This question has been asked a lot over the past few weeks. I’ve found myself in lots of informal conversations in recent weeks with both the curious and the skeptical. Have you heard about Asbury? Have you gone? Is it a “revival”?
What was going on at Asbury? To be honest, I don’t know. I know some have referred to it as an outpouring or refreshing or even an awakening (I think those are better descriptions as revival seems premature). I think time will help reveal the answer to that question. I think a year from now, or five years from now, or maybe even twenty years from now, we will have a much clearer perspective on what happened in Wilmore (and beyond) in 2023. I think the answer to the question of revival will also answer the question: “was there lasting change and fruit?” Unfortunately for our high speed, need to know culture, I think these kinds of questions take some time to discern.
I did not make the trip to Wilmore, KY, where Asbury is located. I had considered going, as it’s only 4-5 hours south of Findlay, but my schedule was such that a trip wasn’t possible. I know a handful of folks, colleagues in ministry from other organizations, who did make a trip to witness what was happening on the campus of Asbury University. While I wasn’t there to experience it first-hand, I do believe it was a move of God’s Spirit. I have a lot of trust in a couple of brothers and sisters who were able to go – these are individuals who are spiritually mature and demonstrate a lot of wisdom and discernment. I’m leaning on their experience and testimony, and what they’ve shared has been convincing. They experienced God’s presence in a real and refreshing manner during their visit to Asbury’s campus last month, and I trust what they experienced.
To be honest, I’ve been surprised by some of the “controversy” surrounding Asbury. There’s been a fair amount of criticism and critique that’s left me shaking my head in disbelief. I’m certainly no expert when it comes to church history or revivals. There are no initials behind my name tied to the dedicated study of such things, but I have observed that prayer and repentance are always a part of revival movements. It certainly seems like there are times when God’s people are moved to pray and fast and repent and then revivals breaks out and at other times perhaps it’s the other way around, where God’s Spirit moves in a powerful way and out of that revival, prayer and repentance are some of the fruit of the Spirit’s work amongst God’s people. I think prayer and repentance are a couple of the markers that always show up when true revival takes place. And I think that requires us to ask the question, what do we need to pray and repent for?
Over recent weeks I’ve heard a lot of people respond with something like “we certainly need revival” but I wonder if we really mean what we say? To revive something means to bring it back from the dead or to wake someone up from a deep sleep/state of unconsciousness. I wonder if we really believe that we need revived – brought back from the edge of death or roused from our spiritually deep slumber? I think it’s easier to want to see our culture revived. Maybe it’s easier to want the messed-up Presbyterians or Episcopalians down the street revived – can you wake them up God? But do you and I have the wherewithal to own the fact that we need revived? Do we believe that we’ve grown spiritually cold? Do we believe that we’re sleep-walking or unconsciously going through the motions and desperately need to be shaken awake? Is that what we mean when we say we need revival? Are we willing to own that we’re dying spiritually and need to be revived?
I do believe we need revival. I believe I need revival. I believe the CGGC needs revival. I believe the North American church needs revival. But I believe that requires a recognition of our desperate state, a recognition that’s often missing from our typical conversations and notions about revival. If we can’t own our own spiritual sleepiness, we’ll never be in the posture necessary to experience true revival. Longing for the glory days of another era isn’t the same as wanting to be resuscitated. We need God’s Spirit to move in such a way that we are reawakened and stirred back to life, the fulness of Christ.
I’m praying that the Holy Spirit would continue to move and bring us alive in Christ.
Christ’s Peace,
Lance
CGGC eNews—Vol. 17, No. 9
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