Mazino Abraham Egbuwoku
What Happenedto Christianity?
PART ONE
Copyright © 2018 Mazino Abraham Egbuwoku
All rights reserved. No portion of this booklet may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system of transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, magazines or journal without the prior permission of the copyright owner.
Unless otherwise stated, all scripture references are taken from the HOLY BIBLE (KJV version).
For further information contact:Tree by the River Church13A, Ikorodu RoadMaryland, LagosNigeria+234 809 TESTIFY (+234 809 837-8439) +234 809 REVIVAL (+234 809 738-4825)
Connect with us on:tbrchurch facebooktbrchurch instagramtbrchurch twittertbrchurch youtube
www.tbrchurch.org
here was an era Tin Christianity
when we - as
Christians - would
meet and most of our
discussions revolved
around the souls that
we had won for the
Lord. We would also
inspire one another
with stories of
Charles Finney's
exploits in soul
winning or Smith
Wigglesworth's
amazing miracles of
faith, or Evan Roberts
and his great Welsh
revival, where
everyone, including
drunkards, murderers
and prostitutes
became converted,
desperately craving for
God's holiness.
We earnestly and keenly
looked into “God's
Generals” compiled by
Roberts Liardon and
prayed fervently to be
used similarly by God.
We would ask one
another whether or not
we had watched one of
Oral Roberts' healing
tent crusades or read
about that awesome
What’s happened to PURE
UNDILUTED CHRISTIANITY
that leads you to the cross?
3
prayer warrior John Knox, who cried earnestly for
years to God - “Give me Scotland or I die”. We
“joined the inspiring chariot of miracles”, which
God did through the likes of T.L. Osborn and
R.W. Shambach (T.L. Osborn’s famous classic
book “Join This Chariot” explains more about this
phenomenom). How we earnestly desired to be like
these proof producers and holy flames of fire.
They were our role models.
Oh, Oh, what happened to Christianity?
We used to challenge ourselves by asking how many
fiery articles in the “Herald of His Coming “ we had
read. I remember some of those articles, such as:
• An Empire Builder for God
• We Must Be Eternity-Minded
• We Are God's Stewards
• The Christian's Call to Arms
• Laying Ourselves Out for God and for Souls
• True Spirituality – What is it?
• Unction in the Pulpit, Action in the Pew!
• Repentance – Prerequisite to Revival
• The Second Coming of Christ and Our Life's
Mission
• God's Judgments on Sin are Certain
4
5
• Christ is Coming Again
• The Lordship of Christ in the Home
• God's Warning to the World
• The First-Century Church – Alive and Aglow
with the Power and Purity of the Holy Spirit
• World Evangelization is Brought About by
Prayer
• Stir the Slumbering Saints
• Holy and Without Blemish
• The Elijah Company
• Oh God, Do a New Thing
• The Preaching of the Law Is Hell's Best Kept
Secret
• Lord, Stir Us from Our Apathy! Wake Us from
Our Slumber!
Oh where did all
these messages go?
What happened to
Christianity?
I remember reading
a b o u t S m i t h
Wigglesworth and
his dear wife Polly;
then afterwards
When the saint ceases to seek after holiness, purity, righteousness, truth; when
he ceases to pray, stops reading the Word, and gives
way to carnal appetites, then it is that Satan comes.
Smith Wigglesworth
crying to God for months for true divine power as I
saw it in Wigglesworth's life. I remember flipping the
memoirs of each page about his testimonies and
exploits with God. This set us ablaze for more of
God.
What about Jonathan Edwards whose knees were
calloused because of prayer or John Hyde whose
bedroom walls were stained by the breath of his
praying?
How we would sometimes collectively cry out to
God for help when we saw how God tangibly
manifested Himself through John G. Lake. After
witnessing hundreds and hundreds of world shaking
healing and miracles of God, John Lake still kept
crying “I'm the hungriest man for God that is alive”.
Like him, I could honestly also begin to testify that I
found that my life began to manifest in a variety of
the gifts of the Spirit. I spoke in tongues by the power
of God, and He flowed through me with a new force.Healings were of a more powerful order. Oh, oh,
God lived in me; God manifested in me; God spoke
through me. My spirit was energized. I had a new
comprehension of God's will, a new discernment of
6
spirit, and a new revelation of God in me.
We were challenged to greater intimacy with God by
reading how John Lake said, "My nature became so
sensitised, that I could lay hands on any man, or
woman, and tell what organ was diseased, and to
what extent, and all about it. I tested it. I went into
hospitals where physicians could not diagnose a case,
touched a patient, and instantly I knew the organ that
was diseased, its extent, condition, and location. And
one day it passed away. A child plays with a toy, and
his joy is so wonderful, he sometimes forgets to eat.”
How we would usually covet the free gifts of the
Holy Spirit. Oh, take us back dear Lord. Take us
back. What has happened to true Christianity?
We also read about Maria
Wo o d wo r t h E t t e r a n d
trembled; we desperately
y e a r n e d t o t a s t e t h e
a w e s o m e n e s s o f G o d ,
manifested through her, in our
own lives. This woman of God
raised so many people from the
dead; she would also simply pull
7
out broken or cut
limbs. She would get
to about 50 miles of
where she was going
to minister, and
people would be slain
under a very potent
anointing - 50 miles
away!
There was Williams Seymour, the African
American revivalist of Azusa
Street, who preached with such
f i r e a n d i n d i s p u t a b l e
supernatural power of God. It
was reported that the city's fire
service once rushed to the little
manger where he was preaching
– he literally preached in a
manger! The fire service rushed
there because they saw a blazing
gulf of fire consuming this
manger where he was preaching, yet there was no
physical fire. It was just like Moses and the burning
bush that did not burn, all over again.
“I asked God to give me the power he gave the Galilean fishermen - to anoint me for service. I came like a child asking for bread. I looked
for it . . . God did not disappoint me.
Mariam Woodworth Etter
8
We lamented and interceded for our deficiency of
this dimension of God's power. This was what true
Christianity was all about. Oh, oh, where did this all
this fire go? What happened to Christianity?
We provoked another other and set one another
ablaze for more of God and godliness, as we
enmeshed ourselves in the exploits and godly
testimonies of these our great role models. Our
prayer lives took such fantastic new turns, as it wasn't
unusual for many of us to pray for much over five
hours at a stretch or go to some mountain or desert
to pray for days. This was how Christianity used to
be. Eventually, little by little, we began to experience
the supernatural - I remember praying for a dead boy
who came back to life, but how can I say that today
"So many today are worshiping in the mountains,
big churches, stone and frame buildings. But Jesus
teaches that salvation is not in these stone structures--
not in the mountains--not in the hills, but in God.”
William J. Seymour
9
without being scorned? Who would believe? I
remember how the evil spirits that possessed people
would burn and be tormented just at my presence.
Nevertheless, how can I say that today? Wouldn't it
sound outrageous?
We treasured holiness and strived so sincerely and
passionately just to be like Jesus, who went about
doing good and healing all that were oppressed of
the devil - for God was with Him (Acts 10:38). We
wanted so much to manifest more than one of the
nine gifts of the Spirit, and we desperately coveted
these gifts (1 Corinthians 12 - 14).
Oh, what happened to me? What happened to the
glorious Christianity of yesteryears?
Things are different today. Professing Christians
seem more interested in how much money they're
making, and the type of cars they're riding than in the
pursuit of true godliness and the divine power to win
souls to Christ and heal our world. Our television
programs are full of pastors who've become money
doublers and success peddlers. Oh, oh, what has
happened to Christianity? Our youth are being
preoccupied with empty entrepreneurship
10
programs, which have little or no real bearing on
things of eternal value; yet they remain trapped in
pornography and bound by all sorts of terrible sins.
How then can they hunger for the power of old or
thirst for God's holiness, which once saturated the
hearts of young men and women of times past?
Where is the holy contagious fire that once burned
from our pulpits? Where are the men of God whose
lives and testimonies provoke us to greater depths of
holy passion for God? What has happened to the
books that once set a whole generation on fire for
God?
11
Books such as the following:
• Colin & Mary Peckham's
“Sounds from Heaven”
?Frank Bartleman's “Azusa
Street or Fire fell in Los
Angeles”
?Wesley Duewel's “Revival
Fire”, John Greenfield's
“Power from on High”
?Oswald J Smith's “The
Revival We Need or The Man
God Uses”
?Mel Tari's “Like a Strong Wind”
• Dr. R. Edward Miller's “Secrets of the Great
Argentine Revival”
• Kevin Adams' “A Diary of Revival: The
Outbreak of the 1904 Welsh Awakening”
Oh Lord! Where are the contemporary Christian
authors with the unction that can lead our generation
back to the deeper things of God? Where are the
messages and messengers that once lit up a whole
generation, such as Leonard Ravenhill's “Why
Revival Tarries”, A.W Tozer's “In Pursuit of God”,
and David Wilkerson's “A call to Anguish”?
I miss those days when we all rushed to get the latest
Kenneth Hagin book and waited in queue just to read
these books, because they fired us up for God. I miss
the times when we had asked each other if we had
read “Good Morning Holy Spirit” by Benny Hinn
and watched those awesome healing and Holy
services that were so rich and alive with God's
presence. They made us want more of God.
We hungered for righteousness and true holiness,
not just the power and presence of God. Oh, oh,
how we wanted so desperately to be just like Jesus.
12
We thirsted for deep intimacy with the Holy Spirit
and were really tasting the powers of the world to
come. How we yearned so eagerly to manifest the
wonderful glory of Almighty God, who lives in His
people.
And then, it began to happen again. Hordes of hell's
chariots marched against the church, and even some
of the heroes of righteousness began to miss their
way - satan did not fold his ugly hands. Many not only
went astray, but took whole communities of
unquestioning seekers along with them. The call to
true holiness which makes alive God's reality in His
people was not spared, as doctrines of demons
began raining down freely from hell upon the church.
The cross was replaced with self-seeking and the
discipleship which leads to Christlikeness was
relegated for a discipleship to make great
entrepreneurs.
God's gospel of His true grace which brings
salvation, which teaches us to say “no” to
ungodliness, to deny worldly passions, to live soberly,
righteously and godly, while fixing our focus on the
second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ was
relegated and sacrificed on the altar of “mammon”
13
by many church leaders - even some who were once
great heroes of holiness and power, some even
mentioned in this booklet.
What has happened to Christianity and where did all
our passion for God go? Where are all the God
chasers who desperately desire to behold His Glory
and Beauty, His Majesty and Power? Oh, how my
soul pants and longs for those days of holiness and
power to return again?
Take me back; take us back dear Lord, to the burning
bush of indisputable revival fire and proof
producing reformation in true holiness and glory.
Build your church again, oh Lord, and let the gates of
hell not prevail. We want to see your glory and power
and walk in the beauty of Your holiness. Restore the
true gospel of grace which is able to build us up and
give us an inheritance amongst the true saints (Acts
20:32).
Acts 20:32So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the
word of His grace, which is able to build you up and
give you an inheritance among all those who are
sanctified.
14
2 Corinthians 6:14 - 7:114 Do not be unequally yoked together with
unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness
with lawlessness? And what communion has light
with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with
Belial? Or what part has a believer with an
unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple
of God with idols? For you are the temple of the
living God. As God has said:“I will dwell in themand
walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall
be My people.”17 Therefore “Come out from amongthemand be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch
what is unclean, and I will receive you.”18 “I will be a
Father to you, and you shall be My sons and
daughters, says the LORD Almighty.”
7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us
cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and
spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
15
We Need Revival & Reformation
We need a holy revival from the sleep of coldness,
lukewarmness and death in these last days.
We need a true reformation of the church from a
false witness of Jesus to the true resemblance of
Christ.
Lord, revive and reform your church again.
When we see professing christians living
comfortably in sexual sin, because they are under the
"finished work of Christ", we need revival and
reformation (1 Thessalonians 4:1-8).
When we see raw iniquity being referred to as mere
inconsequential weakness, we need revival and
reformation (James 3:13-14).
When we see the grace of God being watered down
to exclude a divine chastening for evil, we really need
a revival and reformation (Proverbs 8:13; Hebrews
12:28).
16
When we see prophets prophesying peace and safety
to an adulterous and sinful generation, we need
revival and reformation (Jeremiah 23:16-22; Luke
6:26; Mark 8:38).
When we see christian ministers competing to outdo
worldly superstars, we need revival and reformation
(2 Peter 2:1-3).
When we see the church of God being used for
comedy and entertainment, even where sin and
lukewarmness is so prevalent, we need revival and
reformation (2 Timothy 2:19).
When we see financial success becoming the
yardstick of true success and not conformity to
Christ, we need revival and reformation (1 Timothy
6:3-11).
When we see motivational speaking replacing the
preaching of the cross of self-denial and crucifixion,
we need revival and reformation (Romans 16:17-19;
Colossians 2:5-9; Mark 8:34-38).
When we see our parishioners dressing like
seductresses and pimps, we need revival and
reformation (1 Peter 3:1-7).
17
When we see our churches become more like a
ground of business and social networking rather
than the ground and pillar of truth, we need revival
and reformation (1 Timothy 3:15).
When we see pastors scrambling for juicy positions
of power in the local assemblies and denominations,
we need revival and reformation (Matthew 23:5-13).
When we see our preachers downplaying or even
deny the urgency of Christ's imminent return, we
need revival and reformation (2 Peter 3:1-14).
When we see the quest for glamorous outward
appearances becoming so much more alluring than
the tangible and beautiful glory of God’s holiness, we
need revival and reformation (2 Corinthians 7:1).
When we see our ministers more interested in filling
their church pews, instead of filling heaven’s golden
courts, we need revival and reformation (Matthew
7:21-23).
When we see the type of evangelism that brings
people into our churches, yet makes them twice more
likely candidates for hellfire by their lack of
transformation into Christ, we need revival and
18
reformation (Matthew 23:15; Galatians 4:19).
When we see that raising rich entrepreneurs has
taken centre stage instead of raising truly holy
disciples of Jesus, we need revival and reformation (1
John 2:3-6).
When we see sinners feeling comfortable in our
church services and professing believers feeling no
sense of divine chastening for their sinfulness, we
need revival and reformation (Jeremiah 23:25-32;
Hebrews 12:5-17).
When we see vain and worldly musicians take centre
stage in every so called “church growth initiative”, we
need revival and reformation (2 Peter 2:10-22; 2 John
9-11).
When we see serial divorcees and homosexuals
becoming bishops, deacons and role models in our
churches, we need revival and reformation (Romans
1:24-3; 2 Peter 2:18-19).
When we see the celebration of lascivious singers,
who are more performers and entertainers than
consecrated saints and role models, we need revival
and reformation (Galatians 2:17; Revelations 2:18-
19
29; 1 Timothy 5:22).
When we see our pastors preach using more
references to billionaires and Hollywood superstars
than to Jesus Christ, we need revival and reformation
(2 Corinthians 3:17-18).
When we see pastors more interested in tithes and
offerings than in the offering of our bodies as living
sacrifices unto the LORD, we need revival and
reformation (Philippians 3:17-21).
When we see such blindness of which most in the
church can no longer discern the difference between
the Holy Spirit and familiar spirits, we need revival
and reformation (Acts 16:16-19; Revelations 2:12-
28).When we see our churches filled to the brim with
people who are not mirroring Christ, exuding divine
love, nor displaying true fruit of the Spirit, we need
revival and reformation (Matthew 7:13-15).
When we see preachers preach with fire for financial
giving, and not fire for holy living, we need revival
and reformation (2 Peter 2:13-19).
When we see our professing christians and ministers,
20
more easily identifiable by material riches and
flamboyance than righteousness, meekness and love,
we really do need revival and reformation (Matthew
11:28-30; 2Timothy 2:19-26; 1Timothy 6:10-11).
Oh, how much we need revival today. How much we
need to see a change and transformation of the
church of Christ.
We are tired of all the vanity and emptiness: we need
revival and reformation.
We are tired of all the materialism and worldliness:
we need revival and reformation.
We are tired of all the pomp and pageantry: we need
true Holy Ghost Fire, revival and reformation.
We are tired of this contemporary "Sodom and
Gomorrah": we need revival and reformation.
We are tired of boring church programs: we need the
burning fires of revival and reformation.
We are tired of all the entertainment and razzmatazz:
we need a true baptism of the Holy Ghost revival
and reformation.
21
In this sinful and adulterous generation, Lord give us
revival and reformation once again.
In this era where preachers are everywhere, but
God’s word is scarce, Lord give us revival and
reformation once again.
In these times when the watchmen are sleeping and
snoring unto death, Lord give us revival and
reformation again.
In this generation of false eternal security just like
with Sardis and Laodicea, oh Lord give us revival and
reformation again.
In these days where men are ever learning, but not
coming to the Truth which is in conformity to Christ,
Lord give us revival and reformation once more.
22
Lord, reawaken our souls!Send us a rushing mighty wind again
Re-establish the ancient landmark and standard of holiness
Let our dry bones live againOpen our eyes unto Your Truth
Restore Your Glory that has been missingPour out Your Spirit for we are hungryTouch Your people once again, oh Lord
Make us hear Your Voice againMake us seek Your Face againMake us do Your Will againRestore Your church again
What are all these "tongues" for, if there is no tangible divine power in display?
What are all these sweet messages for, if there is no sanctification unto true holiness?
What are all these churches for, if there is no transformation into the likeness of
Christ?What are all these people for,
if their eternity will be utter devastation?
Lord, give us true revival & reformation once again!!
23
Tree by the River Church13A Ikorodu Road, Maryland, Lagos
+234 809 TESTIFY (+234 809 837-8439)+234 809 REVIVAL (+234 809 738-4825)
e-mail:
Follow us:
tbrchurch facebook
tbrchurch youtube
tbrchurch twitter
tbrchurch instagram
www.tbrchurch.org
T H E R E M N A N T C H U R C H
“...I remember praying for a dead boy who came
back to life, but how can I say that today without
being scorned? Who would believe? I remember
how the evil spirits that possessed people would
burn and be tormented just at my presence.
Nevertheless, how can I say that today? Wouldn't
it sound outrageous?
We treasured holiness and strived so sincerely and
passionately just to be like Jesus, who went about
doing good and healing all that were oppressed of
the devil - for God was with Him (Acts 10:38). We
wanted so much to manifest more than one of the
nine gifts of the Spirit, and we desperately coveted
these gifts (1 Corinthians 12 - 14).
Oh, what happened to me? What happened to the
glorious Christianity of yesteryears?”
Be challenged unto a fresh passion for God as you
read the few words contained within this booklet.