Revival Lectures Seven — E.A. Johnston

Preaching About Revival Versus Preaching for Revival

Well, I had to learn, friends, that there's a great difference between preaching about revival and preaching for revival. When you preach about revival, you're telling folks about historical revivals.

You're explaining them. You're talking about the need for revival in the church today. But when you start preaching for revival, well, that's a different story altogether because then you'll be preaching searching sermons where sin is exposed and God's attributes are held up, and your sermons will be more doctrinal.

The Cambuslang Revival and Doctrinal Preaching

I want to share a story with you today, friends, about what became known as the Cambuslang Revival, where George Whitefield said it outdid everything he'd done in America. William McCulloch was a Scottish pastor who had little natural ability as a speaker.

As a matter of fact, he was called the ale minster because some in his congregation said when he stood up to preach, he was so dry it made him want to go to the ale house to get a drink. His church was outside Glasgow in the community of Cambuslang, and it was here one of the most powerful revivals occurred during the 18th century.

William McCulloch was a man who had a burden for souls and a burden for revival. He had heard about the revival occurring under Jonathan Edwards in Northampton, and he began to read his congregation accounts of that revival.

And soon his church was interested in the subject of revival. He then began to alter his messages to them. He'd preach doctrinal sermons primarily centered on the doctrine of regeneration. Soon, he saw his congregation distressed over their spiritual condition, and many sought salvation in the Lord.

George Whitefield and the Preaching Brace

He then invited George Whitefield to come to his church to hold a series of meetings. Soon, the crowds were so large, they spilled outside down the hillside to a little outdoor arena in the back, which became known as the Preaching Brace.

They were separated by a little stream. And it was here where thousands stood at all hours of the night listening to the preaching of the various ministers who participated in that revival. George Whitefield wrote in his journal that this revival scene resembled more of a battlefield where the wounded last strewn all over the hillside crying out to God for mercy.

And it all began, friends, with a pastor who had a burden for souls and a burden to see revival come to his church. So he prayed for revival. He educated his people about revival, and he preached for revival.

A Pastor's Repentance as the Beginning of Revival

I want to stress that pattern, friend. It still works today. I remember the day when I received a telephone call from a pastor in Mississippi. He introduced himself by saying he just finished my first book on revival, Reality's Revival, and he wanted to know if he could buy me lunch at a local restaurant to talk about revival.

Well, I never turned down a free meal, so I agreed to meet with this man the following day. He drove up from Mississippi to a Chinese restaurant in Memphis where I was living at the time. He was an elderly man, and he told me he'd been a pastor for nearly 50 years, and his great desire was to see God come and revival in his church.

And he asked me, he begged me if I could give him some advice on having revival at his church. Well, I looked him in the eye, and I said, if you're really serious about revival and seeing it come to your church, then you must first repent of your sins because revival starts with you.

Well, he gave me a startled look as if to say, why you young whippersnapper. And abruptly he stood up and he paid the bill. Well, I thought I must have offended him. I probably wouldn't hear from him again.

But the next week, he called me again and asked to meet me at that restaurant once more that he'd buy my lunch. And this time, he was bringing two of his pastor buddies with him. Well, another free lunch, so I met with these three pastors.

And after we talked a while on the subject of revival, they asked me if I wouldn't mind getting together with them on a regular basis to pray for revival. Of course, I didn't mind. And for the next several months, we met in a local church with our chairs facing each other in a circle.

And we each took turns praying to God for revival. And I'll never forget it, friends. One day, as we were sitting there praying, this old pastor, the one who had first invited me to lunch, it was his turn to pray.

And he was sitting on a metal folding chair. And all of a sudden, he jumped boat right up like he was struck by lightning. He stood there stiff. Then he moaned and crumpled to the ground. And there on all fours, he cried out to God in a voice of desperation.

He said, Oh, great God, forgive me for my wretched sins. I repent, Lord, of my dirty, rotten sins. I want to see revival, Lord. Send revival to my church and let that revival begin with me. Well, that man was getting serious with God.

Personal Revival Through Prayer and Repentance

And you know what, friend? If you get serious with God, he gets serious with you. That old pastor experienced a personal revival that reignited his entire ministry. Preaching for revival is an important component to seeing revival.

Revival, the Gospel Doctrines, and God's Holy Name

Revival is first birthed in prayer. And revival begins with us. We must preach doctrinally sound sermons on the great doctrines of the gospel, which are redemption, repentance, and regeneration. Preaching for revival will get God's attention.

I know this for sure. If the church will not defend his holy name, then the Almighty must. God will either pour out his blessings in seasons of revival to defend his holy name, or he'll pour out his judgments upon mankind to avenge his holy name.

Either way, there will either be a defending or avenging. To remind mankind he is the sovereign ruler over all, let us pray. Great God, you are the author of salvation. And you're the author of revival.

A Prayer for National Spiritual Awakening

We stand in the ruins of the glory of former days, where you sent religious awakenings to our land, where you blessed this land from coast to coast with powerful revival. I pray right now, great God, that you have mercy upon us once again, that you send this nation a mighty spiritual awakening, great God.

Come save our young people today, Lord, who are lost in the grip of the devil. Oh, great God, send a powerful awakening to our churches where we need your preeminence and preeminence again in your manifest presence, great God.

Send us a powerful move of your grace for our day. We pray, I pray these things in the strong name of Jesus, amen.