I was looking through some key thoughts that I journaled in years past and came across this entry from 1996 when I lived in Pensacola in the midst of the Brownsville Revival. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section, in particular, if you feel this quote is more or less applicable to the Church of America today. And let us press in to God for His fresh visitation in our day, living lives that are worthy of the gospel of Jesus

(July, 4, 1996) This is one of the greatest sins of the American Church of this generation: When it was clear that something was missing, that the power was gone from our pulpits and the glory gone from our congregations, rather than getting on our faces, humbling ourselves, turning to God in humility and contrition, fasting and mourning, giving ourselves to extended periods of prayer and supplication, we chose instead to rely on the arm of the flesh, devising marketing schemes and merchandising plans, hiring out Madison Avenue experts and Hollywood style promoters, making things bigger and better, more exciting and professional, all in a vain attempt to hide our spiritual bankruptcy. Isn’t this a great sin against Almighty God?

“. . . when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones hurtling down, and violent winds will burst forth. When the wall collapses, will people not ask you, ‘Where is the whitewash you covered it with?’” (Ezek 13:10-12)