神賜下復興，並讓祂的百姓共同參與，其中另一原因是祂承諾透過祂的教會來工作，而不是在教會的背後操縱。你可記起我較早前曾說過，我們對教會的看法會大大影響我們對復興的看法，現在我必須重申這一點。

教會是神在世界的代表，神透過教會去彰顯自己的旨意，向世界展示神國度的模樣。神承諾透過教會，而不是繞過教會工作。無論祂的百姓變得多麼的委靡不振，祂都不會違背這承諾。若神願意行使祂的主權，祂大可以不理會任何人，在教會衰微時突然臨到。但我們也知道，除了主權外，神還有其它屬性──愛和尊重就是神的其中兩種屬性。

若要在聖經中選擇一件令我印象最深刻的、關於神與人交往的事，那就是祂十分尊重祂所委派去掌權的人，儘管他們沒有如祂所願的去執行任務。其實，神輕易的就可以將舊約那些沒有服從祂吩咐的君王和祭司消滅，但祂還是有耐性、有愛心地讓祂的子民去參與並實現祂的計劃。倘若神可以如此慈愛的對待祂那地上的百姓──以色列，那我不能想像祂不會照樣對待祂那屬天的百姓──教會；神必然會確保教會在每一個屬靈計劃中都有代表及參與的機會。

Another reason why God takes great care to involve His people when He initiates a revival is because He is committed to working through His Church - not behind her back. I said earlier, you might remember, that our view of the Church will greatly influence our view of revival, and now I must make the point again.

The Church (so I believe) is God's agent in the world through which His purposes are demonstrated. She is here to model the kingdom of God to the world. God is committed to working through her and not around her, and no matter how lethargic His people become, He will not withdraw from that commitment. If God wanted to exercise His sovereignty (and nothing else) then He could burst in upon His Church in times of declension without regard to anyone. But, as we have seen, there are other characteristics in God beside sovereignty - love and respect being just two.

If there is one thing above all others that impresses me about God's dealings with people in the Bible it is the fact that He greatly respects the authority He establishes, even though that authority does not act in the way He desires. It would have been easy for Him to have swept aside the Old Testament kings and priests who failed to do His bidding, but patiently and lovingly He worked to involve them in His purposes. If God did that with His earthly people, Israel, then I cannot conceive of Him doing any less with His heavenly people, the Church. He will make sure the Church is represented and involved in every single spiritual project in the universe.