MINI-REVIVAL IN LETHBRIDGE

 Lethbridge Alliance Church Executive Board Retreat

Many have read about revivals but few have witnessed the same.  The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan revival, which began in November 1971, impacted many towns and cities in Canada and the United States.  About a month after revival broke out in Saskatoon, one of the board members of the Lethbridge Church phoned me from Saskatoon and asked me if he could have some time to share his testimony that coming Sunday.  He was on business in that city and had attended some of the meetings.  God had done a new work in his life and he was anxious to share it.  I assured him that he could have a few minutes in the evening service.  "Pastor, I want to share in the morning service!"  I agreed and figured I could let him have about ten minutes, give or take.

That next Sunday was December 12th.  After a couple of congregational hymns, announcements, offering and a special musical number, I slotted the board member in just before my sermon.  He did not stop at the ten minutes that I had given him, but kept on talking.  I'm only guessing now, but he probably spoke at least twenty minutes or more.  His testimony was very convicting.  God had certainly done a work in his heart and I knew when he had finished that I could not preach my sermon.  It  was a Christmas message and did not fit the moment.  Having heard his testimony and with little time left to preach, I was asking myself, "What should I do?"  The only thing I could think of, when he was finished, was to sing a hymn.  The hymn that came to mind was the old hymn, "Is Thy Heart Right With God?"

As we started to sing I was wondering what my next step would be.  I didn't have to wonder very long for a brother of this board member didn't run, but it was a fast walk and he came to the front of the church.  Within seconds, another person came forward, followed by another and than more and still more.  We continued singing.  I had said nothing other than announce the hymn.  When we finishing singing I asked if anyone else wanted to come forward.   In total twenty-seven people had come forward.  I had no one, that I could see, to ask to come and pray with these that were standing before me, because those in front of me were the board members, Sunday School teachers, etc.  I think I had them pray for themselves and then I prayed.  I invited them to come back that night prepared to share.

Sunday night I had a microphone set up down in front on the main level.  I knew of one person that wanted to share a word.  We sang a hymn, prayed and then I announced that the microphone was there and if anyone wanted to share a word to come to the microphone.  I sat down on a front pew hoping that more than that one person would share.  Many shared that night as to how God had spoken to them that morning.  In the days that followed, these folks began to make things right with individuals, some having things they had to deal with that went back years.  I remember that one individual shared with me that he had stolen tires from an employer some ten or fifteen years earlier and went to that former employer, confessing his sin and settling his account. 

In early January we had a former pastor of the Lethbridge church come and share his testimony.  Without documenting his story let me simply say that his behavior, when pastor of the Lethbridge Alliance Church, resulted in his leaving Lethbridge never again to be a pastor.  He wandered far from God and became an alcoholic.  At this point in time he was living in Saskatoon and was one whose heart had been revived during the Saskatoon revival.  Soon after getting right with God, he began to share his story with others.  One of the things that he wanted to do once he was back in fellowship with God was to come back to Lethbridge and ask for forgiveness.  His Sunday with us saw similar results, as we had experienced on December 12th, with several more people meeting the Lord.

Those days of God's working in the hearts of many there in Lethbridge, Alberta will forever be etched in my mind.  To God be the glory great things he has done!