Need a Revival?

On my way home today I saw a church sign advertising an event next week. It said "Come to the revival with Johnny ReviveMe" (I made up the name...just in case you were wondering!)



I said to Katie seated next to me in Jeepers, "If your church is doing what it is supposed to, why would you need a revival?"



Some say that it is good to hear from someone different for a change. Okay. Fine, so you hear from someone different, everyone is "revived" and the evangelist moves on to the next town and then what? What happens to all the "revived" people once things are back to normal? Heck, even in medicine, once a heart is revived with the defib paddles and chest compressions, a lifestyle change is in order. A patient would probably change diet, excercise more, and require follow-up visits for care of the heart. The evangelist goes home and what happens to the "heart" patients? Is there sufficient support staff back at the home church? If proper care is given to the "heart" in the first place, why would you need a revival? Wouldn't the heart be properly cared for and maintained? I think in a healthy church that it would be.



The church should always be allowing God to work. God never "de"revives people! If the church is letting God move in the hearts of His people, why would you need a revival?



I'm not saying that I believe it is wrong to have a charismatic speaker come in and "revive" God's people. Some respond positively to the message given them, and a charismatic evangelist may be just the person God intends to use to "get through". I know that there are non-Christians in worship services all the time, and maybe an evangelist could say just the right thing. Aren't all Christians called to be evangelists in one way or another? If the church is doing its job evangelising, why would you need a revival?



The Spirit of the Living God resides inside the heart of each Christian! Why would you need a revival?



Christians got the ultimate revival on the Third Day!



Why does it take a "revival" to remind us all of these things!?!?