why am i scared of revival?
why does the thought of revival scare me? isn't it what christians are supposed to be praying for, that our society should turn to god? the problem is, all the images in my head are creepy. religious mania. weeping and wailing in the streets. censorship. rigidity and punishment. zealous preachers. fear god and cast out the sinners. enforced niceness.
how come 'revival' never means good coffee and free wifi, everywhere? really challenging and confrontational art? the development of cheap sustainable technology? an end to greed and overwork? a good wage for the [formerly] poor? what would a holy, as opposed to religious, society look like?
That sounds like the sort of revival I'd be keen for; although I'd like to move beyond the typically western/priviledged ideas of coffee and wifi...However, meeting the Christ in confrontational art, cafes and social transformation sound much better than a long(er) religious meeting.
Posted by: Craig | October 24, 2005 at 10:13 AM
I always thought that revival is always happening at a micro level, i.e. the level of the heart. If it's stylised within the parameters of certain imagery, what does it matter. At a macro level, you maybe need to come to Australia. Churches that are having great impact on their communities (sometimes known as revival) are not devoid of good coffee, music, technology &/or people with credibility. I have no experience of the UK church.
Posted by: Mick Mc | October 25, 2005 at 12:05 AM
that's not what i mean by revival. i'm thinking of the great outpouring of the spirit on society, the supernatural conversion of huge numbers that would flood into the churches, whole society repenting and turning to god etc that was much prayed for in england in the 1990s. constantly promised, never appeared [as you have noticed].
if *that* sort of revival happened kath and kim would be off the air in no time at all ;)
Posted by: steve collins | October 25, 2005 at 12:45 AM
revival is a cultural form, right, and the players, by and large, know their roles, they have clear expectations and create what they expected. Unfortunately the Spirit has her own mind and never seems to know her cues, she's forever entering at the wrong time, and, usually, the wrong people. She's uncooperative really
Posted by: theoldbill | October 25, 2005 at 01:24 AM
You know, I've been thinking this very same thing for years, but you crystallised it into a few sentences.
Posted by: Wood | October 25, 2005 at 10:17 AM
see... here i was starting to think about this kind of revival and what it might look like in australia and you just had to go and ruin the revived world by removing kath n kim...
Posted by: darren | October 25, 2005 at 10:32 AM
It probably won't help then to tell you that last Sunday Kath & Kim aired in our church as a prelude to an open forum on Baptism. I never realised they were so Spiritual
Posted by: Mick Mc | October 26, 2005 at 11:39 PM
great stuff
but actually revival is God initiated and I think we'd enjoy it :) even if it doesn't fit in OUR little box
:)
Posted by: Lorna | October 27, 2005 at 09:21 PM
what if revival was happening right here right now, but it just doesn't look like we thought it would or should
what if the Holy Spirit is convicting people and they meet with others in cafes, galleries, public parks, and private homes to explore this thing called Christianity and this bloke called Jesus
just because they are not flocking IN to churches,doesn't mean a revival is not sweeping the earth as we post :)
Posted by: kel | November 10, 2005 at 12:19 AM
Checkout these websites if you wanna see revival that your talking about.
www.smallboatbigsea.com
www.forge.org.au
tell me what you think
Rev elk
Posted by: Elk | November 30, 2005 at 12:52 PM