Not enough is said about the need for renewal. That factor is a requirement for just about everything that is found in nature. The seasons renew the earth. Even human beings renew themselves, or ought to, in their jobs, their marriages, their minds – in everything, even in the births of children. We are aware of the end when renewal is no longer possible – life is over. My car needs renewal, my house, my clothing, my marriage, my life. The omission of renewal, or an effort of the wrong kind, will spell, at best, a kind of lateral experience which plugs along, and makes things do. Nearly everything directs toward ending. Even at best, the consequences are unacceptable, unless there is some force greater than mankind to give meaning. We were meant to be more creative to cultivate and preserve the best in human life. Nothing is immune from its legitimate process for renewal. Even the best creations will have to be renewed. The factor of renewal carries over into the spiritual experience. We expect it to maintain itself if certain fundamentals are observed and practiced, but that is never enough. Even if the shelves of our lives need only dusting, perhaps new coverings, and repair from neglect, there is need for conscious effort to straighten things. That which was once perceived as straight may have declined a bit to repose.
In an attempt to win converts and to sharpen (renew) the Christian experience, the colonial church in America followed something of a mission experience. Pastors from other churches were invited for special emphasis, even in a period of difficult surface travel, to preach often. It meant verdict for Christ or spiritual renewal. Just prior to the Civil War in America, the Camp Meeting spoke to people moving westward. Charles Finney was the leading voice, but there were others, like Peter Cartwright, who once ran against Abraham Lincoln for an office in Illinois. Dwight L. Moody and others became prominent in the latter part of the 19th century. Many of these, like Billy Sunday in the early 20th century, were not formally educated persons, but effective communicators who seemed to have a special authority. They did. I remember reading, as a boy carrying that day’s newspaper, the front page report of Billy Sunday’s death. About twenty years later I was involved with Billy Graham in his world ministry of evangelism.
I saw up-close that there was something that carried men and women seeming to labor beyond their own powers to accomplish evangelism in life and duty. The Bible reference to the gift of evangelism (Ephesians 4:11) is alive and well for ministry, whether lay or ordained. The Christian or non-Christian tends to seize upon whatever is available to freight life conviction. Christians seek special accent – related to the acknowledged assignment of the Commission of Christ from Matthew 28.
What analysis may be useful? From my own experience I learned renewal for myself and ministry. I was greatly influenced by renewal in my church and the Christian colleges I attended. I was influenced to make serious decisions affecting my life for the decades since that time. I was impacted in special ways by evangelists, who reasoned together with us. Then my turn came. I saw persons respond when I was invited to speak at conferences by whatever name, like Mission Meetings. Persons responded to a fresh voice in their lives, in a special emphasis. Ultimately I spoke at numerous conference grounds, some eminent, committed to advancing the spiritual lives of the listeners present. Most were planned during the summer, and on week-ends, when I could be freed up from collegiate duties. Change in lives was documented both in oral and written contact. Some came to my office in my daily life. Several became continuing friends. I saw the salutary effect of the programming, and remain surprised that the emphasis for renewal has declined. The Church, doing better than ever in social service, has nearly ended the special emphasis on evangelism and the periodic renewal of her people. We have not been given the evidence that the old system which held for centuries was to be set aside, except that congregations had become too busy in modern life to take time out. Perhaps that would provide another reason for continuance. My own observation of its effectiveness in my schedule, and in the work of others accents my continuing belief that we have muted something useful. There are Christian professionals in nearly any field who could add an important dimension to the ministry of churches if called upon to participate. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020