Ravenhill was actually instrumental with several other brothers in planting several churches in England when he was in his 20's, churches that still exist today. He traveled around on foot from city to city, sleeping in a sleeping bag or church pews, preaching in the streets, and actually having mini-revivals in these communities. Later in life, for many many years he preached faithfully on Friday nights in Tyler, TX, and his preaching sometimes emptied bars and movie theaters as people would gather to listen to him.
Ravenhill was also the mentor to several very well known ministers, including David Wilkerson, Keith Green, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and many many many others who came to him looking for advice. He's also help inspire and motivate many ministers across the globe, including many missionaries (such as Paul Washer.) His books, while not best sellers, have had a dramatic impact on countless thousands. He was also very instrumental in actually helping David Wilkerson establish Teen Challenge, which was hardly a small thing. He preached all across the world, and at various times, did actually pastor. If I'm correct, Ravenhill was also an associate pastor at A.W. Tozer's church, and was there when a revival broke out, sometime in the 50's or 60's.
Ravenhill was far from a theoretical speaker on revival. He was a walking practitioner. His life is not very well documented. He seldom talked about himself. I've only managed to put this little bit together about him, because I've listened to hundreds of his sermons, where he sometimes mentions these things in passing. I have learned other things through the testimony of others. For example, I have heard it reported that Ravenhill had a gift of healing. It is reported that when he prayed for people with cancer, they were healed. He never talks about this though. If memory serves correct, his wife, Martha, only talked about it after his death.
And if all else fails... Ravenhill though dead still speaks, and his ministry still continues today. I only learned about him about 10 of 15 years after his death, when a friend of mine gave me a copy of his book, "Why Revival Taries," which absolutely rocked my world. I look to him as a spiritual father in my life, though long dead, has helped make me into the man I am today. I seldom stand in a pulpit or on a street corner today, without somehow thinking about something he said.
