fundamentals

you can have controversy without revival, but you cannot have revival without controversy. someone, somewhere will always be critical, cynical or jealous. so if we decide we want to see our church revived, we have to be willing to sacrifice our pride, our ambitions, our agendas and our right to be offended. revival is the place where we must choose to give up self for the sake what God is doing in the community.

strange things occur in revivals. people get saved, they get set free- free from drugs, free from alcohol, free from smoking, free from pornography, free from religious spirits, etc. this revolution of souls is what grinds out the most controversy. when God comes, He changes what we see, what we say and what we do. revival is a complete experience- not just an intellectual one. many people will miss heaven and an eternity with Christ by a foot and a half. many christians will miss revival by the same distance- the distance between the head and the heart.

critics claim emotional sensationalism due to lighting, music and atmosphere of the venue is at the heart of modern revival. they claim, and often correctly, that many of the people at the altars are simply christians renewing their commitments. some of these have described it as "feeling as if [they] have just been saved again."

there are modern examples of revivals and outpourings, but God doesn't just want to alter the churchscape in one city, state or country, He wants the church unified in Him around the globe. He is looking for a clean bride who is not wounded, but whole. a bride who is not compromised but pure.

these are sometimes difficult pills to swallow. holiness and purity aren't always things we want to hear about. they can seem to be too elemental and fundamental not free and advanced. the power we have in Christ is more evident in a life of holiness than in a life of selfishness, self-servitude and self-preservation.

as a former athlete, i understand the need for fundamentals. they always caught you when you made a mistake, they were a place to return when you made an error. you can learn all the tricks and fancy plays you want, but without the fundamentals to build on, you're worthless to the team. you may be able to pull off a double cross-over behind your back but if you can't pass or shoot the ball, you won't play. you may be able to shake defenders and run precision routes, but if you can't catch the football, you'll never do anything. you might be able to catch the baseball in a spectacular fashion, but without the ability to hit the ball, you're worthless to the team. it's in the fundamentals that the foundations are laid for improvisation. to quote a movie, "the fun is in the fundamentals." the strength is in the struggle. when we uncover our weakness, we discover His perfect strength.

for the world-wide renown of His sovereign glory...