How Does Revival Happen?

"Your grace still amazes me
Your love is still a mystery
Each day I fall on my knees
'Cause Your grace still amazes me"
-Philips, Craig, and Dean

Last week, my wife and I had the privilege of attending a wonderful conference at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary just outside of Boston.  I'm not normally a conference kind of guy.  I find them high in calories and low in "intellectual and business fiber."  The Pastor's conferences at GCTS are the exception.  Every minute on campus is an inspirational moment that presses me to be better at my craft and go deeper in my soul.  "The Surprising Work of God: Calling The Church to Spiritual Renewal" was no exception.  

Dr. Walter Kaiser (President Emeritus, GCTS) and Dr. Timothy Tennant wonderfully book-ended the conference with two brilliant lectures.  One might describe them as Kaiser making the case for revival and Tennant’s pressing the possibilities for how revival might happen in this generation.

Kaiser showed us that 2 Chronicles 7:14 is paradigmatic for revival in Ancient Israel and in our day.  He stated how revival occurs:

1. In a time of moral darkness, Biblical ethics have been overturned and morality and justice have been distorted.

2.  When a consecrated servant of God becomes an energizing stimulus.

3.  Bold preaching.

4.  Destruction of idols or and competitors to the Living God.

5.  A return to worship and adoration of the Lord God.

6.  Determination to separate oneself from sin.

7.  Exuberant joy.

"If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV)

Dr. Kaiser cited four conditions for revival to happen:

1.  A Call to Humble Ourselves

2.  A Call to Pray

3.  To Seek God’s Face

4. A Call to Return to the Lord.

And when the conditions are met, Kaiser reflected on five results of revival:

1.  Relevant to All People

2.  Jeremiah 18 – The Potter's House

3.  God's Forgiveness

4.  Begins with the nation of Israel and extends to all people

5.  The Bless on the People and Land who obey God's call.

Tennant built on Kaiser's foundation with particular emphasis on the globalized definition of God's (MY) people.  Out of space, but just want to share two ideas from Tennant:

First:  Forces of World Christian Movement (which include): Globalization, Immigration, Technology, New Church Planting movements.

Then he addressed three major paradigm shifts in Global Revitalization Movements.  He states that it is:  "Time for a new generation of Christians, committed to apostolic faith to declare minimalistic, reductionist Christianity a 'failed project.'"

Global emergence of Christian revitalization is helping the church regain confidence in the truth of the gospel.  Deeper ecumenism can move the church forward in the face of the challenges of our day

The upshot is that revival can happen again and again in our today.  But, we can't be satisfied with trying to provoke the Holy Spirit to action via 'same ol, same ol.'  Our Gospel must match the hour.  When it does, when we do, God is hovering just waiting to surprise us again. After all (his grace):

"It's deeper, it's wider
It's stronger, it's higher
It's deeper, it's wider
It's stronger, it's higher than anything my eyes can see!"

Written by Major Carl E. Carvill, D.Min.
Asbury Park Corps 

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Eternal Perspective

The Bible refers to Christians as aliens and strangers in the world (I Peter 2:11).  This world is not our home; we are pilgrims on a journey to a heavenly city where God dwells.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the thrown saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (Revelation 21: 2-4)

It wasn't until I was in my late thirties that I began to think about living life from an eternal perspective rather than an earthly perspective. And it probably wasn't until my mid-forties that I began to practice eternal perspective in my everyday life. While I don't always get it right and I often have to remind myself to step back and re-approach situations from an eternal perspective, here are a few things that I've discovered…

Eternal perspective makes life's difficulties less traumatic.   When stress is high or someone I love has disappointed me, eternal perspective reminds me that God is in control and the distress and pain that I am experiencing will end.  The end of my journey is a place of peace and joy.  With that mindset, I am able to calm myself, place myself into God's hands and follow His lead on how to walk through my difficulty.

Eternal perspective lessens self-critique.  Media constantly portrays perfect looking people living perfect lives, creating a trap for viewers to waste too much time comparing themselves to airbrushed images living fairytale lives that no human can measure up to.  Eternal perspective reminds me that heaven is under the leadership of one who looks at the heart rather than the outward appearance, and that he has promised a new, heavenly body for everyone in his kingdom.  What God has in store for his Church is immeasurably greater than anything the media will ever conjure up.

Eternal perspective evokes celebration, joy, and freedom in worship.    A natural joy and anticipation occurs when I think about spending eternity with God in His glorious city.  In recent years, I have found myself thinking, "I want to be in heaven to see Joni Ericson Tada, a quadriplegic for over 30 years, dancing and leaping before the Lord.  In fact, I want to dance and celebrate with her."  I want to experience wholeness and glorification as God designed and as I'll experience in heaven. As I contemplate and ponder such things, I worship God with greater joy and freedom.

Eternal perspective gives me the courage to preach and share Biblical truth in love.  Much Biblical truth is considered politically incorrect.  Pre-believers do not want to hear that Jesus is the only way to God and eternity or that marriage is between one male and one female for a lifetime.  Yet, that's what the inspired Word of God teaches. When I consider that faith comes by hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word (Romans 10:17), I want to give pre-believers every opportunity to "hear" so that they too may experience eternity.

Eternal perspective enables me to major on the majors rather than the minors.   It is human and earthly to allow the petty things of life and relationships to taint your mood and character.  However, when I view things through the lens of eternity, I am better able to let go of my pettiness or the pettiness of others and move on to what's vital.

Eternal perspective is available to anyone who admits that he is a sinner, believes in Jesus as the bridge-builder between his sinful state and holy God, and turns his life over to God's control by following God's road map outlined in the Bible.

Written by Major Cheriann Stoops

Asbury Park Corps Officer 

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