I love what was and is happening at Asbury University and other campuses around the nation – what believer wouldn’t be thrilled for revival like this? We are seeing the lives of students changing in miraculous ways, and it is spreading like wildfire. As the parent of a child in a similar university I pray that it will continue to spread as it has. It did impact our daughter’s school – Hannibal LaGrange University in Missouri – after a night of very intense worship they saw several dozen students saved, and spontaneous worship and prayer breaking out all over campus throughout the week. And I know my own daughter got to experience it all as one of the worship musicians – what a blessing for a parent!
Many of us have been praying for revival like this for years – another great awakening of the church like many of us have never seen in our lifetimes. In fact, here at Mt. Repose it is one of my principle prayers every Sunday morning during our 8:00am prayer time. I walk the sanctuary, placing hands on every seat and praying for the personal renewal of the Spirit for that person and for revival of our church body. It is a worthy prayer. The world – and especially our country – is ripe for more of God in society and less of the politically driven entitlement and outrage that has seemingly defined America for the last decade or so. Nobody would argue that a revival of faith and practice like this would be instrumental in righting the course of a world that is so off the rails that we cannot even find the tracks on our own anymore. I recall a song by the amazing late Christian singer Carman called “Revival In The Land” where it discusses how the human action the devil fears and hates most is revival – increase of faith and re-awakening to our first love. Praise God for what He is doing through these students!
Yet, I am concerned by many of the posts I am seeing from well-meaning Christians – even pastors – about local revival. I keep seeing posts saying to go into church today and believe that God will start a revival in your congregation – and I am for that 100% – we need to be doing that every day. Of course we want to see the same kind of Godly commitment and emotion and dedication that is currently in the news – and we want to see it in our community – in our church. Yet many are saying that if we just pray that little bit more or sing that right worship chorus we can better the odds. Some even speak as though now is the time because it is “in the air” like a virus we all catch. We just have to raise our hands and keep our services running long and tell people we are in revival and it will happen.
No pastor ignites a true revival, no matter how gifted or enthusiastic. No worship leader ignites a true revival, no matter how talented or earnest. Revival comes from God alone. The minute we believe that we can usher in revival ourselves is when we take our eyes off of Christ and worship the ritual instead – and as much greatness comes from a real revival like Asbury, an equal amount of damage can come from a false revival instigated by church leaders who are moving without reliance on the Holy Spirit. Suggesting that if we pray harder or worship more fully will bring revival is akin to saying that we have to earn it – we have to show God that our church is worthy. The truth is that true revival begins in the heart of each individual – a renewal of faith and trust that can only come from intimacy with Christ. We cannot show Him that our church is worthy or deserving of revival – because we are not worthy or deserving of anything. Revival is a gift to us like His grace, and it ignites in specific places at specific times according to God’s plan; not because we chose to set up a tent, hire a dynamic speaker, and advertised “Revival” services. We revive when Christ revives us.
I have a different approach for today and going forward, in light of what we have seen God do over the past couple weeks. I believe we should go to church and worship and pray and study with all that is within us. We sing with all of our hearts because we want to bring Him glory and adoration. We pray with transparent and raw, broken hearts because we cannot live without Him, and we want to show our immense gratitude for who He is and all He has done. We bare our souls before Him and and confess, seeking His forgiveness so that we might stand justified by His grace and tell the world about Him. We do this not for revival, we do this out of obedience to God and because we hunger and thirst for Him and His righteousness. We do this because He is worthy. We do this because of who He is and who we are.
And if God decides to send a revival like the college campuses to our little 30 member church in Ohio, then HALLELUJAH! If He does not, then we will worship Him all the more, and we will celebrate the wonderful things He is doing in our nation. And it really is wonderful – wonderful enough to pray that He will do it in your church too.
Judy Rushton says
Awesome.
Esther M Contratto says
I enjoyed reading this. We hadn’t heard about what happened at HLG. That is wonderful.