God's Recipe For A Revival

Sunday Morning January 23, 2000 Bel Aire Baptist Church, Hobbs NM

GOD’S RECIPE FOR A REVIVAL

2 CHRONICLES 7:14

Introduction:

1. As we stop for a moment, I would like us to reflect upon what God has

done here at Bel Aire Baptist Church since the church was organized.

2. The church was organized January 31, 1960.

a. There were 22 members, which grew to 36 total in the first year.

b. That first year the total income of the church was $5419.00.

3. In the last 40 years the church has seen years of average attendance up as

high as 150 in Sunday School and 185 in Worship Service and as low as

18 average in Sunday School and 25 in Worship Service.

a. Over the last 10 years our average in these two areas has been up

and down a little, but mainly we have not really changed.

b. Our churches income has been blessed.

c. The $5419.00 income 40 years ago has grown to $95,000.00.

4. The church is now on its 11th pastor.

5. Out of all of these figures, I have not addressed the one that matters the

most.

a. After all, why has and is the church here?

b. In the last 40 years our church has seen 768 saved and baptized.

c. Now we might want to brag on that, but if you really look at that,

the number is not that great.

d. In the late 60’s the church was baptizing between 40 and 50 each

year, but since then we have been lucky to see more than 5 each

year.

e. Barna Research tells us that in 1999 that 37,000 Southern Baptist

Churches baptized less than 5 people last year, and 11,000 churches

baptized 0.

f. One might say it is because the people have changed; or the times

have changed; or the preaching is not as good; or many other

opinions; so what is the problem?

6. Evil is growing all around us.

a. We face either massive spiritual revival or total moral anarchy.

b. In the 60’s, there was a moral earthquake that shook our nation and we

are still feeling the aftershocks.

c. A philosophy called moral relativism was taught in our Universities.

1. No absolute creator.

2. No absolute truth.

3. No absolute right or wrong.

d. Our children today live in a morally confusing time.

e. Many say that our youth are a lost generation, but I am here to

tell you that they are not a lost generation, but the product of a

lost generation.

7. 27 million children will go to bed tonight without a father in the home.

a. Every 22 seconds there is a major crime committed.

b. Every 34 minutes there is a murder.

c. 250,000 high school girls attended school pregnant.

d. 100,000 students carry guns to school.

e. 1 million teenagers are alcoholics.

f. 1 out of every 8 babies is illegitimate.

g. As much as God has blessed our nation and our churches, God is not

going to continue to put up with this.

Psalm 9:17: “The wicked shall be turned to hell, And all the nations that

forget God.”

Galatians 6:7: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man

sows, that he will also reap.”

h. Many nations have turned from God and they have been destroyed.

i. We are no exception!

8. The Bible says we are the salt and the light.

a. We should be helping but we are no different from the lost.

b. The divorce rate is higher in the church than it is outside the church.

c. Only 12% of our nation 25 and under attend church and only 12% of

that group continues to attend after they leave home.

d. Out of 66 lifestyle categories Christians are no different in any area than the lost.

9. We have substituted programs for prayer and CEO’S for pastors.

a. God’s trying to get our attention.

10.Time out, Time out! Children of God we are at the point of destruction.

a. Let the past be dead.

b. It is time to wake up!

c. So what do we do?

11.It seems that nearly every Bible-believing religious leader is saying today

that what we need now in America more than anything else is a revival of

the old-time religion.

a. As I looked at the many people that left the church each year in

the last 40 years I was shocked.

b. In most years, for every 10 that joined by baptism or by letter, 9

left.

c. We do need revival but there is much more to it than just saying

it.

d. We have been saying it for 20 years but why have we not

experienced it?

12.What is a revival?