Revival! (7)
For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God… 1 Peter 4:17

Ministers of Scotland: Lectures on Revival XII
The Rev. Patrick Fairbairn, Minister of Bridgeton“It is impossible to glance ever so hastily over the condition of the church, as it at present exists, without perceiving, that as a whole it is very far from being what it ought to be in its zeal against iniquity and care to separate itself from the corruptions of the world.”

In what ways does it appear that the churches in your community have “zeal against iniquity” and are actively separating themselves “from the corruptions of the world”? It is a common rap against Christians these days that we are uncaring, hypocritical, naïve, and even dangerous. Is there any truth to such charges? The psalmist describes the Church as the beauty and joy of the earth (Ps. 48.1-3). Are we? God instructs His people to seek Him in prayer until His Church becomes a praise in the earth (Is. 62.6, 7). Do we? We will never be perfect, either as individuals or communities. But we should be growing into Christ-likeness – we as members and our churches as expressions of His Body. Unless we examine ourselves, looking carefully to see where improvements are needed, we will only perpetuate the status quo, and that may not be a good thing. It’s time for us to take a hard look at our churches and ourselves, and then to seek the Lord for revival, renewal, and awakening.

Meditate on Psalm 50. How does God feel about churches that don’t measure up to His expectations?

Praying Together for Revival
You can join weekly with men from around the country and various church traditions to pray for revival. Every Tuesday morning at 10:00 Eastern, we meet for 30 minutes to pray a psalm and seek the Lord together for revival. We’re looking for men who will commit to seeking the Lord with us. If you’re interested, write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and I’ll make sure you receive the link to join us each Tuesday for prayer.

Examine Yourself, Examine Your Church
Our Pastoral Hope Initiative provides a series of self-assessments to help you examine the state of your walk with and work for the Lord. In 7 online sessions, spread out over 14 weeks, you will gain new insights and perspectives for growing in the Lord, improving your work as a pastor, and understanding the growth needs of your congregation. Men, if you’re interested, watch this brief video (click here), then drop me a line at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and we’ll talk about it. The fee for the Pastoral Hope Initiative is waived, and the protocol and resources it requires are free for men in ministry.

All quotations in this series are taken from Ministers of Scotland,Lectures on Revival, Richard Owen Roberts, ed. (Wheaton: Richard Owen Roberts, Publishers, 1980). Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.