One thing that drove me nuts in my past church experiences is the whole idea of a "fall revival" or a "spring revival". Some churches have both. Don't get me wrong. It is good to have some special times together as a church to focus on renewal and getting our hearts right with God.
I remember as a child getting drug to a month long revival meeting. Every night for a month we went to church. I remember thinking that if someone would just hit me in the head with a hammer I would be better off. The social aspect of the month long meetings was it's only saving value to me as a kid, I got to play with friends before and after the service.
The fact is most churches are calling a revival what is actually a series of evangelistic meetings, that is the problem. This is when the crank up the potluck dinners, pack a pew night, a special night each for the children and for the youth (and the service is in no way geared towards either age group). The church is encouraged to invite all their "lost" friends. I guess I would be more comfortable if they called it something other than a revival.
You can't revive someone who has not been vived.
The other problem is the fact that most churches that hold these meeting do so twice a year. They put it on the calendar and since it is there they do it. Many times without even seeking God's will on the matter. So the church finds another pastor from another church to come in and preach, a hired gun, or they bring back the evangelist that preaches so passionately. When asked why they hold these revivals the answer is, "because we do every year." Is that a good reason?
You can't calendar revival. Revival is a God thing.
I got an e-mail from a church in our area; I somehow have ended up on their bulk e-mail list, reminding me that if I missed the revival to make sure I come tonight. This is another problem; churches feel such a compelling to pack their auditoriums with people that they invite all the other believers in the area from other churches. What about focusing on your church's spiritual health? There are times when "family meetings" need to be just for family (pickin up what I'm layin down) Is this local church having revival? Time will tell and the proof is in the pudding.
Spiritual health takes work and balance; a series of evangelistic meetings won't necessarily accomplish that purpose.
Next month I will have been at NHC for 7 years. In those 7 years we have not had one "revival" service, but I have seen revival in the hearts and lives of God's people. I have seen a church that is striving to be spiritually healthy. I have seen the church grow as believers turn back to God and as spiritual babies are born. Have we had special times? Yes. Each time we do a 40 days period focused on spiritual growth, reaching the community or like the one we are in right now, prayer, our church grows healthier and numerically. God blesses a group of people who have a desire to be spiritually healthy. The goal of spiritual health will accomplish much more in the lives of believers and a community than a calendared event of 4 nights (what happened to the good old 7 day revival services?).
Focusing on spiritual health has a huge impact in the life of believers and doesn't happen overnight or in a 4-day series of service.
By the way the church I mentioned, the one where I was drug to the revival services for a month, no longer exists. Apparently even calendaring a month of revival services didn't bring about spiritual health to that church.
Do I believe God can impact an individual's life in a "revival"? Yes. Do I believe that God can work in the life of a church in a "revival"? Yes, God can do whatever God wants to do because he is God. Have I ever seen this personally? No. Have I seen purposeful and intentional focus on building spiritual health in a church over a period of years make a difference and impact in the life of a church? Yes, just come hang with us at NHC for a while and you will see. Are we a perfect church? No, because I'm a member of the church.
