Classic Revivalists: A.W. Tozer on Spiritual Revival
Referenced in: Congregational Renewal through Spiritual Revival
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
While the revivals and awakenings of the 18th and 19th centuries were dominated by figures such as Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield and Charles G. Finney, the twentieth century saw the influence of men like Leonard Ravenhill and A. W. Tozer.
Aiden Wilson (A. W.) Tozer (1897-1963) was a prolific author and well-known pastor and journal editor for the Christian Missionary Alliance Church. Tozer and Leonard Ravenhill were close friends. Ravenhill was a preacher and revival leader first and foremost. Tozer, on the other hand, while serving as a local preacher much of his life, is known more as a reflective writer than a revivalist. In fact, his sermons were too deep in content and pensive in style for the revival genre. He rarely issued invitation calls at the end of his sermons, and had a particular disdain for emotional display from himself or his audience. Nevertheless, his writings have a very pointed, probing, and conscience-awakening quality about them. It is perhaps for this reason that he is consulted by many who are interested in revival.
In revivalism, there is a close connection between experiencing revival and the life of prayer and reflection as well as living with a constant sense of God’s holy presence. Tozer captured this in his writings. Tozer biographer, James L. Snyder, said this of his preaching and writing:
Tozer’s sermons were never shallow. There was hard thinking behind them, and Tozer forced his listeners to think with him. He had the ability to make his listeners face themselves in the light of what God was saying to them. The flippant did not like Tozer; the serious who wanted to know what God was saying to them loved him. Often his messages were so strong – and long – some wished he could stop and let them catch their breath. (102-103)
“In reading one of Tozer’s books, a person cannot help pause every so often, pick up his or her Bible and think more seriously about God. ‘Tozer,’ one reader observed, ‘is a conscience-keeper in regard to personal holiness, one’s individual worship of God and one’s daily, undiluted surrender of the soul to God.’” (126)
James L. Snyder, The Life of A.W. Tozer: In the Pursuit of God. Regal Books, 2009.
Of his many books, the two that are perhaps most helpful to church leaders who are studying renewal/revival are The Pursuit of God and The Knowledge of the Holy. Both are regarded as Christian classics, have been translated into numerous languages, and are still in circulation even after over a half-century since their original publication. These are listed below, along with the Publisher’s Product Description for each.
- A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God. CreateSpace, 2009.Written by Christian pastor Aiden Wilson Tozer, The Pursuit of God is seen by some people as one of the most influential Christian books published in the last 50 years.
- A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy. Authentic Classics, 2008. Shows us how we can rejuvenate our prayer life, meditate more reverently, understand God more deeply and experience God’s presence in our daily lives. Informative and inspiring, The Knowledge of The Holy illuminates God’s attributes from wisdom and grace, to mercy, and shows through insightful discussion how we can fully recognise each of these divine aspects. This book bears eloquent witness to God’s majesty and shows us new ways to experience and understand the wonder and the power of his spirit in our daily lives.
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