REVIVAL vs ENTERTAINMENT
By W. G. Guy (published in The Logos Letter March 1996)
I have heard several claims from different sources recently saying that the church is presently experiencing a great revival. This is wonderful, however I am not seeing the results that true revival brings. When I read of historical accounts of revival such as the Welsh Revival, and those resulting from the ministry of the like of Charles Finny, history records that whole towns were changed, all of the local society was affected in a positive way.
If the church is experiencing a great revival where is the evidence? One place where change is occurring is in New York City. This is the result of the ministry of Time Square Church under the leadership of David Wilkerson. The revival has affected the immediate area of that sin-ridden city to the point that even the crime rate has diminished. This is actually the result of the people of that church who have been revived and began praying fervently for their city.
That one church has had nightly prayer meetings, real prayer meetings, not social get-togethers, EVERY NIGHT for over a year. True revival brings a change in the people who become Christ and God focused instead of self-focused. This is evidence that they have been revived. They hanged their interests, their motives and their lives. New things are more important to them than the old things they used to do. Thus these changes have affected the society around them as they have truly become the light of God’s glory shining through them to those around them. This is true revival!
I use this as an example to compare with what many are calling revival elsewhere but isn’t real revival. Revive means: to re-make alive: to stir up to an active state from which is dormant. Getting souls saved has been typically called revival in the past; but that is not revival, that is evangelism. Evangelism is the by-product of true revival, as demonstrated by the Time Square Church in New York.
Revived believers are set on fire by the Holy Spirit and their fervency for Him attracts attention and causes manifestation of His presence in their midst that produces TRUE signs, wonders and the miraculous. Unbelievers are drawn; the gospel is heard and they are evangelized.
Signs and wonders are supposed to follow God’s people as they speak and demonstrate God’s Love and Word.
Mark 16:20 – And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
God simply acts on their faith and testimony proving His Word is real which results in miracles, signs and wonders. Man cannot manipulate God and say, “Tonight we are going to have a miracle service”; or “Come to this meeting for signs and wonders”. Man does not orchestrate God, the Holy Spirit, or His powers. Those who try to do such things are the false “prophets, teachers and preachers”; it is not God who is a work among them, but most likely the counterfeit from Satan who works to deceive.
So what is it that much of the church is experiencing if it is not real revival? It is obvious that some churches are growing numerically and are now called “mega” churches, and they say this is revival, but is it? Is this not revival when there is a renewed interest in religion and church attendance? NO! It does show that there is a vacuum in people’s lives that they are trying to fill, but church attendance and man’s doctrine does not really satisfy it, though it does fill the void. After a while many will get up and leave or turn to something else to fill that void unless there has been a true life changing experience.
Many of the churches that are growing are doing so not because of genuine revival, but due to ENTERTAINMENT! That’s right, I said entertainment, which is coupled with man’s professionalism in stimulating and motivating people. This may sound rather harsh, but I personally observed this in horror as what was once a mighty move of God in real revival in a particular church became lost due to the manipulation and control of man; and the masses failed to discern the difference. Only a few others and myself recognized that those in charge dismissed the Holy Spirit as if to say, “Thanks for the start but we’ll take it from here” as they work to control everything in the services.
The leadership began to rely on human talent and professional ability and entertainment rather than being dependent on the Holy Spirit to guide and direct. Man, personalities and performance became the center of attention rather than Jesus Christ and His Word. That church became known as “the best show in town”; and yes it grew in numbers because it attracted a lot of attention – but it was mostly because of ENTERTAINMENT!
Once that happened, then all the problems of the flesh began to appear. The “weirdoes” began to arrive or surface in the congregation. Then the leadership blamed the devil for the problems when all along it was their fault for not continuing to depend on the Holy Spirit to saturate all their activities in prayer and in faithfully following the Word.
The masses still came, but now it was because of the entertainment. This attracted all the more problems. The end result was the down-fall of certain ministers and ministries. The fruit came forth and it was not of God – it was of man’s carnal nature. And all along they thought they were continuing to have revival.
Many other churches that are experiencing dramatic growth today have employed entertainment as the means of attracting and keeping their people. Some church platforms and pulpits don’t even look like a church anymore; many look more like a “night club” or show stage. They depend on loud music, the hype, the comedy routines or jokes of the preachers (performers), the dramas, the dancing, and on and on it goes.
They have everything but the Holy Righteous Presence of God by His Spirit, and the awesomeness of His convicting redeeming power along with healing and deliverance meeting peoples true needs. Why is this happening? It seems to be since they are trying to appeal to the natural (carnal) man to draw people into their church. They are using the wrong techniques and calling the results revival!
Please do not think that just because that church has grown tremendously in size and become very successful in the eyes of other churches that this phenomenal growth is the Spirit of God. Man is fully capable of building what appears to be a successful church and God may not have anything to do with it. Jesus revealed this exact same thing to the apostle John who recorded it in scripture:
Revelation 3:14-20 – And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
The church of Laodicea was considered by men to be a great success; however, the Lord said they were spiritually impoverished and didn’t know it. (Sounds like many churches in the world today.) And Jesus was left on the outside, knocking, seeking to be let in. He said that they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. Although they possessed all the material qualities man usually looks at, they were devoid of all spiritual qualities necessary to please God and to be properly equipped of Him.
There are three necessities that the Lord addressed in this so-called successful church. First - they had no real trust in God; their confidence was in their material things. This was referred to as their need to buy gold that is tried and tested in fire. This refers to FAITH (trust and confidence) – tried, tested and proven as gold that has been purified by fire.
1 Peter 1:7 – that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Second – Since they were spiritually naked, they needed to be clothed upon with His righteousness. This refers to their carnal, fleshly behavior, motivation, passions and lusts that needed to be removed. This church, though great in the eyes of men, was full of many kinds of sin and debauchery that is found in the world. They may speak of holiness but it was far from them. They were exposed by their “soulish” ministry of how you can have this, how to get that, what is your position or privilege in society, etc.
The white raiment they were to be clothed with is His “righteousness”. It is not to be covered or hidden deep inside so as not to be seen, but outward. Raiment is worn on the outside so it is clearly visible to all:
Revelation 19:8 – And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Third – Since they were spiritually blind or unable to see things of the Spirit, or able to see things as God sees them, they in need of eye medication to open them up. They needed eye salve to wash the world and material things out of their eyes. They needed to be able to see the Word of God in all of its truth and stop using it as a tool to obtain more worldly goods (success, prosperity and possessions):
Luke 121:15 – And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
Dependence on man’s ability only reproduces more of what man is, has, and does. The church needs more of Jesus, so that in it is reproduced more of what He is, has, and does. More of Jesus is supplied by the Holy Spirit who reveals Him and guides us in all truth and teaches us all things:
John 14:16-17 – And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
John 16:13-15 – Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth who equips us with the Word and reveals more of Jesus as we seek the Lord first and foremost – daily. This is and prayer is what produces real revival.
Another characteristic to recognize about revival is that it gives people something that not only changes them but that they can take with them wherever they go. The fruit of true revival is seen emanating out from the church as those who are revived go out into the everyday world at work, school or wherever. The signs and wonders follow the believers as they happily apply God’s Word to their everyday situations.
In an entertainment or man-centered revival, people have nothing of spiritual substance to take with them as they leave the meetings. All they have is enthusiasm that has been hyped up; it’s mostly an emotional high. Those churches that have the false prophets, teachers and preachers draw people in to see the spectacular, (the counterfeit signs and wonders of the enemy), and/or the entertainment; neither of which produce real revival. This is all part of the end-time deception that Jesus warned us about.
We are not supposed to “look” for signs and wonders. We are to look to God, look to His Word, speak the Word and apply our trust in God to our circumstances, and then He honors His Word and your trust in Him; then signs, wonders and miracles are the by-product of such faith. This attracts the attention of unbelievers who are then more readily evangelized and brought to the knowledge and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savoir and Lord.
Another characteristic about revival is that enthusiasm is generated. However, in the “man-made” revival, or “hype and entertainment” service people get excited and begin talking about “their” church, or “their” meeting, or “their” pastor or preacher, or “their” program, or “their” activities, etc. In their enthusiasm and excitement, all they talk about is what man is doing, and what is going on among them.
In a true revival, where the Holy Spirit is moving and manifesting His presence, with a revelation of Jesus Christ and God’s Word, people get excited about and talk about Jesus, about His Word, and about what God is doing. In a real revival, what man is doing is not even mentioned, because it is insignificant compared to what the Lord is doing by His Spirit. Even the leadership or pastor will humbly acknowledge, “This is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our sight”. The moving of God’s Spirit in a true revival always humbles those charged with the responsibility of leadership. They too become overwhelmed at what God is doing.
Don’t be satisfied with entertainment when real revival can be obtained. However, revival does not come automatically; it comes as a result of seeking Him earnestly and continually; either personally or corporately. Yes, you can have a personal revival even when others are satisfied with the status-quo, the man-made stuff, or the entertainment fads. We need real revival.
A sign that people have been revived and are excited about the Lord and His Word is when people arrive early for the church service, and fill the church up beginning at the front. Such people are excited about Him and that will draw others into the church for evangelism.
By W. G. Guy (published in The Logos Letter March 1996)
I have heard several claims from different sources recently saying that the church is presently experiencing a great revival. This is wonderful, however I am not seeing the results that true revival brings. When I read of historical accounts of revival such as the Welsh Revival, and those resulting from the ministry of the like of Charles Finny, history records that whole towns were changed, all of the local society was affected in a positive way.
If the church is experiencing a great revival where is the evidence? One place where change is occurring is in New York City. This is the result of the ministry of Time Square Church under the leadership of David Wilkerson. The revival has affected the immediate area of that sin-ridden city to the point that even the crime rate has diminished. This is actually the result of the people of that church who have been revived and began praying fervently for their city.
That one church has had nightly prayer meetings, real prayer meetings, not social get-togethers, EVERY NIGHT for over a year. True revival brings a change in the people who become Christ and God focused instead of self-focused. This is evidence that they have been revived. They hanged their interests, their motives and their lives. New things are more important to them than the old things they used to do. Thus these changes have affected the society around them as they have truly become the light of God’s glory shining through them to those around them. This is true revival!
I use this as an example to compare with what many are calling revival elsewhere but isn’t real revival. Revive means: to re-make alive: to stir up to an active state from which is dormant. Getting souls saved has been typically called revival in the past; but that is not revival, that is evangelism. Evangelism is the by-product of true revival, as demonstrated by the Time Square Church in New York.
Revived believers are set on fire by the Holy Spirit and their fervency for Him attracts attention and causes manifestation of His presence in their midst that produces TRUE signs, wonders and the miraculous. Unbelievers are drawn; the gospel is heard and they are evangelized.
Signs and wonders are supposed to follow God’s people as they speak and demonstrate God’s Love and Word.
Mark 16:20 – And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
God simply acts on their faith and testimony proving His Word is real which results in miracles, signs and wonders. Man cannot manipulate God and say, “Tonight we are going to have a miracle service”; or “Come to this meeting for signs and wonders”. Man does not orchestrate God, the Holy Spirit, or His powers. Those who try to do such things are the false “prophets, teachers and preachers”; it is not God who is a work among them, but most likely the counterfeit from Satan who works to deceive.
So what is it that much of the church is experiencing if it is not real revival? It is obvious that some churches are growing numerically and are now called “mega” churches, and they say this is revival, but is it? Is this not revival when there is a renewed interest in religion and church attendance? NO! It does show that there is a vacuum in people’s lives that they are trying to fill, but church attendance and man’s doctrine does not really satisfy it, though it does fill the void. After a while many will get up and leave or turn to something else to fill that void unless there has been a true life changing experience.
Many of the churches that are growing are doing so not because of genuine revival, but due to ENTERTAINMENT! That’s right, I said entertainment, which is coupled with man’s professionalism in stimulating and motivating people. This may sound rather harsh, but I personally observed this in horror as what was once a mighty move of God in real revival in a particular church became lost due to the manipulation and control of man; and the masses failed to discern the difference. Only a few others and myself recognized that those in charge dismissed the Holy Spirit as if to say, “Thanks for the start but we’ll take it from here” as they work to control everything in the services.
The leadership began to rely on human talent and professional ability and entertainment rather than being dependent on the Holy Spirit to guide and direct. Man, personalities and performance became the center of attention rather than Jesus Christ and His Word. That church became known as “the best show in town”; and yes it grew in numbers because it attracted a lot of attention – but it was mostly because of ENTERTAINMENT!
Once that happened, then all the problems of the flesh began to appear. The “weirdoes” began to arrive or surface in the congregation. Then the leadership blamed the devil for the problems when all along it was their fault for not continuing to depend on the Holy Spirit to saturate all their activities in prayer and in faithfully following the Word.
The masses still came, but now it was because of the entertainment. This attracted all the more problems. The end result was the down-fall of certain ministers and ministries. The fruit came forth and it was not of God – it was of man’s carnal nature. And all along they thought they were continuing to have revival.
Many other churches that are experiencing dramatic growth today have employed entertainment as the means of attracting and keeping their people. Some church platforms and pulpits don’t even look like a church anymore; many look more like a “night club” or show stage. They depend on loud music, the hype, the comedy routines or jokes of the preachers (performers), the dramas, the dancing, and on and on it goes.
They have everything but the Holy Righteous Presence of God by His Spirit, and the awesomeness of His convicting redeeming power along with healing and deliverance meeting peoples true needs. Why is this happening? It seems to be since they are trying to appeal to the natural (carnal) man to draw people into their church. They are using the wrong techniques and calling the results revival!
Please do not think that just because that church has grown tremendously in size and become very successful in the eyes of other churches that this phenomenal growth is the Spirit of God. Man is fully capable of building what appears to be a successful church and God may not have anything to do with it. Jesus revealed this exact same thing to the apostle John who recorded it in scripture:
Revelation 3:14-20 – And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
The church of Laodicea was considered by men to be a great success; however, the Lord said they were spiritually impoverished and didn’t know it. (Sounds like many churches in the world today.) And Jesus was left on the outside, knocking, seeking to be let in. He said that they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. Although they possessed all the material qualities man usually looks at, they were devoid of all spiritual qualities necessary to please God and to be properly equipped of Him.
There are three necessities that the Lord addressed in this so-called successful church. First - they had no real trust in God; their confidence was in their material things. This was referred to as their need to buy gold that is tried and tested in fire. This refers to FAITH (trust and confidence) – tried, tested and proven as gold that has been purified by fire.
1 Peter 1:7 – that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Second – Since they were spiritually naked, they needed to be clothed upon with His righteousness. This refers to their carnal, fleshly behavior, motivation, passions and lusts that needed to be removed. This church, though great in the eyes of men, was full of many kinds of sin and debauchery that is found in the world. They may speak of holiness but it was far from them. They were exposed by their “soulish” ministry of how you can have this, how to get that, what is your position or privilege in society, etc.
The white raiment they were to be clothed with is His “righteousness”. It is not to be covered or hidden deep inside so as not to be seen, but outward. Raiment is worn on the outside so it is clearly visible to all:
Revelation 19:8 – And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Third – Since they were spiritually blind or unable to see things of the Spirit, or able to see things as God sees them, they in need of eye medication to open them up. They needed eye salve to wash the world and material things out of their eyes. They needed to be able to see the Word of God in all of its truth and stop using it as a tool to obtain more worldly goods (success, prosperity and possessions):
Luke 121:15 – And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
Dependence on man’s ability only reproduces more of what man is, has, and does. The church needs more of Jesus, so that in it is reproduced more of what He is, has, and does. More of Jesus is supplied by the Holy Spirit who reveals Him and guides us in all truth and teaches us all things:
John 14:16-17 – And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
John 16:13-15 – Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth who equips us with the Word and reveals more of Jesus as we seek the Lord first and foremost – daily. This is and prayer is what produces real revival.
Another characteristic to recognize about revival is that it gives people something that not only changes them but that they can take with them wherever they go. The fruit of true revival is seen emanating out from the church as those who are revived go out into the everyday world at work, school or wherever. The signs and wonders follow the believers as they happily apply God’s Word to their everyday situations.
In an entertainment or man-centered revival, people have nothing of spiritual substance to take with them as they leave the meetings. All they have is enthusiasm that has been hyped up; it’s mostly an emotional high. Those churches that have the false prophets, teachers and preachers draw people in to see the spectacular, (the counterfeit signs and wonders of the enemy), and/or the entertainment; neither of which produce real revival. This is all part of the end-time deception that Jesus warned us about.
We are not supposed to “look” for signs and wonders. We are to look to God, look to His Word, speak the Word and apply our trust in God to our circumstances, and then He honors His Word and your trust in Him; then signs, wonders and miracles are the by-product of such faith. This attracts the attention of unbelievers who are then more readily evangelized and brought to the knowledge and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savoir and Lord.
Another characteristic about revival is that enthusiasm is generated. However, in the “man-made” revival, or “hype and entertainment” service people get excited and begin talking about “their” church, or “their” meeting, or “their” pastor or preacher, or “their” program, or “their” activities, etc. In their enthusiasm and excitement, all they talk about is what man is doing, and what is going on among them.
In a true revival, where the Holy Spirit is moving and manifesting His presence, with a revelation of Jesus Christ and God’s Word, people get excited about and talk about Jesus, about His Word, and about what God is doing. In a real revival, what man is doing is not even mentioned, because it is insignificant compared to what the Lord is doing by His Spirit. Even the leadership or pastor will humbly acknowledge, “This is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our sight”. The moving of God’s Spirit in a true revival always humbles those charged with the responsibility of leadership. They too become overwhelmed at what God is doing.
Don’t be satisfied with entertainment when real revival can be obtained. However, revival does not come automatically; it comes as a result of seeking Him earnestly and continually; either personally or corporately. Yes, you can have a personal revival even when others are satisfied with the status-quo, the man-made stuff, or the entertainment fads. We need real revival.
A sign that people have been revived and are excited about the Lord and His Word is when people arrive early for the church service, and fill the church up beginning at the front. Such people are excited about Him and that will draw others into the church for evangelism.
