REVITALIZATION PHILOSOPHY
The sailboat logo is a representation of the philosophy of ministry at Church Revitalizer. British Evangelist G. Campbell Morgan long ago encouraged young pastors to put up the sail and wait for the wind to blow. When and if God chooses to bring revival is a matter of God’s sovereignty:
You put the boat upon the lake, and hoist your sail, and wait for the wind. Now it is blowing – that is a fact. You do not know whence it comes, nor whither it goes – that is a mystery. But you do not sit down in the boat, and say, ‘I decline to make any use of this thing’… You put up your sail, saying, ‘I will take advantage of the fact in order that my boat may be driven over the lake and postpone the solution of the mystery to further knowledge and understanding.
Dan Jarvis adds to Morgan’s illustration:
Sailboats are powerless. In and of themselves, they can only claim the title of organized driftwood. They have no engine, no motor, and no oarsmen. Such a boat is useless in itself… But now raise the sail. The sailboat is completely dependent upon the wind for its progress. Notice that a sailboat is designed to harness the wind. It would be foolish for such a craft to claim independence, to seek passage across the waters on its own. Inevitably, it would end up drifting in the doldrums of defeat or dashed against the rocks of discouragement. Sailboats must yield themselves to the power of the wind. The Holy Spirit is the “wind” of revival. Peter and John sensed that wind was blowing in the temple courts of Jerusalem, so they took action. They raised the sails, depending on God to provide the breeze. We, too, need to raise our sails to catch the heavenly winds that will renew, refresh, and awaken the church of our day.
We must do the work of revitalization by putting up the sail, in order to be prepared when the wind of God’s Spirit begins to blow in revival and renewal. Nothing happens without the wind…
You put the boat upon the lake, and hoist your sail, and wait for the wind. Now it is blowing – that is a fact. You do not know whence it comes, nor whither it goes – that is a mystery. But you do not sit down in the boat, and say, ‘I decline to make any use of this thing’… You put up your sail, saying, ‘I will take advantage of the fact in order that my boat may be driven over the lake and postpone the solution of the mystery to further knowledge and understanding.
Dan Jarvis adds to Morgan’s illustration:
Sailboats are powerless. In and of themselves, they can only claim the title of organized driftwood. They have no engine, no motor, and no oarsmen. Such a boat is useless in itself… But now raise the sail. The sailboat is completely dependent upon the wind for its progress. Notice that a sailboat is designed to harness the wind. It would be foolish for such a craft to claim independence, to seek passage across the waters on its own. Inevitably, it would end up drifting in the doldrums of defeat or dashed against the rocks of discouragement. Sailboats must yield themselves to the power of the wind. The Holy Spirit is the “wind” of revival. Peter and John sensed that wind was blowing in the temple courts of Jerusalem, so they took action. They raised the sails, depending on God to provide the breeze. We, too, need to raise our sails to catch the heavenly winds that will renew, refresh, and awaken the church of our day.
We must do the work of revitalization by putting up the sail, in order to be prepared when the wind of God’s Spirit begins to blow in revival and renewal. Nothing happens without the wind…