Posted on 02/25/2023 10:02:05 AM PST by Twotone
— I went to the Asbury University Awakening movement and interviewed students for three days to do a journalistic deep dive on what we can learn from this youth phenomenon. When you witness tens of thousands of young people from all over America hold a non-stop event (sometimes all night) for two weeks, it calls for our attention. What I found greatly inspired me and filled me with pride for America’s younger generation.
Quick history of awakening movements and their impact on America
America has experienced religious awakening movements in the past. The first two so-called Great Awakenings created a burst of patriotism, national identity, and liberty that helped play a role in launching the Revolutionary War.
Another similar religious movement gave birth to the abolition of slavery.
Yet, another awakening movement led to the national prohibition of alcohol with the 18th Amendment (later repealed in 1933).
All people of both religious and secular philosophies should pay close attention to religious awakening movements to see what is happening, where it may go and what issues they may spark. The Asbury movement has already caught fire among eight college campuses.
What started the Asbury awakening.
The Asbury University awakening movement started during a routine 10 a.m. mandatory student chapel service. The sermon was given by a soccer coach who found himself unprepared, so he took the opportunity to speak unscripted from the heart on very personal, painful, and honest matters. He ended by asking people who were hurting to remain after the service for prayer. Nineteen students stayed. They began to share their struggles with each other, pray, and sing together. It was so powerful they couldn’t stop. They continued to pray and sing all afternoon. Soon, word spread on campus, and people flooded to the chapel...
(Excerpt) Read more at oregoncatalyst.com ...
Should research the Asbury Rivival.
“I want to be myself all the way through,” a Black student who drove from Tennessee said to me.
Hardly sounds like a Biblical revival. Sounds more like the same self-absorbed hyper individualism, with a patina of faith, but untouched by the Holy Spirit.
Most Americans are unaware that a spiritual awakening led hundreds of American missionaries to go to China in the first three decades of the nineteenth century. They were the pathfinders for a stream of missionaries that followed.
Here, too. I feel it's the best thing I've ever done. The future is theirs, and they'll find their way in it, just as we did in our day, and our parents before us.
I find it interesting that most mainline churches are not aware of what happened at Asbury. 20 or so students seeking God allowed God to send an outpouring that blessed tens of thousands. I love to see some of the religious critics downplay the movement of God just like they did in Jesus’ time. Some will fall on good seed and the Kingdom of God will be enlarged. Others will wither away like many previous events. I watched this every day and I saw repentance, salvation and continuous praise. What’s not to like about that? I’m now praying for revival in my church!
Apparently, some of the students don’t want to let it end.
This new movement will not come from the woke churches or the with in Right On Hippie versions of the Mainstream churched—More Baptist, grass roots Old Time Religion—no interest in the new wave stuff. Old Four Square Gospel will be the watch word.
Pew Research
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