Pastors often plead with God to bring revival to their churches. It's an honest petition that's intended to inspire a

renewed passion for holiness. But what constitutes a genuine revival and what will

it take to provoke a spiritual resurgence in our congregations today?

Chuck Swindall addresses those questions on Insight for Living

as he continues his study in the Book of Nehemiah. It's a series we're calling,

Hand Me Another Brick, timeless lessons on leadership.

Just before we hear Chuck's message,

we'll spend a few minutes reflecting on Nehemiah Chapter 8.

Once the walls and gates were finally completed,

the leader Nehemiah organized Jerusalem into a well-guarded, stable body of people.

Immediately upon the completion of this massive task, he made plans to revive the authority of the scriptures in the minds of all of the citizens of Jerusalem.

The testimony of God's word had been silent far too long.

The beginnings of spiritual revival were now taking place,

and the potential for revival is always present in our own lives, by the way,

if we just know where to look. This is a wonderful story which I will read from Nehemiah Chapter 8, and I'll read verses 1 through 12.

So please follow along.

Nehemiah 8, beginning at

1. All the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of the water gate,

and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses

which the Lord had given to Israel.

The Nesra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could

listen with understanding on the first day of the seventh month.

...