Why Don't We Have Revivals?

Occasionally, a church member will ask, "Why don't we have revivals?"  To which I sometimes answer, "I don't know, but I wish God would send one soon -don't you?"

Of course, I know what they are really asking.  "Why don't we have a series of services set aside each year for preaching and singing?"  

First, let me say that I love preaching and I love singing.  And I don't have a problem with setting aside a series of services.  However, I do have a problem with getting the cart before the horse.
Revival is the supernatural moving of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of men drawing them to repent of their sins and follow Christ more vigorously.  During revival, the backsliders become worshippers, the self-absorbed become Christ-infatuated, and the nominal become evangelizers.  True revival is evidenced by vast changes in the way believers talk, serve, work, and live.

Over the history of Christianity, God has never sent revival because a church schedules services, hires a preacher, arranges for musicians, or invites crowds (This is where the cart gets before the horse). God has promised revival "if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." (II Chron. 7:14)

This is the way it has always worked.  Pick any famous revival in history (First & Second Great Awakenings, Welsh Revival, etc.) and you will find they all started the same way:  By men and women pleading with God to awaken their souls by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Then, God begins moving -not in specially designed services, but in weekly scheduled Sunday services.  When the Holy Spirit moves, the blaze can spread like wildfire.   Families spend hours upon hours together in worship.  Some depart from the services evangelizing throughout the community and returning to report to the church family.   Others go directly to the homes of loved ones who have strayed from the Lord in order to plead with them for their souls.

Often during revival, so many people are being revived that they determine to meet again before the next Sunday.  And this is where we find the other answer to the original question:  The reason we haven't scheduled revival services recently is because we haven't experienced revival recently.
Which leads us to a simple conclusion:  If you want to have these kinds of services at Wyatt, will you join me in pleading with God to send revival? "Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?" (Psalm 85:6)

A Hero’s Welcome

By: Adam Thomas

What defines a hero? Is it someone who can swing a bat, throw a ball, or run the fastest? Is it someone who overcomes illness or the one who dies with strength and dignity? Is it the man who builds a company from the ground up or the mother of three that tirelessly does the laundry? Is it the soldier on the battlefield or the fireman in the city? There are many definitions of what it means to be a hero. As Christians we can all agree that the missionaries who labor tirelessly to bring the hope of Christ to a lost and dying world are some of the greatest heroes that the world will ever know. Last week at Wyatt we were able to welcome just such a hero.

Oscar Gaitan serves in the country of Nicaragua. He is a hero that wears many masks. He is the Associate Pastor at Center of Life Baptist Church in Catarina, Nicaragua. He is Director of Missions for the entire country of Nicaragua where he oversees 20 churches and 13 missions. He also oversees the very popular youth program called Intino. He is also a very dedicated husband to Tamy and a father to his four-year-old daughter, Lydia. Many days he can be found driving the muddy roads of the backcountry bearing food, supplies, and words of encouragement for the local pastors. He works tirelessly to not only make converts for Christ, but to also make true disciples of Christ. He will never admit that he is a hero, but those of us who have seen it firsthand know the truth. Oscar is not a hero because he is great on his own, but because he serves a great God who by his grace has been using Oscar to do amazing things.

The members of Wyatt did an amazing job of hosting Oscar during his visit last week. Darius and Sylvia Stubbs opened their home to Oscar and became what he called, "My new mom and poppa." Oscar was able to go out with our Spanish Evangelism Team and make contacts on Wednesday night. We had a wonderful fellowship on Friday night with music and testimony from Bro. Oscar and past Nicaragua team members. It was wonderful to have the members of the Summer 2008 Nicaragua Team from First Baptist Church of Springhill join with us that night. Also, Oscar was able to visit several of our local pastors with Mark Harmon. In true South Arkansas-redneck style, he had his first experience of skeet shooting. He was also able to take on the high school soccer team. He ate countless meals that our people prepared, including a progressive dinner planned by Elizabeth Glass. During the morning service on Sunday, Oscar helped us experience a taste of the future throne room of heaven when every tongue will sing praises to God. On Sunday night we were able to hear Oscar preach through a translator. Many churches in the area graciously canceled their services to give us what was probably the largest Sunday night crowd in the history of Wyatt. After donations from some generous givers and a love offering on Sunday night, God provided a way for use to give over $6,000 for the work in Nicaragua.

Needless to say, we welcomed a true missionary hero last week. As his plane touches back down in Nicaragua, our hearts soar high with the joy that only comes through the presence of a true servant of God. May we all take Bro. Oscar's zeal for Christ and apply it to our lives as we seek to serve God in the mission field of our lives.

A Beautiful Mind in Christ

"The God of the Christians is a God who makes the soul feel that He is her only good, that her only rest is in Him, that her only delight is in loving Him; and who makes her at the same time abhor the obstacles which keep her back, and prevent her from loving God with all her strength."

These are the words of Blaise Pascal, the renowned scientist, inventor, philosopher, psychologist, and mathematician of the seventeenth century.   Pascal was a child prodigy who mastered Latin and Greek by age twelve, solved the mystery of conic sections and wrote a treatise anticipating projective geometry by age sixteen, and discovered the famous lemma in mathematics shortly thereafter (now known as Pascal's theorem).  This genius went on to invent the first adding machines and the world's first city bus system in Paris.

Beyond all of his extensive knowledge and skills, however, was a faith set ablaze in Christ.  After reading Christ's prayer in John seventeen, Pascal experienced personal revival.  He resolved to live a life submitted to the Lordship of Christ.

Immediately, he sold all of his belongings and gave them to the poor (he was a wealthy man).  He even took on a pen name so that all of his future writings would not tempt him toward pride.  

If there were ever a man who could boast in his own knowledge and skill, it would be Blaise Pascal.  However, before his death, he wrote:  Self-will will never be satisfied, though it should have command of all it would; it we are satisfied from the moment we renounce it.  Without it we cannot be discontented; with it we cannot be content.

Chase After Me, Really!

By Mark Livingston, Pastor Keltys First Baptist Church in Lufkin, TX

Some church members actually want the pastoral staff to chase after them.  They neglect their duty to fulfill their membership vows to the church, and they do not attend the gathering of the church (Hebrews 10:25).  Often when I express concern to these church members about their lack of attendance they will say, "Well, it's about time you noticed I was out."  Or, "Yes, I know I have been gone, but no one bothered to call me and I have been out for a month."  In other words, they are saying, "Why didn't you chase after me?"  Of course, there are those members who just don't want you to notice their absence at all.  That's an argument for another time.  

As a pastor I am burdened by these responses of these absent members, yet I am also moved with compassion.  On the one hand I hear the cry of these people saying they feel neglected.  I want to be there for them and love them in Christ.  I am sorry they feel neglected.  I am regretful that it took months to notice they were gone.  On the other hand, I wonder how a Christian, who has known Christ for years, can have such an immature faith.

I think the answer to this dilemma is two-fold.  First, pastors should know their sheep.  We (the pastoral staff) should make as much effort and attempt to care for the lost sheep of the fold.  Still, we are going to invariably miss some.  Pray for us that we would have the strength, wisdom and stamina to do such a job.  Give us grace when we fail.

Secondly, each member must mature enough in their faith to understand their responsibility to the church.  You do have a responsibility to this church body if you are a member.  Your responsibility is spelled out in the church covenant.  You promised to attend, give, pray, love, and encourage one another when you joined our church.  Members, we should all be seeking to do that if we are physically able!  If we refuse to do these things due to laziness, self-pity, selfishness or even busy lifestyles then we are in sin.  That fault lies with no one but yourself.

Are you angry that no one has chased after you?  Be careful.  You may not be chasing after your membership duties!  Build one another up and encourage one another.  We all can do that to minister to the body.

A new article on eldership entitled "God's Wisdom in Church Government" has been posted. To read it, click here.

To view our church policy on elders, click here. To read an excerpt from the book "Elders & Leaders," click here.

I Can See Clearly Now

By Jonathan Baird

Matthew 6:27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

So I was going to the Opthamologist today and was running a bit late. I hadn't had my normal morning snack and was kind of worried about the prospect of having something seriously wrong with my eye.

I signed in at the front window and waited anxiously as they called one patient after another. It was my turn to go in the back to where they go through standard procedures before seeing the doctor. They tested my eyesite and gave me some drops to numb my eyes. I've never been to an eye doctor in my life and never had anybody touch my eyeball with any kind of instrument that I remember. The nurse pulls out this contraption that checks your eyes for glaucoma. She touches my eyeball with this thing and it tests my eye pressure. At this point I began to get a little woozy, but I preach to myself "No, you are a man, pull it together, don't be a wimp!"

I remember being in a field Emily was there, perhaps Addie and Piper as well. It was very remniscent of the end of Gladiator where Maximus sees his family and is in a sort of euphoria even though his untimely death is drawing near. It was a very relaxing place perhaps like what heaven will be, but then to my chagrin and embarrassment I awoke on the floor, my head resting on the base of an optometric machine. I dragged myself back into my seat and sat there hyperventilating and not being able to see very well.

Apparently my lack of blood sugar, the anxiety over the impending diagnosis of my eye, and the experience of a piece of metal touching my cornea all colluded to send me into hypoglycemic shock. They sat me down in a more stable chair and gave me a package of crackers and a bottle of water. I was sweating profusely and my vision was very splotchy.
Eventually, after eating and drinking, I felt fine again. The doctor continued his eye exam only to tell me that my eyes were perfectly normal. Jesus gives us a very practical bit of wisdom in Matthew 6:27. What if my eye had been abnormal and my eyesight had been in trouble? Would my worrying about it have changed the outcome? No, and in this case it could have caused me to subtract a few hours from my life span. 

I'm Not Lovin' It!

By Pastor Mark Livingston, Keltys First Baptist Church, Lufkin, TX.

We are needy people! Believers need one another if they are to successfully live out the Christian life. Christianity is impossible to live out in a singular, individualistic fashion. There are many reasons why that is true, such as the need for sharing spiritual gifts with one another (1 Cor. 12), the need to spur one another on to show love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24), the need for exhortation and admonishment (Col. 3:16), and the need to be part of a body that gives you fellowship and support (Ephesians 4:12-13). You simply cannot live out the Christian life without other people. Therefore, if you forsake meeting and gathering with your church, then you are denying your spiritual life a basic need that should be present. Some deny this need and suffer spiritually for it. Malnourished Christians are those who do not meet regularly with other believers for prayer, support, encouragement, and admonishment in the Word of God.

We all have a decision to make concerning church. In the last few decades, church in America has somewhat become another business competing for clients. This is not the fault of the church entirely. The church membership is equally at fault. Why? Because some families see church very similar to a McDonald's restaurant. You go when you want to or you go when you can. You go as long as the family is happy with the choice and the play land keeps the kids happy. If there is a sports event, Saturday late night activity, gymnastics, or hunting trip, then "McJesus" can wait. If everyone else in the neighborhood decides to go to Burger King, then your family may as well join them. No need to commit to anything at "McJesus." After all, it is just a business. The problem with this new trend in Christianity is that it is not Christian at all. Church is the body of Christ, not the place for bodily consumption. Therefore, we have a decision to make as believers. What attitude are we going to adopt, that of the culture or that of the Scripture?

Every family is going to have to tackle some hard questions on this issue at some point. For example: Are we going to turn this national church trend around by committing to one another and to one church? Do we see the value of our family going to the same church and not various churches due to another church offering a new "toy?" What are we teaching our children about church when we adopt a consumer mentality? How can they grow up to respect a "McJesus" anyway? Are we contributing to consumer church or are we teaching our family that we must be accountable to others?

The point is that we need one another for spiritual nourishment of our souls. You will not get the good Biblical nutrition needed if you turn church into a fast food outlet of consumerism. We need one another. I pray we all set our priorities in line and come together for church. It really is not optional if we are to grow up in the faith.

Practice Makes...

It has been said that "practice makes perfect." While this may not be entirely true, the principle remains. Without a willingness to train, improvement is impossible. Of course, this concept applies to more than sports.

Evangelism requires plenty of practice. Sharing the gospel can sound intimidating at first. However, it can become more comfortable as practice takes place.

Imagine the intimidation and confusion a football player experiences when his coach draws up a new play on the chalkboard. The X's and O's could be overwhelming. But after the player gets on the field and executes the play repeatedly, it suddenly becomes like second nature.

As our church continues to practice evangelism, every member has an excellent opportunity to get "on the field" and train. Before long, we will all become more confident and comfortable. More importantly, our love for the gospel will overflow!

Building Your Home As A Family

Recently our church has promoted several events dealing with family. Our parents conference emphasized raising godly children, our baby dedication recognized the commitment of our entire church to support our young families, and our new prayer groups aim to build a support network of families who encourage one another. God instituted the family before He established the church. Therefore, it is highly important to Him -and should be to us! At Wyatt, we are dedicated to building strong families centered around God's word.