Did I Miss It? - Stephen Jordan

 In August of 1969, my father got on his 1950 Harley Davidson Panhead in Falls Church, Virginia, and headed north. He was headed to New York for a concert. Jimi Hendricks, Janis Joplin, The Who and basically every great artists of that era would be performing. As he crossed into Pennsylvania, the rattling old retired D.C. police motorcycle got the better of him. His body sore and beaten he turned back south towards home. He missed Woodstock. Almost everyone in my father’s generation has a Woodstock story, and most of them tell how they missed it - the most iconic event of that decade. 

In February of 2023, the news began to spread that the Spirit was doing something at Asbury University. A chapel speaker called the students to think on Romans 12:8-21. The focus of his talk was to love one another. After the end of chapel, some students hung around, and within a short time the place was packed and classes were cancelled. For the last 12 days the chapel has been filled with people singing, praying, and confessing. But this experience is not limited to the students of Asbury. Many people have made pilgrimages to Kentucky to experience this “Asbury Revival.” National news outlets have even picked up the story.  A few days ago, the administration began working towards moving events outside and predictions of the revival coming to a close have been made. Did you miss it?

Revivals have been part of American cultural phenomena since the beginning of this country. They are often accompanied by strong opinions and judgments on all sides of the argument. When the Brownsville Revival exploded in the summer of 1995, some condemned it as fraud while others headed south to get the fire back into their walks with the Lord. The Bible answer man, Hank Hanegraaff even wrote a book called “Counterfeit Revival” about the events. He was glad he missed it. Yet, American Christianity remains fascinated with this subject to the point that countless works have been written regarding revival.  One of the best treatments was published by the Banner of Truth Trust called “Revival & Revivalism: The Making and Marring of American Evangelicalism 1750 - 1858” by Ian Murray. It is commended to the reader. 

Revivals as renewed religious interest are part of the ebb and flow of the covenant people. History is replete with reformations and revivals, both large and small. We can even find them in God’s Word. One of my personal favorites is the story of Josiah’s revival. In all of these stories, one thing is profoundly clear; Christians dream of revival. 

Today, the “Asbury Revival” is said to be coming to a close. Did you miss it? Are you glad you missed? Some have said that they would like to go because, like Woodstock, they don’t want to miss it. Others have said that this is all emotionalism and has little or nothing to do with Christ. Some have been more measured and hopeful that this will do great things for the kingdom of Christ but hold onto a little bit of skepticism. Some wanted to go to see if they can be healed of some terrible ailment. Some have accused Asbury of being addicted to these “revivals” and created them out of whole cloth. They point out that Asbury sees these events as their ethos and puts claims on this happening often (1905, 1908, 1921, 1950, 1958, 1970, 1992, and 2006). Questions run deep concerning how the gospel is being shared, if the true gospel is being shared, if this is emotionalism, how often is God’s Word expounded versus how much music is being sung versus prayer being prayed. Fair questions can be raised why these events seem to happen mainly on college campuses and not often in God’s visible kingdom, the church. Frankly, it would be difficult to get adults with responsibilities to set aside 12 days of 24/7 singing, praying, and confession. It is also interesting that these events eventually get moved outside and quickly fizzle out. But the big question remains, did you miss the most important revival of our lifetime or were you one of the lucky few that got to stand in that chapel? 

No, you did not miss the most important event of our lifetime by missing the 2023 Asbury Revival any more than those attending were able to be part of the most important event of our lifetime. The most important event of your life is happening today. For today, you live in a culture that is rotting and hopelessly lost. You are surrounded by churches who compromise the truth of God’s Word hoping to remove its potency for the sake of full pews. We desperately need revival and reformation in our lands. We ought to seek these things on a macro and micro level. 

Revivalism has been criticized and defended since its inception. Many Calvinists feel that the nature of these revivals cheapened grace. The Reverend Baird once said that the plan of revivals was “to make regeneration so easy that men may not be discouraged from attempting it” (Murray, 1994, p. 365). Is this what is happening at the Asbury Revival? I do not know and have far too much going on in my life to find out. Is it too strong to say, “I don’t know and I don’t care”? Perhaps. What I know is that the American gospel is gospel light. It is less filling and tastes great. Give Jesus a try, Come forward and pray this prayer. Yet, the gospel of Christ Jesus costs everything. The Christian life is not an easy life. It is taking up your cross, denying yourself and following a Savior who drank the wrath cup down to the dregs because the Father placed it before Him. He lived a life rejected by his own family, with no place to lay His head. He was nailed to a cross and suffered an unimaginable humiliation. He is our revival. He is our vivification. 

While the world searches for salvation outside of Christ, let us call out into the darkness that the only source for true salvation comes through Christ alone. Let us tell people to count the cost of being His follower. Our allies are those who share this message. We have a tremendous task in walking with the Lord. Seeking discernment is vital as we walk. The Christian life is an attempt at balance. On one hand, we must not fall into the same failings as the disciples who tried to stop strangers from invoking the name of Christ (Mark 9:38-41). On the other hand, we are called to test all spirits (1 John 4). If we wish to evaluate anything, like the Asbury Revival, we must hold these truths in tension. In all things, the difficult and simplistic gospel ought to be preached. We do not have a new answer to the old question “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”. The answer remains: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 

What is left for us in these evil days is to pursue revival first and foremost in our own lives, in our own homes, in our own persons. True revival and reformation is born out of daily walking with the Lord. Let us fall in love with the Word of God. Let us love the law of God, not because law keeping can garner favor but because we live in the favor of the Lord. Let us go out in the highways and byways sharing the gospel. Let us seek the fellowship, teaching, worship, evangelism and acts of mercy within His visible covenant community. Let us find the means of grace (prayer, Word, and sacraments) as our only comfort in this weary world. For after these days of tribulation, He will return in the clouds and we will all be there. No one will be left behind, no one will miss it. That will be the last and most true revival of them all. 

Murray, I. H. (1994). Revival and revivalism: The making and marring of American evangelicalism 1750-1858. Banner of Truth Trust.