Revival Preparation Checklist
Title: Revival Preparation Checklist
Category: Evangelism Issues
Subject: Revival
Checklist For Revival Preparation
J. Mike Minnix, Editor
PastorLife.com
Georgia Baptist Convention
This list is provided to assist pastors and/or revival preparation leaders in coordinating the process of making effective plans for revival services.
6 months to 18 months Before the Revival
* Knowing God's desire to revive His people, choose the DATE for your revival. Be sure to check on events surrounding the dates you plan for revival services to ensure that school, civic, political, or local activities of importance will not negatively effect your revival dates.
* Prayerfully choose the EVANGELIST for your revival. It is best if you do this 9 months to one year, or even more, in advance of the revival. The best revival preachers stay very busy. Calling them at the last minute usually means you will be turned down because their calendars are already filled. Consider asking a vocational evangelist to preach your meeting, since God calls these men for that very purpose. At any rate, choose a man whom you know has the gift of evangelistic preaching.
3 Months to 6 Months Before the Revival
* Create a Budget. Many churches fail to budget properly for revival. Costs for a revival include the travel, room and board for the evangelist, and often for a music leader as well. Also, money should be allocated for publicity. Churches of different sizes and different locations will need to plan publicity based on the best way to communicate the revival to the community at large. In addition, costs may be incurred for special presentations before or during the revival, such as a Youth Pizza Blast, or other special emphases.
* Organize Revival Preparation Teams to assist you in the work of readying for the revival. Begin by choosing a Team Leader for each team. This person should be someone who is prayerful, faithful and reliable. Some teams to organize are: Prayer; Greeting/Ushers; Prospects/Attendance; Publicity, Counseling, etc. You can contact the North American Mission Board, Evangelism Division, for a preparation book that details the work of various revival committees.
* Pray! There is no substitute for prayer. Read 2 Chronicles 7:13-15. Don''t neglect verse 13. Prayer for revival must be predicated on the realization that we NEED revival. Look around you at the condition of the church, families, the world, your own heart, and you will see and feel the need for revival. Is there a reason things have gotten worse in our communities, cities, and nation? In 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 we are told that God withholds His blessings because of our sins. We must turn back to Him! We begin to do that when we pray sincerely for personal revival, and we continue when we pray for that revival to sweep all around us to others. Begin praying and organizing your people to pray at least 13 weeks before the revival. Revival Prayer teams made up of 3 people should meet every week and pray for at least 15 minutes for revival. Other helps for prayer ministries and prayer for revival are available.
* Train Leaders for the Revival. Hold training sessions for counselors, greeters, ushers, childcare workers, and most importantly, train people to witness and invite people to the meeting. This training should be completed well before the meeting so that the teams can begin to meet and plan their work.
45 to 90 Days Before the Revival
* All Teams should be at Work. Prayer, publicity, youth leadership, and all other teams, should be hard at work during the 2 months prior to the meeting. A group that should be working diligently at this point is the Attendance Team. Each Sunday School Class should be enlisted to promote attendance. Deacons, choir members, and other leaders should be contacted for a promise of attendance at every service.
* As Pastor, Keep the Revival Before the People. Make pulpit announcements, talk about the revival among church members and perhaps preach a series of sermons leading up to the revival. Emphasize the need for repentance and the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
0 to 45 Days Before the Revival
* Visit Prospects and Sunday School members who have not joined the church. Create visitation teams and contact prospects for salvation and church membership. Use the Clean Sweep Strategy on the Saturday prior to the revival. These visits are not just for inviting people to the revival. As a church family prepares for revival, God's Spirit begins to move in miraculous ways. Often, the revival begins in the hearts of people long before the revival services actually begin. Leaders ask if a revival is for the saved or for the lost. A revival is for BOTH! When God''s people are revived, lost people will be won to faith in Christ!
*
Get publicity before the community. Be sure to use free radio spots at Christian stations. Also, use posters in local stores. If you have the budget, mail a postcard to every home in your zip code area. Have a theme that draws attention and use it to create interest in the meeting.
* Get publicity before your church family. Don't assume that everyone in your church knows about the upcoming revival services. Use drama in your worship, posters, newsletters, personal letter to members, announcements and a banner in the church yard to be sure that everyone in the church is aware of the revival.
* Check with your evangelist to be sure that he has all the information he needs and be certain there is no confusion regarding dates and times for services. Also, prepare for taking a love offering for your evangelist. Special Offering envelopes should be distributed to the church family so they can prepare to give faithfully during the revival. Plan to take an offering in each service during the revival.
* Keep PRAYING!!!
Revival and Beyond
* Follow up decisions made during the revival. People who come forward during the revival make many different kinds of decisions and that means mistakes can be made. Some rededications are actually people who need to accept Christ. Personal visits should be made to all who make commitments during the revival.
* Follow up on every visitor to the revival. People will often visit a church for the very first time during the revival. Record each visitor and then follow up with a home visit within 10 days of the end of revival services.
J. Mike Minnix, Editor
PastorLife.com
Georgia Baptist Convention
This list is provided to assist pastors and/or revival preparation leaders in coordinating the process of making effective plans for revival services.
6 months to 18 months Before the Revival
* Knowing God's desire to revive His people, choose the DATE for your revival. Be sure to check on events surrounding the dates you plan for revival services to ensure that school, civic, political, or local activities of importance will not negatively effect your revival dates.
* Prayerfully choose the EVANGELIST for your revival. It is best if you do this 9 months to one year, or even more, in advance of the revival. The best revival preachers stay very busy. Calling them at the last minute usually means you will be turned down because their calendars are already filled. Consider asking a vocational evangelist to preach your meeting, since God calls these men for that very purpose. At any rate, choose a man whom you know has the gift of evangelistic preaching.
3 Months to 6 Months Before the Revival
* Create a Budget. Many churches fail to budget properly for revival. Costs for a revival include the travel, room and board for the evangelist, and often for a music leader as well. Also, money should be allocated for publicity. Churches of different sizes and different locations will need to plan publicity based on the best way to communicate the revival to the community at large. In addition, costs may be incurred for special presentations before or during the revival, such as a Youth Pizza Blast, or other special emphases.
* Organize Revival Preparation Teams to assist you in the work of readying for the revival. Begin by choosing a Team Leader for each team. This person should be someone who is prayerful, faithful and reliable. Some teams to organize are: Prayer; Greeting/Ushers; Prospects/Attendance; Publicity, Counseling, etc. You can contact the North American Mission Board, Evangelism Division, for a preparation book that details the work of various revival committees.
* Pray! There is no substitute for prayer. Read 2 Chronicles 7:13-15. Don''t neglect verse 13. Prayer for revival must be predicated on the realization that we NEED revival. Look around you at the condition of the church, families, the world, your own heart, and you will see and feel the need for revival. Is there a reason things have gotten worse in our communities, cities, and nation? In 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 we are told that God withholds His blessings because of our sins. We must turn back to Him! We begin to do that when we pray sincerely for personal revival, and we continue when we pray for that revival to sweep all around us to others. Begin praying and organizing your people to pray at least 13 weeks before the revival. Revival Prayer teams made up of 3 people should meet every week and pray for at least 15 minutes for revival. Other helps for prayer ministries and prayer for revival are available.
* Train Leaders for the Revival. Hold training sessions for counselors, greeters, ushers, childcare workers, and most importantly, train people to witness and invite people to the meeting. This training should be completed well before the meeting so that the teams can begin to meet and plan their work.
45 to 90 Days Before the Revival
* All Teams should be at Work. Prayer, publicity, youth leadership, and all other teams, should be hard at work during the 2 months prior to the meeting. A group that should be working diligently at this point is the Attendance Team. Each Sunday School Class should be enlisted to promote attendance. Deacons, choir members, and other leaders should be contacted for a promise of attendance at every service.
* As Pastor, Keep the Revival Before the People. Make pulpit announcements, talk about the revival among church members and perhaps preach a series of sermons leading up to the revival. Emphasize the need for repentance and the infilling of the Holy Spirit.
0 to 45 Days Before the Revival
* Visit Prospects and Sunday School members who have not joined the church. Create visitation teams and contact prospects for salvation and church membership. Use the Clean Sweep Strategy on the Saturday prior to the revival. These visits are not just for inviting people to the revival. As a church family prepares for revival, God's Spirit begins to move in miraculous ways. Often, the revival begins in the hearts of people long before the revival services actually begin. Leaders ask if a revival is for the saved or for the lost. A revival is for BOTH! When God''s people are revived, lost people will be won to faith in Christ!
*
Get publicity before the community. Be sure to use free radio spots at Christian stations. Also, use posters in local stores. If you have the budget, mail a postcard to every home in your zip code area. Have a theme that draws attention and use it to create interest in the meeting.
* Get publicity before your church family. Don't assume that everyone in your church knows about the upcoming revival services. Use drama in your worship, posters, newsletters, personal letter to members, announcements and a banner in the church yard to be sure that everyone in the church is aware of the revival.
* Check with your evangelist to be sure that he has all the information he needs and be certain there is no confusion regarding dates and times for services. Also, prepare for taking a love offering for your evangelist. Special Offering envelopes should be distributed to the church family so they can prepare to give faithfully during the revival. Plan to take an offering in each service during the revival.
* Keep PRAYING!!!
Revival and Beyond
* Follow up decisions made during the revival. People who come forward during the revival make many different kinds of decisions and that means mistakes can be made. Some rededications are actually people who need to accept Christ. Personal visits should be made to all who make commitments during the revival.
* Follow up on every visitor to the revival. People will often visit a church for the very first time during the revival. Record each visitor and then follow up with a home visit within 10 days of the end of revival services.
