Beyond Revival
I really believe that we would do the body of Christ a great justice for a revivalist evangelist at the beginning of big meetings to make the statement that this is not to be seen as actual Christianity or the true Christian Life. That the intent of the meeting is to have a very strong, one-time impact that will be short-lived and temporary. That the meeting will be used to help a soul commit to a lifetime of following Christ without the hype and flare and pump that will be experienced during this meeting.
THE REALITY OF CHRISTIAN LIFE
It should be made clear at these meetings that the rest of the life of following Christ will be very difficult. It'll be very hard. You may lose friends, and jobs and homes. It will take a strong commitment to a daily discipline and it will have a lot of trials, tribulations difficulties and joy and hope, and a variety of emotions and experiences. For the most part, the Christian life will not be the hype, flair or pomp that you see in this meeting from the money and people and resources that had been poured into this one-time event.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH REVIVAL MEETINGS
I was someone that once lived off of the hype and pomp and flair of evangelistic/prophetic meetings for a long time. It was my life for many years. I attended them as much as I could. Then I began to host them and preach at them for many years.
DISAPPOINTMENT WITH LACK OF LASTING FRUIT
I became very disappointed that there was very little lasting fruit from these big meetings. Most people that were touched by God, received a healing miracle, or made some type of a commitment to follow Jesus were pretty much still in the same place they were a few years later when I met them again without any real significant change.
A FEW WHO ARE DEEPLY TOUCHED
But that is not to discount there were a few people that were touched deeply in these meetings and their life was propelled faster and further into the things of God. But these people had already been seeking God and they were already somewhat in a committed life of discipleship. So the meeting was a simply a catalyst to what God was already doing in their heart. And it did have great impact.
CONTINUING BIG MEETINGS WITH BALANCE
I still do big meetings sometimes. I plan to continue to do so but it can never be seen as or believed to be the sustenance of the Christian Life. For the most part, these big meetings only talk about the good things of God and the joy and the hope and the happiness and the prosperity that can be found in Christ. And you definitely feel that when you're there. All of the people putting on a smile and coming together for an enjoyable experience.
FAILURE TO PREPARE FOR DAILY DISCIPLESHIP
But for the most part, these big meetings do a pretty bad job of setting up a person for a life of discipleship for the grind of day in and day out, reading the Bible and obeying the commands of God, living like Christ in your workplace & family life. And trying to live in a world that now hates you since you're filled with a Spirit that is against this present evil age.
NEGLECTING THE CRUCIFIED LIFE
Anybody who's been in the game long enough knows that you'll rarely hear a revivalist evangelist talk about living the crucified life. It's normally about the blessings of God and how much God can do for you. Which is a true thing but we've got to be careful not to overemphasize it above the suffering of the Christ-like life. The majority of Jesus's original disciples were imprisoned, stoned, hated, rejected, beaten, and brutally murdered. Where was their breakthrough?
Why didn't Jesus's original disciples live a life of breakthrough in the modern understanding of it? Did they not have enough faith as today's modern revivalist evangelist preacher?
Sometimes when I read 2nd Corinthians 11, I just wish apostle Paul could have sat in on some of the meetings of today's modern revivalist evangelist preachers and maybe he could have been encouraged enough and had enough faith imparted that he didn't have to live such a difficult life 😉
NOT CONDEMNING REVIVAL MEETINGS
And please don't hear me wrong, I do not think there's anything innately wrong with revival meetings or big evangelistic events or big worship events. They can definitely be corrupt with all of the money and celebrity Christianity and resources focused on the "Big Show." But I don't think all of them are corrupt. There is a place for them and they continue to help many people and I plan to continue to participate in them and preach at them.
TEMPORARY VS. DAILY NOURISHMENT
But I think it needs to be clearly stated that these festival, crusade, revival, evangelistic meetings and big worship events are not the Christian Life. They are a very, very small piece in the nourishment of a Christian. They're like having a big birthday dinner with cake and ice cream.
It's wonderful to have a big birthday dinner and lots of cake and ice cream on a special day. But if you think it's supposed to be your birthday everyday, you're going to be let down. Because the rest of your nourishment needs to come from sustainable whole food sources that provide nutrients day in and day out.
THE MEGA-CHURCH PARALLEL
And I would say these words ring true for the mega church model or any church that has the main focus on the "Big Show." Where everyone is dressed up and looking pretty for a rock concert and a message that makes you feel sensually good. I don't have a problem with mega churches or churches that focus around the weekly Sunday morning "Big Show," but I'm just saying it should be clearly stated that this is just temporary meetings. The actual Christian Life is so much more, so much deeper, and so much more difficult. And best of all, so much more of a variety of experiences walking with God in the day to day!
It’s very clear by reading the New Testament that the early church did not view their weekly meetings as the Christian life. Meetings were important and they did do it frequently and maybe sometimes big ones, but the majority of the New Testament is written about the day in, day out instructions and exhortation of a 24/7 actual LIFE. A life centered on imitating Christ’s words, actions, and overall behavior in every moment with any audience.
KEEPING BIG EVENTS IN PROPER PERSPECTIVE
If your Christian Life gravitates around big evangelistic meetings, big conferences, or big weekly one-time Sunday morning church events, then something is off. Don't stop going to them or hosting them, but please take them off the center stage and the idol we've made them. Put them in their place of balance.
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SMALL GROUPS AND DAILY DISCIPLESHIP
I want to encourage you to get into a small group Bible Study. Get into some small prayer meetings, do some outreach to the community in small teams. Meet in each other's homes and pray together. Do the Lord's Supper at your dining room table with brothers & sisters. Begin to do the things that are going to sustain you day in and day out because the "Big Show" always ends at Noon, then it's time to clean up.
RECAP
Daily whole food doesn't taste the best and sometimes it's a lot of work to cook it. But it's what you'll find yourself eating day in and day out. And it will give you the strength and the nourishment and the fulfillment that is needed to keep going another day until we receive that great reward, that blessed hope that is laid up before us, the resurrection on the last day. Christ's Kingdom to come! A new earth of perfect justice, peace, and prosperity that hasn't arrived yet, but we're waiting dearly for His return!
-by Jeremy Gilbert
