Where's the Holy Spirit in the EC?
I was talking to my neighbor yesterday about my research on the Emergent Church. He too is charismatic and I realized as we chatted that I have yet to read anything about the Holy Spirit's role in revival among EC blogs. The Assembly of God seems to do just fine growing the church without the need for the "conversation." My friend told me he was just reading M. Lloyd-Jones' book, Revival, and was fascinated with Jones' conclusion that revival comes after people become concerned with their depravity after becoming aware of God's holiness. What are these things of which they become so aware? First and foremost, the glory and the holiness of God. Have you ever noticed, as you read your Bibles, the effect on these people as they suddenly realized the presence of God? Like Job, they put their hands on their mouths or like Isaiah they say, 'Woe is unto me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips.' They have just had a realization of the holi-ness and of the majesty and the glory of God. That always happens in a revival...The holiness of God, their own utter sinfulness and wretchedness, their own unworthiness; they realize they have never done anything good at all. Before, they thought they had done a great deal, now they see that it is nothing--useless. Like Paul they begin to talk about it as dung and filthy rags. In their utter helplessness and hopelessness, they prostrate themselves and cast themselves upon the love and mercy and compassion of God.What is Revival? So who among the bloggers is pleading for a move of the Holy Spirit to bring revival to the post mod crowd before worrying about coffee tables and music styles and ancient practices and affirmation of the image of God?
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