Podcast : Are you a Berean? : What does it take to experience revival?

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Listen to the podcast for a discussion on the true nature of a Berean. When revival breaks out it becomes common to hear from people who claim to be doing the work of a Berean by scrutinizing what is happening. This isn’t what we really see in scripture. The first mark of a Berean is to be of noble character and to eagerly receive the news of a fresh move of God!

Also, listen to a discussion on “20 Elements of Revival”. I take you through each of the 20 points. Here are the notes- feel free to preach them! Turn to Acts 2 and follow along:

Unity (vs. 1)- This is much different than fellowship. Fellowship is relationship driven while unity is mission driven. A fellowship based community will not survive offense, disagreement, challenge, conflict or other interpersonal issues. However, people who are unified can disagree on many issues, press through conflict and refuse to take on offense because of the severity of the mission.
Radical devotion of time (vs. 1)- They were in one accord and in one place. As God develops city churches across the planet it will become normal for believers to be together most every day. This is not for fellowship alone, but rather for strategic planning, prayer, warfare and other works of Kingdom advance.
Extreme Spirit filled atmosphere (vs. 4)- This is not a seeker sensitive movement, but rather a believer driven ministry of extreme Holy Spirit activity. The unusual manifestations of the presence of God will be expected. To tone down the atmosphere is to, in effect, ask the Holy Spirit to settle down and give us control of the environment.
Everyone filled (vs. 3-4)- This is a clear indicator of God’s desired function and atmosphere for his church. It is a Holy Spirit driven entity and the model based on this chapter in Acts shows that every person was filled. The baptism of power should not be deemphasized, but rather it must be a primary focus.
International focus (vs. 5)- The focus of participating in an international outpouring of the Spirit of God will keep us broken, bold and intentionally filled and refilled with power.
It will be ‘messy’- different than the cultural norm (vs. 6)- Instead of attempting relevance, we will embrace a radical departure from what is normal in the culture where the church is birthed. When the God who created the universe pours out his sustenance upon humankind, we simply cannot maintain a composed position of status quo. We will exhibit extreme manifestations of God’s power, fire and passion.
Declaration of God’s works (vs. 11)- As we are consumed with the Holy Spirit, declarations of God’s goodness, his power and his works will bellow from deep within us night and day. This will come not from intellectual knowledge but rather from revelation experience of his infused power.
Extreme nature of ministry will cause some to marvel and others to mock (vs. 12-13)- Do we expect conflict? We should if God is doing strange and wonderful things through us. A message of reformation, power encounters, extreme challenge, opportunities for offense and visibly uncomfortable moves of the Holy Spirit will draw many and repel many.
Bold preaching and teaching on the move of the Spirit (vs. 15-16)- We will have the awesome opportunity and responsibility to explain the manifestations of God to those in our city. The revival atmosphere will be explained and imparted to many.
Prophecy, dreams and visions will be a regular flow for all (vs. 17-18)- We are all to prophecy, dream and have visions. An extreme atmosphere of Holy Spirit activity day after day in the city church will result in very easy experiences in the supernatural. Angelic visitations, revelations, declarations and other experiences and encounters will be normal.
Preaching of salvations (vs. 21)- It is appropriate to hold off on evangelism strategies until this point is reached. When the Holy Spirit is moving powerfully, the supernatural is experienced continually, revelation is clearly received and the prophetic flow of God is exploding in and out of us, the message of salvation will then be preached with the necessary power and effectiveness. Many will get saved at this stage of a city church plant.
Repentance (vs. 38)- Only a powerful move of the Holy Spirit can cause mass repentance in a city church. The result of following the order of the establishment of a church in a city is mass repentance, healing, deliverance and freedom!
Gift of the Holy Spirit and power encounters (vs. 38)- Salvation will be quickly followed by baptisms in the Holy Spirit. People will encounter God in extraordinary ways.
Growth (vs. 42)- Teaching is a necessary part of continual personal and corporate growth. It’s a perpetual need for strategic advance, maturity and equipping. Teaching will enter into a more important role at this stage of church growth.
Fellowship (vs. 42)- We must avoid the mistake of birthing a city church on relationship instead of mission. Fellowship is a consequence of a Holy Spirit birthed church, not a strategy to build the church. It is a wonderful atmospheric reality as opposed to a foundational support system.
Prayer (vs. 42)- Along with teaching and fellowship, prayer is a common daily activity both corporately and personally. At this stage, every believer should be maturing rapidly in disciplined prayer, fellowship and growth in the Word.
Fear of God (vs. 43)- This is a critical barometer for a church. If the church was birthed in fire, and was maintained in fire with an international focus and an extreme mandate to facilitate an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the fear of God will permeate every part of the ministry. If the fire and the fear is absent it may be necessary to cancel programs, eliminate special events and call the body together nightly for intense intercession and pressing into God’s presence.
Signs and wonders (vs. 43)- Another barometer. Contending with passion, declaring the Word and stepping into impossible missions will result in a regular flow of signs and wonders. Anything less will compromise the mission as the mission will require a continual miraculous flow through everybody involved.
All things in common (vs. 44)- What started in unity in verse one has resulted in community. An intentional devotion to the city church body will be a mark of a healthy and growing church.
Daily participation corporately (vs. 46)- A reformation of participation is needed in the church. If we start a church correctly, with everybody in one accord and in one place, we will continue correctly. We must ensure ministry continues night and day. We will find ourselves, along with our friends and families, so consumed with the mission of Kingdom advance that most everything else will be reprioritized. It will be normal to be together nearly every day or night of the week to pray, to worship, to minister and to participate in the strategic advance of the church. As with revivals of old, people will line up hours in advance just to find a seat for the service. If this is to be the end result of a city church, it must be started this way- together continually experiencing the presence of God and receiving his instruction for Kingdom advance around the world.