Sitting in a breakout session with Tim Keller, Lead Pastor of Redeemer Church in New York City. The title of the session is "How to Accomplish the Jesus Mission," and let me tell you...Keller is laying it on thick. Wanted to share his thoughts on the six factors that must be held in balance for revival to happen:
- Dynamic and Edifying Worship
- worship that makes the secular non-Christian feel welcomed and the Christian feel edified
- Strong Emphasis on Great Teaching and Preaching
- not just biblical-principles - preaching must be gospel-centered and truth-oriented
- the purpose is not just to make truth clear, but to make it real - if it's just clear, then we're just lecturing
- Life-Changing Community
- your life changes amonst the people you hang out wiht, not the people you're hearing preach
- Evangelism
- in revival when nominal Christians are being saved and sleeping Christians are waking up, evangelism just happens
- when the gospel penny drops in your life, there's a humility towards outsiders that outsiders feel and there's a boldness that makes you not care what anyone thinks anymore
- without the gospel, you're either bold and not humble or humble and not bold - only the gospel brings it together
- Strong Emphasis on Justice and Mercy
- Cultural-Engagement
- teach people how to integrate their work and their faith
- teach people to see your city holistically through the lens of a Christian worldview
The trick is that we cannot fully control whether these factors are held in balance. We can lead towards it, but, as Keller said, "leading Americans is like herding cats." It's easy to get frustrated when we think we're doing all we can, but revival is not happening...or it comes and then slows. That shows that we don't really believe the gospel - we think it's up to us.
Keller closed his session saying, "I still think God has a few revivals up his sleeve, but the only revival that will bring full, lasting healing is the last one that's called the new heaven and new earth."
Comments