A Heritage of Movement

I have been reading a very interesting book that I picked up a couple of weeks ago.  Jeremiah asked me, "Dad, how many hours are you going to read that book.'  Obviously I am in a trance and amazed to learn some new things about the move of God in American history.  The book, Jonathan Edwards a New Biography (Iain H Murray), has been amazing so far (1/2 way through).  What I was shocked to see is how in the olden times (1720-50's) the church was very much what I had envisioned in America, specifically in the North Eastern section.  Pews, lecterns, starchy (dead) church services that left many people unchanged.  However in the late 1720's America entered into what is a time of "Revival".  Called the Great Awakening, the church it is documented, came alive.  Even with the old starchy robes of the preachers the likes of George Whitfield, Jonathan Edwards and others came to move the dead church into a frenzy of activity.  First the preaching was significantly different than the preaching of that day.  The preaching probed the consciousness of the hearers of that day. Digging to the heart, it questioned if truly the listener was "right with God."  Were the people merely expressing an outward form of worship or did they truly KNOW the God they professed to be "worshiping."  What made this season of movement so intense is that people came to realize in their heart of hearts that they were truly lacking in a proper relationship needed for eternal assurance.  Outbursts of tears, sighs and groanings and many "unsanctified" activities ensued.  This weird movement caused so much division that denominations and church fathers argued back and forth whether it was a divine movement or a movement of man.  In this book it is estimated that over 40,000 souls came to faith in Christ through this movement.  In our experience, for many of us, in churches across America, we have been guided to experience a dead and lifeless god, because what we are being led to is liturgical crosses, incense, beads, robes and pulpits, starchy white collars, traditions of man and arguments over whether to sing hymns or contemporary songs.  I pray today for some MOVEMENT.  Let the spirit of Whitfield, Wesley, Edwards return to the church. Lord, let the Spirit of Christ return to wake a sleeping church.  When revival hits the church, people will not be able to sit still knowing their souls are dangling over eternal damnation while being deceived with the comfort of elevator organ music lulling them passively to slumber.  Time for a new Movement!