This is the first and maybe the last in a series of posts exploring what it might be like if certain revivals started today.  Enjoy:

…..If Azusa Street started today:

1. The LA Fire Dept. would shut down the meetings. Too many folks stuffed in a dangerous wooden barn.

2. OSHA would come by and fine the church for lack of disability ramps, restrooms, and parking.

3. The neighbors would complain because of all the noise and traffic caused by the gatherings. Plus those all night services must stop.

4. The Mayor would order the church banished from the city: ” After all, we already have enough churches and not one of them help with the city budget. Besides churches are all suppose to meet at schools or in industrial parks outside the city limits, accept for the old ones which were built by ‘real’ denominations 50 years ago. Also, WalMart was interested in that property and we are just going to have to condemn it anyway.”

5. According to the ‘Biblical Answer Man’s’ chief cult headhunter: ” The last ones we know of who spoke in tongues were Joseph Smith and Brigham Young of the Mormons in 1835″.

6. Fundamentalist Bible teacher, Dr. Cliff proclaims on the radio that “Tongues and all those gifts ceased when the ‘perfect’ Bible came– I Cor.13 proves it!”

7. Google ‘Azusa Street revival’ and you would get 2 pages of critical articles from folks who haven’t been there with theological reasons and expose’s of why it can’t be from God. Then this is followed by 10 folks who claim they went to a service at Azusa Street “with an open mind, but…”.

8. RelTV would probably refuse to televise the meetings because…” Pastor Seymour is a horrible speaker and the music is terrible!”

…..If Azusa Street started today!            

Jesus and his disciples were healing folks right and left, yet John the Baptist sent some of his group to find out what was up.  It was not going the way he had expected: “shall we look for another?”

That is a lot like what is happening at Lakeland. Some folks are being healed and many are being blessed, and yet there are even more Christians who would paraphrase John the Baptist and ask- “Is that all there is –shall we keep looking?”

I would be inclined to agree with some of the critics except that I firmly believe that we are just at the beginning of a sovereign move that will not be limited to Florida, but will sweep across all of North America and eventually to the UK and Europe. Already, I have personally heard of dozens of churches and ministries in America that have seen an obvious increase in healing in 2008.

John the Baptist obviously had some preconceptions about the Messiah and what would happen when he came. A few miracles and healings didn’t look anything like the revolution he expected. But it was just at the beginning! 2,000 years have come and gone and most of us still don’t have a clue what Jesus is doing and what he is waiting for.

We have to remind ourselves that whatever is happening at Lakeland, it may be just at the beginning. I wonder how past revivals would have survived the onslaught and glare of 24 hour TV and Internet. What did Wales and Azusa Street look like after a month and a half into it?

So many of us have read about past revivals and expect God to do the same thing again, full blown and mature at the start. We forget that each sovereign move was new and strange for those who experienced them at the time.

My Own Expectations

Myself, I am looking for a revival that sweeps across all of North America and effects 1000’s of churches in hundreds of places. A revival that crosses all the man-made divisions and denominations. Then like a tidal wave engulfs the UK and washes up on the shores of France and Northwestern Europe. A revival coming soon near you.

So many are looking for Jesus to come for his church, I’m looking for him to come to it. Come to it? What exactly does that mean? I’m not entirely sure what that means except it’s a ‘word’ that I keep hearing in the Spirit and it’s going to be good.

The church is going to get closer to Jesus, there will be a changing of the guard, ‘churchianity’  is going down, and his people will hear his voice in a profound way. I say, Come Lord Jesus and surprise us!