For the purpose of this post, we will be exploring just the first chapter of the book. This is due to the depth and wealth contained in the book, present in each chapter. I think its sufficient enough to explore just one for this season.

INTRODUCTION
The book begins with a brief history of how Coca-Cola came into being and has gained incredible influence, even penetrating into the most deeply remote areas. He summarizes that this is so, because Coca-Cola tastes good.
The contrast was with the Gospel, and that even with approximately 500,000 churches in USA, the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) has not been completely fulfilled.
Conclusion: Our Christianity doesn’t taste good.
In an attempt to further establish his assertion, he decided to examine a common phenomenon in Church; Revival!

The typical definition of Revival is when God comes close to the Church, and Christians are convicted of their sins in the streets and cry out to God for Salvation.

Revival is community awareness of God.

Jonathan Welton summarizes those viewpoints as God spontaneously coming close to the Church and people getting saved at an unusual rate. It is attributed to repentance of sin, which is somewhat confusing (in his opinion) because then, it is both the cause and effect of revival.
Pentecostal definition of revival includes; raising the dead, casting out demons, healing the sick, walking on water, multiplying food, power evangelism, angelic visitations, transport in the spirit between locations, as well as all of the Holy Spirit’s gift in operation.
But after these much explanation, his conclusion is I DO NOT BELIEVE IN REVIVAL.
WHY?
Having searched the Gospels and Book of Acts, everything on the scale is expected of every Christian. The New Testament does not present the idea of revival, it shows what a Normal Christian life looks like.
If a group of Christians in a region begin to seriously live like Jesus, in the full meaning of that reality, the rest of the Church would elevate them and claim that a sovereign move of God is taking place. When this happens, it creates an unfortunate separation that lessens the responsibility of the rest of the Church to also live like Jesus in fullness.

WHAT IS NORMAL?
Normal is a system of measurement based on comparison with an ideal. Abnormal means that there is an aberration from the standard.
Jesus Christ is the example of Normal for the Christian. To be different from Jesus in any way is to be an aberration from the standard set His life.
Being normal is a personal responsibility. We must be willing to accept the fact that we are required to live as normal Christians everyday.

The question has never been “where is revival?” but “who is revival?”

Revival is not something that occurs outside of you. Maintaining your own spirit and the force of the Holy Spirit within you is how you sustain revival.

Typically, it is easier to worship at the altar of our past experiences, revivals or we want to prophesy and declare about the future moves of God. But the responsibility of living normal in the present is extremely unpopular.
Every normal Christian has a spiritual river of water flowing from their innermost being. This is the same river that flows from the throne of God and brings life and healing to the nations.
This water quenched their spiritual hunger. They nowcarry a fountain of water that releases eternal life everywhere that they go.
They believed they were seated in heavenly places, are ambassadors sent from heaven as well as representatives of God to bring reconciliation to humankind.
Everyone in the Church was considered a king and priest, as well as a citizen of heaven.
They had gatherings of people who were so hungry for God they would meet all night. Someone even died falling out a window, and they raised him from the dead.
They walked in so much spiritual power and authority that the Holy Spirit had to stop them from going on one of their mission trips.
This is what many of us would consider a revival of astronomical proportions, but I am convinced that according to the Bible, this is Normal Christianity.
–Jonathan Welton
Do you agree with what he says? Can’t wait to read your comments! Thank you for reading through.