Baal or Revival

Don't we need to choose?

Most church traditions can point back to a moment in time when the Spirit fell with power. Whether your cherished hero is John Wesley, George Whitfield, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Finney, or William J. Seymour, we collectively look back with fondness and we wonder, “What did they do that we are not doing?”

Often the answer is found in united prayer. Stories abound of people gathered under a haystack, in a living room, at the altar of a church building or in profound worship at a New Year’s celebration. Prayer seems to be the common ingredient.

However I believe the next awakening to shake the Church in western culture may be awaiting an open repentance from the sexual sin within our midst.

Gideon's Call: Baal's Altar Destruction & Testing with Fleece

Tearing Down the Altar

For me, the story of Gideon is so very instructive. God’s people were greatly oppressed by the Baal-toting Midianites. In response to their cries, God first sent a prophet to speak truth. Their rebellion against God was made clear (Judges 6:10). They had given themselves to the practices of the Amorites—the previous Baal worshippers in the land.

Then, as you know, an angel finds Gideon in hiding and calls him to be the deliverer. Before Gideon started throwing down fleeces, he was told to tear down his father’s altar to Baal. It was a defiant act of repentance. But note carefully: it preceded the falling of the Spirit upon Gideon and an astounding miracle of defeating and plundering the Baal folks.

As I’ve written elsewhere, Baal and Ashtoreth were worshiped with open and rampant sexual acts of every type. No limits. Very evil and dark. Dennis Hollinger’s book The Meaning of Sex: Christian Ethics and the Moral Life is not the only work which makes this plain. And while there hopefully are not orgies in your sanctuary, how many people in your flock are secretly taking in such scenes on their devices at home and, heaven forbid, even on their phones on Sunday morning?

And actually, how many of you who are pastors and counselors are bowing the knee to Baal with your swipes and clicks in private?

I get it. You’ve tried to stop. You’ve prayerfully resolved to quit. It is deeply embarrassing. And there may be risk in seeking help. But how is this sin crippling your walk with God and short circuiting your life?

This is also a critical matter to address from the pulpit. Yet most pastors are still so reluctant and reticent to clearly address these idolatrous behaviors and offer any means for setting people free. Are we simply hoping a great revival will flood our churches so that we can be rid of it all?

Idols in the Saddle

Key denominations have split. A grand exodus, if you will. Anglicans, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, and Lutherans, all from an orthodox/traditional perspective, have left their ecclesial folds to find greener pastures. If you’ve had your ears trained to the cultural static, you may have heard a collective sigh, as in, “Finally we can get on with the real business of the church!” Greener pastures are rarely idol free, however. This is as true today as it was for the Israelites.

In a dream, God clearly told Jacob to leave Laban’s territory and move his family and possessions to the land promised to his fathers. His wives agreed this word was from God. So scooping up the many kids and gathering acres of livestock, they escaped Paddan Aram, crossed the Euphrates, and made their way toward Bethel.

Three days passed before Laban found out. Then he came charging after the caravan and caught up in seven days. One point of contention was that Jacob had made off with Laban’s idols. Jacob let him search everything in the camp, saying “. . . anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live.”

And yet it was Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife, who had stolen them. With artful deceit, she hid them in her camel’s saddle, sat on them, and said to Laban, “Hey Dad, you know I would gladly let you search me, but, uh, it’s that time of the month, and well, you know . . . !”

And so it was that idols of other gods were smuggled into that land with greener pastures.

Is it not the same today? The evangelical exodus from the mainline has been invigorating for some. The greener pastures hold much promise. But have idols to Baal and Ashtoreth been secretly smuggled in?

Addiction to porn is rampant in the pews and a commonplace habit among church kids. Sexual abuse is prevented by background checks, but few leaders have offered a means for healing those who have been deeply wounded. And, I suspect, few pastors address LGBT issues in helpful and hope-filled ways because they’ve already lost people during the split and they don’t want to lose more.

Sacrifice offered by Elijah, main altar in the church of Saint Matthew in Stitar, Croatia

Previous movements of the Spirit were preceded by surrender and consecration. The stories of Wesley, Whitfield, and Seymour bear this out. It was in the midst of seeking a deeper sanctification when God filled them with his Spirit and power. Surely any secret altars to Baal were consumed with holy fire as they surrendered their all to God.

Could it be that the awakening we hunger for is forestalled because we simply will not destroy the known altars and hidden idols carried with us to those celebrated greener pastures?