What's Going on at Asbury?

On February 8, an Alliance Envision worker named Zach preached in the chapel. After the message, 20 students knelt in prayer in the front of the chapel, then 60, then more and more. A week later, there are still students in the chapel praying. People are coming from all over the country now. Students on other campuses are doing the same. Is this revival?

One person who was there recently said on Facebook, that the carpet in the front of the chapel is soaking wet with tears. 

I watched this chapel service to hear what Zach was preaching on. What did he say that the Holy Spirit used to spark this ongoing repentance? 

Here's my summary:

1. He asked the students, "Do you love me? Do you love one another?"

2. He read from Romans 12, which lists 30 commands in 13 verses. He said we cannot obey these without the help of God. We cannot love one another until we experience the love of God. 

3. He said he was abused by his father. His father told him it was love, but it was not love. 

4. He invited students to stay and pray and experience God the Father's real love.

5. He did not raise his voice or play on the students' emotions. He read the Word. He preached the Word. He reminded the students of our need for God's love. I sensed conviction of sin due to a lack of love for God and others. I also sensed that those who had been abused were ready to come forward.

What do I think? I think that as long as these students keep themselves in the love of God, repent of sin, and experience healing from past abuse, God will be honored and glorified and these students will bear spiritual fruit. Hallelujah! 

But there will be those who try to manufacture, market, and mimic this revival and they will lose any spiritual reward -- choosing man's reward instead. 

Jesus said, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven." - Matthew 6:1 (NIV)

Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, that when we give, pray, and fast we should do it secretly so God will reward us.

My prayer is that this revival at Asbury and the other campuses will be kept "secret" in the sense that it is a deeply personal repentance and reception of God's love, forgiveness, salvation, and healing.

I pray all of us will be revived in prayer by knowing and enjoying the goodness and kindness of God our Father.  

Pastor Roger

For more on this story:

A Call to Prayer for a Mighty Move of God (cmalliance.org)