On the shelves of my upstairs library, there sits a seven volume set, "A History of the 1859 Ulster Revival." Within its pages are descriptions of the revival itself, the theology of revival and the effects of the revival in Ireland, England and throughout the world. These volumes bring out two real truths about revival. Revivals happen, and revivals cannot be contained.
I think of these books as I contemplate the third part of the Crux 2015 theme: revive. Each Wednesday morning when our Hartland area pastors gather to pray, one of the things we pray for is revival. True, Holy Ghost Revival. And when we pray, one thing we understand is that revival has to start with us, the pastors, the shepherds of the flock. Regaining that sense of passion for the lost and the hurting. Not getting caught up in denominational politics and the overwhelming dark cloud of demographic and statistical hopelessness. The 1859 revival started with 4 young men and a weekly prayer meeting. And God was mightier than their numbers. God was mightier than the doubters. God was mightier than the spiritual deadness and apathy that had set into the church culture of 1850s Ireland.
Each period of spiritual deadness must lead us back to the foundations of our faith, the Triune God, the cross of Christ and the words of Scripture. And there our own personal revival must start: Bible study, prayer, devotion to God and to his people. That is the only sort of spiritual first aid that is able to breath new life into the church of God. I cannot predict a revival of the sort future generations will write about. But after being in Burlington with so many brothers and sisters that have a heart for the Lord, I cannot count anything out. As we all sang in our worship, "Our God is mighty to save..."
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