Revival was canceled

An ole staple of many churches, revival. Here’s how its defined by Dictionary.com:

1. 1. The act or an instance of reviving.
   2. The condition of being revived.
2. A restoration to use, acceptance, activity, or vigor after a period of obscurity or quiescence.
3. A new presentation of an old play, movie, opera, ballet, or similar vehicle.
4. 1. A time of reawakened interest in religion.
   2. A meeting or series of meetings for the purpose of reawakening religious faith, often characterized by impassioned preaching and public testimony.

Definition number 4b really caught my attention.  When I talked with a family member this past week, she was disappointed that her church canceled revival. Wow, I thought, she has to go another week of being spiritually or asleep and is in need of reviving.

I began to encourage her, being snowed in, is probably the best thing to happen to you. Just reach over and open that bible and spend some alone (snowed in) time with the savior. I will guarantee that by the hour you will be strengthened and encouraged. Gods word will do that, God does not need a fancy service, speaker, loud music and inspirational surroundings to do what He needs to do.

Church goers have become so dependent on church leaders to “revive me”  “teach me”  “encourage me” and it seems that believers will take little to no responsibility for their spiritual well being and growth. Church goers have become so dependent on church services to lift us and not Gods Word to guide us. Encourage yourself like David did in 1 Samuel 30:6Churches (at least the pentecostal and holiness churches) that I know of, will have a revival to simple raise money. When ever there was a goal (money or attendance) that the church wanted to attain, there were at least three programs that church leaders could depend on to  raise money or church attendance:

• Family friends & neighbors day
• Choir day
• Revival

Although there are many others events, the point is, churches (many) use these event to raise money not spiritual awareness. What are Sunday morning worship services for? If you can not get re-energized and inspired on a Sunday morning and you need a special day or event.

Usually when revivals are planned, included in the plans are an internationally known revivalist (flown in from afar) that really adds the element of sensationalist and oh..did I mention, this revivalist is really good at what he does! That will bring the people out! When announcing the revival, if you can get a prophet (that will cost the church extra) you can get more people to come out.  There is this expectation from people that the prophet will foretell some good fortune on the people, you can definitely get a good offering from people looking for a prophesy.

Now,  since the church has raised the expectation of the people the leadership in on the hook for paying for this person to come out, there is the added burden or raising enough offering from the people to give to this person for preaching, performing miracles and whipping the member into a giving frenzy.   Like clock work, the last night of the revival, the guest speaker will most always raise an offering for the pastor. The guest speaker will take the time to really point out the sacrifice and dedication “of this man of  God” and tell you how God will honor you if you honor your pastor with some money, because “money answerth all things”. Also he will remind you how, I don’t want to be seen, not honoring this man on this night.  I have sat through many of these types of services laden with more pressure to give (under guilt and manipulation) than what “thus says the Lord”.

As the speaker continues to place quilt on the people of God; using the right combination of words and phrases (called manipulation), the people will give out of quilt and possible shame of being seen “not giving”.  When the revival is over, the people are financially strapped and drained, the speaker and the pastor now have a hefty sum of offering money and the people are now worried about how they went beyond their budgets.

We ask the people to live by faith, but the leaders really don’t have to when they have the people to give them an offering.  Revival can take place in your back yard, in your closet on your knees before God. We have allowed  religion to dictate to us when we need to be revived, re-energized, reacquainted with our faith and God when,  the person who should know first hand are the believer themselves.

Think about the next revival you attend, why are you going? To be revived? Well if you know that you need revival, why did you not take the steps needed to reacquaint yourself with Jesus Christ? Read the Word, pray, fellowship. What..it wasn’t working? Pray until something happens, continue to seek after God, continue in prayer, stay in His Word and something will happen!

Just as we are aware of and respond to the things we need to do on a daily basis, your soul, your spiritual health is also your responsibility. I can understand how and why being in the presence of other believers is an inspiring and uplifting experience (this is why fellowship is so important). If you cant get it on a Sunday morning or during Bible study, revival is just a temporary fix to  a problem that you need to address.

Its your Bible, read it. He (Jesus Christ) is our Savior, go to Him in prayer.

Going Against The Grain

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Tagged as: church tradition, Offering, revival, traditions, What does the Bible say?