West Marion Baptist Church just finished the meetings of a weekend revival. Four services, good attendance, great spirit. Was it successful?

How do you answer that question? If success means did a large number of people get saved, then the answer would be no. If success means did many people come to the altar each service, then the answer is no. But I am quite sure those things are not the measure of a real revival.

Revival means “to be revived, brought back to life.” After four services of praising God, listening to His servant preach His word, and rekindling the fire within me, I can say personally “Yes, I experienced revival and it was successful!”

Talking to others within our congregation confirms that God rekindled the fire in quite a few believers. It is an experience that can be felt by those who attended. We have a unity, a fervent spirit, and a joy that can only come from God. Therefore, I believe we can conclude that our revival was successful!

God has been moving in a strong way in our county recently. A local church just had a series of meetings that went weeks longer than scheduled, and many souls were saved. A local tent meeting saw several dozen come to Christ. God has been moving in churches of several different denominations and churches of different styles.

Contemporary churches are experiencing God, as are fundamentalist churches, and everything in between.

So who wins? Who had the best meetings? Who did it more “godly?” The fundamentalists or the contemporary? The “legalists” or the “liberals?” The independent or the associated?

Men love to compete, and unfortunately that slips into church as well. Legalists might say if it is not “old  fashioned,” it’s not real. The contemporary might say “no guitars and drums, then not relevant for today!” And of course some love to keep score. “70 salvations always wins over 60! So our meetings were more God-centered!”

I do love sports, and I like to keep score. Winning is important to me, and I don’t like to come in second! But that mindset is not right in the service of our King.

God loves people, not masses of people groups. He is happy to save each soul one at a time, revive each believer one at a time, and does not keep score. He saved thousands on the day of Pentecost, but He saved all of them one at a time! In Acts, He saved some in the legalistic settings of the Pharisees in the synagogues. Others He saved in the new, “contemporary” settings of house churches among Gentiles.

Rejoice over God’s moving, wherever it happens. Celebrate His word, His indwelling, the burning fire He gives to the heart who desires it! West Marion, enjoy God’s revival in our midst, and thank God that He did not just do it here.

But do not think our revival was inferior to others, because our numbers were not as good. God measures success by individual hearts, not by mass numbers!

Are you a true believer? Are you saved? If so, you are a member of God’s universal church. God’s church, in all of its different locations, is experiencing revival. Pray for each other, and let’s rejoice that God is moving in McDowell County, and throughout North Carolina.

And as for the scorekeepers, go play a game like baseball, golf or tennis. Keeping score there is fine. But God is not lifted up when His children compete with each other.

“To God be the glory, great things He has done!”

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Baker is pastor at West Marion Baptist Church, Marion, and describes his church as a blended congregation just beginning to get on its feet. Baker is on the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina board of directors.)