Would someone please explain church "Revivals" to me

[0 kids n not countin]

Since I was not raised in the Christian faith, I'm not familiar with what exactly goes on in a church "Revival", and would appreciate if any of you FJerites don't mind clarifying. I notice on some of the fundy blogs they talk about "Revival time", how does a church decide when it will have a revival? Is this mostly a Southern, Baptist thing, or do other denominations hold them as well? How long do the Revivals last, what is the point of having one (and how does the church measure the "success" of the Revival), what is one "supposed" to do when attending one? For those who have actually been to one, do you have any negative (and/or) positive comments about your experience.

Thanks for educating a non-believer, appreciate it! ;)

[snarkbillie]

Some churches have annual revivals where they have church services all week (as opposed to a midweek meeting and a Sunday meeting) and they bring in guest preachers and speakers. The purpose of a revival can be to re-energize the congregation and get them excited again or to bring in new members. I have attended countless revivals and most of them have been very "you're all fucking it up and you'd better repent or YER GOIN' TO HELL!!!" so as soon as I got old enough to find an excuse not to go, I made some. I would often get "very sick" during revival week.

Once I was a grown up I realized that no matter how extreme and crazy our preacher was at times he would often pull in someone more extreme and hateful for revival meetings. I noticed they were more frequent when attendance to church was down or when tithing was lackluster.

Looking back it seems to be a way to control a congregation through guilt and fear, but so much of my fundamental existence was that so I guess I can't fault them for sticking to the original recipe.

:?

[debrand]

I think that some revivals can be very emotional. There are people who enjoy the release that comes with such services.

[Rachel333]

It always seemed odd to me to plan a revival. My church did have a real one once, though. A visiting preacher was scheduled to preach a few nights, and ended up preaching every night for two weeks. Lots of people went, and more and more people from other churches started coming as the word spread. I was a kid and I actually wanted to go to church every night to see him, which was very unusual. He didn't preach about hell and there were no dramatic healings or anything like that, he was just a charismatic guy.

It was a pretty weird phenomenon now that I look back on it.

[Guest Anonymous]

At my church, revivals aren't full of hellfire & damnation preaching. It's an all week thing where guest ministers are invited to speak, and anybody is welcome to attend. We have pot-luck suppers after services. The focus is strictly on the Bible, serving the Lord, helping others, and none of this "women submit to your husbands" or "husbands dominate your wives and kids" crap. But that's just at my church. How other churches do it, I don't know.

[Witsec7]

I make it a point to go to one pentecostal tent revival a summer. Usually I have a few drinks, inhale a bit and put on a frumper and go to hear the music. I've found I can adequately shake my tail feathers without getting tossed if I raise my hands in praise while I dance.

riffle

[jenny_islander]

Warning: Raised Lutheran, currently attending an Anglican church, and we do not do revivals. So this is an outsider's viewpoint.

Revivals are attempts to generate something that looks like the events narrated in the New Testament--people spontaneously speaking languages they never learned, large groups converting to Christianity simultaneously or nearly so, etc. Throughout the history of the Church, there have been times when people dropped all social convention to unselfconsciously express religious ecstasy in public; there have been miracles; and there have been times when people converted en masse on first hearing the Gospel. BUT--these things happen when they happen. Revivals attempt to make them happen.

On the other hand, revivals can be highly entertaining. Somebody up on stage, yelling and jumping on chairs and carrying on, maybe telling spicy stories (about his sinful past); people falling in the aisles (if it's that kind of revival); building up to a pitch of fervor as the preacher brings to a head the emotional abscess of all of one's self-hate and self-doubt--and then it's time to go up and get saved (often for the umpteenth time) and achieve catharsis.

But as an outsider my opinion is bound to be skewed. Grain of salt, etc.

ETA: @geniebelle: What you describe sounds more like something you would see at a Lutheran or Anglican church, but they don't call them revivals; they call them workshops or visits by guest speakers.

[xDreamerx]

I thought revivals were those crazy things where they got everyone all fired up about how sinful they are and how they need to be "saved" and then "save" a bunch of people? I thought they were also famous for "healings"?

There's a good Louis Theroux documentary where he goes to a Texas televangelist station and then at the end he goes to revival, or what I thought was one.

[Mokek Kwe]

Haven't read any other responses yet.

I was raised Southern Baptist and went to revivals yearly (or sometimes twice a year- whenever our church had them). We would go to church every single night from Sunday to Wednesday, with special guests- preachers and singers- coming in to try to drum things up a bit. I think the success was measured by how many went down to the front crying to repent, "rededicate their lives", get "saved", etc, etc, etc, after final prayer.

Also, our church had these especially for the youth groups. Looking back now, I realize that it was spiritual manipulation on the hormonal teenagers, etc, etc. Our one youth group during a specific mission trip became very close and this one song kind of bonded us together and started this youth revival.... A couple years later when we were back to "normal", our preacher got us all together and played the song and made us listen to it, and I'll be damned if everybody didn't start bawling and repenting and shit again. Complete spiritual manipulation.

[Kitten]

I was raised Methodist, in a moderately religious family (went to church most Sundays, prayed before meals, etc.). Because we moved a lot when I was growing up, I experienced multiple church communities, almost all within the mid-south states (e.g., KY, MS, LA, AR, TX). Some of our churches held revivals in the summer; some didn't. Although I experienced them from a child's point of view, I would have to say they were fairly sedate affairs - intended to "revive" your involvement in the church. They usually coincided with "vacation Bible school" for the kids - a week of games, crafts and activities that were supposed to (I guess) encourage us to enjoy coming to church. It was mostly like a day camp - while some of the activities had a religious theme, it wasn't heavy-handed. For example, we might make papier mache models of typical homes in Jerusalem in Jesus' time, or use yarn and sticks we gathered from our yards to make those "eye of God" thingies. There were usually some extra church services with guest ministers throughout the week, and there was more singing than usual, maybe with a little clapping to the music, but not like "those Baptists" down the street, with all their shouting and jumping up from their seats. Methodists just don't think that's dignified. :lol: We also usually had some sort of potluck dinner after the last service, and the kids would "put on a show" - either singing songs we learned during the week, or presenting a little play, or showing off our arts and crafts projects.

Now my cousins attended a slightly more conservative church (although I think it was still Methodist), and their vacation Bible camps tended to have more activities like Bible verse memorization contests and Bible drills (be the first one at the table to find a cited verse in your Bible). But there was no shouting out, no speaking in tongues, no "fits of glory," and any fainting came from the fact that most churches weren't air-conditioned back then, and July can be brutal when there are several hundred people packed into church pews. :D

I don't remember ever seeing/hearing any of the "Come down and accept Jesus now!" type of rhetoric or sermons, although the guest ministers were usually more engaging speakers than our usual minister. Revivals for me and my sibs were mostly just something different to do for a week during summer.

[Kitty]

I'm trying to remember if Last Church had a revival at all. I don't recall one, and my memory isn't that hazy.

I do remember going to some kind of revival when I was very young, but only one day. It was... meh.

[pixydust]

Oh, good lord! I was raised pentacostal, so we went to some "tent meetings" in my childhood! Like others said, lots of screaming preachers, people being "slain in the spirit", healings, music, huge groups of people being "saved", and inevitably some preacher would whack a few people on the forhead with his Bible! I always loved how the preachers would talk about their sinful past, talking about porn and prostitutes....why the hell is that ok to let your kids hear about, but you can't go see "*Batteries Not Included"? (sorry, I have odd things mooshed together in my head from my childhood) Oh, also "casting-out-of-demons", always some greasy heavy metal looking kid in a Black Sabbath shirt....there would be growling and rolling around on the ground, etc. Good times!

[FJismyheadship]

I always thought revivals were supposed to be random... Kinda like the church just gets caught up in the spirit at a random moment and everyone gets together and praises Ged. I cant fathom the idea of a planned revival that just doesn't seen right somehow... But to each their own i guess.

[Witsec7]

Oh, good lord! I was raised pentacostal, so we went to some "tent meetings" in my childhood! Like others said, lots of screaming preachers, people being "slain in the spirit", healings, music, huge groups of people being "saved", and inevitably some preacher would whack a few people on the forhead with his Bible! I always loved how the preachers would talk about their sinful past, talking about porn and prostitutes....why the hell is that ok to let your kids hear about, but you can't go see "*Batteries Not Included"? (sorry, I have odd things mooshed together in my head from my childhood) Oh, also "casting-out-of-demons", always some greasy heavy metal looking kid in a Black Sabbath shirt....there would be growling and rolling around on the ground, etc. Good times!

Yup those are just the ones I look for. They have to have a well worn tent set up in a field, with an old sorry RV covered with biblical sayings. What a show, sometimes the music is great, but hey, I'm a senior on a fixed income so its free entertainment.

[pixydust]

Yup those are just the ones I look for. They have to have a well worn tent set up in a field, with an old sorry RV covered with biblical sayings. What a show, sometimes the music is great, but hey, I'm a senior on a fixed income so its free entertainment.

Can I just say, that for being a little bit older you look faboosh in your bacon bra! :dance:

ETA, I'm thinking about making one, but do you think it would work with turkey bacon. I keep kosher. :twisted:

[fundiefan]

I don't know what revivals are for those who have them or attend them. To me, though, they have always seemed to be an opportunity for everyone to pat themselves and their buddies on the back for being such awesome Christians. Shout it to the world and show everyone who will look how perfectly great they are. Blah, blah, blah.

[Witsec7]

Can I just say, that for being a little bit older you look faboosh in your bacon bra! :dance:

ETA, I'm thinking about making one, but do you think it would work with turkey bacon. I keep kosher. :twisted:

Why thank you Marmalade gave it to me :D I wouldn't eat turkey bacon but I totally understand the keeping kosher part. If you are a bit challenged in the bazoom dept try stuffing it with some matzo brie :lol:

[pixydust]

Why thank you Marmalade gave it to me :D I wouldn't eat turkey bacon but I totally understand the keeping kosher part. If you are a bit challenged in the bazoom dept try stuffing it with some matzo brie :lol:

Not challenged at all, my Jewbs are more than adequate! ;)

[BoomerLynn]

Oh, good lord! I was raised pentacostal, so we went to some "tent meetings" in my childhood! Like others said, lots of screaming preachers, people being "slain in the spirit", healings, music, huge groups of people being "saved", and inevitably some preacher would whack a few people on the forhead with his Bible! I always loved how the preachers would talk about their sinful past, talking about porn and prostitutes....why the hell is that ok to let your kids hear about, but you can't go see "*Batteries Not Included"? (sorry, I have odd things mooshed together in my head from my childhood) Oh, also "casting-out-of-demons", always some greasy heavy metal looking kid in a Black Sabbath shirt....there would be growling and rolling around on the ground, etc. Good times!

I went to one with my Pentacostal grandmother that was held at her church (no tents). People were getting annointed, crying, passing out, speaking in tongues, running the aisles, etc. It was.......interesting. At least until I got pulled up to the front to be annointed, surrounded by people I barely knew who were speaking in tongues with tears running down their faces. I was 9. I never went to church with her again.

Side note: Batteries not Included was such a cute movie :)

[pixydust]

I went to one with my Pentacostal grandmother that was held at her church (no tents). People were getting annointed, crying, passing out, speaking in tongues, running the aisles, etc. It was.......interesting. At least until I got pulled up to the front to be annointed, surrounded by people I barely knew who were speaking in tongues with tears running down their faces. I was 9. I never went to church with her again.

Side note: Batteries not Included was such a cute movie :)

There was a lot that scared me in pentacostal churches when I was a kid! There was a lot of things like that, a lot of forced "confessing of sins" and anointing and "laying on of hands", etc.

I have still never seen "Batteries Not included"! I might see if it's on Netflix, just to finish off my trip to hell in a hand basket! :twisted:

[Dixiebelle]

I was involved with the "Brownsville Revival" back in the late '90s. You can read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownsville_Revival My experience with this revival caused me to lose faith in the charismatic movement and go towards fundy-ism.

One thing they always mentioned, every time I was there, was how this differed from a traditional "revival" that was planned by a church. "You don't PLAN revival", they would say, "you PRAY for it". So any church that planned one, it might be a special worship service, but it was not "TRUE REVIVAL". I don't know if it was their intention but the more time went on, the more smug and superior they seemed to be about that.

So that's the little I understand about what revival is. If you're interested in my personal experience at Brownsville:

I lived about 4 hours away from Pensacola, but made the drive many times. At its high point, we would get in line at noon for doors opening at 5:00 or 6:00 for a service that started at 7:00 and lasted past midnight, 6 nights a week I think. "PROOF that this is of God" they said.

In the service they would first brag about how long the "revival" had been going on and how many people had come to the church from however far away. At first they were quick to give all the glory to God but by the end of my visits seemed to be taking the credit themselves.

My last visit was crazy. It was packed and people were strutting around clucking like chickens and the preachers were saying this was proof God was in the house. Then at the end my friend pushed me up front for prayer because I did not "speak in tongues" and therefore I was not saved (in her words). The guy put his hands on my head and prayed that I would be snatched out of satan's hands and another guy stood behind me to ease me back when I fell "in the spirit" only I did not fall, so they said I was consciously blocking the Spirit. Finally I think the guy was disgusted with me and he pushed me backwards so he could move on to someone who really wanted the Spirit, I guess. I fell back and I was so humiliated that I lay there for awhile so they wouldn't call me out in front of everyone, which I saw them do to others who did not fall. I was also very upset that they had PUSHED me. That was my last visit there and I don't know how long it lasted after that. I think some of the preachers had a falling out and there was a split.

Edit to add: One thing they had gong for them was they had awesome worship music. I bought all of the CDs up to the point I left. I do still love the music and still listen to it from time to time.

[0 kids n not countin]

Thanks for sharing all.

Dixiebelle your experience sounds awful.

[Alecto]

One thing I have noticed among some of the more moderate Southern Baptist churches is that revivals are falling out of style in favor of week long studies on a particular topic like apologetics or the end times.

[Arete]

Thanks guys for describing what goes on in revivals. I was always sort of curious. I belong to the Greek Orthodox Church, and we don't do them. We don't have speaking in tongues either.

[Elle]

It's like a honeymoon or something, meant to make people excited all over again. Keeping up the momentum of being terrified of hell with all that self-righteousness gets tiring. So they go to a revival to revive their excitement and passion.