Why Do We Need Revival?
The term revival movement (Erweckungsbewegung), which became the guiding concept for many piety movements, was coined by Halle’s Pietists in the mid-18th century. For the Pietists, revival is needed to liberate Christians from spiritual lethargy to a lively Christocentric and Bible-oriented way of life.
During the 18th century, the Pietists were in constant spiritual battle against the secular Enlightenment thinkers who taught the religion of virtue with its emphasis on individual autonomy. In contrast to secular rationalism, the Pietists emphasized human sinfulness and their dependence on the justifying grace of God.
Here we already find some of the most important characteristics in true revivals, namely a deep sense of unworthiness before the holy God and the joy of free justification through the gospel of Christ.
Is revival still relevant and needed for today’s church and society? The answer depends on how we perceive the current state of the church and society. If we think our church (and society) is good enough then revival would be somewhat redundant.
However, if we humbly acknowledge the worldliness of the church, how the narrative of the gospel is not faithfully lived by Christians, then we might lament and continually pray for a revival.
(For more info, do click the link – https://ethosinstitute.sg/why-do-we-need-revival/ by Dr Billy Kristanto | 17th Apr 2023 | inside Credo)
The Easter Yet to Come:
After a lifetime of Easters, it can be hard to put ourselves in the stunned and miserable sandals of those who actually watched him die. Sure, he had told them what would happen (in unnerving detail, Mark 8:31–32), but it all was still so unthinkable. This was the Christ, and the Christ could do literally anything but die. And yet there he hung, and then here he laid — his lungs emptied, his eyes vacant, his heart unbeating, like stone. Were we fools to leave all we were, all we had, all we knew to follow him?
If you have hoped in Christ and he did rise, then you are not in your sins. How can this grow old? You were born into sin and raged, each in your own ways, against the God who made you. You were destined for a fate far worse than death — for eternal, conscious torment. And then you weren’t anymore. God himself stepped between you and his wrath. Now, in Christ, you’re destined for eternal, conscious, ever-increasing joy.
(For more info, do click the link – https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-easter-yet-to-come by Marshall Segal, 9th April 2023 inside Desiring God)
Tree of Shame – The Horror and Honor of Good Friday:
We grimace today at the thought of nails being driven through human hands and feet. We squirm at a crown of thorns pressed into the brow, piercing the skin, sending blood streaming down the face. And once these violent acts had torn flesh and bone, the pain of crucifixion had only begun. Hours later, many bled out; others died of asphyxiation, eventually too decimated to even breathe. This was not just death, but torture unto death. It was nauseatingly gruesome.
But not only was it calculated to amplify and prolong physical pain; it was designed, almost psychotically, or diabolically, to utterly shame the victim. The horror of the cross was not only that it was done, but that it was done to be seen. It was not only literally excruciating but humiliating in the extreme.
(For more info, do click the link – https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/tree-of-shame by David Mathis, 7th April 2023 inside Desiring God)
He Comes Quickly – Are You Still Waiting?
The King returns to his kingdom after a long journey. His castle stands tall. The banners flap above the fortress. The soldiers still wear his colors and speak his language. All is as it was, externally. He first notices something amiss as he walks among the people. They still consult his precious book he left them — but not with one eye anxious for his return. The people keep many of his wise precepts, it is true, yet he himself is little sought after, little missed. He overhears prayer in his name, yet few gaze over the walls, pleading at the heavens for him to come again.
(For more info, do click the link – https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/he-comes-quickly by Greg Morse, Staff Writer, 26th March 2023 inside Desiring God)
Heaven Won’t Fit in Your Head – How Not to Pursue Theology:
I have long been a mental maniac. I ruminate over unanswerable questions, turning the concepts of God and the universe over in my head to examine them from different angles, seeking to find clarity, certainty, and even mastery of the “metanarrative.” As a young adult, by some mixture of my pride and the societal value placed on intellectual aptitude, I considered that hyperactive mental posture to be positive, if not godly.
Enter G.K. Chesterton. He met me a century after he wrote Orthodoxy with words that were conviction to a prideful soul and balm to a tired mind: To accept everything is an exercise, to understand everything a strain. The poet only asks to get his head into the heavens. It is the logician who seeks to get the heavens into his head. And it is his head that splits.
(For more info, do click the link – https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/heaven-wont-fit-in-your-head by Matt Reagan, Guest Contributor, 11th March 2023 inside Desiring God)
The Sacrament of the Ordinary:
Some Christians are prone to think that the Christian life is a series of spiritual “mountaintop” experiences. The Christian life must be radical and exciting, filled with inspiring supernatural encounters with God at every turn. These believers listen with great relish to testimonies of miraculous healings and the spectacular successes of Christians who have accomplished “great things for God”. And they mistakenly conclude that this is the “normal” Christian life.
As theologian Julie Canlis has put it, for such Christians, “True religion is often associated with the extreme, the emotional moment, the passionate choice, the mountaintop experience.”
(For more info, do click the link – https://ethosinstitute.sg/the-sacrament-of-the-ordinary/ by Dr Roland Chia | 6th Mar 2023 | inside Credo)
“God has been drawing Gen Z to Himself': Regent students” holding revival worship during spring break
Regent University
Students taking part in revival worship at the campus of Regent University of Virginia Beach, Virginia, during spring break, 2023. | Regent University Campus Ministries; While many students are on vacation during spring break in Virginia, students at Regent University have been engaging in impromptu worship services that include the sharing of testimonies and exhortations from Scripture. Regent students and others began holding evening worship services last month after some went to Asbury University in Kentucky to participate in the revival there.
Jeff Gossmann, director of Campus Ministries at Regent, told The Christian Post that this week marks spring break for the university, but “students, faculty staff and the community continue to meet for spontaneous worship and prayer.” “Our Shaw Chapel on campus is open every day this week for unscripted prayer and praise,” said Gossmann, “It feels like the same quality of spiritual renewal I experienced while at Asbury.”
(For more info, do click the link – https://www.christianpost.com/news/regent-students-attend-revival-worship-during-spring-break.html by Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor/Twitter, 9th March 2023 inside Christian Post)
Spiritual revival fire vs. God's whisper: Warning for Asbury and beyond
With all of the talk of a potential revival sweeping the nation right now, I think it’s a good time to discuss the difference between “the fire of spiritual revival” and “the whisper of daily obedience.”
While we all want to see a spiritual awakening sweep the nation and the world, we must recognize that God’s normal work is in the steady obedience of his fully committed remnant. There’s nobody who knew this better than Elijah. He learned the lesson toward the end of his prophetic ministry, and the process of it was painful.
(For more info, do click the link – https://www.christianpost.com/voices/spiritual-revival-fire-vs-gods-whisper-warning-for-asbury.html by Greg Stier, Op–ed Contributor, 6th March 2023 inside Christian Post)
NYC Mayor Eric Adams says it was a mistake to take prayer out of public schools:
Speaking at his annual interfaith breakfast at the New York Public Library’s reception hall on Tuesday, Adams said that by confining the exercise of faith to houses of worship, society, in general, is being denied its power as a force for good.
In 1962, the Supreme Court ruled in Engel v. Vitalethat school-sponsored prayer in public schools violated the establishment clause of the First Amendment. The case was triggered by a dispute over a 22-word nondenominational prayer recommended to school districts by the New York Board of Regents that said: “Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our Country.”
Though the practice of the prayer was voluntary, and students could be excused from the prayer with a written request from their parents, when The Union Free School District in New Hyde Park, N.Y., adopted the recommendation some parents, including Steven Engel, argued that it was a violation of the First Amendment. Adams argued that pushing faith out of the education system has helped to fuel despair people increasingly struggle with every day.
(For more info, do click the link – https://www.christianpost.com/news/nyc-mayor-says-it-was-a-mistake-to-take-prayer-out-of-schools.html by Leonardo Blair, Senior Features Reporter, Facebook/Twitter, 1st March 2023 inside Christian Post)
Revival at Kentucky college faces hurdles from school leadership, moves worship off-campus:
Students at a Kentucky college who tried to organize a revival worship service in the wake of the Asbury University revival found themselves at odds with school officials over meeting rules. A group of 15 students began holding a gathering at the campus of Union College of Barbourville last Friday, with their impromptu worship soon swelling to around 150 students. As the meeting was began, according to Fox 56 in Lexington, faculty informed the students that they could not hold the gathering at the school student center. When the gathering grew considerably and began to include non-students, officials said they could hold the service at the student center, provided they did not include non-students. The organizers of the revival event declined these terms by Union leadership and decided to move their worship off campus to the local streets instead.
(For more info, do click the link – https://www.christianpost.com/news/revival-at-kentucky-college-faces-hurdles-from-school-leaders.html by Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor/Twitter, 1st March 2023 inside Christian Post)
Kindness – The Secret Sauce of a Good Marriage:
Kindness is an often overlooked characteristic of a successful marriage.
What is kindness?
According to the Cambridge academic content dictionary, kindness is defined as the quality of being generous, helpful, and caring about other people, or an act showing this quality. When people think of kindness, they often associate it with acts of generosity such as buying gifts, or acts of service such as taking out the trash. But being kind is both an attitude and an action.
Do we treat our spouses with gentleness when they make mistakes or are we condescending? Do we insist on our way or do we consider our spouse’s needs and preferences in every situation?
(For more info, do click the link – https://www.family.org.sg/FOTFS/Blog/Marriage/Kindnes%20-The-Secret-Sauce-Of-A-Good-Marriage.aspx by Chan Swee Fen | 1st March 2023 inside FAMILY FOCUS/ BLOG)
End-Time Prophecies in the Context of Current Global Conflict:
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and its global impact have prompted some Christians to prophesy that the end-time Antichrist has finally appeared. It is interesting, however, that the Antichrist has a different identity – depending on which side of the conflict you are on.
On the one hand, American evangelicals such as Pat Robertson and Greg Laurie identify the Antichrist as Putin’s Russia (‘God is Getting Ready to Do Something Amazing’: CBN Founder Pat Robertson on Russia and Its Place in Prophecy, CBN, 28 Feb 2022). They take the Antichrist to be synonymous with “Gog and Magog,” the northern enemy which rallies nations to attack Israel in Ezekiel 38-39. Since Russia is the final fulfilment of Gog-Magog, Russia will not stop at Ukraine, but will lead many nations (including Ukraine!) to “move against Israel ultimately.”
On the other hand, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, is quoted as associating the Antichrist with the liberal West (Russian Patriarch says Orthodox faithful are holding back the antichrist, Reuters, 07 Apr 2022). Kirill takes the Antichrist to be synonymous with, apparently, a deceptive satanic force unleashed to lead the nations in a war of rebellion against God in Revelation 20. Since the Western powers accept homosexuality, Russian aggression is justified because the Orthodox faith is the force that “holds back” this Antichrist.
How are we to evaluate these opposing claims? What really is the place of biblical interpretation in discerning the end-times?
(For more info, do click the link https://ethosinstitute.sg/end-time-prophecies-in-the-context-of-current-global-conflict/ by Mr Daniel Lee | 6th February 2023 | – inside Feature)
Cedarville University experiencing ‘outpouring of the Lord’ in campus revival:
A Christian university in Ohio is seeing spontaneous prayer and worship among its student body days after a revival began at Asbury University in Kentucky. Cedarville University President Thomas White described what was happening as “a special outpouring and sensing of the presence of the Lord,” adding that it “will be left to the historians” to determine if it was truly a revival.
This is not the first time that revival has hit the campus, as Asbury was the subject of a major religious gathering back in February 1970, which the university celebrated the 50th anniversary of back in early 2020. The 1970 revival spread, impacting various places, including Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary of Fort Worth, Texas, after three Asbury students spoke about their experiences to the student body.
The spontaneous worship at Cedarville University started days after a similar revival took place at Asbury University during its chapel service, in which students stayed after the official end of worship to continue in praise and prayer.
(For more info, do click the link – https://www.christianpost.com/news/ohio-school-having-outpouring-of-the-lord-in-revival-event.html https//www.christianpost.com/news/cumberlands-university-seeing-the-lords-work-at-revival.html by Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor | 16th /17th February 2023, inside Christian Post)
Only a quarter of Gen Z attends church at least once a month, survey finds:
Only 28% of Generation Z Americans say they're committed to attending religious services at least once a month, as 14% identify as atheist or agnostic, according to a recent poll that suggests the younger generation is also much more likely to identify as LGBT. The “Gen Z Post Election Research” polls, released this month by the Walton Family Foundation and Murmuration in conjunction with SocialSphere, surveyed Gen Z participants ages 15 to 25 as well as adults 26 and over on a wide variety of questions as researchers attempt to gain an understanding for the habits and preferences of the young voters. The study gathered data in early December from 3,227 15- to 25-year-olds and 1,036 adults aged 26 and older through online surveys. The survey for Gen Z respondents has a 1.7 percentage–point margin of error, while the study of adults 26 and older has a 3 percentage-point margin of error.
Slightly more Gen Z respondents said they attend services once or twice a month (10%) than older adults (8%).About 23% of Gen Z respondents said they attend religious services a few times a year, while only 14% of older adult respondents said the same. A higher percentage of adults 26 and over said they seldom attend religious services (24%), compared to 13% of Gen Z participants. Thirty-one percent of Gen Z respondents said they never attend religious services outside of weddings or funerals, and 32% of older adults said the same. Generation Z respondents were more likely to identify as atheists (9%) than adults over 26 (5%). Five percent of Gen Z respondents and 4% of older adult respondents identify as agnostic. Generation Z was much more likely to identify as either gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, or some other form of queer. Only 75% of Gen Z respondents said they identify as "heterosexual or straight,” compared to 92% of older adults. Nine percent of Gen Z respondents identified as bisexual, while 3% of adults 26 and up said the same. Two percent of Gen Z respondents and 1% of older adults identified as gay, while 1% of Gen Z respondents and less than 1% of older adults identified as lesbian. Four percent of Gen Z respondents identified as having an “Other Queer identity,” while less than 1% of adults 26 or older said the same. Additionally, 4% of Gen Z respondents identified as “transgender or non-binary,” compared to less than 1% of older adults.
(For more info, do click the link – https://www.christianpost.com/news/only-28-of-gen-z-attends-church-at-least-once-a-month-survey.html by Samantha Kamman, Reporter | 13th February 2023, inside Christian Post)
What A Teen Needs – Respect (Communication habits that will reap rewards:
Healthy and respectful communication may seem elusive in the teenage phase where growing pains and fluctuating hormones can cause friction in the parent-teen relationship. Conversations with our teenagers can be unpredictable to say the least; every parent who has parented teens would have experienced monosyllabic answers or “grunts” that tell you they don’t feel like talking, having to tell them to “watch their tone” when they answer with an attitude, and over-the-top outbursts blown out of proportion sometimes over trivial things.
(For more info, do click the link – https://www.family.org.sg/FOTFS/Blog/Parenting/What-A-Teen-Needs-Respect.aspx by Tracey Or| 8th February 2023, inside FAMILY FOCUS/BLOG)
Faith in the Wilderness of Waiting:
Like father, like sons: the children of Abraham have always been, and are still, a waiting people. We often walk with empty hands, the womb of our hopes still aching for life. “Like father, like sons: the children of Abraham have always been, and are still, a waiting people.”
Perhaps, with David, we sit in some spiritual or relational pit, waiting for God to draw us out (Psalm 40:1–2). Or maybe, with Jeremiah, we lie in a ruin of our own making, waiting for God to rescue and redeem (Lamentations 3:25–26). Or possibly, with Isaiah, we walk before the hidden face of God, waiting to see him again (Isaiah 8:17). Either way, we have asked but not yet received, sought but not yet found, knocked but not yet been answered (Matthew 7:7–8). God has promised; we have prayed; still we wait.
(For more info, do click the link – https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/faith-in-the-wilderness-of-waiting by Scott Hubbard (Editor) | 9th February 2023, inside Desiring God)
The Jesus Prayer:
This article was first published on “Soundings” – a series of essays that, like the waves of a sonogram, explore issues in society, culture and the church in light of the Gospel and Christian understanding.
Lent is an important season in the liturgical year because it invites Christians to observe and commemorate the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It draws us away from our busy schedules and urges us to pause and reflect on our relationship with our Lord and Saviour in whom alone we find the meaning and purpose of our lives.
(For more info, do click the link https://ethosinstitute.sg/the-jesus-prayer/ by Dr Roland Chia | 2nd January 2023 | – inside Credo)
Biden calls new Congress with 'more religions ... gay, straight' an example of 'infinite creativity of God':
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast at the U.S. Capitol on February 02, 2023, in Washington, D.C. The National Prayer Breakfast is a yearly bipartisan event that brings together religious leaders and politicians for a morning of prayer and reflection. | Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
President Joe Biden told those gathered for the National Prayer Breakfast that he found the religious diversity found in the newest Congress to be a reflection of the “infinite creativity of God.” Speaking to those gathered at the U.S. Capitol building and before those watching online Thursday morning, Biden talked about the ethnic and religious makeup of the 118th Congress. “Loving our neighbor is also a part of the essence of the American promise. A promise that comes with a new Congress that is more diverse and more different,” said Biden.
(For more info, do click the link – https://www.christianpost.com/news/biden-says-more-diverse-congress-shows-creativity-of-god.html by Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor – CP Politics| 2nd February 2023, inside Christian Post)
Prophecy: Get Caught Up in the Coming Revival Wave:
The Australian Prophetic Council met in early January to discuss, prophesy and weigh the word of the Lord for 2023. While not all individual words are captured here, there are key themes and major points that were established out of the mouth of many witnesses. Our hope is that they may edify and equip the body of Christ in Australia and beyond to position themselves and receive, by faith, all that the Lord wants to release to the nations.
(For more info, do click the link – https://charismamag.com/propheticrevival/propheticinsight/prophecy-get-caught-up-in-the-coming-revival-wave by Katherine Ruonala |31st Jan 2023 | Prophetic & Revival, inside Prophetic Insight)
4 Love Habits To Cultivate In The New Year – Usher in romance and affection:
When it comes to new year resolutions and goals lifestyle habits such as productivity, finances, and nutrition are usually given more attention and focus. But what if we take time to develop new habits or relook at our current habits with the goal of strengthening our marriages?
Healthy habits provide structure and consistency and cultivating them is important as they contribute to our marriage’s health and vitality. Additionally, relationship habits promote changes that are sustainable over time.
(For more info, do click the link – https://family.org.sg/FOTFS/Blog/Marriage/4-love-habits-to-cultivate-in-the-new-year.aspx by Chan Swee Fen | 30th January 2022, inside FAMILY FOCUS/BLOG)
The Many Facets of Inclusiveness:
The word “inclusive” has been used technically by theologians and missiologists in reference to the relationship between the gospel of Christ and non-Christian religions. Exclusivism is the perspective taken by evangelicals on the basis of three non-negotiables: the absolute and unique authority of Jesus, His life, death and resurrection as the decisive hinge of history, and the necessity for repentance and faith in Jesus for salvation. This view is supported by Scripture as it reveals who Christ is and what He has done for us, and how central He is to the whole story of God’s salvation. Christians reiterate this when in church they declare, “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.”
Inclusivism, in this regard, accepts the first two non-negotiables of exclusivism but not the third. It leaves open the possibility that there may be people from other faiths who might be saved, but the basis for this is still Christ, whether acknowledged consciously or not.
(For more info, do click the link – https://ethosinstitute.sg/the-many-facets-of-inclusiveness/ by Bishop Emeritus Dr Robert M. Solomon | 2nd Jan 2023 |inside Feature)
