Alva Review-Courier -

Bible Baptist Church hosted Evangelist Randall Brown in a tent revival that lasted most of the last week of September. The evenings of gospel music and heart-felt preaching drew crowds every night.

But what is a revival? How do the often-passionate spiritual events cause people to make changes in their lives?

"Revival meetings do not produce a revival by themselves," said Bible Baptist Pastor John Clapp. "Genuine revival occurs when the people of God devote themselves to seeking God, obeying the Holy Spirit, and repenting of personal sins. Over the church's history, pastors saw the need to have special services to redirect the church back to the Lord. All Christians struggle. All Christians are tempted. All Christians sin. These realities call for revival."

Jordan Ealey and Justin Curtis sang hymns as Clapp's wife, Teresa Clapp, played the piano. Curtis, playing guitar, sang a moving song for people who feel unwanted or defective, singing that God doesn't make mistakes.

After the crowd was warmed up, Evanglist Randall Brown took the stage. Following some more casual comments that brought occasional laughter from the audience, Brown brought out his Bible, and so did many of the participants. "That was just the intro," he said. "Now get ready for the sermon."

Making It Happen

"We were blessed to return to an old way of doing revivals," said Clapp. "History is rich with tent revivals."

But it didn't happen with a snap of the fingers. Just getting all the needed materials for a revival required assistance from near and far.

Kathleen Lourde

Marvin Shipley, who said he attended "this church," nodding at the stage and settled in to patiently await the coming of the Holy Spirit. The tent revival was organized by Bible Baptist Church last week.

A tent – donated by Action Tent Rentals in Wichita, Kansas – was set up on land (provided by owner Buz Muse and realtor Jerry Kohlrus) on Oklahoma Boulevard. Ethan Feidler of Woods County Emergency Management gave the use of a generator. First Baptist in Cherokee let Bible Baptist use their trailer. Gotta Potty provided port-a-potties. George Kilmer and Jim Weinhoffer did property upkeep. Lance Harzman of Big Slick Graphics made the signs, with help also coming from Buckland Media Group. And, of course, the entire congregation of Bible Baptist Church was involved.

Were people saved?

"God blessed this past week, hearts were revived, and God was exalted this past week," Clapp said. "Immediate results do not measure revival. It is measured in the enduring change from the Holy Spirit in the believer's life. I am praying that everyone who attended will have a lasting and enduring revival in their lives."