Popular revival movement Revive Indiana concluded earlier this month on March 4th.
Revive Indiana, lead by Kyle Martin, is a gathering of churches in Elkhart and LaGrange County. From January 12 through March 4, worship services were held Monday through Saturday predominantly at Maple 
City Chapel in Goshen. Those 52 days of arm-raising, goosebump-giving, tear-inducing worship left a powerful and moving impact on thousands of people throughout Indiana.
It was not uncommon for a Revive worship service to need overflow space due to the number of attendees. Many times there was even an overflow space for the overflow. The overflow section was unable to see the stage, so screens and projectors were placed for everyone to have a view of the speaker or worship leader.
Revive Indiana live-streamed video of their services on their website and live-streamed audio on local radio station WFRN for those who were unable to attend services. These alternative modes of participation in worship were also helpful when nasty winter weather made it dangerous to be out on the roads.
Along with the morning and evening worship services, participants in Revive Indiana had the option, twice a day, to split into groups of 3-5 and go out in the community and pray for/with others. Their mission was to pray for others in the community, spread the word of Christ, but also improve their ability to connect with others and practice having deeper theological conversations.
Out of the 52 days of worship, baptisms were held a number of evenings. These baptisms were organized so that anyone from the crowd could approach the stage and take their turn to be baptized either by Kyle Martin or someone of their choice. People were welcomed toward the stage with a Price is Right-esque “come on down!” Several younger children were baptized by unordained adults or teenagers. This is very different from how most Mennonite churches practice baptism.
Most Mennonite churches traditionally practice a believer’s baptism, “for those who are of the age of accountability and who freely request baptism on the basis of their response to Jesus Christ in Faith” (Mennonite Confession of Faith). Also, the baptism is usually done by a credentialed minister, not any teenager that feels the holy spirit moving them.
There was one six-and-a-half year old boy who reached the baptismal pool. When asked by his father, “why do you want to get baptized?” he eagerly responded “because I haven’t been baptized yet!” What kind of message does it send about baptism, when this is a boy’s logical thought process for getting baptized?.
“Hey Jim, why do you want rob a convenience store?”
“Hey John, because I haven’t robbed one yet!”
One might respond to that hypothetical situation saying, “you can’t expect a six and a half year old to understand logic like that.” If that is true, then you can’t expect a six and a half year old to understand all that baptism represents and the pledge to follow the way of Jesus Christ.
Revive Indiana gave some people a reason to reach their maximum capacity of cynicism. Though the world does not need any more cynicism, it doesn’t hurt to practice and apply one’s critical thinking skills to controversial and popular events like Revive Indiana. When assessing whether or not a movement is effective, sincere, or morally correct, it is important to respectfully and thoroughly consider others’ viewpoints and motivations.
~Jesse Amstutz