There seems to be an aversion to the term revitalization. When used in context to a local church, the classic response is often, “Well, our church certainly needs to improve in some areas, but we certainly are not that bad off.” Churches definitely see the need to refocus, re-energize or even retool, but isn’t revitalization for the churches that are dying and closing? According to Webster’s dictionary, revitalization is “to give new life or vigor.” Revival is defined as “an improvement in the condition or strength of something.” This makes perfect sense because they come from the same root word — revive.
Reviving someone or something means restoring to life. Unfortunately, there appear to be millions of people and thousands of churches who say they belong to Jesus, but their lives and ministries do not match their claims. There is an urgent need for revival today. In Revival, written in 1987, Martin Lloyd-Jones wrote, “In a sense, of course, all preaching should promote revival, and it is only as we, as Christian people, understand the doctrines of the Christian faith that we can ever hope to truly see the need for revival, and therefore to pray for it.” Would you not agree that churches today need to be praying for revival?
In The Church Revitalization Toolkit, Sam Rainer defines church revitalization as “the process of leading an established church to a place of better health, typically with an existing pastor and without changing the identity of the church.” Isn’t “a place of better health” something that every church should passionately pursue and desire? Shouldn’t there be an attitude of doing whatever it takes for your church to be vibrant and alive? Are you willing to pay the price for your church to be exactly who God desires her to be and begin the journey today for that to become a reality? You cannot afford to be a member of a dead worldly church.
Your church is absolutely necessary in God’s economy. Ephesians 3:10 states, “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.” Your church is God’s plan to make Himself known in your community. That means it is essential to be who He has called you to be by carrying out His plans, His way, for your congregation. In Acts 20:28, pastors are admonished “to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” Christ made the ultimate sacrifice for His church, so what sacrifice could possibly be too great for you and me?
Revival is needed today more than anything else. Tim Keller defined it like this, “Real revival is the intensification of the ordinary operations of the Holy Spirit.” He described those “ordinary operations” as conviction, conversion, assurance and sanctification. Keller stated that when you do have revival, “sleepy Christians wake up, nominal Christians are converted, and conscious non-Christians come to faith.” Keller gave four marks of revival — “the gospel is recovered, repentance is normalized, corporate worship is anointed, and disciples are multiplied.” Does this not sound like what your church and my church need?
Keller described the results of revival as, “You’re convicted of sin, so you don’t have the arrogance you had, but you’re confident and less concerned about what you look like to other people.” True revival will be Bible-saturated, where you surrender completely to the authority of the Scriptures by not only believing and reading them, but also obeying them. Kevin DeYoung stated, “True revival is marked by a rediscovery of the Word of God, a restored sense of the fear of God, a return to God through confession and repentance, a renewed spiritual commitment to God’s people and, finally, a reformation of true piety.”
Psalms 85:6 is a cry for revival, “Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?” J. Edwin Orr said that revival is “a movement of the Holy Spirit bringing about a revival of New Testament Christianity in the church of Christ and its related community.” Vance Havner described revival as, “the church falling in love with Jesus all over again.” Stephen Olford stated, “Revival is ultimately Christ Himself, seen, felt, heard, living, active, moving in and through His body on earth.” One of the greatest truths about true revival is that it is never man-centered but one hundred percent Christ-centered.
In Asleep in the Land of Nod David Butts put it like this, “It (revival) is not about a type of music or special experience, but a fresh revelation of Christ in the midst of His people… a people often grown sleepy or slow-moving and desperately in need of a fresh awakening touch from the Savior.” Revival is what is needed in your church today to take your church to a better place of spiritual health and vitality. Have you become satisfied with numbers, activities, programs, religious exertion, great fellowship or nice buildings? While you desire many of these good things, do you desire the best thing, God Himself?
One helpful tool is The Pastor’s Revival Ready Checklist by Dr. Hal Seed gave five steps:
• Be expectant — Be hopeful that these days that seem so dark are the perfect time for God to make Himself known.
• Be informed — Know the revivals in the Bible and be familiar with how God has moved in modern history, as well.
• Be cleansed — Dig deep to clean out the crevices of sin in your life and kneel humbly before the Lord.
• Be prayerful — Pray with new fervency and join others who are travailing in prayer, too.
• Be ready — Keep watch with a clear mind and an open heart to be ready to see revival come to your church.” We desperately need Heaven-sent revival.
If you would like a copy of the workbook resource mentioned, The Pastor’s Revival Ready Checklist, we would love to send it to you. The two resources mentioned last week are also available — Personal Revival Checklist and My Spiritual Journey Evaluation. Please email me (larry@bmaam.org) or Heidi (heidi@bmaglobal.org) to request these resources.
