What are you so excited about...

I’ve been thinking about something Tony Campolo said recently,
“At the same time, I am frightened by the way (youth work) is being understood these days. I find there is a kind of dumbing down of intellectual content and an expansion of a kind of “rah-rah” emotional enthusiasm, it can lead to superficiality.” - YouthWorker Journal (May/June 2006)
It sorta crystallized some thoughts I’ve had about revival movements. There is no question that there is something exciting about how Christ changes people. Only problem is that we have focused so much on the point of decision that we have forgotten about what change really looks like. Our human capacity for obedience is progressive and always incomplete. Instead we have celebrated the point of decision where the only thing that changes is the attitude or condition of the heart. Not that the heart is immaterial to the grand scheme of things, in fact the heart is integral to real change.
The way Scripture frames real conversion goes well beyond the intention of the heart to the actual confession – TO OTHERS of the reality of how Christ’s life principles change us. And when I read the word confession here I hear more than a simple to go and blab my ‘story’ to someone. To me the word sounds more like the idea of representative honour. We are ambassadors of Christ – closest reasonable facsimile of his kingdom. That requires extraordinary obedience. A changed life!
Too often I have heard of impending revival set to sweep the nation, city, church, etc. Rallied by a confidence that God is going to release some special manifestation of his power due to certain circumstances, I have even participated in whipping up emotional responses. This is not helpful because like Campolo says we may very well be spreading superficiality. Why?
Because the very act of rallying people to these spiritual revivals denies some very important elements of the Christian call. We tend to avoid talking about the hard things. Sure maybe we don’t do it intentionally. Imagine with me some of the slogans for revival movements were we to highlight the harder things of the life of faith:
“Come follow Christ and have your wife raped and kids slaughtered!”
“Come and starve for days on end.”
“Come and be quiet.”
“Let’s preach the gospel in this town and expect no results!”
I’m sure you can think of some more…
There is a certain definition of success that most evangelicals have attached to ministry. Success means decisions. This morning on 100 Huntley Street, Mr. Ron Mainse said he figured that the recent arrests of the terrorists were a direct result of the national day of prayer he participated in. That statement reveals a certain definition of success.
Should we get excited when people decide that following Christ is there intention? Yes! But not nearly as excited as when they begin to confess/obey/honour Christ in their actions….