Unity and Revival Examples help please!

Hello All,

The Lord has laid a message for unity in the body of Christ on my heart to share with the different Christian groups on my university campus, right now I am writing on how unity is key to God's blessing in revival (Psalm 133, Acts 2:42-46)

However I am having trouble of finding examples of where unity across denominations and in believers sparked revival though I know there are many examples

It would be helpful if someone could point me to a few good examples on this!

THANKS

In Christ
Evangel

Hey sorry,

I am a believer who has been saved from a life of sin and addiction to pornography and God has laid this message for unity on my heart, if you think this is heretical can you please explain why it is?

AW Tozer and Bill Mcloaod and many other ministers also have srmons on this subject are they heretical and false revivalists as well?

MAny verses I have come across in the bible emphasize this importance

Eph 4:3
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Philipians 2:2
make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

John 17
0 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

I remember there was a message by Ben Crandall at Time Square Church where he (a pentecostal) and a Baptist when on a mission together and some miracle occurred. I forgot where it is but I'll try to find it. It was amazing!

In Christ,

- Michael Liao

hi, i would sussest the revival in cali columbia as a great example.amazing revival and story.there were deaths involved to produce unity ,then revival

http://www.tscnyc.org/media_center.php?pg=sermons#top

On this site, click on the box that says "Speakers" and find "Ben Crandall". Click "Go" and find the sermon called "Eternity, Eternity, Eternity." It was in an excerpt of this sermon that he talked about it I believe.

In Christ,

- Michael Liao

In John chapter 17 Jesus prayed for the unity of His body of disciples and how they should be one in Him. I believe this is still the heart of God even though there is a call for unity amongst many worldly denominations that is not pleasing to God.

I believe there should be a cry for the unity of the body of Christ that will result in a true revival that is contending for the faith that was given once for all at Pentecost to the saints of God. We should be about unity for the restoration of the original message given to the New Testament church. We should never strive for unity for the sake of unity alone but only that it is pleasing to God and exalts the Lord Jesus and His pure and undefiled Word. Jesus says that we are in the world but we are never to be of the world.

Ephesians 4:1-7 (KJV)
1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

John 17:11-26 (KJV)
11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

Hey jimp

thanks so much is there some sort of link with an account of what happened?

jimdied2sin,

Thanks for your clarification, I apologize for my quick accusation, please forgive me. I agree with what you are saying. However this is not what I am aiming for!

hi, a video can be obtained from global net productions phone...18006685657....since this video was made there has been hard persecution on these people with many deaths and they have to have armed guards for their church services.jimpcali col. revival

Hi EvangelTam,
I cant help you with examples of unity being key to a specific revival but about 15years ago I studied unity with great help from the Holy Spirit.This was pointed out to me.
Their are three list of giftings in the new testament and all three are linked to Unity directly.As far as I can remember Unity is not mentioned apart from the "Gifts".
My point is that it appears that without the gifts working correctly unity is immpossible.Whether this helps bring revival I cant say for sure...
If I get the time I will look up the scripture to back this up.
I hope you find this helpful
Yours Staff

Hi EvangelTam,

Let me highlight this verse so that their would be no division.....I would say that for the church to work correctly firstly their has to be gifts and secondly they have to be working in order...but whether that leads to revival I dont know.I will look further Staff

(But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another)

1 Corinth 12

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed "; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit ; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. 12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19 If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary ; 23 and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? 30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? 31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts. A nd I show you a still more excellent way.

"There is no unity apart from truth - its a phoney false unity. You can not be unified, the unity doesnt come from mens minds and wills it comes from the very heart of God. If you love Jesus Christ with all your heart, if he's the lord of your life, if you want to serve him with all of your life, if you want to walk in holiness and obediance to this word, if you truly love him then I am unified with you right away" - Carter Conlon

This is true, if you research the Shantung Revival there are numerous testimonies regarding when God's Spirit fell in power. The missionaries there were living in a false unity, when the Lord poured out His spirit, one of the first things that they did was confess their inner sins toward one another, it was an amazing work. Be careful what you read though, folks in denominational walls have tried to put their own spin on it.

The Lord ROCKED the nation of China during this time, millions were born again!

Here's a good link about it:
https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?lid=652&commentView=itemComments

Personally, I'm tired of using the term 'was' regarding revival, the body needs it badly, I need to see it! :-)

Regarding the aim of unity, I once heard someone express concern that striving for unity, as an end in itself, actually creates disunity. That got me thinking, and so I formulated my thoughts in this reading. Perhaps it adds some substance to this topic.

---------------
Unity or Unanimity:

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Eph. 4:3

What does “unity” mean to you? Is it everybody getting along? Everyone on the same page? What should that “page” look like? Do you see why striving for unity can be intensely disuniting? People can have such different expectations, that you end up with a great deal of disagreement.

True, you can achieve a measure of conformity; but that is not unity; it’s unanimity. It might be “the group think” - where the group tells everyone what to think. But to be sure, “when all think alike, no one thinks much.” Nor is unity a meltdown of ideas, theologies, or differences. It is not inclusivity or equality. Those might actually be attempts to eradicate differences and prevent the conflicts we need in order to create strong healthy communities.

Scripture describes a specific kind of unity. It is a “unity of the Spirit”, and it is forged “through the bond of peace”. It is what happens when diverse people place themselves under Christ as their head. The Spirit can then work in these people towards a unified purpose. That is why in Christ “there is one body, one Spirit … one hope, one faith… one baptism... one God and Father of all who is over all and in all.” Eph. 4:3-6 This is about spiritual unity. It is God imprinting hearts through the work of his Spirit.

This kind of unity cannot be stamped onto people from the outside – not by rules, rituals, policies, or coercion. This unity cannot be pressed into any religious form or place. But it is, nevertheless, the unity God’s people are called to preserve. It is intended to be the glue in relationships among the people of God.

We facilitate this unity by making space for each person’s spiritual journey of faith, realizing that this involves a rugged and ongoing process of change in each of us. It requires us to embrace diversity, creative conflict, and a willingness to lose smaller battles in order to win the bigger one. Through the effective management of conflict and differences we can build spiritual maturity, mutual love, and peace. This is how we “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit” In this way all work in harmony with God’s ultimate purposes for his people: “In him you are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Eph. 2:22

Diane

I just realized that this is really about unity in revival. Actually I am presently reading about the revival history in China. ("China's Christian Millions" by Tony Lambert.) It's massive! There is, to be sure, a measure of unity, but there is also a lot of diversity. And there certainly isn't total agreement - like on state church vs house church practice. Still, God seems to work mightily anyway. Also, these revivals didn't necessarily flow out of unity (as a precondition). Sometimes one person was a spark. And sometimes the seeds were sown many years earlier.

Overall, it seems that the desperate neediness left by communism helped give the people a hunger for God. In that respect there certainly was a form of unity.

Our society is desperately needy too - but, let's admit, we still have a lot of means available yet to dull the neediness - through our wealth and materialism. The day will come when that will be gone - and God is the only hope. But first, just as in China, the church as we know it may need to disappear - in order to be born anew. That's my hunch - because the church still has too much power, affluence, and control.

Diane

Hey all thanks for all your answers!

I actually just finished writing down my convictions on unity you can check it out here:

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=43564&forum=45&0

In Christ
Evangel