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From Revival to Awakening

Posted by Eric Neale Moore on December 14, 2012 at 10:25

From Revival to Awakening

By Eric Neale Moore

 

It's time to shift from "waiting for a revival" to "become the awakening"!

A revival is when the church rises out of passionless, rote, sleepy religion to become motivated by its first love - Jesus. It causes people's hearts to be stirred to bold love for Jesus and each other. A local congregation is changed by a real revival. Revivals don't last very long, generally from a couple months to 3-4 years.

Awakenings are different! An awakening transforms the culture. An awakening occurs when a revived church engages, challenges and ultimately reforms the ungodliness and injustices of its society. An awakening comes when a revived people empowered by a holy God change the mindsets and structures of an ungodly nation.

Awakenings have a long life.

Here's a couple questions we need to answer, "Are we revived and ready to move toward awakening? How do we shift to awakening?"

Is the Church Revived?

 Yes and No! Part of the Church in America is vibrantly alive! Part is still stuck in lifeless rituals. The awakened Church does not have to wait any more. Even inside many dead local churches a firebrand group is awake and chomping at the bit.

In many places I see an alive, revived Church. My personal sample may be small but I can tell you about dozens of churches where the worship is passionate and real. And its not about the music, its about Jesus.

In Detroit, over 25,000 people gathered at Ford Field on 11-11-11 for intense, earnest exaltation of Jesus Christ. The following spring 20,000 Christians gathered to worship Jesus in the parking lot of Comerica Park to kick off the EACH campaign in which we boldly and lovingly sought to tell our region about Jesus.

I have been to many conferences recently where the people are alive spiritually. When I compare these expressions of current Christianity to the sleepy church I grew up in and the highly organized, efficient professional churches of my past, I can declare unequivocally to you - The Church is Revived!!

But the evidence is deeper than just the passionate corporate worship and exaltation of Jesus. A deeper look reveals a multitude of people who reflect the very nature of Christ. They are holy, selfless, sacrificial and singularly devoted to King Jesus. They have been tried and tested by fire and they are tough, mature warriors for the cause of Christ.

I believe we are ready to become the Awakening.

A Historical Example - Wilberforce and the Clapham Sect

Around 1790 in England a small band of passionate Christians rose up to contend with the decadence of their day. The most prominent figure was William Wilberforce but his supporting cast was an amazing collection of politicians, a former slave, wealthy businessmen, educators, pastors, lawyers and authors.

They became the forerunners of the powerful Puritan Movement.

What they accomplished in a 30-40 year period can only be described as a spiritual awakening. Clifford Hill in his book, The Wilberforce Connection, writes,

"William Wilberforce and the Clapham Group were born into a godless, repressive, cynical and violent world. Annual consumption of gin in the mid-18th century averaged three gallons per person. Stealing a handkerchief could send a child to the gallows. Members of Parliament purchased their seats, and ignored the arguments about slavery and child labour...

"Wilberforce and his friends set about transforming society. By personal example, dedicated argument, generous giving and careful research they changed the character of Britain. In Wilberforce's phrase, they 'made goodness fashionable".

An in-depth look at Wilberforce and gang give us practical examples of shifting from revival to awakening.

Changing a Revival Mindset to an Awakening Mindset

The Gospel had transformed Wilberforce and his friends. Wilberforce actually considered leaving public service and becoming a pastor. Wise counsel from John Newton (who wrote Amazing Grace) kept Wilberforce in the place where he could affect reformation - the Marketplace!

The most fundamental operational shift the church needs to make in this hour is to redesign our structures so we send people rather than gather them.

About half of 1% of the Church is employed by the Church to oversee the Church. The rest of the Church is employed in the marketplace. They are strategically positioned by God, who placed gifts and dreams within them to display the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. The overseers of the Church create a potent force for transformation when they operate as equippers and trainers rather than lecturers and nursemaids.

The Clapham Group saw themselves as change agents. About 30 Members of Parliament who identified themselves with Wilberforce became known as "The Saints" whose primary allegiance was to biblical principles not party affiliations. They met regularly to discuss political objectives. These meetings were not like political caucuses, instead they "centered around worship and prayer seeking to know the mind of God on the issues that confronted them".

Hannah More prodigiously produced tracts and books and a monthly newspaper, The Christian Observer. These writings began to turn the tide in the nation. People of all ranks in society began to be open to the message of "vital religion" 

One of the Clapham Groups efforts that grew into long-term change agents was the formation of charitable societies. The societies were an important part of the strategy for social change. They spread the influence of Kingdom into a wide variety of institutions and interests. The list of societies operating in London alone ran into the hundreds. Look at this partial list... 

  • The Society for Promoting Charity Schools in Ireland
  • The asylum for the Support and Encouragement of the Deaf and Dumb Children of the Poor
  • The London Missionary Society
  • The Society for Bettering the Conditions and Increasing the Comforts of the Poor
  • Institution for the Relief of the Poor of the City of London and Parts Adjacent
  • The Religious Tract Society
  • The Society for Promoting the Religious Instruction of Youth
  • The Society for the Relief of the Industrious Poor
  • The British National Endeavor for the Orphans of Soldiers and Sailors
  • The Asylum house of Refuge for the Reception of the Orphaned Girls the Settlement of whose Parents Cannot be Found
  • The Institution for the Protection of Young Girls
  • The Society for the Suppression of Vice
  • The Friendly Female Society for the Relief of Poor, Infirm, Aged Widows, and Single Women of Good Character Who Have Seen Better Days
  • The Sunday School Union
  • The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
  • The British and Foreign Bible Society

As we shift into "becoming the Awakening", we will stop waiting for somebody else to do something. Now's the time to get involved!!!

That's why I started The Society for the Promotion of a Culture of Honor. I saw a problem and I knew we could solve it. Government needs the wisdom and prayers of God's people. Join with me - www.cultureofhonor.org

Or start something! Become part of a group that's trying to accomplish something noble!

How about this? Did you know that Detroit has basically one struggling Crisis Pregnancy Center? Ironically Detroit has several Planned Parenthood Centers for easy access abortions. Instead of waiting for Roe v Wade to overturn, why don't you invest time and money actually reduce the number of abortions?

The Detroit Pregnancy Center is relocating in early 2013. I bet they could use your help and money. http://detroitpregnancy.org/

So let's not wait any longer. What are you passionate about? Fatherlessness. Sex trafficking. Literacy. Blight. Racism. Movies. Writing. Children. Elderly. Poverty. Jobs.

Find a way to make a difference.

Become the Awakening!

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Pastors Loving Politicians - Bridging the "Separation" Divide

Posted by Eric Neale Moore on November 27, 2012 at 16:08

Pastor Eric MoorePastor Loving Politicians - Bridging the "Separation" Divide

By Eric Neale Moore

(Please ask your Pastor to read this!)

His name was Bob and he didn't know what to make of me at first.

Bob was the city manager for the Detroit suburb where I lived. Even though I had been pastoring in this community for several years we had not met. I was a little nervous when I called his office and asked for an appointment with him. When his secretary asked the purpose of the meeting, I fumbled some answer about wanting to talk about some issues going on in the community.

What I really wanted was to get to know him and find out how I could pray for him. I didn't know if he would meet with me if I said that was the reason. I was just some young pastor who was disconnected from the local political scene. But something deeper was going on with me that compelled me to call to set up this meeting.

A Deeper Thing Growing Within Me

For a few years I had been studying the spiritual history of my community. What I learned changed the way I prayed. I learned about patterns of sin and conflict, and about leaders, both political and church, that set unhealthy examples. I could see old patterns continuing to repeat themselves. So I set myself to praying for the breaking of these patterns and for new healthy ways to be established in our community.

In my studying I learned about sacred assemblies. The Biblical idea of a sacred assembly had been practiced frequently in American history. A sacred assembly is a gathering of a community or nation in which they corporately confess and repent of their community's sins. These assemblies happened frequently in American history whenever a tragedy occurred - a murder, a rape, a devastating storm. The community would come together to confess, to ask God for mercy and to heal their community. It sounded to me like a very practical application of II Chronicles 7:14.

I led my church to do a sacred assembly. WOW! Let me say again, WOW! We really prepared ourselves for that day. Fasting, preparing our hearts, thinking and talking about what needed to change in us and in our community.

The evening of the sacred assembly changed me forever.

I had never felt the presence of the Lord like that - so real, to the point of overwhelming. I knew that we had done something that had touched the heart of God. Humility, confession-these were keys that that invoked the loving presence and grace of God. These Biblical principles were becoming my experience - for real!   Life changing, ministry altering realities.

One of the things that shifted in me during this time was that I now saw myself not just pastoring a church, but also pastoring a community.

 Shifting What Was Developing In Me to the World Around Me

That was going on in my heart, mind and spirit when I set up an appointment to meet with Bob. I KNEW Bob needed my prayers. He couldn't do his job the way God wanted it done without the prayers of pastors and Christians aiding him. That's why God gave us I Timothy 2:1-4. The spiritual battle in our community was real and God had not left us without weapons capable of winning!

When Bob and I met it was a very cordial meeting. I shared with him that I was there because I wanted to honor him, thank him for his leadership, and to find out how I could pray specifically for our city. AND I didn't want anything (that always throws a government leader off guard, LOL!).

He answered my question in non-specific terms about some financial challenges the city was facing and some leadership shifts happening in the police department. I could tell that he genuinely appreciated my visit and the moral and spiritual support I was offering. I could also tell that he was a bit guarded and that trust would have to be developed with him over time by being consistent and committed and honorable with him.

That was the first of many meetings. Bob and I developed a safe and delightful relationship. Trust and ease marked this friendship. I would drop by his office and get the latest items to pray for, and it was not too long before I felt comfortable to pray with him right in his office.

Two events that stand out from that season shaped the way that I love leaders and pray for government 

We had a guest speaker come to our church for a series of meetings. During the day on Friday we had some free time so I scheduled four business and governmental leaders to come to our facility to be prayed for. Bob was one of them. He sat in a chair and we gathered around him and laid our hands on him. For about 15 minutes we prayed and God gave us very specific things to pray and to speak into his life and leadership. When we finished Bob looked up with tears in his eyes and said, "wow". We had touched the core of his heart and had spoken to issues that had great concern for him.

I learned that day a poignant lesson about loving government leaders by inviting them into a powerful place of love and God's presence. Our leaders need that. But they will probably only venture there with someone they know and trust.

Please listen to me, pastors! You have the opportunity to affect the lives of government leaders. Your position as PASTOR creates a door of opportunity that no one else in your community has. Government leaders will return your call. They see you as they see themselves - leaders in the community! They just don't know the power of God you can bring them when you will love them and pray for them.

Please, pastors! Set an appointment to meet with your mayor, or state representative, or state senator. Begin a relationship in which you invest in them and authentically relate to them. Then invite them to your church (after the election, not before) so you can honor them, thank them and pray for them.

How would Lansing be different if all our 110 state representatives and 38 state senators went to work next year having been to one of our churches where they were prayed for by the people of God?

One Last Part of the Story

God let me experience the power of prayer. A significant tension was brewing in our community. A Hatfield-McCoy type feud existed between two newspapermen. Our suburb had five newspapers!! Two men were using their newspapers to attack and malign each other. It was really ugly. Neighbors were putting up signs in their yards saying essentially, "Don't put that paper in my yard".

People were aligning themselves with one side or the other. The city commissioners were up for re-election. One side of the feud created a slate of four candidates running for the offices. If they were elected it would take the tension to a whole new level.

A handful of leaders and I from our church began to pray in earnest that these four would not be elected and that the tension would end. We prayed for several weeks. I would walk through the downtown area stopping to pray in key locations - outside buildings where the trouble was brewing.

During that time I read REES HOWELL, INTERCESSOR by Norman Grubb. Rees was an amazing man of prayer that led a ministry school in England during WWII. On four key occasions Rees and his students prayed specifically for God to intervene and turn the direction of the war. They wrestled in prayer for hours, even days, until they knew the victory was won in the heavenlies. God would lead them to stop praying even though the physical victory was yet to be realized. Rees and the intercessors would begin celebrating. Within a day or two, the Nazis would lose a major battle or miss a key opportunity. Historians call these four events -Hitler's Blunders! Key events of WWII turned on the prayers of God's faithful prayer warriors!!!

Well, I had a Rees Howell moment! The day before the election I began my usual prayer walk through downtown. I sensed the Lord saying to me, "Stop praying. The battle is won". Because I was new at this I doubted what I was sensing, so I kept praying. But the prayer had no power. The Lord kept telling me the victory was won. After several false starts at trying to muster up conviction to keep praying. I finally decided to agree with what I sensed from God. So I got in my car and did a victory lap around the downtown area - Yelling and praising like I had just won. A day later the results of the election proved God to be true!!!

The rest of the story is that these leaders moved away, the tension evaporated and the crisis has become a distant memory.

Pastor, you are a bridge across the "separation" of church and state. You can lead the way for a proper, honorable relationship between church and state. When we approach government leaders in a non-partisan, no agenda, loving, life giving way, we give the true, essential, powerful nature of the Church to serve government. That helps government flourish so they in turn can function in a way that frees the Church to operate in a quiet and peaceable environment, which pleases God who longs for everyone to be saved. (See I Timothy 2:1-4).

I can see it...

Eric Neale Moore

Founder, Culture of Honor

http://www.cultureofhonor.org

 

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