Where does the spark that leads to greatness occur?
There is often a divine moment or a catalyst that perpetuates the inspiration for all that follows. A word, a song and all of a sudden a light is ignited bringing vision to a cloud of darkness, isolation, fear or complacency.
That idea, that momentary flash of clarity, starts you tumbling and falling, like Alice down the rabbit hole or that moment of breaking the crest of a rollercoaster track. A flurry of excitement, activity and spent energy leading to that idea, conceived at the first spark, being creatively birthed into history.
I fear that spark at times. Once it bites it spreads throughout your consciousness until it consumes every part of you like a crushing wall of water. Yet the idea at its core is beautiful; creativity and inspiration ignited in your spirit, driving you to put pen to paper and share it with those closest to you. It is the spark that if nurtured, leads to the accomplishment of greatness or, if quashed, can lead to life’s greatest regret.
I fear that spark, yet at the same time I covet it and the excitement that it brings. For me it was that spark, a moment in a Tasmanian church service while I was on holiday, which led me to plant a church. A nagging voice and goading dream that began to grow and mature in my psyche. It was that same spark that led me to leave a good job and go to bible college and that same spark that has helped, and continues to help, me overcome trials and tribulations. That spark allows me to stand in awe of an awesome God and know, without doubt, His power and His love.
Where will your spark come from?
The heart of REVIVE is to bring all the elements together so you have an opportunity to encounter that spark. To open yourself up to the Holy Spirit and the word of God, allowing Jesus to ignite in you a holy passion and a divine cause. REVIVE is an opportunity, which only requires from you a desire to receive something from God.
REVIVE inspires! Story after story continues to be told of lives that were radically transformed and ministries that were conceived at REVIVE 2012. Time after time we’ve heard the story of people who had initially planned not to go or who were not expecting much from attending – only to have a divine encounter and a spark ignited in their spirit.
My favourite testimony after REVIVE was from a pastor who experienced a lifechanging encounter with God during one of Matthew Barnett’s messages “I was so close to being a person that simply hears about what God does rather than being the one who is now giving the testimony.”
REVIVE not only inspires vision and dreams, it encourages you to keep going, to keep clinging to the glimmer of passion that burns within you. The burden of a cause and a calling, either in pastoral ministry or the Christian life, can sometimes be overwhelming. REVIVE encourages and fans that flame, often a flame that has been long forgotten or neglected (except in those quiet times when it is just you and God and you dare to dream for just a moment). REVIVE shouts “Yes you can through Christ who gives you strength” and places you in the midst of brothers and sisters who can support God’s dream in you.
REVIVE equips you through relevant and practical workshops based around topics such as mission, leadership, Christian living and creativity. Giving you foundations from which your spark, your dream and vision, can be nurtured and born.
Do not miss your opportunity to receive the spark which could supernaturally transform your world and ministry. It is now up to you!
