“It’s time for the reign of God
It’s time for your light to shine
It’s time for the Kingdom of our God
To be revealed…”
Brian Doerksen has given us some memorable praise choruses, but this one causes me concern. The suggestion is that we just have to be about doing more zealously the work of God. Then the skies will open. Then revival will connect and believers will operate in their full authority. Oh happy day.
This really brings us, I suppose, to the great controversy that arose in the ministries of the early evangelists. They came to town with the concept of a meeting, a hell-fire sermon, a call to the penitents’ bench and a number of other means. There certainly were fruit. People were impressed with urgency.
The home-town pastors would argue that revival is all about burdened intercession and the sovereign will and timing of God. One does not simply flick a switch or use a tool. God is nobody’s errand boy.
Recently I heard this song performed by another artist on the local faith radio station. I could not help but think that man was mustering something here; that his efforts were somehow indispensible; that he was just on the threshold of doing the works of Jesus as never before. That there would be power. Authority. Devil harnessing victory. For the simple confessing of it and pressing in.
I disagree with such an approach. I see a lot of talk and little lasting impact. Presumably a noteworthy church in Toronto experienced over twelve years of continuous, non-stop revival, with believers coming in from all over the world. Precisely. Believers. Seeking unashamed praise. Seeking phenomena. Seeking to be close to the source of manifested power.
It didn’t do much to change the declining moral atmosphere of the community. It didn’t linger long when the visitors returned to their home nations. It smacked of disorder and sensation. Oh but everyone wanted to remember that they had been close to the power. They called it renewal. It sounded more like the same hungry children at the same table.
It is time now for scores of believers to talk honestly across the back fence, to pick specific prayer targets in their circle and to study Jesus that His compassion might be distributed. I am speaking of a grass-roots sort of thing. Doesn’t sound very dynamic? Neither did that walk to Emmaus (Luke 24).
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It’s time for your light to shine
It’s time for the Kingdom of our God
To be revealed…”
Brian Doerksen has given us some memorable praise choruses, but this one causes me concern. The suggestion is that we just have to be about doing more zealously the work of God. Then the skies will open. Then revival will connect and believers will operate in their full authority. Oh happy day.
This really brings us, I suppose, to the great controversy that arose in the ministries of the early evangelists. They came to town with the concept of a meeting, a hell-fire sermon, a call to the penitents’ bench and a number of other means. There certainly were fruit. People were impressed with urgency.
The home-town pastors would argue that revival is all about burdened intercession and the sovereign will and timing of God. One does not simply flick a switch or use a tool. God is nobody’s errand boy.
Recently I heard this song performed by another artist on the local faith radio station. I could not help but think that man was mustering something here; that his efforts were somehow indispensible; that he was just on the threshold of doing the works of Jesus as never before. That there would be power. Authority. Devil harnessing victory. For the simple confessing of it and pressing in.
I disagree with such an approach. I see a lot of talk and little lasting impact. Presumably a noteworthy church in Toronto experienced over twelve years of continuous, non-stop revival, with believers coming in from all over the world. Precisely. Believers. Seeking unashamed praise. Seeking phenomena. Seeking to be close to the source of manifested power.
It didn’t do much to change the declining moral atmosphere of the community. It didn’t linger long when the visitors returned to their home nations. It smacked of disorder and sensation. Oh but everyone wanted to remember that they had been close to the power. They called it renewal. It sounded more like the same hungry children at the same table.
It is time now for scores of believers to talk honestly across the back fence, to pick specific prayer targets in their circle and to study Jesus that His compassion might be distributed. I am speaking of a grass-roots sort of thing. Doesn’t sound very dynamic? Neither did that walk to Emmaus (Luke 24).
To view more click on
justhappeneduponthis
