Jeremy has been at Asbury University doing interviews and broadcasts daily. For almost 3 decades years he has helped catalyze united prayer and mission among college students. Over a year ago he and his colleagues felt called to host the Collegiate Day of Prayer broadcast from Asbury on Thursday of this week. God knew ahead of time His plans. No man/woman planned this.
Here are his 8 observations as you process this historic Asbury revival.
(1. This is genuine. God is touching the lives of tons of students and others across the US.
(2. It is Christ centered. All the talk and worship is centered on Jesus.
(3. God is using the student and adult leadership at Asbury because they don’t get in the way. They have sought to be in the background and remain humble to keep God as the main focus. Although tons of very well known leaders have visited during this time, the Asbury leadership has kept it led by students.
(4. The first three days before people started showing up from across the world, God did a deep work of repentance in house among students at Asbury. Most of the local people have seen themselves since then as hosts to the world to share what God is doing with everyone else. They are humbly hosting and serving tens of thousands who have come from across the US to visit their little town.
(5. There have been two lines for entry. One is a fast track line for younger people, 25 and under. The other is for everyone else. I have interviewed people in both lines. Yesterday in the youth line I didn’t find anyone from Asbury (they are inside hosting). I found students from high schools and colleges across the United States. People have waited for 4 or more hours to get inside or into one of the extension venues around campus.
(6. God desires to turn this renewed vision of Himself into practical faith steps that involve risk to bring His kingdom in word and deed to all aspects of our culture. This requires God centered courage (like David, Esther and Joseph) for followers of Christ. It would be a concerning thing if we, as the Church, just absorb this gift personally without taking real life actions as a result.
(7. God is moving. Engage in faith with the world around you. God put you here for a reason. Any action you take will require risk or challenge your comfort if you are acting contrary to the general direction of the world. The notion that we can live Christ centered lives and be fully accepted by the world by just blending in isn’t biblical.
(8. God desires a complete restructuring of what it means to ‘do church’ and ‘be church.’ He is seeking a second reformation where the full meaning of the ‘priesthood of every believer’ is lived out. Every believer should be an active participant in our gatherings. Worship services should allow for everyone to actively participate rather than just a select few from the front. This means small is big. Think millions of groups of 10 to 20 rather than the center of our church expressions being auditoriums of ‘audiences.’