What did we learn from the recent Asbury Revival?
I was having lunch with several other denominational presidents. Three of them led evangelical families in close theological alignment with Asbury Seminary.
I am certain you’ve heard and read about the revival that began during a chapel service at Asbury Seminary in February 2023. This came as such encouraging news.
From my Holiness Movement Friends
I asked my friends, “What have you been hearing from your people who have visited the Asbury revival?” All three knew denominational leaders and friends who had visited in recent days. All reports indicated it was a genuine “quiet” movement of God. In fact, one of my denom–friends more of the Holiness tradition said he was glad to hear some of his clan were turned away when they arrived with banners, tambourines, and ram horns. No spectacles at these renewal gatherings – just quiet, introspective, desperate, confessional times with the Lord.
From a Charismatic Friend
I also met with an old friend who served with me in a Fellowship Baptist Church but now leads a more Holy Spirit-focused movement of churches. One of his leaders went to Asbury to “experience” the revival. He arrived just in time as the auditorium doors closed to anyone over 25 years of age. This revival was servant-led by GenZs for GenZs. I’m so hopeful for this next generation (born between 1997–2015) who may have left the church (only 24% attend church) but are open to healthy spiritual practice that is both genuine and authentic. They are looking for something that is real and works.
My old friend sent me this word:
“I met with the leaders of our movement. Our President told us of their experience visiting Asbury College. They drove nine hours to get there and then queued for five and a half hours to get in just before the auditorium was packed. He was weeping as he talked about the wonderful presence of Father God in the room. He characterized the focus of the worship on Jesus and holiness as the meeting transitioned. There was no prayer ministry team; rather, each person is allowed to experience individually.”
From a Close Friend
A dear friend who also served with me in times past sent me an article he found most helpful.
Written by a student from Asbury University, it is an insightful blog on the Asbury revival that I found helpful:
“I come from a spiritual background that has left me weary of hype in a culture of spectacle. I’ve grown tired of disintegrous representations of divine work but it is clear God is moving in a surprising and transformative way. However, when you think of ‘revival’, what comes to mind might not be what’s happening. To quote Professor McCall, a theology professor at Asbury Seminary, ‘what we are experiencing now – this inexpressibly deep sense of peace, wholeness, holiness, belonging, and love - is only the smallest of windows into the life for which we are made.’
“The movements of the spirit in western evangelicalism always exist in the middle of a cultural moment. A generous interpretation of these movements reveals unique traits for each one. For example, fervor for the great commission at the Mt. Hermon Conference, overwhelming joy in Toronto Outpouring, zeal for the lost in Brownsville Revival, acts of healing at the Kansas City awakening, and manifestation of tongues at the Azusa Street revival. In each move of the spirit, God clearly manifests in a specific way for that generation. I find it interesting that God would mark this outpouring with:
A tangible sense of peace for a generation with unprecedented anxiety.
A restorative sense of belonging for a generation amidst an epidemic of loneliness.
An authentic hope for a generation marked by depression.
A leadership emphasizing protective humility in relationship with power for a
generation deeply hurt by the abuse of religious power.
A focus on participatory adoration for an age of digital distraction.
“It feels as if God is personally meeting young adults in ways meaningful to them. My generation was formed differently than previous generations and so the traits of this revival are different than revivals of old. The new outpouring is not the signs and wonders nor zealous intercession nor spontaneous tongues nor charismatic physicalities not the visceral travail. It is marked by a tangible feeling of holistic peace, a restorative sense of belonging, a non-anxious presence through felt safety, repentance driven by experienced kindness, humble stewardship of power, and holiness through treasuring adoration.
“It is important to reflect on the words of Jesus: ‘no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.’
“I don’t want to make the mistake of trying to fit this new work into old paradigms. The new wine cannot be understood with the old expectations of revival. As the revival has grown, people attempt to evaluate and participate from their old expectations. You cannot keep new wine in the old wineskin; or it may cause disappointment, disillusionment and divisiveness. In humility, we must receive the new wine with an open hand without trying to force this spiritual movement into our well-intended but old expectations of renewal. We must strive to humbly participate, appreciatively celebrate, and intentionally respond to this surprising work of the spirit with openness and hunger.”
From the Witness of History
I’m actually very attracted to the form which this revival took – no spectacle, just lots of genuine introspection.
It reminds me of the visit a young coal miner, Evan Roberts, had with his pastor prior to the 1905 Welsh Revival which impacted multiple countries and continents. A worldwide revival.
He sensed the Lord calling him to share what became known as the “Four Points”. His pastor wouldn’t give him access to his pulpit on Sunday, but allowed the young man to address the faithful who came to the mid-week prayer meeting. Evan Roberts shared the following:
The Four Points
- Is there any sin in your past that you have not confessed to God? – On your knees at once. Your past must be put away, and yourself cleansed.
- Is there anything is your life that is doubtful? – Anything that you cannot decide if it is good or evil? Away with it. Have you forgiven everybody? If not, don’t expect forgiveness for your own sins. You won’t get it.
- Do what the Holy Spirit prompts you to do. – Obedience-prompt, implicit, unquestioning obedience to the Spirit.
- A public confession of Christ as your Savior. – There is a vast difference between profession and confession.
Christians worldwide were revived. Unbelievers by the tens of thousands came to Christ in Wales. So many rough Welsh coal miners came to Christ that the mules and donkeys that carted the coal out of the mines stopped moving. They could no longer understand the cleaned up language of their masters’ commands. No more profanity in the coal mines. Journalists in New York City raced on horseback between prayer/revival meetings, to count the total attendance of congregants visiting the churches every evening. Church attendance was front page news in the Big Apple in 1905.
Join in Prayer
Could this happen again? Why not? We have not because we ASK not. Join me in prayer at 10:02 am every day ASKing the Lord to send workers to the harvest (Luke 10:2).
May this new generation, GenZs, lead the way, and may us old-timers humbly follow them. To the glory of God.