Tony Wetmore came to Christian Leaders Institute with a vision. He wanted to start a revival in California, his home state. He saw that there is a great need for Jesus right here in the U.S., and he had a calling to do something about it. Here are is the ministry vision he had when he came to CLI, in his own words:
My ministry dreams are to become a non profit 501(c)3, and create a ministry, Church, and program that serves all of “the least of these.” Matthew 25:31-40. To tell people, lost people, hurting people, abused people, young people about the love and saving grace that can only come through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To help make the change from bread and water of this world, to the bread of life, and living water of Jesus Christ!
A scholarship with CLI will give me the much needed ability and knowledge to minister and pastor better, more completely, and more intelligently, to this hurting world.
Because Tony has a vision for revival in the U.S., one of the courses he elected to take was the class Missions and Revivals. In his final paper on this class, Tony provides a compelling reflection on revivals of the past and how they relate to the revival he hopes to see in the near future. In addition to that, he talks about realizing his dream of forming a non-profit organization to spark revival in California and the entire United States. You can read his paper below.
Tony’s Vision to Spark Revival in California
There is a lot to say about missions and revival today. Outside the United States, revival is happening in third world countries, such as China, Korea, South America, and Africa. And not only revival, but many miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit are acting out in these countries.
1 Corinthians 12 talks about some of these gifts, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them, and in everyone, is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophesy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11
Yet here in the United States, I have to ask the question, are we are becoming a Post Christian Nation like much of Europe? Will my church one day be turned into a museum, and tours of people will come through to see how the 21st century Christians in my town used to Worship the Lord? Will there be dusty sheet music on rusty music stands with Chris Tomlin, and Michael Tait music on it, with songs like “God’s Not Dead, He’s Truly Alive” yellowing & decaying?
I pray that there will be a Great Awakening in the early 21st century to rival the awakenings and enlightenment of the past. But what will that look like today? How will it come about? Who or what will be the catalyst?
In going through this course, I see the ebb and flow of revival around the world. As Reverend Billy Graham once said, “The Christian life is not a constant high. I have moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, “Oh God forgive me”, or “help me.” And then I think about Luther, Huss, Wesley, and so many whose lives were changed, and then torn apart for Christianity. But as in all things, struggle is what makes us stronger, develops our character, and makes us seek Him. This is not limited to people, but nations, continents, and the world.
Looking back on all the revivals covered in this course, it always started with one thing, prayer. It always starts small, and looks like it’s going to fail, and then is goes far beyond what we could ever think or imagine. God comes down to us!
Three of the greatest evangelists in my mind have to be Dwight Moody, Billy Sunday, and Billy Graham.
Moody, like me, did not have much of an education, never got his BA or MBA in Divinity, and still created schools and Institutes that are big and successful to this day. He was also influential with and through the YMCA. This touches my heart because growing up I had no father, and I spent my summers in a YMCA camp in the mountains of Southern California. It is here that for the first time I learned about the love of Jesus Christ through stories and music, understood sin, forgiveness, and came to Jesus for the very first time. I later became a Counselor in Training, and Counselor at the same YMCA, picked up the guitar for the first time, said my first group prayer, and was able to lead other young boys and men to Jesus Christ. All this about 150 years after Moody took off with the Holy Spirit and revival through the YMCA. Proof again that God can and does use anyone, regardless of education or status to take His Word to the people and masses.
This is the same man who motivates me every time we go out to do our homeless outreach in the city of Sam Bernardino, and our Prison Ministry in the mountains above Silverwood Lake, California, with this quote, “When a man gets up so high (spiritual mountain) that he cannot reach down and save poor sinners, there is something wrong.” I love living on the mountain top, but we must go down to the valleys to do His work!
Both “Billy’s” played baseball. You can’t go wrong with that! Sunday was born into poverty, grew up an orphan, spent 8 years in Major League Baseball, and converted to evangelical Christianity. Both a hero and a saint! He really gave up everything for the faith, and still he lived, and Christ lived in him. While Moody took us to the top after the Civil War, Sunday brought us back to the top prepping us for the First World War which was to come.
And then there’s Billy Graham, the greatest modern day evangelist of our current time. When I was a young boy in the 1960’s, I went to see him with my Mom and a friend’s family in Los Angeles. I had never seen anything like it, so many people, so many tears, so many conversions, yelling, screaming, music, and a wave of the Holy Spirit that I could not really understand at the time. I did though, know this was something BIG! Though he was not the catalyst of a great awakening or revival, he has influenced many generations of people here in the United States, and abroad. He does so to this day!
In my life, I have been blessed to see small revivals and awakenings here in this country. Billy Graham in the 50’s and 60’s, the Calvary Chapel and music revival of the 70’s, the modern Christian music revival of the late 80’s and 90’s, and something that happened kindred to a revival after a great tragedy in the US on September 11, 2001. 911 brought great tragedy, but also brought us closer together as a nation and closer to God than I can remember in my lifetime. God was lifted up, and people drew to Him as the light on a hill. We were united as a Nation, and all in the presence of Him, many seeking for the very first time, many coming back to Him after many years. Almost the entire nation grew closer to each other, and to Him. Everyone gave what they had to survivor’s families, crowded to memorials and churches, and stepped out in faith like never before, or since. No matter our race, color, religion, social status, economic status, or where we lived – we were Americans, and we were Christians! It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. And I pray it doesn’t take another tragedy to revive this country, or any country or nation.
As for missions, Jesus Christ never traveled more than 100 miles from where he was born. Yet look at what happened to His ministry! You had me look at missionary after missionary, and it is unbelievable to see the many hardships, injuries, sacrifice, and deaths in the mission field. And thousands still come today. From Hudson-Taylor to Wurmbrand, many still seek the mission field regardless of the hardships.
I have purchased many of the “Persecuted for Christ” books from V.O.M (Voice of the Martyrs). In this country, it’s hard to believe that persecution still goes on to this day in this modern world. And that anyone would want to risk life to promote Jesus Christ. We read about it, understand it, but personal risk to ourselves? Most would say no way! We are spoiled here in the United States, and our right to religion is protected under our constitution. But our current political powers are breaking down our constitutional rights, and challenging our religious freedoms. I believe that one day we will have to fight to keep our religious freedom. Then we, like many other nations, will truly understand.
Since starting my classes at CLI, I have been able to establish my non-profit 501 c3 called Domestic Missionaries, Inc. I am the Executive Director, and my wife is Assistant Director. Under Domestic Missionaries, we are able to minister to the homeless, needy, and low income on the streets of San Bernardino. We set up Church on the street, and play Worship music, do scripture readings, take prayer requests, pray for, and over people, give them a relevant message of hope, and distribute $5 food cards, hygiene kits, emergency kits, clothes, jackets, shoes & socks, blankets, and Gideon Bibles. We pour over them the love of Christ, which is the only lasting food, water, and nourishment we have (HE HAS) to offer. And at Pilot Rock Prison Ministry, we do the same, Worship, Word, Prayer, Fellowship, Message, and give them bibles, devotionals, and snacks. CLI is giving me the knowledge, and a deeper understanding of what it means to be not only a follower of Christ in a modern day world, it is teaching me to become a true Pastor to many people in need.
I will continue to take classes at CLI, and then take the teaching to the streets. I am close to my “Christian Leaders Certificate,” and won’t stop there. My wife and I are also seeking credentialing and ordination through the Brethren in Christ/Church of the Brethren denomination, and my learning here at CLI will greatly help in this process. It is my dream to take the church to the streets and prisons across America like never before, and to be ordained and continue my studies through CLI.
It is also my wish and prayer that thousands and thousands of people around the world discover CLI and catch the vision of Revival today! Can you imagine? And that’s the thing, God already has! The one common theme in revival; prayer. It starts with prayer. Then listening like Isaiah for that still small voice…
Thank you for the knowledge, and blessing, to be a continuing student at CLI, where prayers are truly answered!
The core of today’s pastoral duties, at least in the mind of congregations, is the ability to deliver a great message on Sunday morning (and sometimes Sunday evening). Anybody, with enough time to study and prepare, can open up a Bible, choose a passage, and research commentaries, historical documents, and other passages related to that passage. Anybody can write a sermon and read it from their paper, but that’s not how preaching comes alive.
Preaching a sermon that everyone will remember is much harder than it sounds. First, your congregation is filled with all types of different people. People whose thinking patterns are different. People who remember things differently. People whose attention is captured in different ways, and your job is to hold all their attention for half an hour or more. Not only that, you’re expected to leave them with something that they can remember and reflect on during the week ahead.
Now, unless you’re the pope and people come from all over the world just to see you speak, chances are that you need more than just your winning personality and debonaire looks to keep people’s attention that long. That’s why Christian Leaders Institute offers all students who are interested in leadership positions the class Sermon Construction and Presentation.
In Sermon Construction and Presentation, students learn various techniques that will help ensure that their preaching comes alive for their congregations. These techniques include everything from exposition to illustration. Below is a reflection from a student who took this course and got a lot out of it.
Friday James Reflects on How Preaching Comes Alive
This is indeed a “wow!” course; there was never a dull moment in the lessons and, each lesson always gets better and beats the imagination.
It is amazing the amount of resources pulled together in this course just to help one understand sermon construction and presentation. So rich and impactful are the resources employed in delivering the most outstanding course on the subject in every facet imaginable: standout communication analysts, priceless articles, blogs and outlines, pace-setting and accomplished preachers and an excellent packaging.
Indeed I can’t imagine a better content on the subject of sermon construction and presentation anywhere else. This class had not only strengthened my preaching but had made and released a preacher in me that I have never known or imagined.
It is amazing how much I have learnt on the basics of communication at no cost: Karen Friedman and Andrew Bryant are the best: it is unbelievable the amount of valuable information they pass in just two to four minutes of video presentation. “Nix the Jargon and Trim the fat” are now engrafted in me and all thanks to Karen Friedman. Each time I remember Andrew Bryant, I remember “Intentionality and Persuasive Presentation”. Whenever I pick my keys, I just remember Kirbyjon Caldwell and wherever I hear a quote, I remember Ravi Zacharias.
When I think of sermon introductions, I instantly see Francis Chan clinging to a beam and throwing a dollar bill. Whenever I think of effective illustrations in preaching the name Eric Mckiddie shows up, whenever I think of a father I remember Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Daniel Akin, to me became synonymous with sermon outlining. Interestingly, one person I would consider a ghost is Henry Reyenga: even when he’s not the one presenting, I see him in everyone and in everything.
Frankly, it will be difficult for me to itemize what I have learnt in this course for it would then mean writing out every lesson line by line as they were written or delivered. However, one thing I can say very confidently is that I have met preachers whose grace and wisdom had rubbed off on me very profoundly.
As per action plans, I have never had as much passion for every sermon. My attitude towards sermon preparation and presentation is totally changed for the better. I now have a plan for my sermon development which I now see as a delightful obligation.
Each sermon segment is now receiving the desired attention and no one segment now suffers at the expense of another; for sure, i am now able to balance my content much better than ever.
I am now a better manager of time and am better able to communicate consistently with the majority of any given audience.
Beyond learning the basis of communication, beyond studying how to prepare sermons and preach them, beyond watching a variety of preachers and teachers in action, I have learnt why and how to become many things to various target congregation or audience at different times in my life and sermons.
I am indebted to the entire staff of CLI and particularly professor Henry Reyenga for the privilege of going through this life changing course- thank you so very much.
Revival. This is such a strong word in the Christian community. People think of revival and they think of Billy Graham. They think of Billy Sunday. Of Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield. The list goes on, but everyone has some name of the past that they attach to the word revival. But every revival starts with one person. The power of the Holy Spirit changes one person, moves one person. That person talks to his neighbors, and the Holy Spirit changes his neighbors. His neighbors talk to their neighbors, and before you know it thousands of people are surrendering to the Spirit. Lives are changed throughout nations, and men are left scratching their heads and wondering, “what happened?”
It would be easy to look at revivals in the past and focus on their figureheads. It would be easy to think that since we’re not powerful men like George Whitefield or Billy Graham, we can’t start a revival. It would be easy to despair of ever seeing revival in our country because the figureheads just aren’t there. Or maybe it’s because the receptive spirit isn’t there. Nothing is easier than to sit back and just wish that we could do something to change it.
But that’s the amazing thing about revival. When Jesus told the story of the good Samaritan, a man who helped a total stranger at great risk, He ended with these words: “Go and do likewise.” In the book of Matthew He says “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” His final command is to be His witnesses, making disciples throughout the world! And the amazing thing to think about is that he’s talking to us. Each and every one of us. He’s talking to me. He’s talking to you. He told me to “go and do likewise.” He told me to “go and make disciples…”
Some of us can feel like we’re the only ones in the field. Like Elijah, we may think that nobody else is called to God’s work of revival.
Some of us can feel like God is calling others to “go.” He’s not calling us, is He? It doesn’t come naturally to us. We aren’t good speakers. We aren’t spiritual enough. We don’t know our theology well enough. We’re just not equipped to “go.”
But the extraordinary thing about revival is that it starts with one person. As each person chooses to “go and do likewise,” as each person is “transformed by the renewing of your mind,” putting off our old life of sin like an old garment and clothing ourselves in the life of the Spirit, amazing things happen. Revival starts with one. Then it spreads to two more. Then two more from each of those. Soon the revival burns brightly – a consuming fire for all to see. There are news stories about it. People are amazed at the brightness of it. Most of all, people wonder how it happened. How did the flame come to burn so brightly?
Revival Starts with One Person
Yinka Akanbi is a Nigerian, as well as a student of Christian Leaders Institute. He lives in the Islamic dominated northern section of Nigeria, where it is a struggle for people like him just to live and practice their faith. Yinka took a class at Christian Leaders Institute about revival. His response to the class amazed me, and I think it will amaze you too if you just take the time to read it.
This was his paper from the revival class.
My name is Yinka Akanbi from southern part of Nigeria but reside in the northern part of the country (Nigeria) dominated by the Islamic extremist. Standing for Christ in this northern part is not easy but by the grace of God Almighty the church of God is marching on and the gate of hell shall not prevail. I came to know Christ in 1996 through my elder sister who has been my mentor. My ministry is to encourage, support and help the less privileged and the poor in the word of God, materially and financially if possible. I believe the CLI scholarship would help me get rooted in the word of faith to fulfill my ministry. I need prayer for strength and enablement to fulfill the ministry God has given me.
Revival ! is a derivative of the word revive, which means to restore to life or consciousness. When Jesus walked the surface of the earth, nobody who had an encounter with the Master remained the same. Lives were changed as a result of the encounter with the Master. When the disciples carried their ‘thus saith the Lord’ message to the utmost parts of the world, lives were transformed and societies were turned upside down as evidenced in the book of Acts of the Apostles.
In the course of the Welsh revival, not only were individual lives transformed, but also the society as a whole was transformed. Jesus light shone on the converted Christians and their light shone so bright that those in the wider society saw the reflection of the Master on these Christians and had no choice but to change. When people changed, they stopped conforming to the old ways of doing things and were transformed to the new way of doing things.
As a consequence of the Welsh revival, crime rate in the country reduced by almost 100 percent. The rate of criminal convictions reduced to almost zero. The police became idle and rather than being preoccupied with chasing and catching criminals, they became preoccupied with supervising the human traffic of people attending and leaving church services. It was reported that during court sessions, the magistrates showed up in court only to find out that there were no criminal cases to try. The judges were given white gloves, which signified that there were no court cases to be tried. The alcohol industry almost went extinct because people stopped drinking alcohol and many pubs had to close because people were attending church meetings instead. Drunkenness also reduced significantly. Men became responsible and rather than wasting their money on various vices, they brought their money home and provided for their families needs. According to a report at the time: “Men who had not taken one penny home in 17 years now took all home.” Furthermore, husbands became more loving, while broken friendships were restored. The use of foul words reduced as people opted for uncorrupted words. For instance, people who used to deface bridges and walls with obscene words replaced these words with quotes from the bible and hymnbooks. In short, the Welsh revival resulted in an internal transformation for the people and the society.
After going through this course (Revival and Mission) then I critically examined Nigerian Christians, carefully looking into the problems we are having in my country (Nigeria) and i realized that if really the Nigerian revival is actually effective, Our lights as Christians shine continually before the unbelievers.
But the Nigerian’s Revival in contrast has resulted more in the external transformation of church buildings, church attendance and church collections rather than an internal transformation of a changed society, a changed life and a changed heart. Despite the fact that millions attend church services regularly, despite the fact that we have some of the most anointed and most influential men and women of God in Nigerian church history, despite the fact that Nigeria is the most churched nation and despite the fact that Nigeria is one of the most religious nation in the world, Nigeria is an untransformed society. Since a society is a collection of individuals, the moral fibre of the society is dependent on the moral fibre of the individuals that make up the society. We cannot have a transformed Nigeria if we do not have transformed Nigerians and we cannot have transformed Nigerians, if we cannot have transformed Nigerian Christians.
The wickedness in the land is at historic proportion. A number of Christians who should be the light of the nation are involved in criminal activities. We hear, read and witness instances of Christians defrauding their employers and other people to the tune of millions of Naira only to give the whole proceeds to the church as tithe and offerings. In some of these instances, the pastors collecting the criminal proceeds write personal letters to the criminals thanking them for their generosity. A number of influential Christians who are pastors and head financial institutions have been arrested and charged for siphoning depositors and shareholders funds running into billions of Naira. Corruption in Nigeria is at an all time high, with Nigeria ranking 143rd out of 183 countries in Transparency International’s 2011 Corruption Perception Index.
Despite the prevalence of Christianity in Nigeria, money is gradually usurping Christianity as one of the major religions in Nigeria. The god of money is worshiped in the country and people will do anything to get money. One can hardly have a conversation with many Nigerians without the discussion focusing on money or the acquisition of wealth. Materialism, classism and tribalism are prevalent in the country. We have become very class conscious and rather than treating the less fortunate as fellow human beings, we treat and describe them as things. In short, those who do not meet our so-called social status are ridiculed. A number of our churches are not immune from the plague of tribalism. Furthermore, churches have played a key role in the maltreatment of young people accused of witchcraft. Senior ministers in some of our churches have been involved in beating and torturing young people who have been accused of witchcraft. The breakdown of marriages has been on the ascendency with couples becoming less tolerant of each other. As more people attend churches and church meetings nationwide, the level of immorality in the land is also on the ascendency.
Despite the influence and access that the anointed men and women of God have on the political class, they have refused to use their influence to demand the required dividends of democracy from the political leaders. Rather than use their clout to demand positive change for the country, the theological elite have endorsed some of the government’s unjust policies, which have impoverished millions of Nigerians. Due to the apathy of the theological elite, Nigeria has become hell on earth rather than heaven on earth for many Nigerians.
Many Christians have become cold-blooded and insensitive. Christians who should follow Jesus mission statement of proclaiming good news to the poor, healing to the broken hearted and declaring the acceptable year of the Lord are in many instances guilty of doing the reverse. The widows, the unmarried, the barren and the poor are often ridiculed and mocked by we Christians.
Over a century ago, in a country with a population of almost two million, a minority of one hundred thousand converted and committed Welsh Christians positively transformed Wales during a revival. If over a hundred years ago, five percent of Wales’s total population could positively transform Wales inside out and upside down, why can’t eighty million Nigerian Christians who account for almost fifty percent of the Nigerian population positively transform Nigeria inside out and upside down today? There are two possible reasons for the inability of the current Nigerian revival to effect positive change in the country:
a) What is preached is not practiced or
b) What should be practiced is not preached.What is preached is not practiced: Perhaps the reason why the country is the way it is could be because we are not practicing what is being preached on the pulpit every Sunday and other days when we go to the sanctuary. Could it be that by the time the church service ends, the message we hear in our left ear has gone out through our right ear rather than being processed and stored in our brains? Admittedly, man is fallible and imperfect, however based on the number of sermons we hear in a year and the hours we spend in church, if we can apply even a small percentage of what we are instructed to do in the Word of God, Nigeria would surely be a better place. It is time for us to follow the instructions of Brother James by becoming ‘doers of the Word and not just hearers of the Word’. After all, James was right when he said: “a person who merely listens to the message and does not live it out, is like someone who gazes at his own face in a mirror. For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets what sort of person he was.”
Another reason why what is preached is not practiced could be because the church has allowed cultural influences to infiltrate and overshadow some key aspects of the Gospel message and this has been reflected in our deeds.
The responsibility for practicing what is preached lies with the congregation. It is therefore up to the congregation to put into practice what is preached provided what is preached is in line with the Scriptures.
What should be practiced is not preached: The major culprits here are the many men and women who stand in front of the congregation and preach the Word of God. Ministers who are truly called by God should preach what is in accordance with the Scriptures. Unfortunately, several of our ministers have strayed away from the teachings of the Master and have introduced another gospel that has the unintended consequence of allowing the Nigerian society to negatively transform the Nigerian church rather than allow the Nigerian church to positively transform the Nigerian society.
The Nigerian church leadership has to a large extent placed significant attention and focus on the prosperity, which has resulted in an increase in materialism among Christians. As a result, many Christians have become so money focused, money conscious and money crazy. Money is now seen as an end to a means rather than a means to an end, hence, people are willing to do anything necessary to justify the end (money). It should therefore be of no surprise that very often, when the roll call of people involved in corrupt activities in the country is read out, the names of devoted Christians are often included on the first page of that list.
Almost a generation ago, there was a group of Christians that swarmed the Nigerian Christian space. They were called “SU” which is an acronym for Scripture Union. They were devoted Christians who were known for their strict adherence to holiness. Although this group of Christians often took their religiosity to the extreme by focusing on the ‘Law’ while downplaying the concept of Grace, one thing that we could not take from them was there integrity and desire to obey the Lord. They feared the Lord and this translated in their deeds. Companies that employed them were confident that due to the firmness of their faith they would not compromise. Once you had these so-called SU’s in your company, you knew that they would not steal, they would not cheat, and they would not lie. The so-called SU’s were taught by ministers who instilled integrity and the fear of God into their mental sheets. Unfortunately, many church leaders of this current revival preach little about integrity and the fear of the Lord. Yes Grace is important, but as Apostle said many centuries ago: “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid.”
Another area were preachers are not preaching what should be practiced is in relation to how Christians should deal with evil powers and principalities. Many Christians have been programmed by their church leaders to be suspicious of their family members, friends or co-workers, as their pastors tell them that these people are instigators of their misfortunes. This has resulted in instances whereby children accused of witchcraft are physically and mentally assaulted. Even church leaders have been known to assault children all in the name of establishing the supremacy of the kingdom of light over the kingdom of darkness.
Several church leaders are guilty of prostituting themselves with the corrupt political class thereby indirectly contributing in the current state Nigeria finds itself. They fail to speak truth to power. Rather than crying out like Prophet Amos and screaming: “Promote justice at the city gate!” our church leaders have become like the prophets of Israel that God spoke about to Ezekiel when he said: “My hand will be against the prophets who see delusion… because they have led my people astray saying, ‘All is well,’ when things are not well.” Rather than speak God’s truth and judgment to the political class, many of our church leaders have chosen at best to be apathetic and at worst to be wining and dining with them while endorsing the unjust policies of the political class.
In conclusion, for the Nigerian revival to be truly regarded as a revival, for the Nigerian revival to positively transform the Nigerian society and for the Nigerian revival to be taken seriously, the solution will lie not solely in the thesis of the church practicing what is preached or solely in the antithesis of the church preaching what should be practiced, but rather, the solution will be found in a synthesis that merges both truths.
As a Nigerian youth, I will always try my best to let my people know the truth through my preaching and teaching, never to relent in praying and fasting for a genuine revival in my country.