“His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.”

Psalm 147:10-11

Let’s face it – no matter how you slice it – we the church – God’s people – are facing an identity crisis of epic proportions.  This state-of-the-church diagnosis can be stated with the following comparative questions:  Will we be defined by our unique relationship with God as the center of our life and mission on earth or will we be classified as “cultural Christians” or maybe even “carnal Christians” who boldly profess Christ on Sunday but convincingly conform to the values and norms of our society the remainder of the week?  Will we live with a single-minded devotion for God or will we live in spiritual no man’s land, vacillating back and forth between the world and culture?  Will we depend solely upon God or will we “have a form of godliness but deny its power”?

Let me be honest – my spirit cringes as I pen this diatribe because it forces me to address the temperature of my own soul.  I am a spiritual activist by nature, meaning that it is much easier for me to do something for the Lord than to be with the Lord.  As a pastor, it is much easier for me to write a sermon and preach than to simply be with the Lord in prayer.  It is much easier for me talk to others about their faith than to wade through the soul-wrenching, introspective journey of dealing with my own stuff.  I find it much easier to read about some other spiritual leader’s prayer life than to do the hard work of “being still and knowing that God is God.”  Is it any wonder that our pulpits, churches, and people lack the transformational, life-altering, and culture-affecting power of the Gospel?

Let us be reminded – our strength as God’s people is directly proportional to the size of our God.  As David so vividly describes in the verse above, a Big God translates into a strong church – a Small God equals a small church – and an absent and silent God I shutter to say cannot help but result in a silent and irrelevant church.  So help us God!  We the church are in need of revival!

Let every spiritual activist be convinced – the church is at its strongest when it is on its knees in prayer!  Prayer is what makes the spiritual world visible.  Prayer is the means by which desperate people move the hand and heart of God.  If that is true, then we need to pray.

Let us never forget – we are living at one of the greatest eras for the church.  I am greatly convinced that the times we are living in are truly the best of times for the bride of Christ!  Join me this Thursday on the National Day of Prayer and set aside time to pray for yourself first, then for your church, then for our country, then for our world, then for. . . Once you start praying you cannot stop!  The key thing is to pray!

Let us catch the vision of millions of God’s family bowing the knee to God and only God!  May that image start with you and me!  What’s that spell?  R-E-V-I-V-A-L!

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14

“Oh God, revive your church in our day and for your purposes!”

Dr. Ernie Frey is the Senior Pastor of Central Church in Collierville.