Remember and Take Action

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God.
Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.
— Hebrews 13:7

We’re blessed to live in a nation that pays honor to those who served and died for our country’s freedom and safety. As Christians, we also live in a Kingdom in which we are told to honor the memory of those who have served and led in Jesus’ name. 

We not only “remember” Christian leaders, but we also ought to “imitate their faith.” Remembering leads to action. The sacrifice, courage, perseverance, and fruitfulness of believers in the past inspire us to that same kind of devotion today. We need to remember God’s mighty works and His servants from history as we seek Him for greater works in our own generation. 

One of the reasons why David Yonggi Cho, pastor of the world’s largest church in Seoul, South Korea, started 24-hour prayer was that he was inspired by the Businessmen’s Revival in the US in 1857-58. John Mulinde, leader of a national revival in Uganda, has noted that he drew encouragement from the life of Charles Finney, a leader in the US’s Second Great Awakening. There are numerous examples of Christian leaders who were inspired to take bold action because of the life of a by-gone saint.

Our nation has one of the most marvelous histories of God’s works of any nation in the world. America’s history of revivals and awakenings have led international Christians to imitate their faith and experience similar fruit. It’s so important that we also appreciate and imitate the faith of such men and women, both in American church history and international church history. 

Christian Union Day and Night’s website contains dozens of articles and videos related to church history for this reason. I hope that you take advantage of those resources, and many more to come, Lord willing, so that we might follow in the footsteps of the faithful.

Father, thank You for strengthening so many men and women who have served and led others in Your name. Make us strong too, like You did for them. You know that no one is perfect. We are all weak, but through You we can do all things. Work in us according to Your great power, and let us be used for Your mighty deeds in our day and in our nation. Don't pass us by, but revive us and empower us in a manner worthy of Your name! In Jesus’ name, we pray, amen!