Categories: uncategorized
Date: 13 February 2008 13:07:58
I once lived in Woolwich for a few months, Shooters Hill to be precise, with my sister. For those who aren't aware, Shooters Hill is the highest point in South London. In order to commute to work we needed to walk down the hill and get the train into the city.
On occasions when the trains weren't working we'd have to catch the 53 bus. Now these were famous because you'd get feast or famine - either 1 or 3 at once. I have now experienced a similar thing with my preaching.
As I'm just starting out it has usually been a few months between bookings. Last night however I was asked to preach at another local chapel on Sunday morning, one I'd never been to but had been recommended by someone at my local church. I have now been warned to expect more of these as my name becomes more wll known.
Though Wales was the home of the 1905 revival it has been in decline ever since. Many of our chapels d not have a minister - either full or part time. In fact many weddings and funerals are conducted by lay preachers. Most congregations average 12-30 people per service and some even less. What you will find is that there is a great desire for another revival but, as is usual with such things, very little effort is actually put into it.
I think that everyone is waiting for God to do it on his own. They seem to forget that revival will only happen when people do something to make it happen. God could do it on his own but he wants us to help, to make the effort to expand His Kingdom.
When you want something to change then you make that change happen, not rely on it to change itself - unless you are a real Darwinian. So it is with God. You read the Old Testament and the New Testament and you will see that God requires input from us - whether it's to request salvation, knockdown the walls of Jericho or preach the Good News. So why are we always surprised that things take so long to happen when we do nothing?