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Christianity Today, August, 2008 |

Minding a Malleable Movement

Why evangelicals need wise guides alongside our revivalists.

George M. Marsden | posted 8/20/2008 09:55AM

The Surprising Work of God: Harold John Ockenga, Billy Graham, and the Rebirth of Evangelicalism
by Garth M. Rosell
Baker Academic
288 pp., $19.99 (paperback)

On the afternoon of April 23, 1950, Billy ...

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Dwayne Moore

Posted: August 21, 2008 5:05 AM


Thank you for a well-balanced perspective from such a well-informed theologian. We revivalists need more of your historical and intellectual reasoning. My prayer is that we are surprised by God with awakening in the USA again as in the 40s and 50s. May He raise up many more Grahams and Ockengas!

Henry

Posted: August 20, 2008 7:36 PM

Isaiah, you are absolutely correct in your quotation. And a poll of the over 22,000(!) Protestant Denominations registered in America will show that the the vast majority are in existence as their effort to "restore" this one true church. Obviously, some are more successful than others. As pointed out in the article, I too am getting very tired of the chaos that is Protestantism/ Evangelicalism. We are constantly at odds with each other over the minutest of details without recognizing that the forcing of these disagreements put us in danger of excluding ourselves from the Kingdom by default.

Isaiah Tor

Posted: August 20, 2008 5:28 PM

I profoundly disagree with this article. Just as there is one Spirit and one Body, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, there can be no countenancing of "sub-movements"! Paul's presentation of the reality of the church as the Body of Christ, implies nor envisions no such freedom to spread according to the choice of the individual Christian (as it is not the divers views of believers that forms the move of God in the church, but rather the mulitfarious wisdom of God who would so make known such wisdom through the church - Eph. 3:10), but rather the move of the Body under the absolute headship of Christ. Shall we then say the Lord is inscrutable and His ways abstract, and we need to resort to the individual directions of various movements - this shows a poor recognition of the headship of Christ in the Body and the denigration of His absolute authority. Let us then pursue knowing the Lord and let Him lead us all corporately and continually unto His full glory.

Pete Benson, editor UNITYINCHRIST.COM

Posted: August 20, 2008 1:23 PM

A very good book-report article, which shows the strengths and weaknesses of Evangelicalism, esp., that it has no visible leader or "Headquarters", and yet, most if not all of its prominent leaders mentioned in the article had the guidance of Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Now there has been a similar revival, which really took off from 1970 to present, and like the Evangelical revival, it has had no significant central leader, or "Headquarters". Even its leaders say it was a work of the Holy Spirit. Has anyone a clue to which revival I'm referring to? It is the revival of the Jewish branch of the body of Christ. I have a whole section on my website detailing this revival. It seems Jesus Christ, via the Holy Spirit is the real leader of every revival, guiding and inspiring believers in key positions. It's at http://www.UNITYINCHRIST.COM/messianicmovement/messianicmovement.htm

Freddy

Posted: August 20, 2008 12:50 PM

This is very important to work in a team. Accountability is required. Checking up on how the other is doing in family life , in overcoming temptations and a balanced life . Openess to another , and most of all ,praying together and alone for one another. We have an enemy who will attack anyone who is effective for the Lord, and so make us ineffective. But through prayer we are more then conquerors, because we submit to the Lord, and the Lord is at work in us and through us. (John 10:10, Rom.8:28-39;1Cor15;56-58;Ephes6:18-20) God bless you Freddy from Toronto

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