| So, Where?s the Revival Now? |
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Over at Steve Heyduck?s Everyday Theology blog I left a comment (a brief rant, really) that I want to expand on a little here. The topic over there was Revival and Revival meetings.
I think I'm a real Methodist "throwback" and I'm actually rather glad about it. My early experiences in the faith included Revival meetings and Camp Meeting and Prayer Groups and Evening Worship Services and Midweek Prayer Meetings, etc. They were all aids to discipleship. They were important.
But, I don?t mean that the ?form? was important.
I know many of these are considered to be the evangelistic techniques of the past. It is felt that they need to be laid aside for new techniques. And, I'm fine with that. Really. I strongly believe in function over form. Times change. Strategies change. They should. Great.
But, here?s my (major) gripe about the present state of Methodism: what has replaced the old techniques? What has served the function of the Revivals at their best? Revivalism has certainly manifested many abuses over the years. Yes, there are weaknesses to this effort at re-invigorating discipleship. But what are local churches doing that is better than this strategy? In most cases the answer is: nothing. Revival services were a time to be challenged, a time to invite people to hear the Gospel. They were a time to reinvigorate a lukewarm or compromised faith. It was a time to return to the basics.
And what has taken it?s place? The Lay Witness Mission? Around here those are rarer than the proverbial hen?s teeth. The Emmaus movement? That seems to be stalling too: I feel like Emmaus is practically "dead" here in Grand Rapids (I'd be glad to be wrong about that). And, it has ?problems? of its own (it produces an Emmaus clique, and because it happens outside the local church, it is sometime hard for folks to integrate their "Emmaus experience" back into the life of their church). Camping? This is basically understood to be for children and youth. And, there's been some decline there, too.
The Methodist, United Brethren & Evangelicals Association churches gave up on the old Methodist Class Meetings so long ago nobody even remembers them. And, they replaced it with (roll the drum, please): nothing!
If they?d replaced it with a better way of fostering discipleship: fine. Wonderful. But, no.
We gave up on Revivals (really a Charles G. Finney innovation, not always well understood) and replaced it with: nothing.
To paraphrase G. K. Chesterton, it seems to me that it's not the case that Methodism has been tried and found wanting (it was once a powerful spiritual and reformist movement).
It was found to be demanding, and then soon left untried.
? Craig L. Adams |
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