by Tom Wagoner
The mask began to come off for me in July 2009 after a week of seeking the Lord in a camp meeting in the mountains of North Carolina. After discovering the phrase “rending your heart” in Joel 2:13, I began to ask the Lord to reveal the things in my heart that were keeping me from having revival. Until we pastors have revival, we cannot expect it in our congregations. Immediately the Lord brought to my heart the sin of dryness. I had not been broken and wept for our people in some time. I began to cry out to God and beg Him to forgive me for that sin and to ask Him to bring back my tears and brokenness. I am glad to report that after a season of seeking Him, this has happened.
It was not long after that God began to reveal the sin of pride that had crept into my heart. I recognized that my lack of cooperation with other pastors, even in our own city, and the lack of prayer on others’ behalf was clearly a reflection of my own pride. I have repented of that and asked God to forgive me. I still struggle with pride wanting to creep up on a regular basis.
It was during this time that Pat Finley invited me to come to his church in Winchester, Kentucky, and preach to the Kentucky BBFI. I shared my personal repentance, and a spirit of conviction fell in that meeting. I praise the Lord for the leadership of men like Brother Finley and those godly, humble men who were present in that meeting. I heard them, one by one, stand and confess their sin and in brokenness, come to an altar, and repent publicly before their brethren. When was the last time you saw that in a fellowship? It excited us so much we hardly knew what to do next.
When it was time to close the meeting, we really weren’t ready to do so. In the afternoon, those that could stay drove over just a few miles from Pat Finley’s church to the Cane Ridge Revival Grounds. It is said Barton Stone would stand on a stump there, with other preachers standing in other parts of the fields, and preach to thousands when revival was breaking out in those days.
I guess what I am saying is if we are going to experience revival, it begins at the house of God. It begins with you and me in genuine repentance. I praise the Lord for the doors that are opening to share in many of our state fellowships. I genuinely believe that it must occur in grass-roots form, in local and state meetings, before we will ever see it as a national organization. I do believe without doubt that revival is coming to our Baptist Bible Fellowship and beyond.
Please send any comments, thoughts, or information you would like to communicate with the author to cbcdunn@cbcdunn.com.