Revive Us, Again?

     Revive us, again? This question begs to offer clarity on the concept of overall revival. And why do we need it commenced in a repeated and powerful fashion? In other words, we need done AGAIN! But when was it done in the first place? This book can give you more understanding on that matter in depth. Also, this video can give some experiential clarity on a modern day revival. However, if something/someone needs to be revived, that means it has actually died. The defibrillators need to be modulated for immediate charging and placed on the chest, to reignite the heart, garnering a pulse back into motion. Unfortunately, many churches have failed to realize something is drastically missing, something has considerably died. So how can a church, better yet a nation and world, be revived?

What Is a Revival?

The eternal human quest is to know and experience God.

     Some want God to split open the heavens and descend to earth so they can see him. Others want God to write his message in the sky or on a mountain so they can see it and know for sure what to do. Still others want to hear the voice of God shouting like thunder. And still others want God to “zap ‘em” so they’ll quiver on the floor or jump like a kangaroo. Though most won’t admit it, in one way or another they want God to quit playing hide and seek, to come show himself, to visit his people. True believers want God to intervene in their humdrum experiences. But for most, God can’t be felt or touched. Many feel that God isn’t with them.

       A Working Definition

     One way God responds to this basic human longing is to manifest himself in a revival. But what exactly do we mean by that term? A variety of definitions have been offered by pastors, theologians, and historians, but we would describe it this way:

An evangelical revival is an extraordinary work of God in which Christians repent of their sins as they become intensely aware of his presence in their midst, and they manifest a positive response to God in renewed obedience to the known will of God, resulting in both a deepening of their individual and corporate experience with God, and an increased concern to win others to Christ.

This view of revival recognizes several distinctives, common to historic revivals, that

we should keep in mind as we study them:

• An extraordinary work of God should be distinguished from the more ordinary

work of God in the life of the believer.

• The realization of the unique presence of God during times of revival is

consistently reported in the testimonies of the revived.

• Revivals naturally lead to a significant evangelistic outreach and harvest of souls in

the community touched by the revived church.

While there may be isolated exceptions, these are the manifestations connected with the normal experience of a Holy Spirit outpouring as we read about examples of it in Scripture.

   Nine “Faces” of Revival

     All people have the same basic facial features, yet these features are arranged differently. In a similar way, revivals display the same essential features as they reflect God’s presence, yet they have different “faces”; that is, revival is expressed in different ways. The nine “faces” of revival have been described in an earlier book, Rivers of Revival (written by Elmer Towns with Neil Anderson, Regal Books, 1998; see pp. 116-17). That list of revival

types, each with its characteristic focus, is worth repeating here:

• The repentance revival emphasizes a moral cleansing of individual lives and of society as a whole.

• The evangelism revival focuses on winning souls to Christ.

• The worship revival centers on magnifying God.

• The deeper life revival emphasizes the experience of God’s indwelling.

• The spiritual warfare revival devotes its energies to battling Satan and the other demons.

• The Holy Spirit revival is characterized by extensive manifestations of the Spirit.

• The reconciliation revival leads to the removal of barriers to racial and ethnic harmony.

• The liberation revival focuses on gaining freedom from corporate and personal bondage to sin.

• The prayer revival displays considerable efforts at intercession and other forms of prayer.

     Though any given revival may manifest several of these characteristics, most revivals tend to display one trait more prominently than the others. Just as the face of a child often reflects a blending of the faces of both parents (and grandparents), so the “face” of a particular revival often reflects a blending of two or more of the revival types listed above.

TRENDWATCHING: "Stellar Worship Services"

As we conclude this short mini-series on "Trendwatching" it is only fitting to inform you, trends aren't always bad. But the church has to realize we shouldn't automatically assume, they're always good, either. Ultimately, God should be the primary one directing a local church and the international church body as a whole, not mankind. In addition, ideas and concepts are good when filtered through God's direction. Too often, we ignore the Godly filtration, being more concerned with enjoying worship service on a grandiose scale. 

If it's working massively for someone else's ministry; that's no outright correlation that it'll work the same for yours. One of the more widely-known areas where this can be easily seen is in "worship services." All of a sudden, worship services have to be "stellar." They have to become super-impressive and copycat trends of the latest and most fanciest Sunday services of our day. Here are 5 things that'll explain better what I mean:

Cutting-edge Multimedia Presentations

Stellar worship services must now be filled with cutting-edge interactive multimedia. These presentations must be grandiose and eye-catching. So for the smaller local church who can't afford these; they feel left out and ineffective in competing to retain visiting guests. Because the guests want to see technology galore: flashing lights, smoke, animation, elite graphics, high-definition visual effects and so on. Wow, what a display! It's all well and dandy to have a million-dollar multimedia setup. But it is not necessary for an impactful worship service. "But, Mark...you need to wake up...we're in the 21st century. This is how things go!" And again, I would respond, "but, it's not necessary! It's nice but not needed." If a local church can afford it without going nearly broke, demanding multiple sacrificial offerings to foot the bill, then go for it. But God can do more, even today, without all the theatrics. There's ONLY 1 thing needful, and Jesus believed that was Him and His message (Luke 10:38-42). Just like the scripture, individuals can become so distracted by their serving and stellar presentations; that they lose sight of God Himself.

Perfect Sounding Boards

Stellar worship services must now be controlled by perfect sounding boards. The sound has to be crisp and delightful. We should be able to hear a pin drop in the room. And of course, top-notch microphones, keyboards, drums, and guitars must be used in conjunction with the sound board. Monitors and speakers must be so in sync that guests, attenders and members feel like they're at an IMAX theater. Wow, what an experience! Again, none of this is truly necessary. It's nice but not needed. The Bible is clear that Jesus and the apostles spoke to multitudes of people at a time, thousands. Surprisingly, there were no sounding boards and they heard what was said. The people were more interested in what was being said more than how crisp it was sounding. So they made a conscious decision to listen more intently. And let's not think there weren't distractions. Noises came from people doing business in the market, birds flying above, waves crashing the sea, side conversations, etc. In spite of all that, they still chose to listen in. Now, I clearly understand the purpose behind using a sounding board. And again, if your local church can afford it without nearly going broke, then go for it. But the desire for the perfection of sound can become a distraction to the bigger picture of the worship service. Individuals can get all worked up because the sound wasn't perfect that they fail to listen more intently.

Concert-level Music

Stellar worship services must develop concert-level music. In other words, the praise and worship must coincide well with the prior two subjects, and then some. It has to be on point! The praise team or choir must seek out individuals with the most melodious voices. The praise team leader, lead singer or choir director is nearly worshiped. And their acclaim should be almost up there with the pastor/overseer. Meaning in their mind, they're untouchable, unaccountable to anyone and is mainly responsible for the local church's rapid growth. Oh by the way, they need to get paid big bucks. Or else, they'll take their talented services to the local church on the other side of town; who would eagerly accept them to garner in rapid growth results. What a travesty! But instead of entertaining people, how about we just reach people with the gospel as our priority. The music setup shouldn't take preeminence over that. Again, none of this is really necessary. It's nice but not needed. How many of Jesus' messages were preluded by music? What about the apostles' messages? What about Paul's? Where was their band? Where was the choir? Don't get me wrong, the music can be a benefit to the message. But it should never transcend the message. People shouldn't be so wrapped up into the music, and afterwards tune out the preaching, wanting it rushed. But today that's done in many local churches, too many. Emotions and moods are real, but truth in love is what will bring real freedom. It's a healthy thing for your music ministry to know that on a weekly basis. (Watch this video about this this song)

Fashion Show Runways

Stellar worship services must have fashion show runways. It's not so much that they're modeling designer fashion, even though many local churches are, but rather designer appeal/status. See, many of today's churches have got away from suits and ties, but that doesn't mean they're not trying to still look over-professional. We clothe ourselves with self-righteousness, pride, unforgiveness, gossip, envy, jealousy, etc. And many of the things God wants us clothed with, we neglect (Colossians 3:12-15). Sadly, the best are praised in many local churches: the most professional, most talented, most famous, most wealthy, etc. But is that how God truly wants it? Does He just care about churches being filled with individuals living the middle class or wealthy lifestyle? Ideal families polished with the American Dream. Or is He also highly interested in the broken, homeless, handicapped, poor, and uneducated taking a seat as well? Many of those individuals just listed, local churches would rather not have. But ask yourself, "Is that God's stance?"

Ego-driven Platforms   

Finally, stellar worship services must spotlight ego-driven platforms. If one has a stellar church, suddenly, they're a celebrity. And many bask in that glory. They want to be placed on radio, television, in print, etc. for more of a spotlight to be shown on them. They have to wear the best, dine at the best and lodge in the most expensive places on vacation. Their speaking fees are astronomical, and if you're not willing to dish out the mega-bucks; you can't afford to get the mega preaching-star. Their homes are palatial, cars are ridiculously expensive and jewelry divine. Price and life style expense: It doesn't matter just as long as it strokes their ego. And only they can hear soundly from God but rarely anyone else. Again, none of this is absolutely necessary. It's nice but not needed. No one is saying live like a poor, miserable and lonely vagabond. Neither is anyone saying don't have a major ministry. But one must be careful with claiming too much of the spotlight. The spotlight should SOLELY go on Jesus, and we should be okay with being in the background, at times. Regardless of our popularity, we should check our egos at the door and give ALL the glory to God. (I Corinthians 3:1-11). 

TRENDWATCHING: "The Leading Trend"

Today, we will be embarking on a new mini-series called "trendwatching." It is not just the watching of trends that will become our observational basis, but some of the latest trends particularly in the church. Okay, with no further ado, let's jump in.

Yes, churches follow fads and trends! Some are healthy and some not so healthy. The first trend we'll be addressing is the "leading trend." One may ask, "What is the leading trend?" Well, it's quite simple. The leading trend is the trend of revamped leadership in the church. But one is not just referring to any old type of leadership; we're talking about hyperbolic leadership. I know some are thinking: "Goodness, Mark...enough with the big words." Just stay with me for a moment, I'm going somewhere with this! Hyperbole is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech. It is based on exaggerated emphasis or unrealistic expectations. 

So what's the importance of this lesson in creative literature? The importance is this: many churches are demanding unrealistic expectations as it relates to leadership. Now, it's fully understandable to want better leadership and run a smoother sailing ship, but at what cost?

Here are 3 things your church can watch out for as being wrong reasons for revamping your leadership (in order to honor God):

"We Want Immediate Growth"

"It's our growth, and we want it now!" This slogan may work with J.G. Wentworth and not fully with the local church. The local church is not a structured settlement; it's a loving community. Just like any other thing in life, growth is not always overnight. Get this, it's a process! To automatically think your church will go from 10 to 10,000 in a matter of a couple months is extremely unrealistic, no matter what gimmicks you do. I never said it couldn't be done, but unnecessary pressure would be added to a local group of people unwisely. Individuals can better plan for steps than they could for long jumps. Let God control the growth, not a local church's overzealous leadership.

"We Want Excellence"

Excellence is a good word, but recently, churches have overused it. First and foremost, there is a proper attitude that should go with excellence. Rather than having impressive results, God desires for your heart to be right. If one has to complain to ministry after ministry or want a Sunday morning to be a worship service of absolute perfection and won't be pleased unless those results are always rendered; that's just unrealistic. I refer to it as Unexcellent Excellence. People resent working or volunteering in a local church that overvalues some lofty goal of impressive results, rather than truly valuing the people themselves. Churches should value both, weighing heavier on the individual. A good motto is, "...In all things LOVE." Ministries shouldn't be so quick to rebuke their helpers for not always getting things perfectly right the first or even fifth time around. Again, let's understand most things done (even in the church) are a process and not usually learned overnight. It's not just about excellent-looking end results. But it's about having an attitude, a heart---a proper spirit of excellence in love---toward one another in reaching those eventual end results together, as a team.

"We Want to Treat our Guests like they're at the Ritz-Carlton"

Lastly, churches are just too eager to get people into seats and go after large numbers for a Sunday worship service. Sometimes churches go way too overboard with their treatment of visitors. I understand the importance of making people feel welcomed, but not at the expense of everybody else. Dont' just treat your guest well, treat everyone well. If it's ONLY about the guests, then that's no longer a church but a hotel. In a hotel you don't expect people to stay too long, so you give them 5-star treatment for a hopeful annual return visit. Churches shouldn't look to survive on annual return visits. Churches are made to be similar to a community, a family, a hospital, a building, a marriage and a body. These are all definitions the Bible gives for the church. It's about a day-by-day support system, not a once-a-year vacation plan. It's made for where you live (on this journey called life), not just where you visit. Never is the thought of a hotel, motel or inn ever applied for the concept of the church.

And for the 5-star treatment, hotels like the Ritz-Carlton only give 5-star service for a 5-star price. If you pay $500+/night; you'll get great service. But try getting that same service on a $50/night budget at the Ritz. They'll laugh you out of the hotel, sending you across town to the Motel 6 or Red Roof Inn. What happened to the great service? The great service was only partial to high-qualifying clientele. God's not like that; He's impartial. Churches should take note and be like-minded.   

2011 Plans...!

We are quickly approaching 2011 and we should get ready for the slogans:

"Destined for days like heaven in 2011"

"Debt-free living in 2011"

"2011---the year of the overflow"

We should also get ready for the resolutions:
"I'm going to lose weight"

"I'm going to spend more time with my family"

"I'm going to go back to school"

Also, we should get ready for the realities of life:

"You could lose a loved one"

"You could get laid off your job"

"You could run into unexpected problems"

By now, you all may be sobering up to the fact that life is still filled with uncertainties no matter how hard we plan. An old aged saying is "if you want to make God laugh just tell Him your plans!" During this season many will fast, vision cast, set goals, inspire to fulfill dreams, and seek to have a much better lifestyle. Regardless of what we do, we have to REMEMBER that God had everything already pre-planned before time ever began. All we're doing is living out the set-in-place plan. No matter how hard we try we can never alter it. It's already fixed in place and is unchangeable! What's more, it is the BEST plan for you and I. Our little plans pale in comparison to His. So, let's live out our lives knowing that God's plan is what we should desire. Jesus said it so eloquently in Luke 22:41-42---

...God, not my will but yours be done...

Fairy Tales

Once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived a woman in a shoe. The elf under the bridge. The pot of gold near the stream. Wow, many may be wondering if they're at the correct blog site. What in the world is all this about? Why does this blog start off with fairy tale notions. Well, it's quite simple, many people know that we're nearing the Christmas time. And, unfortunately, fairy tales seem to dominate this season as well.

We hear stories about some fat bearded man in a red and white fleece by the name of Santa. Or, we hear about his red-nosed raindeer and flying sled. Maybe, that's not your home and the focus is more on Ebenezer Scrooge or the Grinch who stole Christamas. Regardless, the focus is not FULLY where it should be and that's on the birth of Jesus. But, much more important than His birth is His death. And, even more important than His death is His rising from the dead.

Therefore, we can have access to a new life in God free from the bondage of sin. We can now live a life destined for heaven. Destined for greatness. Destined for true life. Or, we can ignore all of that and go back to focusing on the fairy tales and commercialized distractions of buy this and go broke for that. My prayer is that we would eventually get to the point where we make the main thing the main thing, and that's the sacrifice of Jesus!