Revival, Repentance and Ravenhill

Leonard Ravenhill (1907-1994) was a British evangelist and author, whose tent meetings across the length and breadth of England drew huge crowds and drew many to Christ. Mr. Ravenhill's writings centered, to a great extent, around prayer, revival and the state of the church.

A.W. Tozer said Leonard Ravenhill was "...the man sent from God to battle the priests of Baal on their own mountain top, to shame the careless priest at the altar, to face the false prophet, and to warn the people who are being led astray by him."

“My father lived daily in light of eternity, always seeking to please the One who enlisted him as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Before he ever stood in the pulpit, he stood before God. He was a man of prayer. Prayer was his life and his preaching reflected the fact that he had been alone with God.” -David Ravenhill, son of Leonard Ravenhill

One of Leonard Ravenhill's books, Why Revival Tarries, reveals his thoughts on the state of the church and why revival has been delayed in many places. Mr. Ravenhill went to be with the Lord in 1994, but his words are just as true now as they were when they were published. Below are just a few of the many thought-provoking statements this man made over the course of his life and ministry. 

"Do you go to church to meet God or to hear a sermon about Him? How many come to church expecting a confrontation with Deity?"

"I'm sick and tired of (only) reading about church history; let's make (some) by the grace of God!" 

"There's one thing we need above everything else; it's something we don't talk about these days. We need a mighty avalanche of conviction of sin."

"David had one of the most blessed experiences in the world, and the blessedness was that he was miserable about his sin."

"I'm concerned in my spirit (that) the reason the world goes to hell-fire tonight is because we've (the church) lost Holy Ghost fire."

"Someone asked me, "Do you pray for the dead?" I said, "No, I preach to them!" I think every pew in every church is death row. Think about that! They're dead! They sing about God; they talk about God, but they're dead! They have no living relationship (with God)."

"You hear people say in church, "Lord, You're welcome!" If the Holy Ghost came to some churches, there would be a stampede to the door."

"When did you last tip-toe out of the sanctuary? (When) you couldn't say a word to anybody (because) you were so overwhelmed (with the glory of God)."

"He wants to move you into the place where your steadfast and unmovable and always abounding in the love of God. Only a risen, exalted Christ can make that possible. He's got to have pre-eminence in my living... in my thinking... in my time... in my language... in all things, not some things. Everyday (every second) should be holy for a man who has the Holy Ghost."

That should give every believer in Christ something to think about.