Thoughts on the Asbury Revival

Let me begin this post by stating that I have not been on the campus of Asbury University, so I am not speaking from experience. I have read lots of posts, pro and con. While I will not write from experience, I will write from my own personal hunger. What I see in many local churches is dry and stagnant, and it thrills my soul that there is a large group of believers who are hungering and thirsting after righteousness. The beautiful thing is they are seeing God keep His end of the promise – they are being filled.

Many want to argue over terminology. Is this a revival? Should we instead call it a renewal? Whatever you want to call it, I think we can agree that it is rare to see people gather for days at their own inconvenience for spiritual purposes. People I know have taken the drive to Kentucky and watched as many stood outside in very cold temperatures to hear what was happening inside the chapel. Argue over the terminology all you want, but something is happening.

Many want to dismiss this because it isn’t happening in an academic-style church service with expository preaching and emotionless music. (For the record, I do preach expository sermons.) I know people who will criticize anything with any emotion, equating it to a work of the flesh. I’m guessing it’s a sin to cry when you grieve or laugh when you hear a clean joke. But I digress! You and I are outside worship services more than we are inside them. If God only works in church services, we don’t have a lot of hope. God can work whenever He wants, however He wants. He doesn’t need our permission.

Some want to dismiss this because of those who are curious. I know some famous false teachers who are curious and have posted on social media about their experience at Asbury, but I also know some extremely conservative pastors who have driven to Kentucky. Christians can be better than unbelievers at throwing the baby out with the bath water because of the varying degrees of separation some of us were taught, and we don’t want anyone to think we might be associated with a heretic, even if it’s by 50 degrees of separation. If we are going to dismiss people by association, we might as well start with Jesus because He hand-picked a pretty scandalous crew to be His disciples PLUS He had the audacity to talk to sinners. This elite, elect mentality must stop! Jesus never taught kingdom snobbery!

Rather than believing the first article we read by our favorite “Berean” conservative, we should be praying for God to bring some positive, lasting fruit from this. The fruit will be the determining factor. Months from now, there will be those who are forever changed by this and others who will have forgotten all about it. Every movement, and I mean EVERY MOVEMENT, has good and bad fruit. Let’s pray for good, long-lasting fruit that will impact communities and local churches for years to come.

11 responses to “Thoughts on the Asbury Revival”

  1. I became born again in a similar movement …. It’s like trying to figure out if someone is REALLY saved that acts like it, even has fruit BUT…. Only God knows!!! I KNOW many are genuinely repenting! And I pray for RENEWAL!!! Love it. My heart has been lit 🔥 up for Jesus since I began following this!!!

    Liked by 3 people

    1. I can’t help but agree with you. I’m inspired and hungry.

      Liked by 2 people

  2. Absolutely spot on. Jesus himself said we will be known by the fruit we bear. I fir one pray that this spreads far and wide and bears much fruit, especially in me!

    Liked by 1 person

  3. I would love to go check it out but since I can’t, I chose to believe it is a move of God. It is a most unlikely place at this period of time just as the church on John St in NY was an unlikely place in the 1800’s. God can cause revival to begin wherever He wants and with more repentance and forgiveness, I pray we see more. They laughed at the Toronto blessing. There will always be detractors and neigh-sayers. I chose to look to find where Jesus is. Amen to your comments.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. It does happen in unlikely places. The thing that caught my attention, especially within the first 24 hours of this, was the emphasis on repentance.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I agree.

        Liked by 1 person

  4. I’m here visiting my parents in Kentucky just a few hours away. Thought about driving over but decided it’s not necessary. This is theirs in this small college filled with young people who must learn to pick up the ball of the faith and carry it down the field for their generation.

    It’s so encouraging to see the love of God poured out in such a way kicked off by a heart felt message from Romans 12 about the love of God. Hopefully the college can fend off the self serving figures who will try and exploit it.

    Hopefully it is spreading. We really need God’s presence.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I am definitely praying for protection over those whose lives have been touched over the last few weeks.

      Like

  5. I certainly have been praying for revival, and have heard negative comment on what has been identified as the Asbury Revival.

    Like you Matthew, I agree that our prayers should be that it bears fruit. We have become so Pharisaical. While we always must be discerning, I pray God makes our hearts tender, and expectant because we certainly are in need of revival.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I couldn’t agree more!

      Like

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