WHAT IS REVIVAL? WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? WHY IS IT NEEDED? AND ARE WE WILLING TO PAY THE COST?

Fort Wayne's Children Zoo, Fort Wayne, IN

 My introduction to the topic of Revival was when I saw a half dozen Chick Tracts. Most of them, of course, were evangelistic, but one of them was his tract "Why No Revival?" I was in 6th grade that time, and I didn't catch his points well until a few years later.

Little did I know as I thumbed through that pamphlet at home in Prescott, Arizona, there was revival taking place on the other side of the country. 

Fast forward half a century. Another revival is taking place at the same university it happened in the '70's. I learned about it as I was watching half a dozen Christian musicians from the Jesus Music era at the time of the first revival. These musicians (John Fischer, Randy Stonehill, Glenn Kaiser, Paul Clark, Barry McGuire, and Swedish singer Ingemar Olsson) are talking about needing a song to start revival among Millennials.

But what does Revival look like? What are we looking for? 

One problem with the church as a whole (and it may have been a problem since Pentecost) is  that we focus on experience. We want the positive feelings. Could it be that we feel entitled to God's blessing on us? Likewise, is this desire for revival absent from a need for the Church to genuinely repent (both individually and corporately)? 

One of my favorite musicians, who's also a pastor, has some questions on the current revival. Namely, is it based on Scripture? Is it encouraging assembling together with the Church?

Another question I have is how lasting is it? Is Revival a peak that we descend from eventually and return to status quo? I remember reading No Compromise, the biography of Keith Green, where it mentioned a revival that lasted only for hours before being quenched. Is that real revival?

I would love to hear what you all think revival looks like, and if you want to comment before reading on so I don't influence your answer, go ahead and comment! 

Thank you to all who have commented. Here's my thoughts on what real revival will look like.

1. It will come from prayer and solid Bible teaching. Not only are these two elements a starting point, but true Revival will create a desire for yet more prayer and Bible Study.
2. It will transform a life. Yes, there may be a let down, but I believe genuine revival would result in changes that last in a person's life.
3. It will be a community event. I heard one speaker say renewal involves the individual while revival involves the corporate church. The hunger for prayer and Bible Study and the staying power I mentioned above will be strengthened by the encouragement of one another, as Hebrews 3:12-13 and 10:24-25 encourages.
4. It will not only be active in the church's four walls, but it will also spread out. There will be a desire to evangelize. There may even be a desire to go to the Mission field. 

Are we willing to make changes for revival to take place in the church and for renewal to happen in our own hearts? There will be costs. We'll definitely have to give up our sins and probably some activities that are not sin but are keeping us from serving God whole heartedly. We may also face opposition from the world, from our family and friends, and maybe even the church.