Brother Loewen's Traveling Salvation Show
In my own church tradition, we would regularly have spiritual revival meetings, where a guest speaker would come to our humble town and speak every night of the week to whoever would come to hear him. Revival meetings became a passing trend, and as congregational focuses shifted and the emphasis of inter-church dialogue changed, they stopped altogether. I heard recently though of an attempt to revive the revivals. Cliff Loewen, no relation, a former youth pastor at our church, and his family, are spending a week in Mount Salem, giving a series of evening services with the intent of spiritual revival.

I drove home to hear him, and I was surprised to see the church almost full. I had certainly seen it emptier on Sunday mornings in the past. The music was moving, the message was full of both well researched Biblical understanding and emotional calls for revival, etc. Cliff, like his father, is a great speaker, confident in his words, and passionate about his message. As a new pastor myself, I seek out effective speaking styles in others.

Many of my contemporaries, fellow MCEC (Mennonite Church of Eastern Canada) members and emerging church bloggers etc., would say that revival meetings and altar calls are a remnant of ancient society, but I'm not so sure. I know I would need to produce more evidence than a rural conservative evangelical Mennonite church full of people on a Wednesday night. I know that some still see this as ineffective old methods in a new world. However, I look around and see a lot of failed new methods too.

There is some emerging church language (sorry if I'm putting words in your mouths guys) that I wish Cliff and other evangelists would use though. I of course see the moral degradation of our society as a bad thing, but I don't think forcing people to comply to Christian morals is the solution. The lessening role of the church in our society is of course a sign of failure, but we need to use it as an excuse to purify the church. All Christians need to revive their faith to one that is real. I too want to see growth in Canadian (and global) churches, I want that regrowth to be thoughtful and spirit-led, not just the return to the pre-existing system.

I'm rambling I know. I liked the service tonight, with a few exceptions, and I was challenged, intellectually, spiritually, and in speaking styles. No plans on my own Brother Loewen's Traveling Salvation Show, but time will tell what gets incorporated into my work.

   [ posted by William @ 11:26 PM ]