A Quiet Revival

Lately I have been asked and have asked others what a revival actually is. As is often the case, we sometimes identify everything around a revival as the revival, but miss the actual essenence. At least in my mind, revival incorporates positive life change. I know we think of a lot of celebratory worship, demonstrative encounters with God, a general feeling of excitement and lots and lots of church services sparked by larger than expected attendances. As I said, these external signs are things we often associate with revival but are not revival itself. True revival is about a life changing from sin to set free. People being convicted of their sin, confession of their sin, repentenace of their sin and then empowerment to live apart from sin. That is the essence of what revival really is. When this kind of movement begins to take place on a larger scale, there is often an exuberent response to seeing people's lives changed, thus the celebratory worship, and other outward manifestations.

Because we tend to characterize revival is such ways, we might miss such a "move of God" if it wasn't heralded by music, waving flags and overflow crowds. What if it was, quiet? No special speakers, no worship bands, no "Jericho Marches". Let me challenge our status quo thinking on revival. What if men were gathering together for three hours out of hunger for God instead of staying home and watching Monday Night Football on TV? What if men were risking embarassment to admit their shortcomings spiritually to other men? What if men were being convicted of their sin and confessing that sin and repenting of that sin? What if all of this was done without fanfare, exuberance and demonstrative exhibitions? Could it still be revival? You can be certain the answer is yes. Emphatically yes. What I have just described is exactly what is happening in our M3 men's meetings. It is humbling and amazing to watch happen. Men are responding positively to the challenge to "step up" and lead as spiritual leaders in their homes, to confess their sin and pray for one another. To apply the turths of scripture to their actual lives instead of living a double life.

So far there isn't a lot of attention being generalted outside the circle of M3, but that doesn't lessen the truth that a revival is taking place, a quiet revival. I am enjoying it very much. It is a wonderful experience to pastor a group of men who don't have to be cajoled into attending, or browbeat into being hungry for God. I am mostly just a participant with the group and allowing God to work in my own life as well as the lives of others. It's the real thing. I'm loving it.