It’s been proven by many different research firms that the best marketing a church can do is for the members to invite people to church. It’s amazing how many offers we get to treat the church the same as any old business. The church is not a business and although we do not want to stick our head in the sand and pretend we do not need to present ourselves well on our sign and property along with the literature we present, we recognize the Lord is in control and we are not going to build the church through the adaptation of a marketing scheme.

Following the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the 120 who met to pray on the day of Pentecost, we see clearly it was God who attracted people to come and see what was happening, it was God who moved Peter to preach with power so the people cried out, “what shall we do?”, and it was God who added to the church.

Acts 2:5 & 6 (ESV) Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.

Acts 2:38–47 (ESV) And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

If we follow this line of thinking, we can see how revival in the church actually creates three important things to the building of the church.

1.  The extraordinary presence of God the Holy Spirit attracts people to come and check it out.

As we see in the book of Acts, the movement of God the Holy Spirit in an extraordinary way caused people to come and check it out. As you read the history of revivals, you find that people who had no intention of going to church were suddenly attracted to go to where the preaching of the Gospel was taking place. The Holy Spirit becomes an attraction as He moves people to “come and see.” 

2.  The extraordinary presence of God the Holy Spirit gives the members of the church an unusual boldness to invite people to “come and see.”

The church in general is educated in evangelism far beyond our level of obedience and it’s proven that people just won’t talk to others about the Lord Jesus Christ because they are afraid of rejection. When God is pleased to send revival to a church, the people receive a holy boldness and are no longer afraid to mention Christ or invite sinners to church.  In fact, it’s hard to keep them quiet.

Oh for the day we have the same attitude of Peter and James who were told specifically that they should no longer speak in the name of the Lord.

Acts 4:29–31 (ESV) And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Such boldness, as we can see in the verses before this, was an attraction to people. Indeed, if we are bold in our faith and our talk it will be so different from the norm that people will stop to listen.

Acts 4:13 (ESV) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

As you anticipate God blessing our church with revival, it would be well to be prepared as Peter admonished to give a reason for the hope that is within you.

1 Peter 3:15 & 16 (ESV) but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; 16 yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

Preparation is made by submitting to the Lordship of Christ and to have given thought to what God has done for you. Praying for those around you and being ready to say to those around us, “come and see” is also good preparation. After all, that “invitation approach” was used affectively by one of the original disciples.

John 1:45 & 46 (ESV) Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

3.  The extraordinary presence of God the Holy Spirit blesses the preaching of God’s Word to bring repentance of sin and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

1 Corinthians 2:9–14 (ESV) But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. 14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Unless the Holy Spirit opens the heart and gives understanding, the preaching of the Word of God will fall on deaf ears. But when He prepares the heart of the hearer, prepares the preacher, and blesses the Word – there is not only a Gospel explosion but there is a resurrection.

Romans 1:16 (ESV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Ephesians 1:16–21 (ESV) I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

So how can we see more people in the church today? Pray for revival! When God stirs us by the power of the Holy Spirit God is honored, Christ is exalted, people in the church are renewed with zeal and boldness, and people from the outside are attracted to come and see what God is doing. Man cannot produce this phenomena nor market such results. It must come from God.
God in His sovereignty, demonstrated in history, has brought revival when His people have prayed and sought Him for it. Will you join me please in praying for a great revival to take place with us?

Godspeed,
Pastor Bob
727-539-1434 (home) or 727-612-3976 (cell) or email: \n This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it