Why is Genuine Revival Important for the Church in our Generation？
Stephen Elliott emphasizes that genuine revival is crucial for the church today to restore authentic encounters with God, transform believers' lives, and effectively reach a largely post-Christian society.
This sermon emphasizes the need for revival in the church, pointing out the decline in church attendance and the lack of genuine encounters with God as key reasons. The speaker highlights the importance of reviving the church for the presence of God and the transformation of people's lives, addressing the societal shift away from Christianity and the urgent need to share the message of the gospel.
Full Transcript
Why is revival needed for in the church these days? Well, the answer I think is really clear. First of all, the church needs reviving. Anybody that studies anything about the church growth patterns and health knows that the church in Canada especially is in a free fall in attendance.
Most denominations are losing hundreds of thousands of people. When I did my doctoral dissertation, we discovered that 8.7 million Canadians are fewer are attending church these days than were 10 years ago. So there's something about how the church is operating right now in Canada that is not, the world is not finding it attractive.
We're not retaining people for Christ and so people are just not being there. My contention is the number one reason why people go to church is in the hopes of encountering God. And if they're not encountering God at the church, if they're just going through the motions, singing the songs and praying and things of that nature, but they're not having a genuine encounter with God, at some point they'll grow disillusioned and discouraged.
And I believe that's the number one reason why people stop going is because they don't sense they're encountering God. And so the church needs reviving because we need the presence of God in our midst. So not only just for issues of attendance but also for the character of God's people.
Lots of people have said this. George Barna, the researcher, has noted this as well, that the average non-Christian sees no difference in the lifestyle and attitudes between a Christian and a non-Christian, a person who goes to church and a person who doesn't go to church. And so something needs to happen that changes and transforms the hearts and minds and lives of people and I believe it's an encounter with God.
So the first reason why the church needs reviving is the church needs it. The second of all, society needs it. We are at least in a post-Christian era, if not a pre-Christian era, with 88% of Canadians not being in any church on any given Sunday, only about 12% of Canadians are in any type of a place of worship on any given Sunday.
Society needs the message of the church. And so society needs what the church has to offer, which is the message of the gospel. So that's why the church needs reviving.
Sermon Outline
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I. The Church Needs Revival
- Declining attendance and engagement in Canada
- Lack of genuine encounters with God in church
- Disillusionment leads to people leaving the church
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II. Society Needs Revival
- Majority of Canadians are not attending church
- Post-Christian cultural context
- Society requires the gospel message
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III. The Impact of Revival
- Transforms hearts and lives of believers
- Distinguishes Christians from non-Christians
- Restores the presence of God in the church
Key Quotes
“The number one reason why people go to church is in the hopes of encountering God.” — Stephen Elliott
“If they're not encountering God at the church, if they're just going through the motions... they'll grow disillusioned and discouraged.” — Stephen Elliott
“The average non-Christian sees no difference in the lifestyle and attitudes between a Christian and a non-Christian.” — Stephen Elliott
Application Points
- Seek a genuine encounter with God in your personal and corporate worship to avoid going through empty motions.
- Recognize the importance of revival not only for the church’s health but also for society’s spiritual needs.
- Live a transformed life that visibly distinguishes you as a follower of Christ to impact those around you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the church attendance declining?
The church is losing attendance because many people do not experience a genuine encounter with God and thus become disillusioned.
What does society need from the church?
Society needs the gospel message and the transformative power of God that the church offers, especially in a post-Christian era.
How does revival affect believers?
Revival transforms the hearts and lives of believers, making them distinct from non-Christians in lifestyle and attitude.
What is the main reason people attend church?
People primarily attend church hoping to encounter God in a meaningful way.
What happens when people don’t encounter God in church?
They often grow disillusioned and discouraged, leading them to stop attending.