Church In The Wilderness
by Rev. H. E. Schmul

This is a very penetrating and profitable look at church life and its' abject dependance upon revival- by a significant leader and scholar at the end of the Great Awakening.  This work will force you to do much reconsidering!  It is full of pungent examples.  This no holds barred comparatively recent article inspired the creation of this section.  It is a cautionary must-read for leaders.

"John Wesley said, “I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid, lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case, unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.” Wesley’s fears were not without foundation as we well know. The churches that were born in revival fires and true to the Word of God were invincible until they became preoccupied with the details of organization and machinery, or isolated themselves from society."

"Trying to put a church together without a revival is working with a rope of sand. Without a revival a church will be dead, carnal, stubborn. This latent incapacity for spiritual things persists in a church which has been formed by the art of men, rather than born of the Spirit in revival fires. Only the revival church bears the stamp of God. Only the revival church loves revival—but on it she thrives, she thrills, she lives.”

Revival alone will give evangelism that dynamic strength to fulfill her mission. “Evangelism, the activity of making Christ known and loved,” is the primary occupation of the church; in fact, it is the only justification for her existence. “Winning men to Christ is not a part of the program of the church; it is the only activity of the church. To accomplish this mission in the world, the fires of revival must be kindled here. Individual and congregational revival must precede world evangelism."    (20 pages)

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