What Does "Revival" Look Like?

One of my passions is the study of Christian history. I especially am interested in what are commonly called revivals throughout church history. However, distinguishing something as a “revival” is a highly subjective thing largely based on one’s own upbringing. For example, many churches schedule “revivals” one week year with a visiting preacher and evening services. That is in no way a bad thing, but it does not carry the same meaning to me as when God sovereignly moves upon a specific location. That is why I prefer the term “Move of God”.

As I study what I believe to be Moves of God through history I look for characteristics that seem to be consistent in each of them. I also find that certain characteristics or qualities in some that are not present in others. The following is a list of 10 characteristics that seem to be present whenever there is a sustained Move of God in a specific location:

1. Biblical texts are proclaimed through preaching and teaching

2. People are delivered from physical and emotional bondages

3. A recognizable sense among people of The Presence of God in the place

4. Internal transformation (identity, behavior, etc.)

5. External transformation (evangelism, outreach to the marginalized, poor, etc.)

6. A truth is restored in a new or fresh manner (The Father’s Love for ex.)

7. Repentance, exhibited by disenculturation and then true fellowship

8. Resistance and persecution against the move (it may come from within or from outside)

9. A greater devotion to God through worship and prayer

10. An increased sense of awe and reverence toward God

As I consider each of the above characteristics I feel so grateful about what God has done and is doing in our body. I now find myself praying that:

• We continue to grow as Pastor John leads us through a deeper understanding of The Gospels

• We never tire of hearing the testimonies of those released from Satan’s grip

• We are transformed in the Manifest Presence of God

• More and more people find their identity in Christ

• Our love for the poor and marginalized will continue to be expressed with action

• The real Jesus will be fully unveiled in our midst

• We will be a people that fully repent and wholly embrace the values of Jesus’ Kingdom

• We will be undeterred from following God when we experience resistance

• Our devotion to God in prayer and worship would be motivated by our awe, reverence and deep love for Him.

      

An Alarming Story

Last week a man that I know named John saw me and said, "Josh, have I got a story for you!"  He proceeded to tell me about some odd things that had been happening in his house the previous week. 

One day his wife Valerie (FYI - this is NOT the same John & Val that attend Redeemer) called him at work and said that she just wanted to check and make sure that he was not at home.  She said that she heard someone say, "Hello Valerie" but nothing else.  He asked her a few questions regarding dosages of her medications and if she was feeling ok.  Valerie was sure she heard a voice in the house.  She called him another time a day or so later with the same story, "Hello Valerie" then silence.  He assured her that no one was there and that everything was fine.

One night at the end of the week John and Valerie had someone over visiting.  Valerie and the visitor were talking together while John was in another room of the house.  John heard a voice.  Valerie and the person heard it too and began to talk excitedly about it.  When John came into the room Valerie said, "Did you hear it?  That man's voice - he said 'Hello Valerie'.  John laughed.  Then John laughed more as he explained that he heard the voice too.  But the voice did not say, "Hello Valerie".  The male sounding voice said, "Low Battery."  It was the smoke detector.

I saw a man not named “Pigeon” today

When I was a wide eyed sophomore at Monroe High School (back then MHS was only 10^th -12^th grade) I remember seeing a young man everyone called "Pigeon". He was thin, red faced, excitable and seemed to be always smiling. In fact, he seemed so happy that it made him stand out against the throngs of image conscious students (I use the term student in its loosest sense in regard to people like myself). "Pigeon" also was a remedial student that trusted just about everything anyone told him.



My first memory of him was watching the coolest table of athletic upperclassmen throwing pennies across the cafeteria during lunch and calling out for "Pigeon" to chase after it. He smiled and ran. He ran all the way to one side of the cafeteria. They guffawed and threw a penny the other direction. "Pigeon" smiled, sweated, and chased it down through hundreds of students. Those at the table high-fived and whooped it up. They threw, he ran. Repeat. Day after day.



I look back now in my memory and wonder how it is possible that I didn't intervene. It was probably a mixture of cowardice, fear, and utter selfishness. "Pigeon" however seemed unfazed by it all. I however regret my inactivity every time I think of it.



As the years went by I would see him riding his bike collecting returnable bottles around town. I would say hi to him and ask how he was doing. He was always the same, happy and kind. When I was 15 years old I worked at a party store sorting the returnable bottles. I made $2.50 an hour. It seemed that I saw "Pigeon" almost every time I worked. He would bring in bag after bag of bottles and cans. He made the same joke every time he came to the counter. If he had $9.70 in returns he would say, "$97.00 please". Then he would laugh. Same thing if he brought in $6.50, "$65.00 please" and then a giant smile. He would then get back on the bike picking up every dime people discarded. I learned that his name was William.



I always looked forward to seeing him on his bike. Then one day I saw him in a store parking lot. I am sure that he had just finished saying his joke to the cashier. He walked to an older car and drove away. I have often wondered if it was bought not only with returned recyclables but also with pennies picked up on the cafeteria floor.



I saw William today when I went to the grocery store. This time he was in a van. I said hello and enjoyed his smile and laughter. I am positive that right now that the back of his van is full of bottles and cans and that the front is full of a red face and a giant smile.

Myths Concerning Demonization

We will also be looking at some excerpts from Charles Kraft's book Defeating Dark Angels in Redeemer Ministry School this morning as part of the Healing and Deliverance I teach.  In chapter two he lists what he believes are 12 myths concerning demonization.  They are as follows:

1.  Christians cannot be demonized.
2.  People are "possessed" by demons.
3.  Deliverance is a one-shot deal.
4.  Demonization is simply psychological illness.
5.  All emotional problems are caused by demons.
6.  Such problems are either demonic or emotional.
7.  Demonization is uncommon in the United States.
8.  Those with demons are guilty of spiritual rebellion.
9.  Only those with "special gifting" can cast out demons.
10.  Inner voices and personality switching: Sure evidences of demonization?
11.  Deliverance always entails a big fight.
12.  The demonized speak in a different voice.

Kraft is a missiologist and former professor at Fuller Theological Semionary who has spent thousands of hours delivering people from demonization and counseling them afterward.  His findings come from his own experience with the demonic.  We will be evaluating and discussing each of the "myths" in the first class session.

Tomorrow in Redeemer Ministry School

A.B. Simpson (1843 - 1919) was the founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (CMA) in 1897.  He started off as a Presbyterian Pastor but decided to start his own church in 1881 with the purpose of Evangelizing all of New York City.

Simpson coined the term "fourfold gospel" to describe Jesus as Saviour, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King.  He refused to accept any doctrine that claimed that the gifts of The Holy Spirit had ceased.  He viewed the book of Acts as a guide for how believers were to live.  He believed that speaking in tongues was "an expression of lofty spiritual feeling and intense moving of the heart."  It's interesting to me that he did not believe (rightly, in my opinion) that speaking in tongues was the initial evidence of baptism of The Holy Spirit and pointed out that speaking in tongues was last in Paul's list of spiritual gifts. In 1908 he expressed concern to church leaders that the doctrine of initial evidence caused people to focus too heavily on manifestations and minimize evangelism.

At the age of 37, troubled by heart problems and bad nerves, Simpson was told by a New York physician that his days were numbered.  Soon after that he heard the teaching of divine healing proponent Charles Cullis.  Convinced on the truth of divine healing after searching through the bible he began to seek an experience to match the theory. He was healed after a prolonged period of prayer and taught that physical healing was purchased for believer's on the cross.  His health remained strong for the next 35 years. 

He was a great promoter of world missions, fiery evangelist, revivalist and author. The thing that I find most compelling was his willingness to advocate and endorse that which he had not experienced yet. 

(  BTW - If a movie is ever made about his life, Gene Hackman is my choice). 

Adoniram Judson Gordon

Today I was reading about A.J. Gordon (pictured above), an American Baptist Pastor that wrote books on healing and The Holy Spirit in the late 1800's.  He entered into a healing ministry in 1877 after attending one of D.L. Moody's revival meetings. Moody's meetings were filled with people responding physically to the presence of God.  There he witnessed a man delivered from a opium addiction and the healing of a missionary's jaw that had been riddled with cancer. He was so taken by what he saw that his life and ministry was forever changed.   From that day forward Gordon's affluent church in Boston became a welcome place for those who needed healing and deliverance.  He was a forerunner to the many of the healing evangelists that would become prominent at the turn into the 20th century.  Gordon died on February 2, 1895 with  "victory" being his final word.

As an aside, I find it sad that the institution bearing Moody's name has moved so far away from some of the types of ministry that their founder practiced.  On page 23 of Moody Bible Institute's undergraduate catalog it reads,
"Historically Moody Bible Institute has maintained positions which have identified
it as noncharismatic, dispensational, and generally Calvinistic."