The 2023 Asbury Revival! Here Are Some Things To Consider!

Asbury University, a Christian university in Kentucky, has recently become the centre of attention. Many are claiming, revival is taking place on campus. While some are sceptical about reports, others believe God is moving powerfully. In this article, I will discuss what is happening at Asbury University and what you can learn from it.

I want to give my thoughts on Asbury. Then I want to discuss a passage of scripture. I then will discuss some tweets, and then end with an action step (regardless of how you view what’s happening). I will leave the video I made about this below, if you prefer to watch.

My Initial Thoughts on the 2023 Asbury Revival!

Many are expressing support, while others are sceptical. I purposely did not watch reviews or read articles before speaking on this. I did not want to be negatively influenced. But from the very beginning, I knew some Christians would not like what was happening at all.

I saw a few days back a couple of clips online of the worship service. And people saying revival was happening.

Before we go deeper, it is essential to you do not hastily make judgments. As the wise Proverb I meditate on regularly says…“He that answers a matter before he hears it, it’s folly and shame unto him”. We should not judge the situation without getting all the information (or at least substantial information). I hope this is genuine as all Christians should. But I always try to tie things back to the Word. It’s a way to avoid being led astray.

Asbury Revival…What is Happening?

The reports about the revival at Asbury University have been shared on social media, with many people sharing videos of students worshiping together and singing songs of praise. There are even videos about miraculous healings This has been going on for days.

When I initially saw the clips, it reminded me of a passage in Revelation. Some no doubt will dismiss these reports as mere emotion. But it is worth noting…corporate worship is powerful, and can be a manifestation of God’s presence.

Revelation Chapter 5: A Biblical Perspective

When I saw people worshiping and praising God, I was reminded of Revelation chapter 5, where the Apostle John (the disciple of Jesus) saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?“This is the question that should permeate the atmosphere in Asbury, just like it should in your life.

As Christians, we all have a problem, because we are all sinful and have fallen short. The question that God asks us is, “Who is worthy?” Who can pay the debt and cover our sins? The next verse magnifies the problem. John searched and found…

NO ONE IS RIGHTEOUS! NO ONE IS WORTHY!No One but Christ Jesus. And this is important because apart from Jesus we are all fallen. Knowing this should cause us to rejoice, and worship God’s Holy name. This is what John saw the elders and angels in heaven do.We will all rejoice. And worship the one sitting on the throne, and the Lamb. The key verse what’s happening in Asbury reminded me of was verse 13. Whether what’s happening in Kentucky is for the Lord or not, it was to me just a foreshadow of what is to come. We will all bow and worship the king of Kings.

John says “And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the Earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, blessing and honour, and glory, and power, unto him that sits on the throne, and unto the lamb for ever and ever”

The Tweet About Asbury!

Yesterday I opened Twitter and the first tweet I saw was a tweet I think can really help pivot to where I want to go for the action step.

I only know Dr Shenvi from a live stream with Pastor Mike Winger a few years back. I’ve seen a couple tweets here and there. But this in no way is to condemn him, or speak ill will about him. It just happened to be the first tweet I saw when I opened Twitter and went to the top of my timeline.

He’s asking this question “How can so many people just fly over to Asbury for a few days? Don’t they have jobs? Family obligations? Cats to feed? Help me understand.

Because I am so unfamiliar with him, I don’t know if he’s being serious, or just trying to spark conversation on the topic. I don’t know his theological leanings. As I read through some of the the thread one of the comments stood out to me.

I thought it was powerful. And highlights the problem. Shout out to Victoria for this tweet. She says “people fly to see football games and spend thousands on apparel, seats, food, Ubers Etc. To be in the presence of God without showmanship, celebrity pastors, flashing lights, fog machines, some might see that as worth it. Must have been some chirps of this sort in JC’s [Jesus Christ’s] time 2”

Thinking about this response, this is the problem with so many of us today in Christianity. I spoke about this recently when speaking about the NBA.

If Dr Neil Shenvi is seriously asking those questions, those are reasonable questions. But at the same time, so many people do this stuff on a day-to-day basis like the tweet suggests. They’ll take days off work, spend money on all these different things. But when it comes to the Gospel, and things of God, all of a sudden we want to slow down and say “Oh should we be doing this? Should we not be doing this?” And that’s why the response tweet stood out to me so heavily

Lessons We Can Learn from the Apparent Asbury Revival!

Firstly, don’t be too quick to judge others without getting the facts. You should be patient and discerning, especially with spiritual matters. You should not be too quick to label something as either Godly or ungodly without thoroughly examining it.

Secondly, Recognize corporate worship is powerful when done correctly. When you come together to worship God, you can create a space for the Holy Spirit to move, and you are inviting God’s presence into your lives. Never underestimate the power of corporate worship, and you should be participating in it regularly in your local fellowship.

Lastly, we are all sinful and have fallen short of God’s glory. We should seek to live a life of worship to God in our words and actions. And it should be pleasing to God and honour His name.

Final Thoughts on the 2023 Asbury Revival!

The reported revival at Asbury University has sparked a lot of discussions and debates among Christians. I did not go, nor have plans to go. All I can say is, I hope it is genuine. But regardless, like I’ve shown you today. You can learn lessons from every situation. God bless.

If you prefer to watch the video, you can watch it here now.