Revival in 2013?

by Pastor Ron Bridge of Rehoboth Baptist Church

A few years ago, Paul Washer was speaking on the need for revival in the church and said this: We need an awakening, [in the church] but we cannot expect the Holy Spirit to come down and clean up the mess we have made. We have clear directions from the word of God...and how He expects us to live, and how He expects us to order His church. And it does little good for men to cry out for extra biblical manifestations when biblical principle is violated all around us...There is little need for the devil and evil men to oppose a man praying for revival unless he is also laboring for reformation. We have been given truth, and we cannot simply do what is right in our own eyes and then expect the Holy Spirit to come down and bless our labors.(1) In short, if the church is not obedient to the truth revealed in the Scripture, praying for revival is futile –God simply will not answer (James 4:3-5).

What are some of the things that the church is doing to block revival? Washer makes ten indictments against the modern church, the first of which is a denial of the sufficiency of Scripture. The modern church is awash with various methods and techniques. Worship has been reduced to long periods of singing. Counseling is based more on psychology and the social sciences than the word of God. Preaching is almost devoid of substance, pastors are reluctant to challenge their listeners and to speak with authority against worldliness and spiritual apathy in the church. Many Christians fail to honor God by their regular presence and service, others are robbing God in their giving. Parents, particularly fathers, are AWOL from the lives of their children and fail to teach them from the Bible, abdicating their responsibility to others. Few Christians have a regular, life-changing prayer life. Most Christians do not evangelize and when they do the message is often more man-centered “decisionism” than the need for thorough, God centered, heart cleansing repentance. Sin is treated superficially, holiness is in short supply. The Bible speaks to each of these issues, but Christians routinely ignore many of them, choosing rather, to do their own thing.

Washer lists nine other indictments which serve as a barrier to genuine revival. However, until Christians are serious about reading, understanding and applying the word of God to their lives none of the other nine really matter. Conclusion? Until Christians are willing to submit their lives to the Scriptures there will be no improvement in the spiritual state of the church and revival will not come to the church, or to the nation. We cannot expect God to bless us if we are unwilling to do what He says in order for Him to bless us (2 Chron. 7:14).

May we, as individual Christians, and as the church of God in our little corner of New England, be faithful in reading, understanding and applying the word of God to our lives. May we see it as fully sufficient for all of life, and may God be pleased to revive His church, not only here in Rehoboth, but and in every place where He is honored. May the Lord bless us in 2013 and cause His name to be glorified among us and in our community.

(1) -Ten Indictments Against the Modern "Church"