Imagebearer’s Weblog

Book Review: Charles Finney The Great Revivalist

Probably the most life changing book I have read in a long time. Reading about Finney’s commitment to prayer and his focus on being filled with the Holy Spirit has been very motivating.

Part of his concern before becoming a Christian was the fact that so many professing Christians did not get answers to their prayers and that they were living powerless lives. He even said to Pastor Gayle of the church he attended that he didn’t want to preach in his church because there was no power of God there.

Here is a statement that all Christians should ponder. “You are praying on and complaining still.” How often do we as Christians pray to God and then complain to our friends and anyone who will listen. There is no victory in the Christian life without faith in the God who asks us to pray.

Finney was so close to God that he sensed after praying whether or not he would receive what he had asked for and according to his biography it worked out that way. He never planned his sermons, rather he immersed himself in the reading of scripture and in prayer. Wow

One listener said that Finney’s words were “logic on fire.”

Although a Presbyterian for many of his Christian years he never adhered to Calvinistic Theology.

Finney is credited with starting Altar Calls and several other measures that are still used today in the church. These things were controversial for Finney to start and today if you don’t give an altar call you are considered by many to be un-biblical, amazing.

I recommend that every Christian should read this book and I pray it’s impact will be as strong on each one. It is life changing as Finney was a World Changer.

Ronnie

August 21, 2011 Posted by imagebearer | Uncategorized | Leave a Comment