From Fr. Darryl: The Seasoning and The Meal

Fr. Darryl Fitzwater is a dear friend and former Pentecostal preacher.
I assume as much guilt and responsibility as the L-rd will assign to me for his taking the Canerbury Road and leaving the Pentecostal movement for the Anglican Communion.
Below, this dear man shares some thoughts on his transformation and what he sees as a concern we have in our revival-obssessed church culture.

One of my favorite preachers has always been Leonard Ravenhill. Ravenhill, who lived from 1907 – 1994, was a Revivalist. For a long time, since my freshman year of college, he was my bread and butter. Listening to his sermons, reading his books, etc. was like fire in the bones, fresh water in dry land, and vision in the dark. My soul resonated with his cry “Where are the Elijah’s of God?!” and “Known in Hell.”
It was Ravenhill who taught me a passion for Wesley, Whitfield, and Asbury. Should be no surprise, the man was an Englishman! When I ventured into more personal Wesleyan studies at college – tucked away in the basement of Central Bible College’s library – I stumbled across Wesley’s journals and sermons. I found, like Gandalf in the scroll room of Minas Tirith, Wesley’s daily devotional use of the Church Fathers and his near daily attendance to Eucharist, while field preaching Christ to coal miners or heralding from the gravestone of father the glory of God. Wesley! Revival, awakening, discipleship, church starting, preaching, sending out preachers, and… he was a priest and lauded the Anglican liturgy.
I thought it was interesting as a Pentecostal minister, and then continued on with what I knew as a Pastor, with Ravenhill and with a smattering of Church history… still thinking the seasoning was the whole meal. What I didn’t realize was that revivalism is akin to what Kierkegaard said about his philosophy – it is like “salt and pepper.” It’s not enough for the whole world-view, for the whole understanding of the “one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.” But you still need it.
Revival is not enough to create an entire systematic theology. In truth, revival implies and necessitates that there has been some divinely established point that has been neglected, rejected, or supplanted. We need Revival, and Revivalist prophets, but we cannot consider the salt and pepper the whole meal. Reflect on Peter’s comments about “times of refreshing” (Acts 3).
Revival, but reviving what? Having the life in the Spirit, but missing the historical depth of the living-memory (Tradition) of the Church as both eternal and present (anamnesis/epiclesis/prolepsis). Experiencing the sacramental life of the Church, but not fully embodying it since it couldn’t be articulated. The Church Fathers aren’t just dead guys, no, they are those who “being dead, yet speaketh” (Heb 11:4 KJV). Historical, doctrinal, and practical continuity with the redemptive acts of God in history are not just reference points to help us feel good, they are definitive acts that reveal His character and judgement. The Church is not an abstract, she is the Bride of Christ. And He is jealous.
That is revival my friends, when the jealousy of Christ burns in your souls and you join in the heavenly intercession of Christ for His Church – that she would burn with zeal again for Christ’s Name, she would care for the poor and the orphan, she would educate her children, and be the soul to the nations of the world.
Revival means the should-be-hot meal has gotten cold and needs to be warmed again. Revival is the fire in the fireplace, not the fireplace. You need both – maybe you need a fireplace, or maybe you need a fire, or maybe you need both. Today is the day, set to work and get burning.

Fires need a fireplace to consistently be harnessed of their power and intensity in order to channel it to good use.
May we be ever-guilty of having both fire, a place to put it, and a purpose for igniting it (Leviticus 6:12).