I’ve had this question bouncing around in my head all day: How does a revival get started?
I know the answer is all about the Holy Spirit, and I want to respect that truth. But I do wonder how I (or we) could be like a surfer who gets his board in the right spot to be ready to catch the wave when it comes. And what do you do with the wave once you have it?
Any thoughts, book suggestions, or other reactions would be welcome. I suspect this question will be with me for a while.
I am a part-time local pastor serving Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church and a participant in the Indiana Conference's Wesleyan ConneXion. I teach business communication at Indiana University in the Kelley School of Business.
I also contribute to The View from Here blog at Next Step Evangelism.
My wife, Lisa, and I have been married 23 years. Luc, 8, lives with us. Zach, 22, is a graduate of American University and working in campaign politics. JillAnn, 18, is at Hendrix College.
Contact me at johnmeunier at Gmail.
This love we believe to be the medicine of life, the never-failing remedy for all the evils of a disordered world, for all the miseries and vices of men. Wherever this is, there are virtue and happiness going hand in hand. There is humbleness of mind, gentleness, long-suffering, the whole image of God; and at the same time a peace that passeth all understanding, and joy unspeakable and full of glory.
— John Wesley
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I think the wave analogy is really apt. But that takes time in the water, going for it and sucking sea water from time to time. I think God births revival from people who are in the water and watching the horizon
I spent a year-long sabbatical (2000-2001) God chasing around the world. The signs to look for are conversions, healings, people coming under conviction by the power of the Holy Spirit, and communities growing in love of God and neighbor. The signs of the in-breaking kingdom are still present in our world, but sadly, I don’t see much happening in the UMC these days. I suspect that revival may begin to happen when more pastors attend to the ordinances of God and adhere to their ordination vows by engaging in fasting and encouraging it among the heirs of Wesley
Henry Blackaby of Experiencing God fame has a new resource called Fresh Encounter that’s pretty good. I’m doing it with a group and we realized that revival happens when dead Christians wake up.
Thank you, Talbot.