Book Review: 20 Elements of Revival

I read lots of books (no mystery to regular readers of this blog). A few are terrible. Most are good, and a few are great. I’ve recommended a few books very highly. It is very, very rare that I recommend a book and say that everyone, simply everyone, MUST read it. Aside from the Bible, there’s maybe 2 or 3 other books that I’ve said this about.

20 Elements of Revival by John Burton is such a book. Let me say it again – everyone, simply everyone, MUST read it. Make it a priority.

John writes, “The contention of this book is simple – the extreme manifest presence of God is the biblical norm for a New Testament believer.”

The book is a step-by-step look at Acts 2 – the formation of the first church. On what other model should churches be built today? John contends, and I agree, that this is God’s way and therefore not only the best way, but the ONLY way!

I’ve read a lot of material on church planting – most of which amounts to man’s formula for building a successful business endeavor, not for building a thriving fiery church! I’ve also read more than a few things about being open to the mighty move of the Holy Spirit. Much of what I’ve read focuses EITHER on orderly process OR on allowing God absolute freedom to move – not on both. (How often do we make the mistake of acting like “all things be done decently and in order” means “do nothing” as opposed to “do all things”?)

John’s treatment of this subject accomplishes both. He outlines an orderly process for the purpose of allowing God absolute freedom to move – really, really move!

I’ve talked about this before, but it bears repeating. When we are saved, we are literally indwelled by the Holy Spirit (see for example 2 Cor. 1:22). We have largely missed the ramifications of this!! God can’t be divided. We don’t each have a little drop or a tiny piece of the Holy Ghost. We have the fullness of God RESIDENT in us!  We are carriers of the manifest presence of Almighty God, everywhere we go! God is always up to something. He’s active!

What’s more, He desires to do great exploits through us. He expects us to “occupy until He comes”.

If we proceed from the central premise that the extreme manifest presence of God is the biblical norm and that we should (must!) experience Him in our daily lives, then it follows that we will be living lives of fiery passion and experiencing signs and wonders (Where God is, stuff happens!). People will take notice of what He’s doing!

There’s a saying within churches that experience moves of God – “Forever ruined for the ordinary”. After we see God in action, we don’t want to settle for anything less!  The problem is, we DO settle for “less”. Sometimes this is due to bad or inadequate teaching (it’s a common misconception that miracles are rare, for example). Sometimes it’s because our focus is in the wrong place or because we allow ourselves to be distracted from His purposes. Sometimes it’s because revival is so costly and the status quo is so much easier to maintain.

John is a House of Prayer (IHOP) guy and that’s very, very evident in his book. There are several 24/7 prayer movements active today but IHOP is probably the best known, most vocal, and best organized group. I became introduced to them through their 6am Daily Devotional broadcast on GodTV, and have studied quite a bit on the subject.  The whole concept of 24/7/365 prayer is incredible. And biblical. Jesus said that His house is a house of prayer – so why do we make it a house of everything else? Why is prayer looked at as a means to an end, and not as ministry unto God – as an incredible privilege of fellowship with Him? Why do we look at prayer as something we must do before doing something else and not as an intimate powerful encounter with the One we love?

After reading this book I’m convinced that we’ve been trying to do church entirely backwards. We have 101 programs, each designed to bring a person deeper into relationship with God. We have small groups. We have Sunday school. We have youth group. Someday, we might get “there” if only we apply the right program. This is backwards! We should be daily in the house of prayer, getting fueled up and fired up, so that when we apply teaching, it’s instantly understood because it’s already been experienced. When we are in fellowship, God is openly in our midst. We minister from the overflow of the Holy Spirit’s action in our lives – not from a place of barrenness, trying to conjure Him up!

A central theme of the book is also the concept of “City Church”. This is new to me, and I admit, fairly challenging. Of course we recognize that “Church” is the body of Christ, not the building we go to… but we still tend to look at “church” as being the one local church we are joined to. Although some are involved with multi-church efforts, usually within their denomination, it’s rare that churches would join city-wide for the sole purpose of building the Kingdom of God and bringing revival in their city!! There is such a spirit of competition amongst churches – that THEY alone must be the be-all and end-all and that no other church can do it better!

Yet in Acts 2, we find the early church daily in the temple – in the house of prayer – and daily breaking bread from house to house. Why *can’t* we be like that in our cities? Why *can’t* we relinquish our ungodly desire to build our own kingdom? Why can’t we let leaders lead – why do “we” have to be the ones in charge?

John suggests (as the Bible teaches) that there be apostolic leadership and that individual churches thrive within that authority structure. There would be a central house of prayer. Other churches would specialize… one might be a teaching center. Another might focus on healing. Others will focus on preaching revival, evangelism, and  salvations. Each church would highly specialize in what God has specifically called them to do.

Each believer in each church would be full of the Holy Ghost and fire, would be equipped for ministry and leadership, and the outpouring of God in life after life after life will result in more and more people coming to Christ! And they in turn will encounter the radical grace and glory of God, become full of the Holy Ghost and fire, would be equipped for ministry and leadership, and the outpouring of God in life after life after life will result in more and more people coming to Christ!

Isn’t that so much better than having groups of people just showing up on Sunday morning and Wednesday night?

Here’s a quote – and a challenge – from Element 13 in the book (Holy Spirit & Power Encounters):

Is the bar for each new believer high enough to ensure they understand the wild commitment that the Christian life demands?

Radical difference from the “repeat these words after me” approach so many take to evangelism!

Like I said – it’s rare that I recommend a book as highly as I’m recommending this one. Get it. Read it. Pray and be transformed!