Book Review: Why Revival Tarries

Why Revival Tarries
Leonard Ravenhill
$9.99 @ CBD


What can be said about this little classic that hasn't already been said? Ravenhill was the Jeremiah of the Twentieth Century American evangelical church, calling on leaders to reject the allure of modern excess while embracing the scandal of the cross. For this reason alone, Why Revival Tarries is every bit as offensive as it is beneficial, like an overweight person visiting with a personal trainer. There is no target too sacred: itinerant evangelists, theologians, and ordinary pastors are all called to account.

The book definitely has a dated feel to it: a mention of expensive $3 steaks and the recurrent theme of the twin evils of television and Communism help us place it chronologically (first published in 1958). There are some matters that Ravenhill examines which seem almost foreign today, such as the following: "We may have an all-time high in church attendance with a corresponding all-time low in spirituality."

Yet even in reading such a dated sentence, I'm reminded of the real value of this book. Like any true prophet, Ravenhill's warnings are realized today because his message has gone unheeded. The things Ravenhill strongly speaks against characterized the evangelical church in America during the years of economic Cold War prosperity: revival evangelists became wealthy on the foundation of souls saved, pastors built their nest eggs as the spiritual fervor of their congregations declined, and education of the mind continued to replace (rather than complement) the experience of the spirit. Two generations removed from Ravenhill's strong words, where have we landed? You can answer that.

Yes, the book has its theological blind spots (Calvinists will particularly struggle with some parts of the book). Ravenhill also has a confrontational edge to him which will be difficult for many to get past. But what else should we expect from the Jeremiah of the Twentieth Century? The truth is still the truth, and Leonard Ravenhill is a man of the truth.