Before you read this, let me tell you just a little about myself (just in case you have stumbled upon my blog for the first time). My name is Kevin. I’m a Southern Baptist Pastor. Before that I was a missionary in the Philippines. I believe the Bible is God’s Word and is “truth without any mixture of error” (just as our statement of faith says). I’m 50 years old, so I’ve seen the rise and fall of different people, churches, and movements in Christianity.
I’m not a Calvinist, but I have benefited greatly from some Calvinist authors and also have dear friends that are Reformed. I consider myself a “cautious continuist” in my view of the gifts of the Spirit. I am cautious because I see a lot of blatantly unbiblical practices in hyper-charismatic churches/ministries. But I am a continuist, meaning I don’t see any biblical reason to think the gifts of the Spirit ceased at a certain point of time in the Christian church.
If any of the above means you don’t think my thoughts are worth reading then you are free to move on to another blog (or YouTube video, or tweet). Just letting you know a little bit of my background.
Anyway, here goes:
I remember watching a documentary on the 1970 Asbury revival years ago (I can’t remember if it was while I was in seminary or in training to be a missionary). One particular interviewee commented on the amount of restraint that was exercised in those meetings. In other words, they weren’t characterized by charismatic excess or chaos. It looked like a pretty amazing movement that had a lasting impact on those who experienced it.
Now, over 50 years later, something similar seems to be happening again. A group of students felt God leading them to stay in the chapel after service on February 8th. More students gathered, and the spontaneous prayer/worship meeting hasn’t stopped since. Thousands have now come to spend a few hours worshiping God.
I began seeing the reports of this a few days ago. I was encouraged because there is no flashy venue, no big-named preacher, no marketing, and no agenda other than glorifying God.
I’m also encouraged because the movement seems to be spreading. Similar meetings are happening at Samford University, a Baptist school located near my hometown.
I haven’t been to Asbury. I wish I could go, but it’s just not practical for several reasons.
But people I have great respect for have been able to go see it for themselves.
A former seminary classmate visited for a couple of days and said it had a profound impact on him (he mentioned it in a Facebook comment). He’s a solid, theologically conservative man that pastors a church in Arkansas.
Then my friend Jason told me he planned to go. I have known Jason now for over 30 years. He is one of my best friends in this world and one of the godliest men I’ve ever met in my life.
I asked Jason to write something about his experience. This is what he had to say.
Jason’s Testimony
Whether what is happening at Asbury is a “revival,” an “awakening,” or a “refreshing” is hard to say. It depends on who you ask. I rather liked what the speaker said during my visit – “We are here for Jesus. What this is called doesn’t matter. Jesus will name it, and we really don’t care what He calls it.”
A few would even say it’s nothing but emotionalism and fleshly exuberance. Well, I was there on Friday, February 17th, 2023, and I have to vehemently disagree. It was seriously one of the most profound experiences of my life. I can only pray that it’s the start of something more sweeping, and not an isolated event. But it is very real. It’s hard to understand just how real it is by watching videos online or reading reports. God’s presence is there in an uncommon and powerful way.
I’ve been following Jesus for 30 years, and mark it as a unique experience in my faith journey thus far. And, no, I’m not in the least bit reluctant to call it an experience. An experience of the manifest presence of God. And an experience on a very, very, very small scale of what worship in heaven is actually going to be like.
Let me be more specific. In my years as a believer, I have experienced God’s presence. I have experienced the joy of the Lord. And I’ve experienced being spiritually “fired up.” I went expectantly, but guessed that my visit to Asbury would encompass something along those lines. I only hoped it would be some kind of a “fresh touch” from God that I would thank Him for, and then come back home and get back to “life as usual.”
I was absolutely not prepared for what happened when I walked into that sanctuary.
The presence of God in power was immediate. It was not something that you had to “work yourself into.” As I walked through the doors of Hughes Auditorium, the 1,500-seat room was filled to capacity (literally – they were only letting us in as seats became available). The worship team was singing “Revelation Song,” and there was a reverence and a gentleness that, ironically, almost knocked me over (metaphorically speaking). It was like walking into a cascade or a waterfall of God’s presence, and I had barely made it to my seat before tears were involuntarily beginning to stream down my cheeks (I was embarrassed by this and worked to wipe them away…in retrospect, I should have unashamedly let them flow).
The best way I’ve been able to describe it is to say that I felt “Love.” Overwhelming and gentle love. But also powerful and dynamic love. Is it that I felt loved by God? Or that I felt love for God? Or that I felt love for others? Yes to all of the above, but it was more than that. I am trying to put into words the indescribable here, but it was “tangible love.” It was a love that I perceived in the moment as THE…THE overarching and governing principle of the Kingdom of God.
And from there we just worshiped. 1,500 people who were mostly oblivious to anyone else in the room, absolutely caught up in heavenlies, giving JESUS His due. I spent a blessed, unbroken 2.5 hours in this atmosphere, which shifted back and forth between gentle, reverent worship, and loud, exuberant, joyful celebration. None of it guided or manipulated by any human hand, but the ebb and flow was directed by the Spirit. And while the focus was purely Jesus, there were times in which the fact that we were all there unified and engaging this as a single body rose to the fore of my awareness.
And that 2 and 1/2 half hours? I am being completely truthful – I honestly felt as though I had been there maybe 20 minutes.
Someone says, “OK, great. You had an experience. But what now? Is that all you have to show for your trip to Asbury? An experience?”
Well, first of all, it was not “just” an experience. I met with God. That is never “just” an experience. But as for its lasting effect? We will have to see. I don’t know yet what God wants to do with it in my life.
After leaving, I drove into Nashville, TN and stopped for the night to get some sleep. I rose early to drive the last leg of the journey back home and found myself again wiping away tears and in a state of deep, deep reflection. It wasn’t until I approached the exit to my home that I realized I had been processing what happened at Asbury for the entire 2-hour drive.
And as I sit here at midday, I continue to reflect, still somewhat overwhelmed and astonished. And ready to let the Lord bring forth for whatever fruit He intends from all of this.
-Jason
My Assessment
Here’s where I stand right now:
I do believe this is a genuine movement of God.
I do not have any reason to believe otherwise—especially after hearing from someone I know and trust who has been there to experience it.
I’ve also seen other written testimonies from people that I believe to be credible–people that are grounded in the Word of God. Here’s another example from a Southern Baptist pastor, but there are many more out there.
The Critics
Part of the reason I’m writing this post is to respond to the critics of the Asbury revival. The 1970’s movement had critics, so I suppose we should not be surprised to see the same thing now. But one important difference is that critics can now blast their complaints all over blogs and social media with the touch of a button.
I understand the desire to be cautious—I am about as skeptical as they come regarding the foolishness that now passes for the work of God in the modern-day evangelical world.
There are also a lot of questions we just don’t know the answers to:
How long can this keep going? How many other university campuses will be impacted? What will the long-term result of this movement be?
I understand those questions. I’m wondering myself.
But most of the complaints I have seen are petty at best or Pharisaical at worst. The criticisms have fallen into three general categories:
1. Guilt by association.
It goes something like this: “A false teacher attended so it must not be of God.”
First and foremost, none of these false teachers have been given any kind of platform in the Asbury meetings. The one false teacher I know of that attended just came, took a few photos for his social media pages, then eventually left.
Secondly, didn’t Paul say that wolves would be drawn to the church (Acts 20:29)? Didn’t Judas follow Jesus through his whole earthly ministry?
2. It should not happen this way.
One example of this is complaining about the absence of evangelical preaching in these meetings.
I get it—I am a preacher. I have devoted a significant part of my life to the holy art of biblical exposition and proclamation.
But this movement seems to be primarily about God’s people gathering for worship, prayer, and Scripture reading. I have a hard time finding fault with that!
Ben Witherington, a professor at Asbury Seminary, explained it this way:
Revivals in the Wesleyan tradition are not mainly evangelistic crusades or missions. They are not mainly about converting unbelievers of whatever sort. They are about renewing and refreshing those already committed to Christ, what one reviewer called ‘intensification’ of one’s faith and commitment to God.
You can read his whole article here: The Asbury Revival Rolls On.
3. Hearsay.
This third and final category is the one I am finding most disturbing. It goes something like this:
“Asbury is allowing unrepentant homosexuals to lead worship.”
This, of course, is a very serious charge—a charge that should be backed by solid evidence.
But these criticisms are usually based on random tweets or videos by homosexual activists who have made their own commentary with their own agendas. None of them, to my knowledge, speak for Asbury University.
The school, in fact, has put its convictions down in writing. Here’s an excerpt from the Asbury University Statement on Human Sexuality:
A faithful interpretation of Scripture affirms the principle that sexual purity honors God and that all forms of sexual intimacy that occur outside the covenant of heterosexual marriage are sinful distortions of the holiness and beauty for which God intended.
The school has made its stance clear and I haven’t seen any compelling reason to question their sincerity.
These three criticisms or complaints are not exhaustive. They aren’t meant to be. I’m simply giving you a sample of what I have been seeing on social media.
Final Thoughts:
I’m not telling you to pack your bags and head for Kentucky. I’m not going to do that. I’d love to, but I can’t.
I’m definitely not telling you to throw discernment out the window. I regularly tell my congregation to study and test everything I tell them against the Scriptures.
But I am thankful for this movement. I’m especially excited to see what might happen if a new generation of students commits themselves to the Lord with reckless abandon.
To those with discernment blogs, YouTube channels, etc.:
Some of you put a lot of time and effort into your research. You produce some amazing content about false teachers, etc.
Keep doing it. We need you.
It’s fine if you want to take a cautious approach about what’s happening in Asbury.
But please don’t destroy your credibility by being critical without good cause.
