either have a BIG HISTORIC EVENT or I will never do anything of significance. I can't believe that is all that God has to offer in the arena of Kingdom building.

I heard the story of a guy who walked down the beach and came upon a man who was picking up starfish and tossing them into the ocean. The first man asked, "What are you doing?" The second man said, "I am tossing these starfish back into the sea. Otherwise, they will die." The first man replied, "Well that is ridiculous. This beach is hundreds of miles long and it is covered with starfish for as far as the eye can see. What difference does it make?" The second man looked down at the starfish in his hand and responded, "It makes a difference to this starfish" and promptly tossed it into the sea.

My point is this: I don't think we can "make" the Day of Pentecost or Azusa Street happen by organizing a date on the calendar, or coordinating an event, or orchestrating a united effort to "have" revival. I think those things become the product of prayer and fasting and faithfulness to the principles of God's Word and where we are in history and God's Divine Plan to reach the world. If He is ready for an earth moving event in history, nothing will prevent it from happening. If God's timing is not ready for such an event, no matter how many arenas we rent, no matter how many conferences we schedule, no matter how many messages we preach will we be able to "force" God's hand.

"Faithfulness" is not a sexy message. It doesn't excite the masses. It won't get you scheduled to preach the next Big Event. But it is a really powerful principle that produces pretty powerful results. Its just that we usually have to wait and see the results over a long time, and in many cases over a lifetime.

I will always hope for something ground breaking to happen. But that is not going to be my focus. That is not going to be the substance of my preaching and teaching. God is Sovereign and can pour out what He wants, when He wants, where He wants, how much He wants. I just hope that in my lifetime I can accomplish something that will elicit the words in eternity, "Well done, good and faithful servant" from the Lord.