Even his name… “Ravenhill”… and No, such is not a reference to the Rugby ground in Leinster, Ireland! However, even this name seemed to almost, Onomatopoeia-like, sound out and reflect this man who lived and spoke like he was a man on a mission… and he was! Even on his tombstone (1907-1994), he still speaks… Are The Things You Are Living For Worth Christ Dying For?
Well, are they?
Throughout my thirty-plus years on this planet, I have periodically gone (and still go) through phases when a Christian Author/Preacher/Scholar… whatever, seems to be a means of grace that captures more of my attention, and is used as a source for much redemptive good, and as I reflect, probably the first of these that I can point to, is none other than Leonard Ravenhill…
There is something about Mary, so the movie will have us believe, but in my world, at that time, there was definitely something more about Len!
My first exposure to the man, Leonard Ravenhill, was on the too many times to remember viewing his titles on my Father’s bookshelves growing up… that was until, as a young man, in my early twenties, I went on to read Ravenhill’s words. In fact, I devoured Ravenhill’s words, or it may be more accurate to describe it that they, in fact, devoured me, as his words seemed to leap off the pages, in such titles as, Meat for Men, While Revival Tarries, and Revival Praying, to name but three!
Finding reason to Ravenhill’s particular rhyme in one’s existence, one could point to his particular turn of phrase, coupled with a passion, zeal, and relentless pursuit of God, His Mission (particularly on prayer and revival), and His glory, that when he expressed these with such force, I was drawn into following his pursuit, and wanted to run with fire in hot pursuit! However, like “Logic on Fire” Lloyd-Jones, this preacher had Got Thy Unction, and such permeated not only what he wrote, but as I would later experience, what he also would say!
What he would say came into reality when I found a cassette tape of the man preaching in New Zealand, hearing his unctionised-urgency of tone, and his forcefully impassioned resonance, only underscored the words that I had read about him, and such a tape would receive numerous play-times.
This day, as I pen-to-type this post-thing, I reflect on how many sun’s have set since I have read or heard Ravenhill, and the man today who has spent some time reflecting on the media sources has grown in more ways, and in different contexts, than the young man, who was entering the doorway and standing on the precipice of a manhood to be lived out under the Sun. However, while theologically I am more John and he is more Jacob, his call for a revival of the Church to fulfill its Mission, his understanding of the pivotal role of prayer, his call to be holy as He is holy, and his relentless desire for the pursuit of God, makes listening to him a time when my soul is again, strangely warmed, and I reminded-to-encouraged of some of the more important pursuits that one should complete with one’s time in this life, and how very very easy it is to practically forget these in one’s pursuits!
Let me begin with some words of quotation, on the subject of prayer, which have been sourced from another blog HERE. Words of Ravenhill…
“Notice, we never pray for folks we gossip about, and we never gossip about the folk for whom we pray! For prayer is a great deterrent.”
“Our spiritual immaturity never shows up more than in our lack of praying, be it alone or in a church prayer meeting. Let 20% of the choir members fail to turn up for rehearsal and the choir master is offended. Let 20% of the church members turn up for a prayer meeting, and the pastor is elated.”
“A man who is intimate with God will never be intimidated by men.”
“Ministers who do not spend two hours a day in prayer are not worth a dime a dozen – degrees or no degrees.”
“No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. The pulpit can be a shop window to display one’s talents; the prayer closet allows no showing off.”
“If weak in prayer, we are weak everywhere.”
“A sinning man stops praying, a praying man stops sinning.”
In our day, such words may not be fashionable, nor may be those that attract a following, but I am want to admit and affirm that they resonate as faithful!
Now for the man in the flesh…
Let me warn you… This is Old Skool… Smack You in the Mouth Preaching… and Frankly, I Love It!
Here are a couple of short snippets from his sermons…
One Thing I Do
Agony
Anointing
Prayer – Quotes With Some Other Individuals
As one who was brought up as an Salvation Army Officers Kid, this video provides interesting viewing…
We Don’t Know God
If such videos have peeked your passion and called forth your commitment, you can view complete sermons and full interviews with the man on YouTube, so the potential for more of “Len” is in your hands!
As a final reflection on the man, I think the area where his impact most resonated in my consciousness was in the priority, importance and impact of prayer, which flowed into my practice. Such a reminder is worth our remembering… No, it is worth our practicing, as our talk is too often cheap, because our reality is bankrupt in the closet.
God help us to be a people of passionate, private prayer, even in this day. Lord Knows We Need To Be!!!
Until Next Time
I am Jonny King
Recent Comments