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From the Hearts of Stone album [1978]

With all of the talk of a potential revival sweeping the nation right now, I think it’s a good time to discuss the difference between “the fire of spiritual revival” and “the whisper of daily obedience.”While we all want to see a spiritual awakening sweep the nation and the world, we must recognize that God’s normal work is in the steady obedience of his fully committed remnant.There’s nobody who knew this better than Elijah. He learned the lesson toward the end of his prophetic ministry, and the process of it was painful.The showdownWhen we catch his story in 1 Kings...

As a church historian, it has been interesting to see how Christians have responded to the recently concluded revival at Asbury University. Some people thanked God for the outpouring of His spirit, while others cautiously encouraged the revival but warned that only time will tell if this bears fruit.Then there are the naysayers. The charges leveled against this revival ranged from not teaching repentance of Asbury’s egalitarian position to delegitimizing its value because there is not an overt antiracist message. There were also the typical charges of emotionalism and lack of preaching. This is not surprising. Jonathan Edwards wrote several...

Is Asbury a True Revival? Originally written over 6 years ago, I felt compelled to bring this article out once again. The deception and heretical movements of these end times are so far from the truth of the Word of God, it makes a person wonder how the followers can be so deceived and gullible. But wonder as we may, Jesus did warn about the coming deception: “And Jesus answered and said to them: ‘Take heed that no one deceives you'” (Matthew 24:4). “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it....

— 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...

I present this for your consideration. I am still trying to digest this new information myself but thought those of you who have been following this revival might be interested.This podcaster's point is quite simple and that is that several student groups who played important leadership roles at the Asbury revival self-identify as LGBTQ. He makes his argument for these conclusions. The "self-identification" as gay is the problem. They're not identifying as formerly gay people who have repented, but as a group of (currently?) gay people. This podcaster accuses these gay groups of trying to insinuate themselves into the revival...

For the first time in CDOP history, every college campus has been adopted in prayer BEFORE the appointed day. But we can’t stop there. Even though every campus has been adopted, we want to saturate every single campus in America with prayer. We want to see this Generation raised up in revival and awakening.

Summary: 1 Thess 5:19-21 -- Do not quench the Spirit, but test all things. Here are the eight questions: 1. Asbury has seen 8 revivals since 1890: Why is this college being picked by the Holy Spirit? 2. Asbury is part of the Wesleyan Holiness movement; they are orthodox believers but tend to deemphasize sin, judgment, wrath, and repentance: which are necessary for biblical revival. The Gospel has to be the centerpiece-- but its not apparent. 3. Who is endorsing this revival? Todd Bentley, Sean Feucht, Shane Claiborne. 4. Other Christian colleges are reporting similar revivals. Why not the secular...

“While the Church of England is busy rejoicing in Anglicanism’s latest embrace of the culture and the music industry celebrates Satan, God is busy fulfilling a long-ago uttered promise about the perseverance of the Church — revival has broken out at Asbury University,” writes Mary Ann Mueller, a regular contributor to VOL.The revival is getting worldwide attention. People are dropping everything and flying to Wilmore, Kentucky from all points of the globe including the Philippines, Singapore, Canada, New Zealand, Brazil, and Indonesia.

Asbury University is named after Methodist leader Francis Asbury (1745-1816), who was only 26 when he came to evangelize the American colonies. He became a leader of the 2nd Great Awakening. It’s estimated that he traveled 270,000 miles on horseback preaching and planting Methodist churches. But circuit-riding wasn’t glamorous; prior to 1847 more than half of Methodist circuit riders died before the age of 30 because of animal attacks, exposure to bad weather and the hardships of travel. Their sacrifice was a seed that died in the ground and produced a massive spiritual harvest. Francis Asbury’s life was marked by...

I have a few random thoughts on the apparent outpouring of the Holy Spirit presently in Asbury University. First of all, I'm kind of a indirect child of the 1970 revival in Asbury. I was attending a sister evangelical college in the early 1970's and an Asbury professor came to our chapel to speak. After the chapel numerous students stayed after the chapel was over. This may be subjective but the power of God seemed to descend upon the campus. I would almost describe it as a burning fire with an awesome almost fearful presence. This was accompanied by extreme...

I’ve been to more “revivals” than I can count. I grew up in churches where “revivals” were the norm, not the exception.I actually became a Christian during a “revival” at a youth retreat. After a weekend of preaching, “prophecies”, prayers, and “casting out demons”, most of the people at the youth retreat accepted the altar call, repeated the sinner’s prayer, and made professions of faith in Christ.Within weeks, however, the vast majority of the people who professed faith in Christ had returned to unrepentant sin. So I’ve seen firsthand how emphasis on “revivals” instead of repentance harm so many.It’s with...

It may have seemed at first like any other chapel service at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky last Wednesday, but that normalcy didn't last long, as after a message from Romans 12 about 'love in action,' God's Holy Spirit fell in such a way that students in Hughes Auditorium wanted more. They stayed to worship, they stayed to pray, and to just soak in the Presence of Jesus. They're still there, and now many more have joined them, as word of revival has broken out...

A private university in Kentucky is the latest Christian school to draw criticism for adhering to biblical sexual ethics. Asbury University – like so many others in Christian academia – is being hard-pressed by the culture to adopt pro-LGBTQ doctrine. Ever since Asbury University reportedly declined to renew the contract of two "LGBTQ-affirming" educators – professor Jon Roller, founder of the school's Worship Arts Program; and assistant professor of music education and voice Jill Campbell – it has been under major scrutiny. "Jon was told in his tenure meeting, 'You do not belong here,'" worship leader Derek Chilton – who...

In an open letter to the faculty, administrators, students, and alumni at Asbury Theological Seminary, a group of 70 current and former students attacked the seminary for its support of the United Methodist Church’s Traditional Plan at General Conference 2019. Asbury is an independent evangelical seminary outside Lexington, Kentucky with 1800 current students that teaches Wesleyan beliefs. It graduates more United Methodist clergy than does any official United Methodist seminary and is one of America’s largest seminaries. Among the letter signers, and possibly its organizer, is Bill Mefford, who left the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society after...

300,000 miles on horseback -Francis Asbury, Circuit Riding Preacher "one of the builders of our nation" The King of England was the head of the Anglican Church from the time of Henry VIII. Beginning in 1535, all English subjects, including those in English colonies, were required to the Oath of Supremacy: "I (state your name) do utterly testify and declare in my Conscience, that the King's Highness is the only Supreme Governor of this Realm ... in all Spiritual or Eclesiastical things ... So help me God." For most of England's history from 1535 to 1829, not to take the...

Seminary removes flags from cafeteria WILMORE LEADERSHIP WANTS TO AVOID 'SIGN OF CONQUEST' By Greg Kocher CENTRAL KENTUCKY BUREAU WILMORE - Flags are just symbols, but in these days of war they are potent, emotionally charged symbols -- as Asbury Theological Seminary can attest. American flags line downtown Wilmore, where the largest single employer is a state-run veterans' nursing home. But when American flags were put on cafeteria tables at the interdenominational seminary, administrators asked that they be removed because "God's people do not wave flags as the sign of conquest." Later, large flags owned by the seminary representing some...

(WILMORE, Ky., March 28th, 2003, 1 p.m.) -- American flags were removed from cafeteria tables at a theological seminary because officials said "God's people do not wave flags as a sign of conquest."