Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Something to chew on...

Back in January 2007, I was working on some J-Term classes at Southern in an effort to get done with the M.Div. much quicker. My fiancee's roomate Julia sent home a CD with me that her mom had given her entitled The Revival Hymn. It was a collection of sermons on revival set to the music from the movies Last of the Mohicans, Glory, and several classical scores. What ensued was me sitting in the library at Southern weeping not only over my own guilt and unrighteousness, but also at the apathy with which I had lived for a long time, and the current state of despair and comfort that the American church is in. This amazing piece of work, with its stirring score and untold riches of Truth, is a must for anyone in spiritual leadership, and for that matter, any Christian who cares an ounce for the Kingdom of God. We cannot expect our evangelistic crusades and endeavors to work unless the Spirit of God is involved to awaken hearts and be the vehicle for grace which responds in faith to the call of the Gospel.
So often we do what is called "Utilitarian Religion" where God is a means to this end, namely our happiness. There are countless people who preach the benefits of salvation, the reward to the soul, and this is all true and good, but when we lose sight of the glory of Christ and the redemption He provides, we rob the Gospel of its earth-shattering, culture-changing, eternally significant power and make it into a vehicle for feeling good about yourself and having purpose. Listen, watch, enjoy, pray for your role in the Kingdom. May God do this great work again in our midst, my question is... Are you ready?

http://www.revivalhymn.com/

1 comment:

Unknown said...

This is so true and sad. I hope that we can be a generation that reclaims the power and truth of the Gospel