As the popularity of revivals continues to wane, evangelists must hold out
faith that God will provide, their leaders say.
As the popularity of revivals continues to wane, evangelists must hold out
faith that God will provide, their leaders say.
In 25 years as a vocational evangelist, Rob Randall said he has witnessed a
steady decline in the number of churches holding revivals. While it once was
common for churches to hold two revivals a year, some congregations now have
one every five years at best, Randall noted. Countywide revivals are increasingly
rare.
The number of Southern Baptist evangelists also is down. There are about 500
on the mailing list of the Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists, down
from more than 700, said Benny Jackson, president of the group.
Consistent work is difficult to come by for an evangelist, and some have picked
up part-time jobs or found other full-time positions to support their families,
Randall said. Even when a revival opportunity comes along, the evangelist is
at the mercy of a congregations love offering for support.
“The evangelist … has to live by faith,” Randall said. “He
doesnt have a regular check. He doesnt have a large support base
usually. He is out there to sink or swim based on his own ability to raise money.”
Some observers say the decline of revivals reflects a change in how churches
view evangelism.
The paradigm has shifted from an event-oriented task to a continual process,
suggested David Hughes, pastor at First Baptist Church of Winston Salem, N.C.
For instance, rather than holding revivals, his church participates in efforts
such as Rick Warrens “40 Days of Purpose.”
“Were in a different day,” said Hughes, who has not held a
revival in his 12-year tenure at his church. “The need for people being
spiritually revived is constant. The way churches meet that is different because
the world is different.”
However, Randall said he is unconvinced any other event focuses the church
like a revival.
“Practically speaking, the revival meeting is the only thing Ive
seen that puts all the energies of the church to win the community for Christ,
…” he said. “If someone will tell me the substitute, Im for
it. Ive not heard it.”
However, many church leaders, especially younger ones, do not understand the
role of evangelists and hold to preconceived notions, acknowledged Jon Moore,
president of the Conference of Texas Baptist Evangelists.
Stereotypical images and well-publicized indiscretions also have hurt evangelists.
“A lot of young men have heard the horror stories and do not know any evangelists,
so they assume certain things,” Moore said.
Smaller churches trying to copy the programs of megachurches also has reduced
the number of revivals, Jackson said. “They say the big church doesnt
have revivals, (so) they must not work anymore.
“But what happens is they dont do anything.”
In Randalls view, the effectiveness and purpose of revivals is not where
churches take issue but with the message. The straightforward presentation of
the gospel is offensive to todays church, the evangelist said.
“The bottom line is we are in a time of convenience,” he said. “We
go to church when we want to. We dont go to church when we dont
want to. The seeker-sensitive church is designed to be non-confrontational.
We dont want to call people to repentance (or) to hurt peoples feelings.
“Paul says the preaching of the gospel is an offense. If you are not offending
people, I would wonder what you are preaching,” Randall said.
However, while Hughes agreed preaching the gospel from the pulpit is necessary,
he said a confrontational method of outreach turns off more nonbelievers than
it attracts. A conversational style of evangelism is proving more effective
with unchurched people, he said.
“Communication has changed,” he noted. “The way we communicate
has changed. What we respond to is different.”
A successful revival effort must be bathed in prayer, publicized and allowed
to work, but the priority of convenience keeps that from happening, Randall
said. While revival meetings remain effective, they take a lot of energy that
many congregations are not willing to give, he said.
For instance, whereas revivals used to run several weeks, they usually last
a couple days now, Randall continued. That is not enough time for the evangelist
to connect with the people or to allow God to work, he said.
“Our pews are full but full of people who do not want to give,” Randall
commented. “Our pews are full but full of people not willing to commit.
Our pews are full of people not willing to share their faith.”
Hughes agreed revivals have been cut back but because persons are “time
poor,” not because they are uncommitted. People are juggling many things
in their lives and do not have time to attend a weeklong series of services,
he said.
Meanwhile, Randall insisted the gospel message evangelists deliver is badly
needed in churches.
“Theres a newness and a freshness to the evangelists message,”
he said. “And the church needs to hear that.”
Hughes agreed the gospel is needed but suggested the way evangelists deliver
it in the future may be different. He noted even Billy and Franklin Graham have
altered their approach slightly, choosing not to call their efforts crusades
and changing the music a bit.
Differences aside, all agree these are tough times for vocational evangelists.
But as long as Jesus message is called for, evangelists say they will
be needed, and God will watch over them. “I dont think there will
be anything that will replace the man of the pulpit – a real man to love
the people,” Jackson concluded. (ABP)