Revivalism: The Devil's Design

Author:
Christopher J. E. Johnson
Published: Aug 6, 2016
Updated: Sept 14, 2020

Revivals are commonplace in American church buildings, not only in practice, but also in name. There are thousands of church buildings that have named their organization a "revival" ministry in denomination, such as "Revival Center Ministries" or "Revival Baptist Church."
(Read "Denominations Are Unbiblical" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

The term 'revivalism' suddenly appeared about 200 years ago:

revivalism (n): the form of religious activity that manifests itself in revivals; the tendency to revive what belongs to the past
revival (n): an awakening, in a church or community, of interest in and care for matters relating to personal religion; an evangelistic service or a series of services for the purpose of effecting a religious awakening
(See 'revivalism' & 'revival', Random House Dictionary, 2016, [dictionary.com]; See also Collins English Dictionary, 10th Edition, William Collins Sons & Co, 2012)

In general, a "revivalist" is someone who believes that the Christian church has become apathetic (i.e. having or showing little or no emotion) and needs to be "restored" or "revived" to a state of fervor (i.e. high emotional enthusiasm). In other words, the goal of a revivalist is to get people emotionally built up to be (what they commonly refer to as) "on fire" for Jesus. My contention with the revival practices is that, in every case I have witnessed, they are unbiblical events being performed by a false church that is teaching false doctrine by the mouths of false teachers who love money and preeminence over the Word of God, and if any reader does not understand why so many people could be led astray into a false religious institution, I would highly recommend reading some of the following teachings before proceeding on this topic:
Why Millions of Believers on Jesus Are Going to Hell There is No Saving Grace Without Repentance Jesus Said There Are Many False Converts
The Lord Jesus Christ very directly taught that many would come to Him on the Day of Judgment and claim they served Him, but He will turn them away to everlasting fire. Jesus also taught us that most people in this world will end up in hell and the lake of fire, and FEW (i.e. not many) find the way to eternal life:

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
-Matthew 7:13-14

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
-Matthew 7:21-23

The true church has always been around, behind the scenes, in various places around the world, and they have never lost desire, motivation, or dedication in serving the Lord Jesus Christ. However, the false church has a consistent problem with lukewarm churchgoers, and therefore, they need "revivals" (i.e. something that is not mentioned anywhere in Scripture) to get people motivated to spend time and money investing in their religious organization, and I will provide plenty of evidence for that fact in this teaching.

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily [secretly] shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious [mischievous, destructive, and injurious] ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. [i.e. they will be angry with, and lie against, Christians like me for exposing their wicked ways] And through covetousness shall they with feigned [faked] words make merchandise of you: [i.e. they take advantage of you for money] whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
-2 Peter 2:1-3

Most of these false preachers want a large crowd of people to be dedicated to the preachers' religious cause, mostly with their wallets and volunteered time. Therefore, because most of their listening audiences are false converts following false teachers, they need to "revive" their audience with newfound passions, and they will use any worldly method they have at their disposal to achieve their goals.

The term 'backslider' has become popular in mainstream church-ianity (i.e. religious institutions based on tradition instead of truth), claiming that millions upon millions are all saved and going to heaven, but they just need to get motivated to do things for the local church buildings. However, in Scripture, there is no such thing as a "backslider" because either a person is saved, or he is not saved; there is no in-between.

Some churchgoers like to argue that the Bible says that some people will "fall away," but if you read Scripture thoroughly, and pay attention to what Jesus taught us, He said that those who fall away are those who were false converts, meaning that they were never born again in the first place because the seed (i.e. the Word of God) fell upon the rocky ground (i.e. their hearts) and never took root:

But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon [quickly] with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. -Matthew 13:20-21

They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
-Luke 8:13

Notice that they received the Word of God quickly with joy, by which they would sing many passionate songs about Jesus, but their faith is vain because they had no root of repentance. Repentance is grief and godly sorrow of wrongdoing, and thus, when a man hears the law of God and understands his own vile state of being and his guilt before a holy and righteous God who judges him in his sin, then the correct response is not laughter, but mourning, sorrow, and heavy heart in which he is not lifted up in joy, but rather, he is humbled in grief.

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted [grieved], and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
-James 4:6-10

Please do not misunderstand, I am not saying that anyone who has attended or participated in a revival meeting or conference has not been born again in Christ, but I am saying that revivals are not Biblical, and certainly, whoever is running them is leavened, and is preaching a new-age "feel-good" message that is scratching the itching ears of false converts.

Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
-1 Corinthians 5:6

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
-2 Timothy 4:3-5

There are many so-called "pastors" and "prophets" who will openly condemn me for the things I have written thus far, and we have barely begun to scratch the surface of the deception of revivalism. However, I would urge readers not to be a respecter of persons, meaning that you have respect unto their office, station, degree, or rank, thereby refusing to hear the truth of the doctrine I am teaching because you highly revere the title they carry; a Christian should respect the doctrine a man teaches, not his title.

My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
-James 2:1

But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
-James 2:9
(Read "Respecting Persons Is Sin" & "Titles Are Unbiblical in the Church here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

To begin our analysis of revivalism, let's look at an advertisement for a revival tour. I had someone send me this video back in 2012 in attempt to justify revivals, which led me to write this teaching.

The video is advertising something called "Ready for Revival," which was organized and led by Mark Harris. I have cut out some parts of this video because it was originally designed to play on an advertising loop (like on a big screen as people were coming in for a church service), so to avoid repetitiveness and save time, I compiled his main points. The introduction to the video had dramatic copyrighted music behind it that Harris purchased for use, so there will be silence in the first half to avoid copyright disputes:

HARRIS "We're going to invite you to participate in the National Ready For Revival Tour. At each tour stop at Ready For Revival, we are committed to helping you and others commit or recommit your life to the Almighty. The Almighty has promised that sometime before the end, he will pour out his spirit upon on flesh, and the savior of mankind has asked us to be ready. Are you ready for that day? Are you ready for revival?... He also said we will know that the time is near. If you are sick and tired of living a life with no real purpose, or if you are dragging your spiritual feet in a half-committed life to the Almighty and his son, and you want real revival in your life, then come and visit us at one of our tour stops."

Some of this might actually sound very Biblical to an unbeliever, or to a new Christian who does not have much experience in studying the Word of God and exercising discernment, but there are a few things we need to point out. First of all, notice that Harris's purpose was not to bring people to repentance (i.e. godly sorrow of wrongdoing) and remission (i.e. forgiveness) of sins, as Christ taught us to do, but rather, he was speaking a worldly message of inner feelings, speaking to those who were "tired of living a life with no real purpose," which is a message that aligns more with the "Purpose Driven Life" false gospel of heretic Rick Warren. (Read "Wolves in Costume: Rick Warren" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
-Luke 24:45-47

If you watched the first half of the video closely, you will notice a Bible verse reference appeared on the screen to Joel 2:28, and the video said:
"The Almighty Has Promised 'I Will Pour Out My Spirit Upon All Flesh'"
-Mark Harris, "The National Ready For Revival Tour Coming To A City Near You," retrieved July 8, 2016, [youtube.com/watch?v=JKiX4LMlCSs]

The argument from Harris is that the Lord God has promised Christians that he will pour out his spirit to everyone in the latter days, but that is not what Joel 2 is saying. Joel 2:28 is prophesying of the coming day in which the Holy Spirit would be poured out unto the children of God, and this was fulfilled in the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2.

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
-Joel 2:28-29

When Peter preached to the people in Acts 2, he said that it was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel:

But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
-Acts 2:16-21

Harris's mistake is in his interpretation of "the last days" because, as Peter (speaking with the Holy Spirit of God) declared the very event that was taking place as he was speaking was the fulfillment of Joel 2:28. The phrase "the last days" can mean the final days of this world if the context explains that, but concerning the pouring out of God's Spirit, that was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost because those were the last days of gospel ministry of Christ on earth; nonetheless, Harris decided to interpret this to mean "the last days of this world," and formed a nationwide tour where I am sure he built up a lot of prestige and money for his organization.

Part of the reason many confuse this meaning is because of Joel's prophecy that the sun, moon, and stars would go dark. Those specific verses are speaking of the end of the world, not of the last days of Christ's ministry, and the reason we can know that is because Christ explains it in the entirety of Matthew 24:

And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
-Matthew 24:3

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
-Matthew 24:29-31

If any readers want to learn more about that, and about the false prophecy (i.e. lie) that is commonly referred to as "pre-tribulation rapture," I would recommend reading the teaching "The Beginner's Guide to Christian Rapture" here at creationliberty.com. That being said, I would challenge any Christian to go into the New Testament and find any place that speaks of a "revival" of Christians right before the second coming of Christ.

In fact, when I read the New Testament Scriptures, I do not find anything speaking of a "revival," but I do find Scriptures speaking of a great "falling away," meaning a time in which many will profess to be Christians, but will have no root in themselves:

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ [i.e. Christ's second coming], and by our gathering together unto him [i.e. the rapture of Christians], That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. [i.e. it was not going to happen at any moment] Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
-2 Thessalonians 2:1-4

Thus, those who preach that Jesus is coming back at any moment (i.e. ignoring the signs of His coming) are teaching false doctrine, those who preach that Christians will be raptured up before the tribulation of the final antichrist are teaching false doctrine, and those who preach that there will be a great restoration of the church in the final days are teaching false doctrine. Of course, preaching the happy feel-good message that everyone is going to be saved, and millions upon millions will be added to the church in the final days through great revival, will be popular, but it is not true.

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
-Matthew 24:24

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
-1 Timothy 4:1-2

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power [i.e. the authority] thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
-2 Timothy 3:1-7

Now that we have disproven revivalism from the Word of God, let's look at the history of revivalism. Most readers may be surprised to learn that revivalism has only been around for about 200 years, and a man named Charles Finney is typically credited with founding the American revivalist movement that gained popularity in the 19th century: "And so began the new career of the man who would become the leading revivalist in the nineteenth century... Finney is called the 'father of modern revivalism' by some historians, and he paved the way for later mass-evangelists like Dwight L. Moody, Billy Sunday, and Billy Graham."
-Christianity Today, "Charles Finney: Father of American Revivalism," retrieved July 12, 2016, [christianitytoday.com/history/people/evangelistsandapologists/charles-finney.html]

As the corrupt Christianity Today magazine asserts, Finney is credited for paving the way for false preachers like Billy Graham. Just like Graham, Charles Finney believed and taught a false gospel, but sadly, many believe that Charles Finney was a model of evangelism in the church.
(Read "Wolves in Costume: Billy Graham" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

From his memoirs, Finney spoke about his mentor, and argued against the doctrine he was taught by this man. For those of you who thought Charles Finney was a good Christian preacher, read this carefully, as I have added in the correlating Scriptures you can look up for yourself to verify what his mentor taught him:
"But my studies, so far as he was concerned as my teacher, were little else than controversy. He held to the old school doctrine of original sin, or that the human constitution was morally depraved. He held also, that men were utterly unable to comply with the terms of the Gospel, to repent [i.e. Luke 13:3], to believe [i.e. Mark 1:15], or to do anything that God required them to do [i.e. John 14:15]; that while they were free to all evil, in the sense of being able to commit any amount of sin, yet they were not free to perform any good [i.e. Romans 3:10-12]; that God had condemned men for their sinful nature [i.e. John 3:18]; and for this, as well as for their transgressions, they deserved eternal death [i.e. Rom 1:32].

He held also that the influences of the Spirit of God on the minds of men were physical [i.e. after salvation comes good works; Acts 26:20], acting directly upon the substance of the soul; that men were passive in regeneration [i.e. they cannot do works for their salvation; Eph 2:8-9]; and in short he held all those doctrines that logically flow from the fact of a nature sinful in itself. These doctrines I could not receive. I could not receive his views on the subject of atonement, regeneration, faith, repentance, the slavery of the will, or any of the kindred doctrines."
-Charles G. Finney, Memoirs of Rev. Charles G. Finney, Applewood Books, 2009, p. 46, ISBN: 9781429018913

I am now going to review this quote in detail to make sure readers understand that Finney wanted nothing to do with the doctrines of Jesus Christ. Jesus said that all men need to come to repentance (i.e. grief and godly sorrow of wrongdoing) or they will perish:

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
-Luke 13:3

Charles Finney did NOT believe that. Jesus taught that mankind needs to repent and believe in His teachings:

And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
-Mark 1:15

Charles Finney did NOT believe that. Jesus told us that if we were demonstrate our love towards Him, we need to keep His commandments:

If ye love me, keep my commandments.
-John 14:15

Charles Finney did NOT believe that. Paul taught that mankind was inwardly corrupt, and could not do good of himself, but rather, man needs God to help him, to give him understanding, that he may be saved and do good works:

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
-Romans 3:10-12

Charles Finney did NOT believe that. Jesus taught all mankind is condemned by the Word of God, and that they need faith in the Son of God for redemption:

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
-John 3:18

Charles Finney did NOT believe that. Paul taught that those who sin are worthy of death:

Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
-Romans 1:32

Charles Finney did NOT believe that. Paul also taught that mankind cannot do works to earn their salvation:

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
-Ephesians 2:8-9

Charles Finney did NOT believe that. Finney believed that man was inwardly good, and rejected the doctrine of original inherited sin from Adam and Eve.

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
-Romans 5:12

For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
-1 Corinthians 15:21-22

Though the Bible teaches that sin and death came by man through Adam, and that we all have inherited it, Finney rejected the Bible's teaching. In his lectures, Finney taught:
"Foundation of the Justification of Penitent Believers in Christ. That is, what is the ultimate ground or reason of their justification. 1. It is not founded in Christ's literally suffering the exact penalty of the law for them, and in this sense literally purchasing their justification and eternal salvation... that Christ suffered in his own person the full amount strictly due to all the elect, I say, That it was naturally impossible... Neither is the atonement of Christ the foundation of our justification... Nor is any thing in the mediatorial work of Christ the foundation of our justification."
-Charles G. Finney, Lectures on Systematic Theology, Fitch, 1847, p. 162-163, [University of Michigan]

This means Finney did not believe that Christ's sacrifice on the cross paid for the sins of man, nor did he believe that Christ's intercession on behalf of those who believe on Him (i.e. his status as the one and only mediator) is the justification for our sin that imputes righteousness to us.

Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
-Galatians 3:19-22

By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
-Hebrews 7:22-28

Since Finney did not believe that there was original and inherited sin, it makes sense that he also does not believe that Christ's sacrifice on the cross paid for the sins of man. If you do not believe in the debt, you will also deny any payment made for that debt, which is why people need to understand they are lost before they can be found.

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
-Colossians 2:13-15

For any kind of real "revival" to take place in man requires the Holy Spirit of God to work in him and convert him outside of his own works. The Lord God has to reach out to the lost to save them because they cannot save their own souls.

For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
-Isaiah 57:15

However, this is not what Charles Finney believed. Instead, Finney taught that all mankind was capable of flawless obedience to God (i.e. sinless perfection), and that all mankind needs is to be convinced of it:
"The sinner has all the faculties and natural attributes requisite to render perfect obedience to God. All he needs is to be induced [persuaded]."
-Charles G. Finney, Lectures on Systematic Theology, W. Tegg & Co, 1851, p. 408, [University of Michigan]

Finney is arguing that men just have to be persuaded unto Christ through intellectual debate (i.e. not through the godly sorrow of repentance), and the inner perfection will come out of him without any need for Christ. In reality, the Bible teaches us that that we need to persuade men that there is a coming judgment of God by giving them the law.

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
-Psalm 19:7

The unbeliever needs to understand that he cannot keep the whole of the law, and that he is guilty before the Holy God.

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
-Galatians 3:23-24

Finney also professes his belief that salvation can only come by works:
"Conditions of Justification. As has been already said there can be no justification in a legal or forensic sense, but upon condition of universal, perfect, and uninterrupted obedience to law. This is of course denied by those who hold that gospel justification or the justification of penitent sinners... They hold to the legal maxim [principle or rule] that what a man does by another he does by himself, and therefore the law regards Christ's obedience as ours on the ground that he obeyed for us. To this I reply... The doctrine of an imputed righteousness or that Christ's obedience to the law was accounted as our obedience, is founded on a most false and nonsensical assumption;"
-Charles G. Finney, Lectures on Systematic Theology, Fitch, 1847, p. 99, [University of Michigan]

Finney did NOT believe that a man can have godly sorrow for his sin (i.e. repentance) and believe on Jesus Christ as his savior to gain forgiveness (i.e. remission) of sin for his justification.

Finney believed that one must do the works of the law to be justified, and thus he taught a works-based doctrine that denied Christ; this is the man who invented revivalism as we know it today.

Revivals are based on a system invented by a heretic who hated the doctrine of Jesus Christ.

With this understanding of Finney's beliefs, it should be no surprise that revivalism fits so perfectly together with the Charismatic and Pentecostal organizations that typically host them. Most "tent revivals" are hosted by preachers that focus on positive-sounding, feel-good messages and false prophecies, ignoring sound doctrine that might offend anyone, so they can achieve their true goal, which is popularity and money.

I decided to look up revivals online to see what videos I could find on this subject because I wanted to provide examples of the nonsensical preaching that is typically given at these events. For example, a preacher named Ron Carpenter started off his tent revival meeting by describing the "insecurities" of the world:

"We see people that are so unsure and insecure about where they're at in the world today."
-Ron Carpenter, "Tent Revival," retrieved July 12, 2016, [youtu.be/BwDQ3LWOYkQ?t=19s]

Of course, he gets those shouts of "AMEN BROTHER!!!" from the crowd after saying just about anything, but I was shaking my head no when I heard him say it. When I look into the world, I do not see people who are unsure and insecure, but rather, I see an American nation full of arrogance, blissful ignorance, hatred of truth, excuses for sin, and pride of heart, which is exactly why most Americans are not looking for a savior, and even if they do look for a savior, that savior is typically a man, like a government leader or a religious figure (i.e. pastor, priest, etc).

The Bible does not say that people are unsure and insecure; the Bible tells us that people are professing themselves to be wise, and they revel in the lusts of their flesh to have pleasure in wickedness.

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
-Romans 1:23-32

The problem is that in almost all of these tent revivals, the purpose is to give the people a positive "feel-good" message, not to teach the truth. Despite the fact the pastors of these revival tents claim to want to "save souls," the true purpose is to gather a crowd, bring in donations, and hype up an enthusiastic herd of cattle that will flock to save their dying church building with open wallets. If you preach a "negative" message, which is what the Bible teaches concerning mankind's sin, then most people will naturally depart because that does not make them feel good, and that is why Christ taught us grassroots evangelism (i.e. teaching our neighbors, door-to-door evangelism, street preaching, visiting the poor and needy, etc), not massive tents with sound systems, music, and shows.

More evidence of Carpenter's true "purpose" is discovered when he said:
"I'm not here to preach to the churched. I'm here to preach to unchurched."
-Ron Carpenter, "Tent Revival," retrieved July 12, 2016, [youtu.be/BwDQ3LWOYkQ?t=6m12s]

If that statement were true, and he really wanted to speak to the "unchurch," then he would have given them the law (as we read earlier in Psa 19:7 and Gal 3:24), that they might find redemption in Jesus Christ, but that is not what he was doing. Furthermore, we see Carpenter repeating a narrative, often given by new-age, false teachers like Rick Warren and Robert Schuller, not that the people are lost and need a savior (as Scripture teaches us), but rather, the people are "churched vs unchurched."
(Read "Wolves in Costume: Rick Warren" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

The problem with this concept of being "churched" is based on the concept that people are supposed to "go to church," which is only possible under a false gospel because in the Bible, we are taught that the church is not a building. For example, you can "go to temple," because a temple is a building, but the New Testament church is the body of believers, who can assemble together, but under the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it is impossible to "go to church" because you cannot walk into a collective bodies of believers.

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
-1 Corinthians 3:16

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
-2 Corinthians 6;16

So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
-Romans 12:5

These are basic principles that most modern-day preachers still do not understand. While yelling into the microphone, Carpenter continues to say:
"Some of this, you're not going to understand. All you're going to understand is that there is a longing in your heart to live a different life."
-Ron Carpenter, "Tent Revival," retrieved July 12, 2016, [youtu.be/BwDQ3LWOYkQ?t=6m12s]

Of course, Carpenter was still receiving a fervent "AMEN!!" from a crowd of willingly blind churchgoers, having no discernment or understanding of what this man was preaching. It should be no surprise at this point, but Carpenter's appeal to the "unchurched" is actually about changing their earthly lives, appealing to the desires of the flesh, which leads straight into the positivity message that helps attract a crowd who will put extra money in the offering plate. This so-called "pastor" is claiming that these people are longing for God and seeking after Him, they just do not realize it yet, so they need this fiery revival preacher to tell them about it, preaching a "Jesus-is-better-than-beer" ideology that creates false converts.

Although we read from Romans 3 earlier, let's look at a bit more of the chapter:

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
-Romans 3:10-19

The Lord God tells us that no one seeks after Him by their own ability, and that mankind must be converted through repentance and faith by the hearing of His Law. Thus, the tent revival preacher is telling these "unchurched" people the opposite of what Scripture teaches us, perpetuating a lie that they seek God, even though they do not know it, and they should "try Jesus" if they want to live a more fulfilling life. There is no conversion in such a teaching because the methods God set up for us Christians to preach are being abandoned by the false church in favor of Charles Finney's antichrist philosophy.

Here are some more statements from Carpenter:

"Without the word of God, you will die a miserable death."

WITH

(Read "Is Repentance Part of Salvation?" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

Yelling into the microphone: "When boats take on water, they don't float too good. The bottom line is if the boat don't float, you better know how to swim."

The crowd is so blinded by their emotions, they believe these words are equivalent to wisdom:

For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
-1 Corinthians 1:17

In First Corinthians, Paul was pointing out that people claimed to be of the apostles, instead of Christ, just as people today put themselves under a church building's name and/or a preacher's banner, rather than under Christ. In these verses, Paul goes on to point out that he is not preaching with wisdom of words, meaning he does not use witty remarks, cutesy phrases, anecdotes, and play on words that tickle the ears of men, but rather, Paul was saying he came to only to preach Christ, and yet, in every revival meeting I have ever heard, they offer only that which is pleasing to the hearer.
(Read "Johnson's Notes on First Corinthians - Chapter 1" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

At the beginning of his message, Carpenter declared that God directly told him to preach these things, but knowing that his preaching directly contradicts the Word of God, which was written by the Spirit of God, we know that Carpenter is nothing more than a charismatic liar, who needs repentance and faith in the Christian God of the Bible to save his soul. However, Carpenter (like every other revivalist preacher) has the crowd worked up in such an emotional high, he could say almost anything he wanted, and the crowd would reply, "AMEN!!" without understanding anything he is talking about.

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
-1 Corinthians 14:33

In the fourteenth chapter of First Corinthians, Paul explains why speaking in different languages has to be taken with the utmost seriousness. Christians need to be given understanding from the Word of God, and therefore, if they hear the Word of God in an unknown language, it sounds like gibbersh (i.e. nonsensical sounds), and therefore, there is no edification because there is no understanding.
(Read "Johnson's Notes on First Corinthians - Chapter 14" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful... I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
-1 Corinthians 14:14-19
(Read "Charismatic Gibberish vs Speaking in Tonuges" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

The purpose of speaking in a clear language is for understanding, that knowledge and wisdom would be increased among the church. Yelling out random, nonsensical phrases serves no function in the church, but often, these leavened preachers scream out the first thing that crosses their minds, falsely believing that every noise that proceeds out of their mouths is automatically coming from the Holy Spirit.

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
-Matthew 15:18

And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
-2 Thessalonians 3:14

When a man claims to be a Christian, and they depart from the doctrines taught by Christ's apostles in the New Testament, then we should depart from them. The Bible does NOT tell us that they are really dedicated to Christ deep down and trying their best, but rather, the Bible tells us that such men do not serve the Lord Jesus Christ at all.

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
-Romans 16:18

The reason for this is because such false preachers did not learn how to preach "good words and fair speeches" from the Word of God. They did not learn such things from Christ. They did not learn such things from Christ's apostles. They learned it from the rudiments (i.e. principle teachings) and traditions of men.

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
-Colossians 2:8

They are simply following the traditions they were taught by other false converts and wicked preachers, who were taught them by someone who was taught them by someone else, going all the way back to Charles Finney, a heretic who invented the practices. Thus, they put their trust in the tradtions of men, not in Christ.

Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
-Jeremiah 17:5

Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
-Mark 7:13

As I continued my search for more, I discovered a video of a revival meeting in which I could not find the name of the preacher. However, the video started out in a tent with some strange music and children yelling into a microphone with an extremely loud drumset in the background.

After the performace ended, the preacher started his message by telling everyone:

"I want you to believe there's a miracle in here for you tonight... why don't you grab somebody's hand tonight in the name of the Lord and tell them there is a miracle here for you in the name of Jesus."
-Unnamed preacher, "Savannah GA Tent Revival," retrieved July 12, 2016, [youtu.be/ZzpBLQtd_ww?t=2m37s]

Essentially, this preacher is telling everyone that a special, miraculous occurrance would take place during this revival meeting, meaning that God would do something beyond the laws of nature. However, that is very vague statement, which is left open to subjective interpretation, meaning that we have no idea what supposed "miracle" is supposed to happen.

Furthermore, notice that the preacher told everyone that he "wanted them to beleive" it. This does not mean that what he said was true, nor did he receive any word from the Lord about it, but rather, he just wanted them to believe it.

Then, worst of all, he tells everyone to turn to the person next to them, and LIE to them (i.e. sin against them, and against God) by telling them that jthere is a "miracle" for them. At this point, the only miracle I would accept coming from the Lord for these people is a storm to tear down the tent, but I would still pray that God would have mercy upon these people that they might come to repent (i.e. have godly sorrow of) their sins and look to the Lord Jesus Christ.

False preachers often make vague statements because the more uncertain the meaning, the easier it is to sell.

In revivalist fashion, this pastor tells everyone that God sent him there to preach a message to them. He also said there was a prophet among them, that delivered the Word of God to the Christians of Savannah, GA:
"A prophet has been in the midst of you, and that these things shall come to pass... the lord said there's a great storm coming this way, to this city, and the lord also said that there's going to be a great explosion here on the waters, and that the people needed to be prepared early for it come."
-Unnamed preacher, "Savannah GA Tent Revival," retrieved July 12, 2016, [youtu.be/ZzpBLQtd_ww?t=3m58s]

Most readers probably did not catch this scam because they did not know the geography of Savannah. Here is a map of the area:
Map of Savannah GA [creationliberty.com]

Map of Savannah GA [creationliberty.com]

(Image by Google Maps, "Savannah, GA," retrieved July 12, 2016, [bit.ly/29vgOsK])
I have counted no less than eight named rivers that surround the city of Savannah, which all drain into the coast line of the Atlantic Ocean, and thus, floods in this area are extremely common. Imagine for a moment that Moses went to the Hebrew slaves in Egypt and said, "I have a word from the Lord: It is going to be hot tomorrow." Moses would be ignored, if not laughed at, for saying something so ridiculous as to predicet a common occurrence of weather.

In fact, I visited Georgia's official state website, and they have a page dedicated to Savannah flood emergencies because they happen so frequently. Therefore, not only is this common knowledge (i.e. not a prophecy from God), but the so-called "prophet" gives no timeline or any other details whatsoever, which means whenever the next flood happens, in the eyes of these ignorant churchgoers, who willingly fall prey to the philosophical sleight-of-hand, he suddenly becomes a so-called "true prophet of God."
(See Cith of Savannah, "Flood Protection Information," retrieved July 12, 2016, [savannahga.gov/floodprotection])

After the preacher told the churchgoers about a feigned "prophecy" of a Savannah flood, he told them it was a gift from God, and added:
"As a matter of fact, look at somebody and tell them 'That's my miracle.'"
-Unnamed preacher, "Savannah GA Tent Revival," retrieved July 12, 2016, [youtu.be/ZzpBLQtd_ww?t=5m15s]

First he falsely preached there was a miracle there for everyone, then falsely connected a "miracle" to the feigned "prophecy" that there would be a flood in an area known for frequent floods (without any specific timing), and then had the people confess to each other THAT was the miracle they had been promised. This was all a scam for philosophical insurance to protect the so-called "pastor," so he could ensure that people would not leave there thinking to themselves, "I did not receive any miracle that was promised," and I want to note that all this took place in only the first three minutes of that man's pathetic excuse for preaching.

In another part of his message, the preacher told everyone that the prophecies of God were not fortune telling, and that they should not have to pay for them, so they would not be taking an offering. That sure sounds good at first glance, and most people would take that to be generous, and so since no one is being charged anything for the "miracles" and "prophecies," we would have to conclude that the tent, sound equipment, property, food, and everything else they provided for this event must have come directly out of the pastor's pocket, right? I highly doubt it. I find it hard to believe that this man lifted a finger to pay for any of it; these things were likely provided by people taking offerings beforehand, and so there is another sleight-of-hand deception that these things are offered "freely," when they are not.

The deception gets worse when we consider that the entire purpose of these revival events are to increase attendance to the pastor's church building. More attendance means more donations, and more donations means a bigger paycheck and spending budget; thus, whether people could attend the event freely or not is irrelevant because the pastor is feeding on the false hopes of the people to turn a profit.

Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's [money's] sake.
-Titus 1:11

Another preacher, Jason Kendrick, who travels with his family to these unbiblical revival tents all over the country to sing and dance, talks about the costs of them:
"Many have asked me how much a tent revival would cost. We have found that most churches spend an average of $2,500.00 total on their revival expenses. This, of course, depends on how many preachers and/or if there are singers that have been invited and also the distance the rig and revival team must travel to reach the revival destination. This estimated cost is based on revival team and evangelist only. In today's economy, one could not rent a tent with all the equipment offered for such a price. We come by faith on a love-offering basis trusting that God will meet the needs through the offerings of His people."
-Jason Kendrick, "Revival Expenses," retrieved July 12, 2016, [jasonkendrickfamily.com/tent-ministry.html]

The $2500 he mentioned is only an average, and that is ONLY for the team that leads the show. They still need to provide for the tent as well as many other things, such as platforms, altars, electrical systems, PA systems (i.e. microphones, loud speakers, etc), lighting, chairs, the tent itself, and any other accommodations they want to include that vary in cost (e.g. food, hotels, advertising, etc). These things get pricey very quickly, and all to spread false doctrines with a "feel-good" message so they can increase attendance numbers to increase the size of their paychecks.

Please understand, I had a very hard time watching/listening to these tent revival videos because I saw how much wickedness and false doctrine was being broadcasted. It made me sick to hear these things, but I was suffering it only for the purpose of this teaching, to provide examples, and help other Christians to gain discernment.

One man I listened to seemed to be teaching repentance to salvation, which sounded good on the surface, but then (by yelling into the microphone) he taught that everyone needed to put on a prayer shawl, which is a Jewish tradition not recognized in the New Testament Church in Scripture. In other videos, he also used the tradition of "altar calls" which are also not found in Scripture and never recognized by the New Testament Church in Scripture. Even though repentance was being taught, the problem was that it was not being taught as godly sorrow, but rather, he said it was "turning from sin," which is a works-based salvation doctrine that says you must turn from all sin to be saved, but the Bible teaches us that we are saved while in our sinful state.
(See Bruce, "Tent Revival May 2009," retrieved July 14, 2016, [youtube.com/watch?v=f1hE-UZ6zEM])

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. [i.e. That's repentance!]
-Luke 18:9-14

We also need to address the origin of the "altar calls" because, as I previously stated, such a practice is not taught in the New Testament church. So because it is not found in Scripture, where did it come from? Why are so many church buildings to day installing them and practicing altar calls?

The following author documents the history behind the altars:
"[I]n 1807 in England, the Methodists created the 'mourner's bench.' Anxious sinners now had a place to mourn for their sins when they were invited to walk down the sawdust trail. This method reached the United States a few years later and was given the name the 'anxious bench' by Charles Finney. The 'anxious bench' was located in the front where preachers stood on an erected platform. It was there that both sinners and needy saints were called forward to receive the minister's prayers. Finney's method was to ask those who wished to be saved to stand up and come forward. Finney made this method so popular that 'after 1835, it was an indispensable fixture of modern revivals.'... In time, the 'anxious bench' in the outdoor camp meeting was replaced by the 'altar' in the church building. The 'sawdust trail' was replaced by the church aisle. And so was born the famous 'altar call.'"
-Frank Viola & George Barna, Pagan Christianity?: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices, Tyndale House Publishers Inc, 2010, p. 66-67, ISBN: 9781414341651

Notice that it was Charles Finney, an antichrist heretic, who started the tradition of having an altar call, asking those who wanted to be saved to approach the "anxious benches." That is why none of this is found in Scripture; it was invented by a man who hated the doctrine of Christ.

(Read "Christian Symbols Are Not Christian" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)
Please do not misunderstand, I am not saying that a man has never been converted at an altar call because anyone can hear the law of God, be convicted by the Holy Ghost, acknowledge the truth, and come to godly sorrow while kneeling at an anxious bench. However, in most cases, the altar call is simply a false outward appearance to persuade an audience that a man was converted, even though that man was simply following traditional instructions from a preacher instead of coming to inward repentance.

Displays (like altar calls) in front of a religious crowd help to establish excitement in the heat of the moment, and it should be noted that pastors understand this and take advantage of it to increase their religious standing with the audience, but most of the time, these so-called "converts" end up right back where they started a week later, and almost no one in revivalist church buildings is willing to talk about it. Even if they do talk about it, the solution is never to own up to the truth and abandon the unbiblical revivalist movement, but rather they claim they need to "follow up" with people in a harassing manner to pressure them to "go to church," as if their constant monitoring and email campaigns are going to save them and make them desire the things of God.

These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing [i.e. the Holy Spirit] teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
-1 John 2:26-27

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
-2 Thessalonians 3:6

The constant "follow-ups" ignore the vital importance of the Holy Spirit working within new Christians once they are born again, which needs no monitoring system for motivation because the conviction of the Spirit is with them continually, to protect and guide them. Pastors, teachers, and evangelists are helpful tools, so long as they are teaching and doing what is right by Christ, but ultimatly (as stated in 1 John 2), the Holy Spirit must be the teacher.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
-1 Corinthians 2:14

The philosophy behind the follow-ups and altar calls comes from the same philosophy Finney taught, in which he did not believe in the intervention of God onto the souls of men for their salvation. Therefore, by following the traditions of Finney, these preachers give lip service to the Holy Spirit all day long, but they actually have no faith in the working of the Spirit because they, being the workers of iniquity, do nothing more than create false converts that become twice the children of hell than themselves.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land [world] to make one proselyte [convert], and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
-Matthew 23:15

The next man I listened to was wildly obese; by my estimates, he must have weighed at least 300 lbs (136 kg), and it is unlikely that he has ever known what it was like to go a day without a meal. It was one of those situations in which I was cringing inside while listening to him because he sounded like he was going to have a heart attack at any moment. With a puffy red face, he screamed into the microphone, and within a few minutes, he had the entire audience screaming "JESUS!" over and over in vain repetition.
(Eric Henderson, "Eric Henderson preaching at the Tent Revival in Bowling Green," retrieved July 14, 2016, [youtube.com/watch?v=AGJ9uFjtFdA])

Such deceptive practices of repeating something over and over in vanity is commonplace in church buildings. For example, the following video is a church building group on stage with microphones yelling "Jesus!" and "Healing Power!" repeatedly, with people whooping and yelling in the background:

And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
-Isaiah 32:17

Let all things be done decently and in order.
-1 Corinthians 14:40

Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
-1 Thessalonians 3:12

We are not called to scream, stammer, and convulse in seizures while vainly repeating prayers to God like the heathen do to their false gods. They try to justify themselves by quoting the first verse of Psalm 66 which says to make a joyful noise unto the Lord, but then they ignore the rest of the chapter that explains what that means, and instead make an ignorant and foolish noise unto the Lord, thinking that such nonsense pleases Him.
(Read "Christian Music: For The Love of Money" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
-1 Peter 3:4

Please do not misunderstand, it is not a sin to speak in a loud voice when people are struggling to hear you, and there are techniques to speak from your diaphragm to project your voice so that others can hear you in a crowd. However, when it comes to the teaching of the Word of God, and communication from Christians, one of the effects of salvation will be a meek and quiet spirit, not one that screams into microphones.

The less confidence a man
has, the louder he gets.

Of course, the purpose of the yelling is to try and shock people into a heightened state of emotion, causing tension and adrenaline in the body to increase the heart rates of the listeners, but that will NEVER help people gain understanding of God's Word. If a man has laid a foundation of understanding of God's Word in his heart, then God's Word will be his motivation, but if a man has laid a foundation of screaming preachers in his heart, then screaming preachers will be his only motivation.
(Read "Wolves in Costume: Steven L. Anderson" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

It is for these reasons that false converts are being created by the thousands across the U.S. every week. The revivalist movement has been a large factor in contributing to the Laodecian, lukewarm blind church buildings we see today.

Some people may be confused at my saying that the revivalist movement, with all their emphasis on emotion, is causing lukewarmness. To the world, they think the revivalist movement is curing lukewarmness, but that is because they are blind to the truth. The problem is that the emotional states that people are being manipulated into are based on a lie, so when the emotional house burns down, the foundation of lies underneath is all that remains, and thus the false converts turn to put their faith in the preacher that led them into these lies in the first place. (i.e. Their true faith is in the preacher, not in Christ.) When the emotion is gone, all that is left are bored people waiting to be entertained, and that is a huge source of lukewarmness.

I hope that Christians reading this do not think that exposing the revivalism movement is something new, because others at the beginning of the movement in the 1800s saw the exact same lukewarmness come out of the revivals. Although I do not support all the doctrine from the following preachers, my purpose in quoting them is to point out that Charles Finney's revivalism movement was being exposed in the 19th century by other preachers.

Charles Spurgeon noted the false converts being created from the revivalist movement, and it's extreme focus on emotion rather than truth:

"Sometimes we are inclined to think that a very great portion of modern revivalism has been more a curse than a blessing, because it has led thousands to a kind of peace before they have known their misery; restoring the prodigal to the Father's house and never making him say, 'Father, I have sinned.' How can he be healed who is not sick? or he be satisfied with the bread of life who is not hungry? The old-fashioned sense of sin is despised, and consequently a religion is run up before the foundations are dug out.

Everything in this age is shallow. Deep-sea fishing is almost an extinct business so far as men's souls are concerned. The consequence is that men leap into religion, and then leap out again. Unhumbled they came to the church, unhumbled they remained in it, and unhumbled they go from it."
-Charles H. Spurgeon, The Sword and the Trowel, 1882, p. 545, [Oxford University]

What Spurgeon mentioned here is true, that the prodigal son had godly sorrow:

And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
-Luke 15:21

Yet, these revivalists teach unsuspecting people in their tents that they are all worthy of the love of God. The false preachers build up their confidence in a lie, and they go on thinking they have need of nothing, and yet, know not that they are inwardly wretched.

wretched (adj): very miserable; sunk into deep affliction or distress either from want, anxiety or grief; worthless
(See 'wretched', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Aug 1, 2020, [webstersdictionary1828.com])

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
-Revelations 3:17-19

By the hearing of feel-good false messages from revivalists, the people build up a pride in their hearts and become blinded to what they need to be converted unto Christ. This is why it was so difficult for me to listen to these corrupt men preaching garbage, because it is through these methods that the Devil can achieve his designed goals.

Robert Dabney noted the dangers of revivalism because they were falsely concluding their numbers to be higher than they actually were, and that they were leading false converts into the church by convincing the crowd that their fleshly emotions were the workings of the Holy Spirit:

"[I]t was asserted that in a given commonwealth where the Presbyterians could count only eleven thousand communicants [i.e. a person who is in communion with the church], a sister denomination, with an uneducated ministry, claimed seventy-five thousand. But when close inquiry was made of a competent and learned leader of that denomination in that State, he answered that those statistics had been gotten together irresponsibly upon a spread-eagle plan, and that, coming down to hard-pan, his denomination had about fifteen thousand actual commuicants! [i.e. only about 20% of what they claimed] There is a vital reason for this shrinkage in the very nature of an uneducated ministry which furnishes me another powerful argument.

American Protestantism is characterized by a peculiar evil which I may describe by the term 'spurious [false] revivalism.' It has been often called the 'New Measure System.' The common mischief resulting from all its form is the over-hasty reception into the communion of the churches [i.e. come one, come all, and don't forget your wallet], of multitudes of persons whom time proves to have experienced no spiritual change... The ill-starred artists stimulate natural remorse [not godly remorse/sorrow] and the merely sympathetic excitements of the natural feelings, and deceive themselves and encourage their victims to be deceived into mistaking these agitations for the real and saving work of the Holy Spirit with a criminal recklessness."
-Robert L. Dabney, Discussions: Philosophical, Presbyterian Committee of Publication, 1892, p. 563-564, [Pennsylvania State University]; Read "Denominations Are Unbiblical" here at creationliberty.com for more details.

Even the famous Jonathan Edwards noticed the problems with revivals, and spoke "in condemnation of the general results of the revival in New England," even though he himself had held revivals for a time. Revivalists love to speak of Edward's revivals and preaching, but they fail to mention what happened afterward, which The Presbyterian Magazine notes:

"We have already given quotations from Edwards, in proof of the sad declension [decline], which took place in New England after the revival... President Edwards says, 'The present state of things in New England is, on many accounts, very melancholy [gloomy]. There is a vast alteration within two years... As to the state of religion in these parts of the world, it is, in general, very dark and melancholy... It is to be considered that these things have happened when God is greatly withdrawn, and religion was very low, not only in Northampton, but all over New England.'"

-Jonathan Edwards, quoted in The Presbyterian Magazine, J.M. Wilson, Vol. 3, 1853, p. 234, [University of Wisconsin - Madison]

Thus, Edwards is describing what happened in New England two years after revivalism spread; when all the hyped-up emotions of the event dies down, the people not only go back to living their lives as they were, but they are worse off than before. Why? Because the truth is that their expectations were not met. They got wrapped up in the heat of the moment, and then when their reasoning steps back into the driver's seat of their minds, they realize it was all a show, but many choose to suppress that truth and believe the lie anyway, putting their hope in false teaching.

This willful ignorance, or willful blindness comes over people because they are deceived by the devils that are in possession of these wicked preachers who know nothing of the doctrines of the Lord God and the Lord Jesus Christ. These wicked men (and women) have their devilish revivals and go from random person to random person laying hands on them, as you can see in the following video:
In this video, we clearly see men laying hands on person after person after person, and others who just walk up to people on the street to lay hands on them to pray, but the Bible clearly tells us:

Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.
-1 Timothy 5:22

Again, they learned these traditions from men, not from God. They also have these "laughing" sessions in which they claim the Holy Spirit is on them, laughing non-stop, but this is also the spirit of the Devil.

It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
-Ecclesiastes 7:2-6

mirth (n): social merriment; hilarity; high excitement of pleasurable feelings in company; noisy gayety; jollity; mirth differs from joy and cheerfulness, as always implying noise
(See 'mirth', American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828, retrieved Jan 19, 2016 [webstersdictionary1828.com])

Repentance Means Godly Sorrow of Wrongdoing [creationliberty.com]

The Bible's use of the term "mirth" is often overlooked by modern Bible students, but it is key to understanding the deception of laughter in the revivalist movement. Do not misunderstand, I am not saying laughter is sin, but laughter is used to cover the truth, and though laughter might seem pleasant and pleasurable, millions are going to laugh all the way to the lake of fire.

In Ecclesiastes 7, it speaks of tossing thorns into a fire, which creates a loud, annoying crackling sound. The Lord God teaches us that these revivalism sessions are nothing but a cesspool of loud, annoying fools:

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness. The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.
-Proverbs 14:12-14

This is exactly what was being mentioned by the 19th century preachers I quoted above, that after all the emotion and laughter dies down, the place is worse off than it was before. This is because no matter how much people laugh, there is still sorrow and heaviness, and the laughter is simply used to cover it up, or rather, to reject the sorrow they need to be saved and acknowledge the truth.

I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
-Ecclesiastes 2:1-2

This was Solomon speaking here, and talking about what his heart was saying. It is a heathen man's wicked heart of flesh that says unto himself that he will prove his god through his mirth and laughter.

He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
-Proverbs 28:26

And Jesus Christ warned us very clearly:

Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger.
Woe unto you that laugh now!
for ye shall mourn and weep.
-Luke 6:25

In the above video, a man claiming to bring messages from God (i.e. a self-proclaimed prophet), tells a random man on the street the following:
"There's an area happening right now with you and your wife and God said 'I'm going to heal it right now. I'm going to heal it today. This is your day. I'm going to restore your marriage. In fact, I'm going to bring back broken relationships; people who have whacked you in the past, you've kind of pushed out, I see they're coming back in now."

This so-called "prophet" is speaking to a man who is clearly in his 50s or 60s (age-wise), and notice how vague he was in his "prophecy." These are problems that are common amongst men in their 50s and 60s, and this is precisely what many psychics and mediums (pagan fortune tellers) do when they use cold reading techniques.

Often, these false prophets want you to believe they are legitimate men of God by telling you that they love Jesus, pray, and help people, but in order to spot a counterfeit, you need to compare the differences, not the similarities. Let's compare this man's vague charismatic verbal techniques with actual prophesying from the Bible when Daniel delivered God's Word to Nebuchadnezzar:

Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
-Daniel 2:28-29

Daniel goes on to describe a dream that Nebuchadnezzar had, which the king himself could not remember, and he described it in all of its details. Then he went on to give the interpretation of it in great detail, how the certain parts of the statue represented kingdoms to come, and what would happen to each one. The Lord God is not vague because He does not have to be, but these false prophets must be vague to mentally and emotionally influence the listeners in order to successfully scam them.

Let's look at another famous prophet, Isaiah, and see what message the Lord God told him to deliver unto His people:

Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.
-Isaiah 1:4

This goes on for most of the chapters in Isaiah, calling men to repentance because of their sin. Jeremiah was commanded to speak the same Word of God:

Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.
-Jeremiah 3:12-13

Does that sound like a feel-good message? All the Bible's prophets I just quoted suffered heavy persecution and torture for saying these things because the people did not want to hear it. Amos also delivered a message from God that did not please the ears of the people:

And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.
-Amos 7:9

What Amos got in return for delivering the Word of God was not smiles and laughter and money—the priest (i.e. the pastor) of his day demanded that he leave, and went to the king to ask for Amos's banishment. The messages of these false prophets are exactly the opposite of what we see God saying to us in Scripture, and the only reason the people are accepting the false prophets is because the feel-good messages scratch their itching ears:

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
-2 Timothy 4:2-4

This means that almost everyone who adheres to revivals and attends them, will reject what I am demonstrating in this teaching, comparing Scripture with the words and actions of these men. For those who have turned their ears away from the truth, they will have nothing to do with this teaching, and will ignore all the Scripture I have provided.

Since I first produced this teaching, I have had numerous conversations with self-proclaimed Christians who, when I pointed out the contradictions, immediately cut off communication with me because I did not give them the feel-good message they so desperately wanted. Though we Christians suffer affliction, we should rejoice in the day of our suffering because the same thing happened to the prophets who came before us.

Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you [to scorn and charge with fault], and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
-Luke 6:22-23

In addition to the false prophecies, revival sessions often come with promises of fake healings, and I want to emphasize the word FAKE. There is no before-and-after medical evidence to back up these so-called "miracle healings" from these so-called "faith healers" in these false revivals.

Many investigators and researchers have spent great deal of time looking into the claimed "miracle healings," only to find out they were a total fraud. For example, ABC's Primetime show aired multiple sessions on the "faith healers" and exposed them for what they are: (See Diane Sawyer, Primetime Live, ABC News July 9, 1992)

In this video, Diane Sawyer's investigative team goes undercover, filming their undercover agents talking with preachers before the service, feeding them false information to see what they would do with it. During the service, those fake faith healers would come out and declare facts about these people, giving the audience the impression that it was a revelation from God, when they had actually learned it before the service began, and in addition to that deception, they would also use sleight-of-hand magician's tricks, sometimes even hiring actors to play roles, all to make people believe they were real miracles of healing so the false preachers could make more money.

The video also covers a popular trick of making it seem like a person's legs are regrowing, which is supposed to heal the common ailment of back pain. They pick people with back problems (which is not hard to find), and say that their legs are not even, which is supposedly causing their back pain. The preacher sits the person down, lifts their feet while simultaneously slightly slipping off the heel of one shoe, then while praying, slowly pushes the heel of the shoe back in, giving the illusions of "growth."

Let's compare these parlor tricks of supposed "faith healers" to actual miracles of healing performed by God:

And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.
-Mark 3:1-6

In Scripture, Jesus healed the withered hand of a man, and withered means it has grown in a manner that is useless, being deformed, often being much smaller than the other. It is a very clear impairment, not one that needs to be feigned for an audience. Notice that Christ did not have to touch him or do a song and dance in front of him, He simply told the man to stretch out his hand and it was instantly healed for all to see clearly.

We also need to notice that Jesus was angered by these Pharisees (i.e. the pastors of that day) because they were more willing that Christ should be killed than for the lame man to be healed. They were more interested in protecting their estates, wealth, and positions of authority, than to judge righteous judgment.

Let's look at another instance where Christ raises the dead, and compare that to these preachers' cheap tricks:

While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment. And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.
-Matthew 5:35-43

Christ healed the girl completely, head to toe, by simply speaking to her, and this did not require any special music, lights, donations, or any other fancy gimmicks the revivalists typically use. Furthermore, Christ sent AWAY the crowd; He did not try to lure them in for popularity and money. Christ did these miracle healings in private, and then instructed the family not to tell anyone about it because He was not doing this for fame and fortune.

One of America's many fake "faith healers" is Morris Cerullo, who claimed he was called by God when angels led him away from an orphanage he was raised in. During one of his "healing" sessions, a young woman got up on the stage with him, believing his false message, and claimed she was healed of epileptic seizures, but a few days later she died during one of her seizures:
Audrey Cerullo Died Fake Faith Healer [creationliberty.com]

Audrey Cerullo Died Fake Faith Healer [creationliberty.com]

"Audrey Reynolds suffered from epilepsy all her life. A congenital brain abnormality meant she would suffer seizures if she did not take three tablets a day... In the summer of 1992 a poster advertising the imminent arrival in London of American TV evangelist Morris Cerullo caught the 25-year-old's eye. 'Some will see miracles for the first time' it claimed. Audrey was intrigued and joined 80,000 people who went to Cerullo's eight-day 'crusade' at the Earls Court exhibition centre. Having queued patiently for her chance to meet Cerullo, Audrey took the stage telling the preacher she believed his message of healing power had cured her. Six days later she had an epileptic fit and drowned in her bath."
-Paul Gallagher, "Controversial American evangelist Morris Cerullo returns to Britain for one final 'crusade'," Independent Aug 2, 2014, retrieved Aug 7, 2016, [http://ind.pn/1oieNhK]

According to the British article, great efforts have been made by Cerullo's staff to get videos of his fake healings off places like YouTube, and understandably so. There's a negative impact on his business when a four-year-old dies of cancer after claiming to be healed by Cerullo:
"[A]n apprehensive four-year-old called Natalia Barned suffering from neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer growing just above the kidney, arrives on stage clasping her mother in one hand and a tissue to wipe her tears away in the other. Cerullo descends on the pair and takes the girl's hand. 'Can you feel any pain?' he bends down to ask. 'No,' the young girl replies. Natalia's mother gives her a fist bump. Cerullo repeats the question. Natalia repeats her answer. Cerullo takes the girl's hand and walks to the front of the stage to raucous applause. Cerullo asks the Earl's Court audience to raise their hands and thank God. She died two months later, on 23 August 1992."
-Paul Gallagher, "Controversial American evangelist Morris Cerullo returns to Britain for one final 'crusade'," Independent Aug 2, 2014, retrieved Aug 7, 2016, [http://ind.pn/1oieNhK]

The death certificate of Natalia Barned, dated two months after Cerullo's "crusade" in the U.K. Audrey Cerullo Death Certificate Fake Faith Healer [creationliberty.com]

Audrey Cerullo Death Certificate Fake Faith Healer [creationliberty.com]

Mark Haville is a British preacher that used to be a revivalist faith healer, but came out of it when studying the Word of God. Haville had his eyes opened by the Lord Jesus Christ that what he was doing was totally unbiblical, and in an interview, Haville describes the process as a form of hypnosis, which is a form of witchcraft used in a falsely so-called "science" named psychology.
(Read "Psychology: Hoodwinked by the Devil" here at creationliberty.com for more details.)

"People are suggestible as human beings. So what happens is by getting a person into a suggestible state, or what we call an altered state of consciousness, it means they are effectively in a state of hypnosis. Again, people misunderstand hypnosis. People commonly believe it's some kind of profound trance; which it isn't. The person who is hypnotized is fully aware of what's going on at all times. You just go through the same techniques that you would at a rock concert or a hypnotist show; I'm sure people in America have seen these on TV,

as we have them on television here in the U.K., there's a process that you go through, induction if you like, and all you do is you just change the names for the audience. So you change it for the name of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, words which have some kind of supposed Biblical link; fire, revival, whatever... the best way to [get someone] into a state of hypnosis is to have long periods of music. So in this case we'll call it praise and worship. The best kind of music that will work will be one that mirrors bodily functions like cardiovascular, that kind of beat and speed of the music, so praise and worship fits very nicely into that nice relaxed heartbeat... obviously tunes that people know, so that they'll be familiar with the songs. Also because you have a large crowd of people, the dynamics that are involved in large crowds also make people more susceptible, and heighten experiences. It's kind of like, you're watching a comedy show on TV with your friends, and you really really laugh at all the gags and all the jokes, and then you watch the same kind of thing on your own, and it's not funny."
-Mark Haville, "Hypnosis in Christianity Exposed," retrieved Aug 5, 2016, [youtube.com/watch?v=hr8SHQejUyM]

Every revival I have ever witnessed, from small tents to giant stadiums, uses the exact methods Haville is describing. The Lord Jesus Christ, His disciples, and the early church in the Book of Acts, did not need all these methods to teach the truth. These methods are created by men for the purpose of stirring up emotions, to convey a hypnotic messages that will gain them popularity and wealth.

The ABC Primetime report in the video above had a man who was a close college buddy of Robert Tilton, a false prophet who has conned millions out of their hard-earned money. The eye-witness wanted his identity protected on camera, but he gave his testimony about his friendship with Tilton when they were in college together:

TILTON'S COLLEGE FRIEND: "Robert Tilton, as I knew him, was practicing to become a salesman. That was his concept of success."
DIANE SAWYER: "This man, who wanted anonymity, is just one of several old friends of Robert Tilton who talked to us. He remembers when they were in college they would use drugs, or get drunk, and go off to tent revivals as a kind of sport."
TILTON'S COLLEGE FRIEND: "And we'd be drunk, and go down front, fall to our knees, speak in tongues."
SAWYER: "Tilton and his friends started developing parodies, so called 'Jesus raps' of their own."
TILTON'S COLLEGE FRIEND: "[in a sanctimonious revivalist preacher tone] 'Oh dear God-ah... come into this woman's life! Heal tonight! She has a neeeeeed-ah to find Chriiiiiiist-ah!'... I personally thought I was a lot better at it than he was."
SAWYER: "Tilton, who never finished college, admits he was a drug user; says he was saved when some people came to his house and explained Christ, but he never tells followers how he and his friends talked about running preacher scams and cashing in."
TILTON'S COLLEGE FRIEND: "We said that when we graduated, we would buy a good tent, a dynamite sound system, a good amen section, and fly around the country and get rich."

This is precisely what Christ warned us about:

He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
-Matthew 13:22

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
-2 Peter 2:1-3

These wolves disguise themselves as sheep to increase their numbers, because popularity brings in more money. Some have higher aspirations than others, but it is all about getting more eyeballs in the pews of their church buildings and revival tents, and the bottom line is the profit, and yet, not one of them ever confesses to doing it for the money.

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
-1 Timonthy 6:10

The Lord Jesus Christ, His disciples, and the New Testament Church in the Book of Acts, never used any of the methods the revivalists use in their practices. There were no grand tents, bands, loud music, and crowds of people shouting "AMEN!" at everything a preacher spoke into a microphone.

I can understand people getting wrapped up in the emotion of an event, but when it comes to the Word of God, there should be NO compromise. We should reason together from the Scriptures alone, doing the will of God from a pure heart, not to please the ears of men.

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
-Isaiah 1:18

Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
-Ephesians 6:6-7

These revivals are dangerous because they are deceiving thousands every day with false doctrine and leaven, turning them away from the doctrine of repentance (i.e. grief and godly sorrow of sin) and remission (i.e. forgiveness) of sins, which Jesus instructed us to teach. (Luke 24:47) If you are born again in Christ, then sanctify yourself (i.e. set yourself apart) from the worldly traditions of church buildings, and study the Word of God slowly and carefully to learn to do what is right by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Demotivational Poster Revival [creationliberty.com]

Demotivational Poster Revival [creationliberty.com]