Theodore Frelinghuysen (1691-1747) came to the New England Colonies in 1720 to serve as pastor of four Dutch Reformed churches in New Jersey. His heart for revival and his pietistic roots immediately helped him realize that there was something terribly wrong with the spiritual life of the congregations he came to pastor. He encountered a casual and routine faith that seemed to produce a real lack of holiness and effective evangelistic witness in the community. Armed with God’s Word, Frelinghuysen began praying and preaching toward revival and renewal. He preached evangelistically and proclaimed that Christians should exemplify a holy life and a definite conversion experience. As he preached many church members were converted and the flames of revival began to ignite. Many young people were saved and the laity organized in small groups for devotional accountability and lay preaching efforts. This aided in the lasting impact of revival in many churches. Paul’s plea to the Thessalonian believers for prayer was specifically aimed at seeing the swift running of the gospel take place through his ministry. Paul knew that a rapid running was what was supposed to happen. It was the norm when Spirit-anointed, bold proclamation took place. Paul experienced it in the past. Even when barriers or people opposed his preaching, Paul was confident that his God was able to give much fruit to his labors. Today in America, the church has become content with only a trickling of the gospel. The church seems satisfied with having little or no impact upon growing lostness. Despite all our praying, witnessing, preaching and strategizing, the gospel still creeps along slowly in our culture. And, on top of that, we seem powerless to turn the tide. Has the gospel lost its power or is something wrong with the vessel the Lord wants to use? You tell me
Posted on: Fri, 31 Jan 2014 11:49:20 +0000
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