I am a former student of the Brownsville Revival School of Ministry and just want to share some thoughts concerning the present revival in Lakeland. Please don't make the mistake of comparing this work to the Brownsville Revival. After spending two years there I can tell you the stark contrast between the two revivals is that Pastor Steve Hill, the visiting evangelist at Brownsville, unashamedly preached a message of repentance from God's Word EVERY night. Was everything perfect at the Brownsville Revival? NO. When you find the perfect revival, with no flaws, please let me know. But I can honestly say, as a person who loves God's Word, Steve Hill was a man who proclaimed the Gospel. Every night that I was there, for two years, no one was prayed for until a repentance message was preached.

Since being at Brownsville I have grown a lot. I am so thankful to have discovered the ministry and teachings of Art Katz. He has helped me tremendously in my growth concerning the things of the Spirit.

I would encourage you to pray for those involved in this revival in Lakeland. We all need to pray for them and cry out to God for His mercy upon them more than simple blogging about them on a website.

May God be glorified!

You can't have revival without repentance!

I heard that Steve Hill went to Lakeland and blessed it. Is that true?

Yes, a week ago or something, together with kilpatrick i thought.

_________________
Dirk

Here's my two pence...

My brother was also a former student, and while he gained a few things from it, there was also a lot of junk going on, as well.

Now, as far as I'm concerned, I've always had issues with "revivals" such as these, because I see so much fakeness and insincerity in these events. Being one who wants to see true, Biblical revival come and sweep across America and the world, I became skeptical of the Brownsville "revival."

Some relatives really wanted my family and I to visit the church and see what the Lord was doing there, and I was one of the first to pipe up and say that I didn't think it was a good idea.

Lo, and behold, we get there and there was a ton of crazy, hyped up, spirited (not spiritual), stuff that took place.

I remember when Steve asked a group of people (a visiting youth or college group) to stand up and hold hands. Steve then went to one of the guys and touched him. The guy was "so filled with the Holy Spirit" that it shot through his body and through the rest of the 15 people holding hands, that they all fell down almost simotaniously (sp?). Now, to me (not puting God in a box), that is a bunch of hyped-up nonsense.

Near the end of the service he asked for people to come up and get prayed for. My relatives encouraged my whole family to go up, and it took several attempts to convince me to go ahead and go through with it. So, of course I did, and it was this that totally convinced me that the "revival" was no revival at all.

One of the "elders" came to pray for me and he touched me on the head, asking God to cleanse me of my sins, and so forth. He then left me after praying for a number of minutes, expecting me to fall over, and prayed for someone else. He then came back to me, and prayed some more, pressing a bit harder on my head, and asking God to rid the darkness in my life. He left me again, and came back a few minutes later after praying for someone else. This happened even one more time after this with him pressing more firmly on my head, asking God to rid me of the demonic stronghold in my life that was keeping me from falling over and being filled with the Holy Spirit. In his last attempt, He shoved my head back so hard, that I actually had to catch myself from falling over, and he left me saying that I wasn't letting God come into my life and that Satan had too much of a stronghold.
He's telling this to me, a pastor's kid, someone who has served in the church all his life.

Now can there be "bad apples" in a revival? Sure. But when it comes to the preacher and the leadership doing these things, and calling it "of God," it puts up a really, really big flag for me.

And then to have them "bless" the Lakewood revival, pretty much tells me the authenticity of this revival- not a true revival.

And just because someone reads Scripture, during a "revival" doesn't make it an authentic revival.

There are many preachers leading the prosperity movement, using all kinds of Scripture, but just because they use Scripture, doesn't make it right, as I think the majority of us know. It's the same principle with revivals.

Revivals must be authentic, selfless, motivated and moved by God. Nothing should be staged, or forced, or done to look good. I saw much staging, forcing, and self-gratifying things take place at the Brownsville "revival." I can't see it, or Lakeland being authentic.

:-(

{Edited}

No doubt there are hundreds of websites and blogs devoted to the debate concerning the Brownsville Revival. I don't desire to add more wasted words to that debate. One thing I do know is that during the Brownsville Revival the leadership said that the fruit of that move of God would not be known for many years after. I can personally testify that almost 11 years later God is still working in my heart and the fire I gained from being there still burns strongly. There are dozens of other people I personally whose hearts are still burning with that fire. My prayer for the revival in Lakeland is that it would grow beyond what believers can get from God to what believers can give for God.

We must be careful not to take mens words at face value, but here is what the Word of God says:

Jer 14:14 Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.

Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Mat 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Mar 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if [it were] possible, even the elect.

Luk 6:26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies

1Jo 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils

1Ti 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Tts 2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:

Tts 1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers....Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

Tts 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny [him], being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Rom 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

2Cr 11:13 For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness