Megachurch: Worldwide Revival

By Robert A. Allen

Time is running out. A successor must be in place before megachurch pastor Ernst Edwards dies. He must meet the qualifications delineated by the apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 3. He must also gain the approval of Serenity Edwards, who has been tasked with the choice.
Serenity's loyalty to her father compels her acceptance of the task. Her fear that he is playing matchmaker complicates matters, since all four candidates are young and single. InSpire Ministries, already the source of a worldwide revival, could march into the future in four different directions. Daniel Ellicott oversees a thriving missionary outreach in Afghanistan. Michal DeLoran and his Prophet videos dominate the contemporary Christian music scene. Sports evangelist Billy Wilson fills athletic venues with the story of his rescue from addiction to drugs. Benjamin Morris embodies the biblical scholarship that has attracted a worldwide audience to InSpire Ministries in the past.
Traveling to interview each candidate on his home turf, Serenity must balance her urgent concern for the future of her father's ministry with the passionate yearnings of her own heart.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Resource Publications
• Release date: Jul 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781666714869

Robert A. Allen

Robert A. Allen has moved between pulpit and lecture hall over fifty years of ministry. Pastor of churches large and small, and professor of speech, drama, and homiletics, in retirement his focus has turned from nonfiction to fiction. He continues to teach as an adjunct professor at Liberty University online and the University of Northwestern, St. Paul. His favorite title, bestowed upon him by his children and grandchildren, is Storyteller.

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MEGACHURCH

Worldwide Revival

Robert A. Allen

Megachurch

Worldwide Revival

Copyright © 2021 Robert A. Allen. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401.

Resource Publications

An Imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers

199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3

Eugene, OR 97401

www.wipfandstock.com

paperback isbn: 978-1-6667-1484-5

hardcover isbn: 978-1-6667-1485-2

ebook isbn: 978-1-6667-1486-9

July 12, 2021

The New American Standard Bible (NASB), © copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995.

The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV). Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society, Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

To Carmen, my Song

whose heart sings like the uncaged bird,

created for the privileged purpose of praise.

Timothy 3 Plan

Above reproach

Husband of one wife

Temperate

Self-controlled

Respectable

Hospitable

Skillful in teaching

Not overindulging in wine

Not a bully

Gentle

Not contentious

Free from the love of money

St. Paul’s letter to Timothy

The truth will make you free.

St. John’s Gospel

Your word is truth.

St. John’s Gospel

Chapter One

He had to find her. Somewhere in the amusement park, a kaleidoscope of frantic motion and color, Serenity Edwards had to be found. For her own sake. For her father’s sake. For his sake.

No, not for his sake. That could never happen. Sere would never allow herself to be found for his sake. But she still had to be found.

Soft winds from the Kansas prairie relieved the oppressive heat of an unusual early October heat wave. The flashing lights of the newly-opened Spirit of the Spire Inspirational Theme Park welcomed him along with thousands of visitors from around the world who came to experience the Bible brought to life in the great tradition of Silver Dollar City, the Six Flags franchise, and Disney. Blinking marquees proclaimed the glories of the attractions:

Walk on the Sea of Galilee with the Apostle Peter wearing transparent floating water shoes.

Ride the Wilderness Sojourn out of Egypt through the Red Sea and experience the terrifying thunder and lightning of Mount Sinai.

Soar high over the park in the Whirlwind of Elijah’s Chariot.

Plunge down the nearly vertical slope of the Fall of Man Roller Coaster.

Experience the ninety-five turns and twists in ninety-five seconds on Luther’s

95

Thesis, guaranteed to nail you to the Wittenberg Wall.

Visit the ultimate spook house appropriately named Satan’s Sanctuary.

Step into the Multi-plex and thrill to the re-enactments of Creation, Passion and Apocalypse through Virtual Reality.

Enjoy a wedding at the Bride of the Lamb Chapel.

Ben Morris hurried through the food court, drenched with the diverse odors of cinnamon, bacon, cotton candy and roasted almonds, past Jordan’s Crossing Café advertising John the Baptist Locust dipped in chocolate, St. Peter’s Fish Sticks and Moses’s Manna Wafers for the weight conscious.

Why wouldn’t Serenity answer her phone? He knew the entire complex featured abundant wi-fi access—it was one of her priorities. So why didn’t she use it herself? Nothing else escaped her detailed attention to minutiae—that was one of the things he loved about her.

No, he couldn’t say that. It was one of the things he most admired about her. Not loved. Never loved. No use of the L word. He could applaud her creativity. He could admire her business acumen. He could marvel at her ability to multi-task. But he couldn’t love her. He could never allow that. And yet he did.

The crowds thronging the entertainment venue conceived by the creative mind of Serenity Edwards rivaled in numbers those who personally attended her father’s church each week. She would never match the total impact of InSpire Ministries because the Theme Park could not be transmitted via satellite to the homes of those who followed Dr. Ernst Edwards on their PCs, IPads, Smart Phones, and other devices every Sunday. Six days out of seven in any given week, however, those who paid to play in the Spirit of the Spire outnumbered the ones who found places in the 75,000 seats of InSpire on Sunday morning. They would never exceed the millions around the world who listened to Ernst Edwards remotely. Critics liked to say he made waves—he was content to say that he rode the wave. InSpire Ministries had resembled many other so-called megachurches across the nation until the advent of the Reversal of Babel app. The story had since entered the annals of religious history alongside the Gutenberg Bible and televangelism. A young inventor walked into his office seeking funding for a new phone app. Ernst immediately recognized the possibilities. The app listened to the language of any person who spoke into the phone and immediately translated all replies into that language. Instant effective communication. Starting with just six languages, the inventor added another one hundred seventy-four. With every app came a personal presentation of the gospel from Dr. Edwards, creating the wave of worldwide revival he had successfully ridden.

Ben paused at the entrance to the Bride of the Lamb Wedding Chapel where a young couple exchanged vows in front of a crowd of strangers. The Chapel had been one of Serenity’s offbeat, but fortuitous, hunches. To think that people loved weddings so much they would attend that of a stranger had seemed ludicrous to him, a viewpoint he had not failed to share with her. Even more so had been the suggestion that people would book their weddings in such a venue. He had been wrong. The Chapel weddings calendar now accepted reservations a year in advance.

She wasn’t there.

Ben thought he spotted her in front of the Gutenberg Bible Museum, one of his favorite exhibits. Slightly taller than the average woman with auburn black hair that captured the soft black tones and combined them with warm reds. An erect carriage which conveyed authority and energetic movement portraying her love of life. But when the woman in view turned to face him, she had none of the effervescence which shone from the eyes of Serenity and attracted the attention of everyone who saw her. He knew he was not alone in thinking her the most beautiful woman since Nefertiti. He had seen young boys walk into lampposts simply because they could not take their eyes off her.

The ever-present soundtrack providing the background music for the Spirit of the Spire experience switched to the melody known to a previous generation as Knick Knack Paddy Whack and to their children as the Barney Theme Song. Visitors paid no attention, except for those who started singing I love you, you love me before being stared down by their companions. But the park attendants moved immediately into alert mode. Both entrance and exit gates closed, with ticket-takers and exit guards providing elaborate explanations as to why ingress and egress were suddenly halted. Employees checked their phones for a description of the missing child. Serenity’s Amber alert system had never failed. Almost daily a child became separated from parents, but from the beginning she had sworn that no stranger-danger episodes would ever take place in her theme park.

Ben recognized the alert signal. Regretting the fact that he had never downloaded the Amber alert app, he walked up to the nearest ticket agent. May I borrow your phone, please?

I beg your pardon? The young lady started to hand him the phone and then jerked it back, suddenly realizing she didn’t know him.

Sorry. I should have identified myself. He handed her his InSpire ID. Assistant to Dr. Ernst Edwards.

Of course, Dr. Morris. I should have recognized you. Here. She handed the phone to him with a glazed look of idolization, as if she had just been approached by the President.

Seven years old, he read. Red blouse. White shorts. Blue shoes. No hat. Last seen carrying a Queen Esther scepter. Where would I find quadrant twenty-seven? He handed back the phone.

Just beyond the Billy Sunday Tabernacle. Two quadrants to your right.

She sighed quietly as he walked away. What a story she would have for her roommate tonight. Benjamin Morris himself. The most eligible bachelor in the entire ministry. She couldn’t even remember what she had said to him. Had she really said, I beg your pardon? Those eyes. That smile. She wondered if he would remember seeing her if they met again. He looked even better than he did on her smart phone. She should have taken a picture. That’s exactly what her roommate would say. You should have taken a picture.

Ben spotted Serenity as soon as he rounded the corner of the Billy Sunday Tabernacle. She sat on a bench beside an obviously distraught mother, the calm center of an emotional tornado. Her face radiated the concern for the missing child.

Tell me once again what happened just before you realized Erin was missing, he heard her ask the mother in quiet tones.

The girls went into the bathroom together. I specifically told them to stay together, the mother glanced at a young girl crying on the other end of the bench.

It’s all my fault, said the girl, wiping her tears on her mother’s scarf. I thought she finished washing her hands. I told her to come. I thought she was right behind me. I didn’t leave her on purpose.

It’s not your fault, said the mother. You can’t blame yourself. We don’t blame you. We just want to find Erin. We will find her, won’t we? Please tell me you’ll find my little girl.

Serenity nodded and placed her hand over the trembling hand of the mother. So, your daughter came out of the restroom without Erin? How long ago was that?

Just a few minutes ago. We told one of your park attendants as soon as we realized she was missing. Three minutes? Maybe five? I don’t know.

She can’t leave the park. We have sent out an alert so that no one can enter or leave. She’s still nearby. I promise you we will find her.

Ben knew exactly when Serenity spotted him. How many times had he warmed to that expression of friendship on her face and wished for more? He moved through the crowd to stand near the bench where they sat.

Mrs. Taylor? This is Dr. Benjamin Morris, assistant to my father. I assure you that every resource at our disposal has been mobilized to find your daughter. Ben would you sit here and talk with Erin’s mother for a time? I have an idea.

Serenity gave him no option, pulling him down to the bench while standing up and heading off in the direction of the restroom. Grabbing a park attendant on the way, she whispered something in the girl’s ear which caused her to start running around the side of the building. Serenity walked into the restroom and disappeared from sight.

Mrs.Taylor, is it? said Ben. Tell me about your daughter.

Erin is only seven. This is her first visit to the Spirit of the Spire, and she was so excited to come. It’s Evelyn’s birthday. The woman nodded toward the little girl curled up next to her on the bench. She’s nine. We watch you and Dr. Edwards every Sunday even when we can’t make it to the Spire for services. My husband and I love the way he leads us through the Bible verse by verse. You will find Erin, won’t you?

I have no doubt about that. Serenity has equipped the theme park with the latest technology for that exact reason. She determined from the beginning that no child would ever be in danger while enjoying the Spirit of the Spire. Did you know that she planned the park and presided over its construction in every detail?

I heard it was her Freedom Project just like all those others Dr. Edwards approves. It’s so wonderful the way he inspires creativity and helps fund the dreams of those who respond to his preaching.

Ben pursued the subject, knowing it would be the best way to keep her mind away from the worry about a missing child. I remember the day she made her proposal. She had just graduated from the university, but the idea had been incubating since a childhood visit to Six Flags. Serenity placed a complete blueprint of the entire park on her father’s desk along with a six-hundred-page proposal detailing the rationale and description of every ride, restaurant, attraction, and venue, supported by cost estimates and potential income revenues.

Evelyn spotted them first and jumped up with a squeal of excitement, racing toward the young girl who had just come around the corner of the restroom hand in hand with Serenity.

Erin. Oh, Erin! You’re back! She hugged her sister around the neck and pulled her toward their mother.

Mrs. Taylor opened her arms, making way for both girls to be included in a motherly embrace. Ben stood to the side, providing room for Serenity to join them. He noticed that the theme music had already switched from Barney to Kiss the Girl from The Little Mermaid.

Where have you been, dear? We were so worried.

Serenity answered on behalf of the crying child. I remembered something like this happening before. There are two entrances to the restroom, one on either end of the building. It is so easy to get turned around and go out the wrong door. She was right there, looking up and down the next street over for the two of you.

How can we ever thank you? said Mrs. Taylor.

No thanks are necessary. We rejoice with you in this happy outcome. In fact, I want you to be my guests for lunch. Have the girls been to the Table in the Presence of My Enemies?

Really? Erin wiped away the tears. Can we go there, Momma? That’s where you can sling rocks at Goliath and watch him fall if you hit him in the forehead. Can we go, Momma? Please?

Would you like to join us Ben? said Serenity.

I would love to, but I’m afraid that Miss Edwards and I are going to have to entrust you Taylors to one of her talented park attendants. He motioned toward the girl who had earlier set off on a mission for Serenity. Would that be all right, Mrs. Taylor? This young lady will make sure they treat you right at the Table as guests of the Spire.

Of course, Dr. Morris. I know both of you are busy. The girls and I appreciate the invitation. As you can see, they can’t wait to take on Goliath. Thank you so much Miss Edwards, for finding Erin.

Ben waited until Serenity gave each of the girls and their mother farewell hugs before turning to leave, fully expecting her to follow him. Instead, she tapped him on the shoulder, and he found himself face to face with arched eyebrows and blazing eyes.

What exactly do you think you are doing? The clenched teeth kept others from hearing the exchange while communicating her frustration far more effectively than a shout. "I needed to go with them. For the sake of public relations. You have no business issuing