INTRODUCTION: We hear so much about "revival" today, and by that is more often than not meant some large gathering where emotional excess is prevalent and people are barking, spinning, kneeling at man-made altars, etc. I am convinced that we are, as Hank Hanegraaff has put it, in the midst of a "counterfeit revival." However, that is neither here nor there and I will deal with this in perhaps a future issue. The question that I have been asking is this: If much of what passes for "revival" today is in fact not genuine, then are there signs, even hints, of a true work of God afoot? The answer is YES! Below, I submit three examples of a phenomena that is often missed while most "ooohhh" and "aahhhh" at the latest "signs & wonders." Simply put, the HETERODOX are becoming ORTHODOX; the LEGALISTIC are embracing FREE GRACE - in a very subtle way, God Himself is revealing truth to bodies generally rejected by the "mainstream Church." Check it out:

1. JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES who have been freed from Watchtower tyranny are now beginning to organize and are producing reevaluations of JW doctrine. Ex-JWs like Tom Cabeen, Raymond Franz, Jon Mitchell, James Penton, and Ronald E. Frye are producing scholarly papers and books exposing Watchtower domination and error. They are forming groups in Sweden, Germany, and America and studying the Scriptures. Furthermore, it is not because these people have read Kingdom of the Cults or been "convinced" by the latest wave of Evangelism Explosion graduates. No ... this is truly a sovereign move of Almighty God! Are these groups "entirely orthodox"? Not entirely, no. Their doctrines vary. Unfortunately, smug evangelicals who demand immediate perfection will be more hindrance than help. Here's my perspective: these groups should be supported and helped. They are open-minded, continue to study, and are submitted to the Word of God as their authority. Nothing bad can come of this. I believe that GOD is behind them - keep them in your prayers.

2. When evangelicals hear the name "THE CHURCH OF CHRIST", what often comes to mind is a legalistic, exclusivistic sect that eschews musical instruments in worship and insists that all true believers are baptized by them. This was certainly my perspective years ago. It is not that such an opinion is totally false; there are certainly many CofC bodies that would match that description perfectly. However, such a description is equally short-sighted. We "evangelicals" often fall into "canned food syndrome" - where labels are taken to automatically pinpoint the exact same list of "ingredients" whenever encountered. But such is not always the case! Two believers (and there are many more!) who still wear the "CofC" label but would in no sense match the typical evangelical description of such are Cecil Hook and Edward Fudge. Hook's organization, Freedom's Ring, is to the CofC what Paul's letter was to the Galatian assembly - denouncing legalistic tradition and law and promoting the Biblical message of Christian liberty and Divine grace. Fudge, refusing to deny his Restoration roots, nevertheless insists that true "Restoration" is found in Jesus Christ. Pray for these brothers and others like them who are working for Reformation among these bodies.

3. Most of those reading this have probably heard about the true revival within the WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD. Started by the late Herbert W. Armstrong, the WWCG was about as heterodox as a "Christian" group could get, embracing heresies in several areas of both doctrine and practice. Not any more. Just before Armstrong's death, Joseph Tkach (Armstrong's successor) began moving toward mainstream Christian orthodoxy. Upon Tkach's death his son, Joseph Tkach, Jr. has all but completed this transition. I have been stunned by the criticism - not simply from WWCG traditionalists, but from orthodox evangelicals - that has been voiced concerning these changes! The WWCG reached out for our help and with a few exceptions (e.g., Hanegraaff, Ruth Tucker, Jack Hayford, D. James Kennedy), most orthodox evangelical leaders showed them nothing but rejection or, at best, suspicion. Fellow believers, these people need our support and our prayers! Let's quit being so critical!

POSTSCRIPT: I see separations occuring in these times. Just as the Charismatics are separating into two "streams" - one going further into "left field" while the other embraces historic orthodoxy and seeks theological closure - I see the same happening in both the denominations and the smaller sects and groups (even the pseudo-christian "cults"). I just have one question: PERHAPS WE ARE ALL ON THE THRESHING FLOOR?

* Luther Sunderland, Darwin's Enigma (Santee, CA: Master Book Publishers; 1984) -

I read this book a few years ago and recently reread parts of it after recommending it to a friend. It addresses the theory of evolution by quoting prominent evolutionists themselves. The quotes are taken from a series of interviews conducted by the late Dr. Sunderland and are quite shocking. By the end of the book the reader will have no doubt that evolutionists themselves have no confidence in their theory! Sunderland's trashing of the idea that Archaeopteryx was a "transitional form" is excellent and preceded the evolutionist Bakker's rehash of the same points answered by Sunderland. This is a quick, but highly informative, read.

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God." - JAMES 1:19-20.

No matter how many times I read this verse, I still fall into the trap now and again (ok, too often) of thinking that I am somehow doing God a service by getting "ticked off" at those "flakes" and "heretics". Yet no matter how appropriate we think our anger might be, we must all remember that our wrath "works not the righteousness of God." The first two qualities in this verse are equally important. Too often we want to cut off those we disagree with and "nip that hersy in the bud," so to speak. Maybe we could be a little more patient with people, shutting our mouths and giving them a chance to speak (see Proverbs 10:19; 13:3; 15:2; 17:27; 18:13; 21:23; Ecclesiastes 5:1-3; James 1:26; 3:1-2).

As for man's wrath not working the righteousness of God, just take a peek at the negative example of Moses in Numbers 20:10-12. See also Galatians 5:20-21; 2 Timothy 2:24-25; James 3:17-18. As believers who long for God's purposes to be fulfilled in us, we should strive to be "slow to wrath" (see Proverbs 14:17, 29; 15:18; 16:32; 17:14; 19:11, 19; 25:28; Ecclesiastes 7:9; Matthew 5:22; Ephesians 4:26-31; Colossians 3:8).

I am convinced that patient discourse is the way to convincing one of the truth. Noting the word "wherefore" above, please read verses 17-18. No one will be convinced of anything apart from God sovereignly doing the convincing. If we would be used this way, let us do it His way. As James reminds us, our way is just no good.