The Bible as seedbed for revival in the 21st century

Abstract

One of the key slogans of the Reformation is ecclesia reformata semper reformanda [a reformed church should always be reforming]. The constant reformation and renewal of the church always was, and still is, a key factor in the longevity of the church in changing and different contexts. Often in history, the church has been in danger of falling back so much on tradition that it did not grasp the concept of getting out of its rut and into the groove of God’s movement in the world. In a sense, this problem is because of a perceived dichotomy between the principle of sola scriptura, which views the Bible as an immovable point of reference, and following the guidance of the Spirit towards the continuous awakening and revival of the church. Recent studies on revival over the centuries have shown how lasting revival always has the Word and the distribution thereof as an important point of departure. This article focuses on the role of the Word in revival, and contemporary methods of speeding up translation and distribution of the Word.