There is no such thing as Revival

[Apocrypha]

I know this is going to ruin about 10,000 camp sermons, half the audio tapes out there, and most traveling special speakers (evangelists) best sermons.

But one thing keeping our churches small is revivalism. The belief that God will magically send us people if we do "X" (which changes depending on the speaker, speaking engagement, and how catchy the camp sermon title is).

I have spent alot of time around growing churches outside of our ranks, taking their outreach ministers to dinner for years, buying tons of books, and working in several pentecostal churches that have had good (and in two cases explosive) growth.

I would like to make the suggestion that God wants churches to be lovers of the Word. He wants us to win people through our efforts in tandem with the Holy Spirit he has given us. He will indeed open doors but its up to us to take the time and flat out work to bring in the harvest.

I think alot of my fellow pentecostals are lazy navel gazers. They rarely break 100 adult members and few of their pastors are serious soul winners. The home bible study is dying off.. i see it and it saddens me since its the greatest soul winning tool we have ever had. Its not that it doesnt work... it works better than even in a impersonal age... its that we have the mythology of a word that isn't even in the context. If a church is so dead it needs revival... why not bury it and make room for a new church plant?

We need to break free of extra-biblical teachings and look at the book of Acts as our example. Those guys went door to door, they went to Mars Hill to speak to intellectuals, they went to synagogues, and they stood up and wiitnessed.

There are examples like the Ethopian.. and God does open doors... but where is this garbage about a traveling evangelist coming to town and leading 100 folks to salvation in a single day come from? They just don't mystically come in mass because brother "X" is there... I was born and dedicated in this and after 30 years other than "Evangelastic" stories that can't be proven... its just junk and propaganda. Crusades dont work, they have failed in the phillipines, they have failed in the 2nd great awakening under Whitfield, they have failed over and over and over in america.

Its not about revivalism.. its about the local church getting active, doing large volume outreach to get the word out .. and SPENDING MONEY on EVANGELISM and OUTREACH rather than on BUILDINGS and SALARY.

Just my 2 cents... bombs away

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This from the New King James Version

Ezra 9:7-9 (New King James Version)
New King James Version (NKJV)
Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.


7 Since the days of our fathers to this day we have been very guilty, and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to humiliation, as it is this day.

8 And now for a little while grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage.

9 For we were slaves. Yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage; but He extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to repair the house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

Pretty thin to spend a ton of time talking about a concept that is extra-biblical at best isnt it? We can steal with word "revival" in this translation.. but is that what a honest reading of the text would give us as a New Testament church that teaches like Jesus and his Apostles?

Revival isnt a magic formula... it isnt anything. The kingdom of God grows when we witness and disciple people with the message that they are guilty under Gods laws and God came in the flesh to pay the penalty Himself in our place.

[HeavenlyOne]

Me thinks you don't understand what revival means or is.

Revival isn't for the sinners. It's for the saints. You can't revive something that's not been alive to begin with.

[Apocrypha]

Then why do all the sermons that use the term revival twine it with church growth?

Also where is the new testament context for the idea of "revival"? I am open to scriptural correction.

[chseeads]

Originally Posted by erikwebster

Then why do all the sermons that use the term revival twine it with church growth?

...if the saints get revived, then the church can grow....

[Apocrypha]

Who let them stagnate and die? What caused it to happen, i would love to examine the process of how a on fire witnesses for Christ goes comatose in mass.

Is it the lack of teaching?

Is it the over professionalization of minsitry?

What is the root cause of failure that we would need to create a concept like modern day revivalism?

[chseeads]

Doesn't have to be a lack of teaching, in some cases it could be, but in general just that people settle into ruts all on and of their own doing. It's the nature of the beast. And sometimes the gift needs stirred up.

[Apocrypha]

Do you think we could do well with getting rid of the concept of "revival" and just going back to solid weekly teaching and sharing our faith in a systematic way (home bible studies)

[chseeads]

I think both concepts could actually peacefully coexist and compliment one another.

[OneAccord]

I looked for Sunday School in the Bible and didn't find it. Does it not exist? Granted, the word "Revival" isn't in the Bible. But, then again, neither is "Bible". But the word "Revive" is in the Bible.

Hsa 6:2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

Hab 3:2 O LORD, I have heard thy speech, [and] was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.

Psa 85:6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?

Isa 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name [is] Holy; I dwell in the high and holy [place], with him also [that is] of a contrite andhumble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Are we saying that, since the word "revival" isn't in the Bible, that we don't need it? Brother, we need it more than ever. The church is be fragmented by religious politics and internal strife. We need freash fire, fresh manna, and renew impetus on the Power of the Holy Ghost.

Even the humble and contrite needs to be revived. If there is no need for revival, then what is the ministry of the Evangelist for? To replace revival with home bible studies is to remove the zeal and unction of the Spirit and replace it with indoctrination. I'm all for teaching... but there comes a time when the "teaching" needs to be put into practice through the work of evangelism.

[Joelel]

My bible teaches me they preached door to door and we want to hand them a flyer and invite them to church.If we get them saved at home they would come to church,Amen