The People’s Revival

I’ve come to a decision. After having spent 30 years in the church system, I left it and its inherent subculture. 

To be honest, I was always an outsider anyway, but I was still coloring in the pages they gave me. I became a novelty act to them, churches that wanted to be “edgy” would have me come in and topple the apple carts they wanted toppled. 

And I preached all over the US and internationally as a result. I had my bits on TBN and Daystar. I was getting paid thousands of dollars a night to be a controlled outsider voice of revival. 

I walked away from all of that because I hated it. Every bit of me that was trying to literally walk out what I heard from the Gospels convicted me. Because it’s all a sham and a game, guys.

I’ve met tons of those folks and I have tons of stories about it, but suffice it to say, I never met one that I would follow. The stories would shock you. 

So I switched my focus to the abandoned places of empire, rural towns and forgotten inner cities. And I started to do what I felt that I should. And I didn’t care what the church said about it. 

And I had my first taste of satisfaction in my heart. 

I’ve sinned, I’ve fallen, I have been an addict that was on the cusp of suicide for years. I’m not telling you this because I’m better than you. I’m the least of you. I’m telling you this because I feel a push inside me to be a witness. 

Because we have all been sold a bill of goods. I know this because I am a witness of what happens when you lose the religion and be as radical as Christ. 

So I’m just going to do my thing, like it or not. This is my witness and I stand by it. 

So I’m going to be a witness about what it was like growing up poor in Appalachia, what I remember from a lifetime of being poor and different. 

Campfire tales in the fires of what was America.