'Critics' of revival are already dismissing "Asbury Revival 2023"

Something has been happening at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky. It is being called "Asbury Revival 2023". It started at the end of a chapel service on Wednesday, February 8th. Students began to repent and for more than a week now (as of February 15th) meetings have continued. People have been coming and it is spreading to other campuses. (a similar thing happened in 1970 at Asbury that ended up having a worldwide impact!)

Many Christian voices are excited about what is happening - believing this to be an answer to prayer for God to move in our nation, to send revival. 

And yet...there are already critics. (I'm sure even from Day 1!) 

Mind you, these 'critics' haven't even visited Asbury. They almost certainly will not visit either. But the critics of revival have already started to dismiss what is happening in Kentucky. They've watched a few videos that have been posted online (and have gone viral). They've heard a few of the students' testimonies, and they've already determined that this is somehow "counterfeit" and has nothing to do with a move of God and/or revival. 

Don't get me wrong - moves of God are messy and in the midst of anything God does are people. So, there will undoubtedly be excesses, mistakes made, flesh mixed in, etc. I'm sure these critics will highlight and trumpet any of those things loudly for all to hear.

The irony, maybe the irony of ironies, is that there were critics back during the days of Jonathan Edwards and the 1st Great Awakening and the descendants of those 18th-century critics of revival actually celebrate Edwards' ministry today! Many of those early critics were from the same theological background as most of today's critics of Asbury (largely Reformed and Cessationist). How ironic it is that these Reformed/Cessationist critics today love Jonathan Edwards and acknowledge the move of God during the 1st Great Awakening in the 1730s-40s while their ancestors deemed it "counterfeit"! I guess once something is 300 years old it becomes safe to no longer consider it heretical!

This current 'revival' at Asbury actually is quite mellow so far, and it is far more of an Evangelical phenomenon than a Charismatic one. The focus is not on miracles and/or the manifestations that are so often associated with revival/renewal meetings in Charismatic circles. The clear central focus/theme of it has been repentance. There has been prolonged worship, confession of sin and people openly repenting. There has been the rededication of people's lives to the Lord. It has not been overly emotional and/or dramatic when compared to many other revivals.

I know enough about the 1st Great Awakening and Jonathan Edwards to know that these current "quick critics" would have rejected what happened during the 1st Great Awakening. The manifestations (weeping, shaking/trembling, falling down, and other emotional outbursts) that happened in the 1700s were well-documented and widespread. Jonathan Edwards even wrote a treatise entitled, A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections: Pathways To The Past, to defend the charges of his critics in those days. The same critics today who love Edwards would do well to go back and re-read that work. I believe they'd be far less critical of what is happening currently if they did.

And I will supply my "hunch" as to the main motivation of many of the Reformed/Cessationist critics today. This move of God is happening at an institution, Asbury University, that is not in the same Reformed theological tradition as they are. One reason they accept Jonathan Edwards as an example of an "acceptable" revivalist was that Edwards was a staunch Reformed Calvinist and a Cessationist. Asbury University is Wesleyan which for one thing means they are non-Calvinistic. They would also be open to the gifts of the Holy Spirit that Cessationists believe have "ceased" to exist.

I am aware that there are already other critics beyond the Reformed ones of this revival as well - I heard one 'King James Only' Baptist Pastor who rejected what was going on for quite different reasons than the Reformed/Cessationist critics. Similarly, his rejection was because it wasn't happening according to his theological convictions but was happening outside of his camp. Other critics will surely begin to appear from both within and outside of the Church. 

My exhortation to any critic is to go and see for yourself before you sit behind your keyboard and dismiss what you really don't know anything about. These critics need a fresh encounter with God; to humble themselves and dare to believe that God just might be working outside of their theological camp. May they realize that they just might be like those Paul condemns as having "a form of Godliness but are denying the power thereof" (1 Timothy 3:5).

In closing, I must admit that I have only watched a few videos and heard a few reports. I haven't been to visit and most likely won't be making the trip (I'm in California). But when students are gathering to seek God, to repent of their sin, to dedicate (re-dedicate) their lives to Christ, and to worship God for hours and hours, I am going to conclude that this is God at work! This is something He is doing. (Did I mention the incredible diversity - that this is multiracial, intergenerational, and from all socioeconomic backgrounds?). If someone cannot see that this is a God-sent phenomenon, they cannot see! Thankfully, Jesus is in the business of healing those who are blind, even those who are blind to what He is doing at Asbury University! Jesus will end up delivering many of their critical spirits if they allow Him to do so!

Note: I am using the word 'revival' because many are calling it that. I think that a real revival bears long-term and widespread fruit and so, it is premature to call this a true revival yet. 

BUT God is working, ABSOLUTELY! People are being renewed, being convicted of sin and repenting, and even unbelievers are committing their lives to Christ as the Gospel is also being preached. I pray this move of God continues and spreads. And that it truly does lead to revival in our nation as we most definitely need it! 

May the impact of Asbury Revival 2023 far exceed what happened in 1970. May God keep it pure. May those who are stewarding it be led by the Holy Spirit. May God use the criticism and negative reports to draw even more people to Asbury and/or offshoot meetings in other places who might go for all the wrong reasons and end up meeting the Author of Life Himself. 

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