The good ol' days

[PastorJay]

Does anyone remember the days that our parents(I'm not old) used to go to revivals/rallies and conventions and stay till 10 or so at night?

Do you remember the word zeal? Yes they were tired and had to go to work the next day but they still went night after night to see what God was gonna do...My how I want to return to that.

Anybody else?

Jay

[Billy n NC]

Yes , I remember extended revivals. I guess I am getting old.


But..



WHY do you want to return to that. ?



Billy n NC

[Pastor Gary]

I'll take steady, consistent spiritual growth in my local church and my congregation over a zealous revival any time.

I went to some of those good ole 6 to 10 week revivals where we drug home at midnight for weeks on end and sleep-walked through school the next day like zombies. I prefer the good NEW days, myself.

Looking back at the "fruit" of those revivals and the churches that came from them, I maintain that ole time revival is no match for systematic discipleship.

But that just my $.02

[Mike Vande]

The early part of the last century saw the rise of the Pentecostal movement, out of which groups like COGOP, A of G, TCOG, COG, Church of the Foursquare Gospel, etc and so on. It has taken a full century for a lot of those groups to become even marginally outgoing and inclusive of the rest of the Body of Christ, and some fo them still haven't yet. I am not really interested in seeing a return to the good ol' days where the Pentecostals thought they were the only folks out there who had the "goods" as far as serving Christ is concerned. I think most of us would describe ourselves as pentecostal/charismatic, but that isn't universal, nor have I seen any indication that the majority of folks here think it needs to be.

From what I can see, the Bible seems to focus on the future instead of the past. You always see Jesus doing things differently than He did them previously, and that is just one example of what I am talking about. I think that is instructive. We need today's manna for today's people and today's needs. God has so much more than any of us can even dream. Why go back to the former rain when the latter rain to come is where God is?

In all honesty, I have memories of my own "good ol' days" that I haul out every so often, and shake my head when I think how much better it all seemed then. I guess it's just human nature. But, in my heart, I KNOW God has more and betterr for me in the future, and that it may not look or even feel like what once was, but the newness of walking with My Lord was part of what made it all so exciting and wonderful. God save me from crawling into a rut and reliving it for the rest of my life! The Christian life is supposed to dynamic, ever-changing, and unpredictable. If it weren't, we wouldn't need to stay in touch with God as closely as we need to.

What you are talking about was attempted in Pensacola, and Toronto before that, and it has amounted to less than a hill of beans as far as an effect on the world or church at large is concerned. Worse, it has likely hardened a lot of people against the real Gospel and doomed them to wander about looking of the next big "spiritual" deal, and always saying, "gee, why aren't things like they used to be?"

I sincerely hope that you are not offended by the lack of agreement you are finding here, but you probably ought to know that this isn't an official COGOP site, and there are a lot of folks here who don't subscribe to their traditions and beliefs. I am sorry if this seems presumptuous, I really don't mean to offend you, or insult your goals. If there's nothing in what I have said that you can use, welcome to J2 anyway.

Vande

[PastorJay]

I meerly mean the evangelistic zeal and excitement of seeing the lost come to Christ.

Yes, Pastor Gary, I too agree that systematic discipleship is a must. Since we(COGOP) dont put out any good discipleship material, I look in other directions and have found some good stuff.

No offense is taken. And I really don't want to "go back" I just want to get the excitement in the church again.

Thanks for the reply,
PastorJay

[LastDaysRevivalMinistries]

I don't know about anyone else, but Im looking for the former and the latter rain of revival to fall! In His season Glory!
I feel the rain, falling down on me.....

[Brenda]

LastDaysRevivalMinistries

I don't know about anyone else, but Im looking for the former and the latter rain of revival to fall!

What doth hinder it?

[LastDaysRevivalMinistries]

LastDaysRevivalMinistries

I don't know about anyone else, but Im looking for the former and the latter rain of revival to fall!

What doth hinder it?

It's not hinderd here sis. the season is here and the rain is falling, as the song says " Im not talking about the weather, it's the former and latter rains together. I feel the rain falling down on me".....Glory!

[Brenda]

LastDaysRevivalMinistries

It's not hinderd here sis. the season is here and the rain is falling, as the song says " Im not talking about the weather, it's the former and latter rains together. I feel the rain falling down on me".....Glory!

I say.. Glory too!!

I was thinking of when Philip met up with the Eunuch. He was reading of Esaias and Philip asked him if he understood what he was reading.
The word says the place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth.
To go on.. Philip began to preach the scriptures to him about Jesus.
And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the Eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

We have the latter rain today. The word says the latter rain will be greater than the former rain. (paraphased) With the early rain, we can see how the Holy Ghost used those preachers, deacons and etc...
So what doth hinder us? Lack of boldness, as they had it back then? Lack of Love for the lost? Lack of allowing the Spirit using us? Lack of faith? Or are we filled, to the overflowing of the baptism? Or do we lack that close walk with the deliverer?
When we get in his presence we are changed. The world see's that change even in our countenance. They see we act and look different. When his light is with us it will show on the outside. They may not understand it. But they see, feel the differance.

What doeth hinder us? US!
But.. What can we do about it?

[LastDaysRevivalMinistries]

Aw, Amen sis.!!!!

[Pastor Bill]

I think the reason we saw all the zeal and dedication was because people were spending time in the Word, and although the church didn't have much of a discipleship program, people took it upon themselves to study more than they do today. Yes there were some problems with many who got saved at every revival, and never grew in the Lord, and now we are probably better equipt to handle that, but we still want the zeal and dedication of the saints. Be praying for us, we are starting Revival tonight, and I don't want it to be a flash in the pan, but I want this to be the kickoff of great things that are about to start in the church.

[Brenda]

Talking about getting back to OLD time revival fire burning in our spirit. IN THE AIR... so's to speak!
It seemed when I was a young child, 8-12 age. Remembering how people went around praising the Lord, it was the common thing.

I lived in the country where people raised crops to live on and such.
It wasn't an uncommon thing to hear people out in their fields hoeing or bringing in their ripened crops, singing praises and hearing them pray.
By the time service started at night, they were almost shouting as they entered the doors of the church. The presence of the Lord was on them.
God's spirit was already moving in them and moving in the midst.

Seems, now adays we have to have several songs of praise sung,(?) before we start feeling the spirit.
Could it be that we are bound up so much with things that are going on around us that we are not living in the spirit the way we should be?
If we are walking in the spirit we will not be mindful of the things of the flesh. For the fleshly thinkgs will not matter as much as being mindful of the things of God.
If we want to see revival, we first have to be revived. Revival just don't happen!
Lord, let that latter rain fall!

[PastorJay]

We will be praying for your revival Pastor Bill. I have been praying and asking the Lord to help us in our journey so we can put zeal with discipleship(they really shouldn't be separate anyhow).

One day in prayer, I was seeking the Lord on this subject and plain as day I got this in my spirit. "the way to wake up the church is to take them back to my house" meaning the temple and the furniture that is therein with it's meaning. Sometime we just get lost and forget why we do what we do.

Blessings,
Jay

[deb]

Quote - "One day in prayer, I was seeking the Lord on this subject and plain as day I got this in my spirit. "the way to wake up the church is to take them back to my house"


Pastor Jay,
This reminded me of Brother Varlach's message at the GA last year. He had a vision during his meditations about needy, hurting people coming to the cross, and as they came, Jesus would point them and say "Go to my house." Only problem was, as they went, there were obstacles all along the path to his house causing them to trip & fall. He was referring to the rules of churches. He told us not to forget about the group of people in the NT who sat across the threshold to the kingdom that wouldn't go in and they wouldn't let anybody else go in either.
So I guess I'm just wondering how can they be taught the meanings inside, when sometimes the church doesn't provide the grace, forgiveness, justification, fill in the blank, that Jesus does - by telling them they're not quite good enough to be a member of their church.
I think the Lord gave you a wonderful message and we should all be evangelizing the lost and inviting them into the church, without having to worry about or explain to them why they don't meet certain standards. If people are good enough for Jesus, they should be good enough for the church. Sorry, to have gone on for so long, but my heart is heavy on this subject.
Love, Deb

[Billy n NC]

Pastor G said..
I'll take steady, consistent spiritual growth in my local church and my congregation over a zealous revival any time.

I will say amen to that.

Yesterday our YP preached and he discussed some of the old services..

You know the kind..
Where we have a knock down , shouting, running, falling out, grabbing the flag, singing around the piano service.. But who did it benefit...

But we would go away saying .. We had a great service..

Jesus took care of physical needs before he ministered to the spiritual..

Did it feed any Hungry, Clothe any naked or visit the sick or imprisoned.

I think we have been to inward focused for to long .. being the chosen church and waiting for the inflow to come..

Actually I feel the inflow has started. We have visitors or people I do not know almost every week.


A few years ago when the B revival was going on. (Can I say that?) It was popular to try to have the long extended revivals .. and I was reminded by a good friend.. There was only one burning bush.. UMMM


Oh well I have rambled.. enough
This is a long one for me.. lol.


Billy n NC