“I want a church where at least some things can be explained only by the presence of God.”
As Pastor of one of the largest congregations in the United States, Steve Gaines has experienced the routine of church, and is familiar with the programs, building committees, and operations that are involved in growing “megachurches.” But no matter the number of people that sit in the pew on Sunday morning, if God doesn’t show up, no one will be moved, hearts will be left unstirred, and nothing will have changed.
In When God Comes to Church, (B&H Publishing Group, January 2007), Gaines provides the best definition of revival: “the glory of God filling the house of God.” He explains that we don’t need a bigger facility or a larger budget nearly as much as we need the presence and power of a holy God. Lights, cameras, and Web sites don’t matter nearly as much as the power of God. When He touches people, they’re never the same.
“It does no good to reach out to human beings ahead of reaching out to God. That’s backwards. When we get close to God, He moves close to us, and people come running to get in on the action.”