Trinity Fellowship Church

This past Saturday we had our men’s fellowship dinner. What a great turn out and great time together with some awesome men.

From Pastor Ryan.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the state of American Christianity.

I believe we have come to a place where Jesus has been pushed to the back burner.

Our weeks are full of things we have to do. We make time for the things we enjoy. We make time for the things we care about. We make time for our jobs, our hobbies, our families, sports, entertainment, and so many other things.

But when it comes to church, suddenly we start watching the clock.

We complain when church goes past 12.

We complain when worship is too long.

We complain when the preacher preaches too long.

Yet we can sit in front of a television for hours watching a football game or a movie and never think twice about how much time has passed.

But when it comes to God, we want to put a time limit on Him.

Somehow, church has stopped being important to the American Christian.

And maybe part of the problem is that we have a church on almost every corner. We've become so accustomed to having church available that we've forgotten how precious it really is.

We have more churches in America than at any other time in our history, yet I believe our country is worse than it has ever been.

And that should make us stop and ask ourselves: What are we missing?

We have pastors who have become motivational speakers instead of preachers.

We have churches that are more concerned with making people comfortable than calling people to repentance.

And I'm not saying this from a place of anger.

I'm saying it because my heart is broken over it.

We need revival in the American church.

We need revival in the American pulpit.

We need pastors who will preach the Word again.

We need churches that are hungry for the presence of God.

We need church members who aren't looking at their watches, but looking for a move of God.

I'm so thankful for my Pentecostal upbringing.

I've grown up hearing the stories of the old revivals. I've heard the stories of people who prayed, fasted, sought God, and refused to stop until they saw God move.

And sometimes my heart weeps when I hear those stories.

Because so often, that's all they have become to us—stories.

Stories about what God did.

Stories about how people used to pray.

Stories about how people used to seek God.

Stories about revival.

But I don't want to just hear about what God did back then.

I want to experience what they experienced.

No.

I have to experience what they experienced.

I am not satisfied with Sunday-go-to-meeting Christianity.

I'm not satisfied with church as usual.

I'm not satisfied with going through the motions.

I'm not satisfied with four songs and a 15-minute sermon simply because that's what fits into our schedule.

I want more.

I want to see people genuinely hungry for God again.

I want to see altars full again.

I want to see people repent.

I want to see lives changed.

I want to see young people fall in love with Jesus.

I want to see families restored.

I want to see churches praying again.

I want to see preachers preaching with fire again.

I want to see a genuine move of God.

And maybe I'm crazy for wanting it.

Maybe I'm too old-fashioned.

Maybe some people will think I'm asking for too much.

But I can't help it.

I'm hungry for it.

I don't want to spend my life telling the next generation about the revivals of yesterday.

I want to be able to tell them about what God did in our generation.

I want them to see revival in their generation. I want my son to experience revival.

Lord, don't let me become satisfied with church as usual.

Don't let us become satisfied with anything less than Your presence.

We need revival.

And Lord, let it begin in us.