In these last days many churches do need a revival to take place. I've heard many sermons from pastors over the years about the need for revival. They all go something like this:
- we need a revival in our church
- It is possible for Christians to grow weary
in their walk and service to the Lord
- More people need to come to evening service
- More people need to come out to the mid-week prayer meeting
- More people need to serve in the church.
In general, a revival sermon tends to start by encouraging or
"guilt driving" the people in the pew's to "revive" and get
busy. This assumes the problem of a church in need of revival
is caused by the congregation.
This tract will address the issue that the people in the pew is the wrong place to start! First the pastoral staff and elders must be revived. Without revival in the church leaders, there will be no revival with the congregation.
Then once the church leadership is committed to the Lord and to the building up of God's people, the congregation can be revived.
WAYS TO REVIVE A CHURCH
Here are some points to consider and apply:
- In leadership meetings seek in prayer and discussion how God's people may be uplifted, encouraged, and taught the Word of God. This is the goal and purpose of the local assembly. God's people need to be taught the Word of God so they can easily discern between good and evil in these last days.
- Sunday school. Does your church have a good Sunday school program that encourages people to bring their children? Children should be learning about the Bible with Scripture memorization included in the program. Does your church have an excellent adult Sunday school program? Is your adult Sunday school teacher a good teacher and encourager of God's people? Can he do good expository studies of the Bible? Is his doctrine sound and Bible based? A church with a good Sunday school program filled with sound Biblical teaching is a way to succeed. God's people love to feed on the Word of God. Do not have a program that starves people and drives them away. A doctrinally unsound Sunday school teacher in your midst or a liberal Sunday school program will succeed in driving people away!
- Preaching. It is important for a pastor to teach in an expository manner from the Bible. Topics like sin and hell should not be ignored. People should be fed the Word of God from a pastor who loves sound Biblical doctrine and seeks to build up God's people. In these last days few pastors do expository Bible teaching. Instead many pastors seek some kind of large super-church where they are the king-pastor. To avoid offending people, a liberal and watered down message is given. This type of thinking is wrong and it is part of the devil's plans to destroy God's church. But this fact is sure: God's people love to be taught expository Bible teachingr. To dig and explore within the Word of God is something that God's people love to do.
Let me give an example of this: Many years ago the church we attended had a week long series of meetings. As you may know many times turnout to such meetings is average, to say the least. However, a guest speaker came and did expository Bible teaching. As a result his meetings were full. It was very noticeable that more people came to hear a expository Bible teacher than they did to hear a man who came to talk.
What do most preachers do when they give a message? They start off by quoting one verse from the Bible. Then for the rest of their message they just talk, talk, talk. This is the type of thing that puts people to sleep and bores them to tears. It also discourages people from coming. God's people want to be fed the Word of God so they can grow spiritually.
So pastors, if God's people love expository Bible preaching and are edified and built up by it, then do it! Expository Bible preaching should not be a rare thing as it is today!
- Clean up may be needed! Does your church has a school? If so, then is the school being run in such a manner that would please the Lord Jesus? Today many Christian schools tolerate rock music or the occult via Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, or even fairy tales. Yes fairy tales are demonic. They use the same spells and magic used in Harry Potterism and Lord of the Rings. There is no such thing as a "good witch". It is all evil and abomination to the Lord. So, church leaders, do you want blessing in your church? Then clean up your Christian school or library or bookstore if you have one. Warn and teach people from the pulpit to stay away from the occult in all its forms.
The next thing that needs to be cleaned from the church or an associated Christian school is Satan's rock music. If you wish to love, honor, and obey the Lord Jesus, then remove this evil.
Pastors also need to give Bible based sermons warning God's people of the dangers of the occult and rock and roll music.
If your church does not keep the occult and rock music out, then don't hope for much of a revival from within your congregation.
Can you see how many things have to be done before revival hits the congregation? First the church leadership must take action and do what it takes to remove Satan from the church or Christian school. The leadership must adopt a servants heart eager to serve the Lord Jesus and to edify and build up God's blood bought people. These things must be done before any hope of a revival occurs from within the congregation.
CONCLUSION
If you want to have revival in your church, the leadership must take first actions. Cleanup may be needed of any occultism and rock music before any revival can take place. Messages from the pulpit need to be given to the congregation warning of spiritual dangers. Parents need to be taught not to be deceived by the occult and rock music in their homes. Finally, return to good old fashioned expository Bible preaching while seeking to edify and build up God's people.
I believe if this is done, people will attend the adult and children Sunday school. There will be no problem filling the evening service if God's people know they are going to be given in-depth teaching from the Word of God. Finally, the mid-week meeting should pick up when time is given for expository Bible preaching. Also, do not ignore Bible prophecy as so many are prone to do! The Lord Jesus is coming back very soon and God's people need to be encouraged with that fact.
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