Revive us. Again!?

SnowBird77 said:

In order to love being revived every year, one must love being in a comatose state most of the time. When will we get it. These revivals don't work. They have turned Christians into junkies. I won't say what that makes of those who run them.

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hehe, yeah, actually that thought did occur to me. We have an unusual thing occur here just about every year among some segments of our church. Even though we do our own series of meetings at least once a year, and many members also watch bachelor at least once a year, they still don't seem to be able to relate the doctrines themsevles, and are afraid to tell others. And of course, many of them have no idea what is in the Bible besides those select doctrines taught. It is frustrating. They seem to forget things the moment they are learned. And it does not seem to spur them to learn for themselves.

But I suppose that they are hoping that some who did not get revived last year will tune in. In that respect it might not be all bad.

tall73 said:

hehe, yeah, actually that thought did occur to me. We have an unusual thing occur here just about every year among some segments of our church. Even though we do our own series of meetings at least once a year, and many members also watch bachelor at least once a year, they still don't seem to be able to relate the doctrines themsevles, and are afraid to tell others. And of course, many of them have no idea what is in the Bible besides those select doctrines taught. It is frustrating. They seem to forget things the moment they are learned. And it does not seem to spur them to learn for themselves.

But I suppose that they are hoping that some who did not get revived last year will tune in. In that respect it might not be all bad.

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Sounds like endoctrination as opposed to helping people think through those things that they are being presented with... I think people are taught dependency by the church.... but that's a separate thread...

tall73 said:

hehe, yeah, actually that thought did occur to me. We have an unusual thing occur here just about every year among some segments of our church. Even though we do our own series of meetings at least once a year, and many members also watch bachelor at least once a year, they still don't seem to be able to relate the doctrines themsevles, and are afraid to tell others. And of course, many of them have no idea what is in the Bible besides those select doctrines taught. It is frustrating. They seem to forget things the moment they are learned. And it does not seem to spur them to learn for themselves.

But I suppose that they are hoping that some who did not get revived last year will tune in. In that respect it might not be all bad.

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Sounds sorta like fishing in a 'catch and release' pond... we know exactly what they'll bite at and pour it out like chum and then when we've caught them, we release them... to be caught again at a later date...

Still qualifies us a 'fishers of men'... but we dont have quite the same results ...

In His service,
Mr. J

honorthesabbath said:

Sounds like we need some cheese with all this whine!

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What do you mean, Honor?

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I don't understand that because NEW people come to these revivals or have people give them copies of it, and there are always people baptized after them. It's not necessarily for people that don't "believe" anymore, it's for people that have wandered and want to feel close to God again, or just need fellowship, or are searching for answers, etc. It is always a great experience for me and my family and I thank God for them!

I met a man about a year ago that had become Adventist because he watched the '04 Revival on his computer. He said he was praying for God to let him know the truth and the next thing he knew he was on the 3abn website. He had never even heard of Adventism.

So praise God!!!! New people are receptive to it, existing members enjoy the intensity of it, and it's a great time to pray and really dig into our Bibles. What's bad about that?

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I don't understand that because NEW people come to these revivals or have people give them copies of it, and there are always people baptized after them. It's not necessarily for people that don't "believe" anymore, it's for people that have wandered and want to feel close to God again, or just need fellowship, or are searching for answers, etc. It is always a great experience for me and my family and I thank God for them!

I met a man about a year ago that had become Adventist because he watched the '04 Revival on his computer. He said he was praying for God to let him know the truth and the next thing he knew he was on the 3abn website. He had never even heard of Adventism.

So praise God!!!! New people are receptive to it, existing members enjoy the intensity of it, and it's a great time to pray and really dig into our Bibles. What's bad about that?

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Noone has said that there should not be evangelism. Revivals, however, are not evangelism... if an effort is an actual revival it is targeted at those who are already in the church whose fervor has waned.

Regular evangelism is good and is a hallmark of a vibrant church carrying out the Great Commission. A church that constantly needs revival, however is dysfunctional.

The efforts of the type that you are referring to are hybrid efforts...neither fish nor fowl... and such efforts may draw new people to the church... but as a tool to rekindle the fire of those already in the church they leave much to be desired. The call to revival is typified in 2Chron 7... If my people which are called by my name... those who have already heard the gospel and accepted it anon... those who have already believed in their hearts and confessed with their mouths that Christ is Lord... shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways... and this is where... and why most revivals fall short. Revivals are about getting beyond growth plateaus... they are about setting aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us... they are about eschewing denial and taking spiritual inventory of *ourselves*... and not our neighbor; like the disciples at the last supper we have to ask, when Jesus speaks to our spirit about being betrayed..."Lord, is it I?"... and then not stop our ears like petulant children to keep from hearing the answer we already know deep down in our souls..."Thou hast said". Revivals are about recognizing that our unbelief hinders the hand of God but by faith we still say "Lord, I believe; helpest thou mine unbelief"... But as long as we just want to 'feel good' and not acknowledge that we have not arrived spiritually... that though all of the doctrines we accept are true, we are nowhere near having 'all truth'... as long as we want to hold on to the attitudes and biases imparted by the world that makes us unwilling to accept those who are different... as long as we continue to 'pass by on the other side'... as long as we are comfortable being on the wrong side of the line that divides righteousness and self-righteousness...then we will not humble ourselves... or pray ( except as the pharisee that went up to pray when the publican did )... or seek God's face... or turn from our wicked ways... and for all the feel good religion and how we think we've accomplished something, we are like that pharisee that prayed and not the publican...not justified before God and He will neither hear from heaven nor forgive our sin nor heal our land...and when the feel good feeling has gone away, we want another revival... so we can feel good again. We're still marching to Zion... unfortunately that marching is being done in place.

In His service,
Mr. J

Well said... indeed those in zion have become too complacent... revive=bringing back to life that which is dying or near dead.... interesting way to describe a spiritual life...

If we need reviving on a regular basis then something is wrong with us who claim to be His followers ,then we not following the one we claim is our Leader. The fact that Jesus has not returned is our fault not His.

Mot hat on




CUT IT OUT !

Please stop the sniping and the insulting and the mocking NOW

I have edited this thread, but if the behavior continues I will trash the thread .
Mot hat off