Indiana Revival Report: Days 53-82

Well, it appears that the Revive INDIANA story is far from over. It's going to stay in the news, but if you want to know a lot of the inside scoop, you're going to have to keep turning to the White Man's exclusives.

First, this report has come in from a visitor to Maple City Chapel on Sunday, March 5:

Those used to having to save seats hours in advance to get a direct-sight view of the stage were in for a treat when they arrived for the special 10:00 am service at MCC. Ushers assured arrivers that there were still some seats available up front, although the overflow was almost full. A glance around indicated that not only were the 9 and 11 am worshipers congregated together, but a lot of Revive attendees from other churches just hadn't been able to break the habit yet and had returned to a familiar venue yet again.

"Welcome to Day 57 of Revive INDIANA!" proclaimed the worship pastor (it was actually Day 56). And what followed was almost indistinguishable from a regular Revive service--especially the music, which was followed by a reprise of Day 52, in which Pastor Shetler called up all the members of the MCC staff to publicly thank them for "exploding their box" over the past eight weeks. Then, nine baptisms in the same tank that Revive had used. The remainder of the service was given over, first to another Revive-style mass communion, and then to testimonies from Revive, several by parents of the children who had just been baptized. And, of course, a fellowship meal followed with everyone invited.

So much for Maple City Chapel. How about Clinton Frame Mennonite Church, the weekend venue for Revive? Well, they started up something called Ice Cream Sunday, a 5 pm informal get together around ice cream and acoustic guitar music that hopes to carry on the ecumenism of Revive through the active participation of multiple churches. It started up the last week, so word went out and a small but growing smattering of the community has started to show up for it--so far, without any need for parking attendants!

And, despite the proclaimed 30 Days of Rest, local Revive leaders (with Kyle's blessing) are already planning to Go Forth on Saturday, March 21.

This page will stay open throughout the 30 Days of Rest, to accommodate any further updates.

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Revive continues to be on everybody's lips. Just as an example:

The weekend of March 14, Elkhart County hosted an national conference of ultra-conservative Amish, Mennonites, and Brethren. Following each lecture, there was a time for questions and answers--allegedly open to the hundreds of women in attendance, but they knew better and kept their silence. Opening it up for questions, you see, can easily lead into something else. And thus it was with the final "question" of the conference, when Wes Weaver stood up to sound a clarion call of warning against Revive INDIANA. They are an Emergent Church movement, he warned the 800 or so in the audience, operating in the Spirit of the Antichrist. With their rock and roll music, they are out to get your children--and some are already gone.

When he sat down, moderator Nathan Overholt thanked him for that report, saying he'd wanted to take in one of the Revive meetings but hadn't had the chance. He lives in Florida!

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On March 17, there was a meeting at the Community Church in Oak Brook, IL between Revive INDIANA staff and pastors, and Chicagoland staff and pastors preparing for participation in this summer's Christ for All Nations Gospel Crusade at the Allstate Arena. This collaboration is significant, because of the similarities and differences between the two ministries. Although both are inclined toward ecumenism and charismata, Time to Revive is primarily focused on discipleship, whilst CFAN is primarily focused on mass altar calls. While Kyle Martin may hope to greatly expand his reach through this collaboration, it cannot help but dilute his message.