REVIVAL IS IN THE AIR
I thoroughly enjoyed the revivals I had the opportunity to preach last year. Some are scheduled for this year with a few more pending at this time. I have found that the most successful revivals in terms of attendance, decisions on the part of church members and salvation of the lost have come to the churches that did proper preparation.
We are living in a time where our calendars are so full that the church revival is only another date on the calendar. The folks come while still recovering from the last event and in the process of getting ready for the next. I had in my files from Dr. Tom Wallace’s disk this lesson featuring Revival preparation from Dr. R. A. Torrey.
He gives 10 thoughts that can be very spiritually helpful. I follow that with a letter I sent to our folks promoting some special days during a revival campaign that will give unsaved and unchurched friends, family and acquaintances a reason to come and help us. Thus, hearing the Word of God and hopefully getting right with God. I also listed a web site that will give additional ideas under the heading Some Additional Thoughts.
Preparing for Revival
Scripture: If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7.14
Lesson Aim: To prepare the hearts of God’s people for revival. To give some Scriptural tools for personal revival
Some Suggestions on Revival from Evangelist R. A. Torrey:
1. View yourself as God would look at you.
Complacency is the deadly enemy of revival
2. Determine that you will pursue a sweeping change in your life
As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. Ps.42.1
3. Put yourself in the way of blessing
Be in the place where you are most likely to be blessed
4. Do a thorough job repenting
Let godly sorrow do its work & don’t tolerate sin
5. Make restitution wherever possible
Owe a debt? Pay it! in God
6. Bring you life into accordance with the Bible
Obey what you know
7. Deliberately narrow your interest as you seek revival
Less TV(updated), less pleasure activity
8. Restart personal devotions
Set a time for & Bible reading
9. Begin to witness openly
God has promised to reveal Himself to the soulwinner
10. Have an expectant faith in God
Believe that God is going to send revival
ANNIVERSARY – REVIVAL ANNOUNCEMENT
(from a meeting 10 years ago while I was pastor at Shawnee)
A SPECIAL INVITATION TO YOU,
I want to take this opportunity to invite you to be my special guest for our 80th Anniversary Revival Services. Our guest speaker will be Dr. Bobby Roberson from GospelLightBaptistChurch in Walkertown, NC.
Bro. Bobby has been pastor of Gospel Light for 41 years. The Church averages over 3,500 in attendance each week. Walkertown is a rural country town near Winston Salem, NC. Bro. Bobby is an old time country church pastor with a powerful message for the 21st century.
Each evening of the revival meeting we will be asking a different group to go to work to help us have great attendances.
1. On Wednesday night March 19th we are challenging all of our church family to be present. Every Sunday School class will be working for 100% attendance. We are calling the night, “CHURCH LOYALTY NIGHT.”
2. On Tuesday night March 20th we will select many of our folks and ask them to work hard at filling a pew. This will be “PACK-THE-PEW NIGHT.”
3. On Friday night March 21st we will be emphasizing the home. We are asking everyone to do their best to get their entire family present. It will also be a special youth activity night for all the teens. Start lining up folks now for “FAMILY NIGHT.” It will be a time you won’t want to miss.
In addition to the excitement of the special advertised nights there be on a nightly basis:
*NURSERY PROVIDED for ages birth to 4 years old.
*SPECIAL CHILDREN’S PROGRAM for grades kindergarten – 3rd grade. *SERVICES INTERPRETED FOR THE DEAF.
*BEAUTIFUL SPECIAL MUSIC INCLUDING choirs, quartets and others.
*AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS for visitors in attendance.
I trust that you will plan to be present every night as we celebrate God’s goodness to us during these 80 years of reaching out to this great Kentuckiana region.
Lonnie Mattingly, Pastor
ShawneeBaptist Church
SOME ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS:
In other longer revivals that I have preached or hosted we have had: TEEN NIGHT followed by Pizza, and an afterglow… Good Neighbor / Co Worker Night / Sunday School Night / GUEST MUSICIANS (ALWAYS HELPFUL)ETC.
I will have a helpful booklet each service after Sunday PM for every first time attendee to the meeting.
One of the better helps on line about Special Nights for Revival Meetings can be found on line at: www.recoyle.com/SPECPM.pdf
By using special days you are giving your people extra tools to reach their co-workers, fellow students, friends, neighbors, family, ECT.
I pray that God will work you your life and in your church and send a great revival. Pray for Nancy and me as we continue to labor in God’s harvest field. Pray for Power, Pray for Revival.
Lonnie Mattingly – John 15:8
P.S. Feel free to call if you have questions that I might be able to answer. (502) 386-5521
Lonnie Mattingly 