Shepherding In a Revival

This week I posted a reminder on my Facebook page - a reminder that it was 20 years ago that the Body of Christ experienced a major, worldwide, church-transforming visitation of God's Spirit. Historically these kinds of spiritual awakenings happen about once every 20-40 years. Every generation needs its own revival and we have a generation on the scene (the "Millennials") who have not experienced their own corporate encounter with God in this way. 

I suppose it's necessary to define "revival." Here's the one I have always preferred: "Revival is a sovereign move of God's Spirit that results in permanent change in the church." Individuals, local churches, and even regions, experience "revival" from time to time. Worldwide, Body of Christ transforming revivals only happen once in a generation.

After posting that reminder, along with the suggestion that it might be time for us to begin interceding for the next generational visitation, a friend of mine in Portland reminded me that revivals can be messy. Here is what he wrote:

"While we desperately need the holy spirit moving in our midst, as someone in their late teens during this 'outpouring' 20 years ago, there was as much damage and confusion during this season too. No public discernment from leadership, if it was weird it seemed to have the approval and the more bizarre was apparently more anointed. So many in my generation have shut the door and are closed off to the holy spirit moving because of no strong voices of discernment in Portland. I know people who were genuinely touched and ministered to by the spirit, but I know even more who left confused and disillusioned even walking away from the church."

Since I was there, participating in providing pastoral leadership during the revival, it seems important that I communicate the questions and struggles we experienced during that time. I remember asking us: When is some kind of spiritual experience the result of the activity of the Holy Spirit, a human learned (or stimulated response), or a combination of both? If most experiences are in fact both Spirit and spirit, when do they become genuinely distracting if not problematic? Is it possible to be so careful about nothing being "in the flesh" that we quench the Spirit? The bigger questions for me were: If someone has a unique experience with the Spirit, what does it mean? Why did that happen? Was it just charismatic entertainment for bored Christians? And even more importantly, if the church is experiencing a generational visitation of God's Spirit, how might the church be permanently changed as a result? What differences should we be able to observe on the other side of the "wave"?

Since I taught "Church History" at Portland Bible College at the time my referents were historical revivals. I was especially helped by the writings of Jonathan Edwards. Edwards was a prominent pastoral leader in what became known as the Great Awakening (1734-1739), a revival so powerful in its effect it changed not only Body of Christ worldwide but also the American colonies. During those years Edwards thought long and hard about the true nature and purpose of revival. He published "The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Holy Spirit" in 1741, in which he discussed "the bodily effects" of an unusual move the Spirit. In fact, the "swoonings, outcries and convulsions" described by Edwards were a common phenomena of all such visitations, in Edwards past and in all future revivals. It was simply true (and easily understood) that the Holy Spirit could move on someone in a way that might overpower the human emotions and body. However, they were incidental and not the marks of revival. 

But at the end of that period some of those who had participated in the revival spun off into bizarre conclusions and practices. Some had concluded that these "bodily effects" were to be permanent experiences in the church, others that they were a mark of salvation, that if you didn't periodically swoon, you were either "hard to receive" or perhaps not among the elect at all. Some began to practice "free love" and form new, unorthodox sectarian groups. As a result, in 1746, Edwards published his famous work, "Religious Affections," in which he taught that the permanent result of revival was to be the rule of God's love, pure and holy, in every part of life, individually and corporately.

So while we pray for revival, it is essential that we pray for discernment. But even importantly, that we pray for the grace to embrace all the ways in which God needs to transform his Kingdom community. There is no question that the church, including the American church, needs revival. And we are desperate to see a new generation have their own encounter with the Living God. Will it be messy? Probably. But if we keep focused on the work of the Holy Spirit among us, measured by the truth of God's Word, accessing wisdom from past revivals, I believe we will be able to receive the grace God has for us and move forward into God's preferred future for his people. 

Obsessed With Jesus

There seems to be so many concerns and crises all around us these days. It's easy to get worried and distracted about so many things. It sounds like the story of Mary and Martha: "You are worried and upset about many things" (Luke 10:41). It seems like all we hear is bad news. We live in the midst of paralyzing conflict and hostility.

Being aware of concerns is one thing; becoming obsessed with a concern is something else. Earlier today Lynda (my wife) reminded me of a mutual friend back in the Jesus People days. The Vietnam War was on and young people our age were being drafted and forced to fight in a war they were convinced was pointless (if not illegal and unjust). Our friend was a committed follower of Jesus, but over time became so obsessed with the war that she eventually stopped following Jesus. A concern had become a distraction and finally an obsession. 

We have so many opportunities to obsess over serious concerns these days:

• Obsess over terrorists
• Obsess over racial discrimination and injustice
• Obsess over the safety and security of the modern state of Israel
• Obsess over global warming
• Obsess over pornography
• Obsess over the shrinking middle class and economic injustice
• Obsess over unequal opportunities in education
• Obsess over the immorality of abortion
• Obsess over the immorality of homosexual behaviors (including marriage)
• Obsess over human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of children
• Obsess over a broken judicial system
• Obsess over a broken political system
• Obsess over the divorce rate
• Obsess over the political "right"
• Obsess over the political "left"

These obsessions have their merit. And everyone who has an obsessions insists that we share it - or there is something seriously wrong with us! And there's really no end to it. Just when we feel safe, the media will identify yet another reason to obsess and be filled with fear. (Except in Washington and Colorado where they have found an alternative obsession.)

All these reasons to worry have brought to mind the fascinating store of Jesus and three of his disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration. You may recall that Peter, James and John accompanied Jesus up onto a high mountain, and while they were there, the glory of the Lord covered them and the divine identity of Jesus was more fully revealed. Not only that, Moses and Elijah appeared and had a discussion with Jesus "about his departure," i.e., his coming death in Jerusalem. When it looked like they were about to leave, Peter suggested they build three shelters - for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. (Maybe in that way they would agree to stick around a little longer.) Surely this situation called for focused attention, for significant effort. If they took their focus off of this situation they would lose a perfectly good opportunity to be with three very important (and obviously heavenly) men.

I love what the story records next. (1) A voice spoke out of the cloud of glory saying, "This is my son whom I have chosen; listen to him." The Father is very clear in defining their focus for them. They are not to be distracted by the bright lights and the important people. Their priority is to listen to Jesus. (2) Immediately afterward, "they found that Jesus was alone" (Luke 9:28-36). When the excitement of the moment had passed, the only one left was Jesus. 

It is so important to find a correct focus for this brief life of ours. If that focus is to be Jesus, then we are dependent on him to give us his perspective on other issues he may want us to address and work for. It's not up to us to define the priorities of our lives. We are simply to "listen to him."

The same holds true for the church. Jesus defined our mission, our role in the world, very clearly. We are to "preach the Gospel" and to "make disciples." Yet there are so many causes clamoring for our attention. As a result, we run the risk of moving away from our role as an embassy of the Kingdom of God in the world and becoming absorbed by the most recent political or social movement. While the Holy Spirit might define a specific mission for a local church in a specific community, for the church to remain salt and light, those assignments must never lose sight of The Assignment. In the end, we will not be judged by whether or not we came down on the right side of a political issue but by whether or not we were faithful to point the world toward the righteous rule of King Jesus!

It Happens In Every Generation

Recently I had a conversation with a young friend of mine that began with the statement, "I've decided to not call myself a 'Christian.'" He said he had looked up the word "Christian" in wikipedia and found this definition: "It is used as a label to identify people who associate with the cultural aspects of Christianity, irrespective of personal religious beliefs or practices." While he has a clear commitment to Jesus, he didn't want to be identified with all of the religious trappings. And so he's decided to call himself a "believer." I told him the early believers simply called themselves "disciples." They were the personal apprentices of Jesus, participating in his kingdom mission on earth.

I've found this to be a fairly common conversation with a "millennial." People have been grinding their teeth about the obvious lack of religious commitment on the part of those born between 1981 and 2001. A fairly large chunk of them have chosen to not identify with "Christianity," to declare that their religious affiliation is "none." Their willingness to identify with the institutional aspects of the church is waning. They declare that they are "spiritual" but not "religious." And so we worry that they may end up abandoning Jesus. But is that what is really happening?

From 1967 to 1972 young members of my "Baby Boomer" generation decided to follow Jesus. We were "Jesus People" or "Jesus Freaks." We declared that our faith was not at all about religion but was about relationship. We reacted to the religious expressions of our parents' generation, and we worked to pioneer new expressions of the church (many of which have since become institutionalized). Sound familiar?

And then came the young people we called "Gen X" or more rudely, "Baby Busters." They were the "fatherless generation." They seemed to be a reactionary generation, "Gen X" itself being an anti-label label. They were irreligious, casting aside anything that might be "traditional," transforming Sunday morning worship services into rock-and-roll concerts. Some began to call them the "lost generation." Leaders among them referred to themselves as the "Joshua generation." One generation reacting to that of their parents, exploring their own expressions and experiences of faith.

In a recent issue of Christianity Today, yet another article about millennials told the story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (one of my earliest influences as a Jesus Freak) as a youth pastor in his generation. It appears as though a youth movement in Europe had a resulted in a generation that just left home, wandering aimlessly around the countryside, trying to "find themselves." This youth movement began in 1880 and continued into the next generation, resulting in the need for pastoral leaders to reflect on the best way to provide leadership to this bunch of hippies. The answer was, tell them about Jesus. Present the opportunity to follow Jesus and to accept the mission of representing Jesus in all of life.

And so it's simply true: It happens in every generation. In fact, it's always been true that the church is a one-generation church. Every generation needs it's own understanding of Jesus and his mission on the earth. Every generation needs it own expression of faith. Every generation needs its own revival. God has always worked generationally. God has a distinct plan and purpose for each generation, including the millennial generation. 

So for those who are wringing their hands about this generation abandoning Christianity, just tell them about Jesus, the Jesus mission and the Jesus community. I have found that, as a generation, authenticity and community are more important to them than they were for our generation. They are positioned to be another "great generation," in our nation and in the church. And try not to mess it up with a lot of religiousity and churchiosity.