Dynamite and Dynamos

 On the day of Pentecost the church received power in the Holy Spirit. It was that power, not their dedication or commitment or faith that drove them. The initial wave of what we call revival lasted a little over 3 years. The influence and the effect of that initial wave brought the Gospel to the whole world.

The word power is the Greek word dunamis. It is a word from which we also get dynamite. But there is another nuance of meaning to suggest that it applies to the word dynamo. Dynamite is power in a destructive sense. They use dynamite to blow things up and to break down barriers. It is used in armaments and in construction and in mining. Dynamo is a power generator that provides electricity to our farms and factories and office buildings and our homes. It is a stream of power that is useful for improving and sustaining life and society.

Both of these two applications are seen in genuine revival. Revival often begins with large numbers of people getting saved. Miraculous growth. Our church and our Fellowship were born in genuine revival. But history tells us that nothing grows exponentially forever. And in our experience growth tapers off but the influence doesn't wane. We still outreach. We still disciple men. We still plant churches and support missionaries. We still have conferences. Look at what has happened in our Fellowship since those humble beginnings in Prescott in 1970. Look what has happened in our church in it's short history.

When revival begins it's come on, let's go! When the dust clears and we wonder what to do we just do what we know to do and continue following the old familiar paths.