Week 22: Revive Us Again
Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?
Psalm 85:6
Have you ever been privy to a revival? Before you answer that you may want to think about the meaning of revival. When I was young our church had “revivals” yearly. A nice person would come and preach, and we may have had some powdered blue suits sing specials. To my knowledge, revival was nothing more than a scheduled religious meeting. I changed my understanding after I heard a three part series from Erwin Lutzer (former pastor of Moody Church, Chicago) on the American Great Awakenings. Until that moment I had no idea that three times in American history God brought revival, not locally, but nationally. The media of the day carried the stories that preserved the impact.
Today we are seeing the Asbury revival on social media, news media, and church media. What started February 8th on a college campus is now so widespread that, in the words of Fox News Correspondent Tucker Carlson, if you have no idea what we’re talking about, then you must be hiding under a rock. Everyday well-meaning Christians send me things thinking I must not know what’s happening. I very much know, and I am tempted to drive up there to see for myself, but the city has announced it is overwhelmed. They plead now for people not to come. All of this makes me wonder what would happen if such a revival broke out on our campus? Like all things, it would have its benefactors and detractors. It’s worth talking about the subject. We should pray what the Psalmist prayed, “Will you not revive us again?” We should also expectantly hope that if God moves in our nation, and starts with students (as he has done in Kentucky), it may trickle to us. Taking the famed Jonathan Edwards (of the first American Great Awakening) words from his book, Religious Affections, and some historical points from Collin Hansen’s book, A God-Sized Vision: Revival Stories that Stretch and Stir, there are some things that we should consider.
First, revival will break our plans. If God decided to move on us, as He has on other campuses, then our sports schedules, tests, projects and a host of other plans would become interrupted. So many say they want to see a movement of God. We lament that the collective church today is somewhat apathetic. You hear it all the time, “We all need to be the hands and feet of Jesus…” and on it goes. There are always the church criers. The problem is that many of us in the church (and school) fear what might happen if God actually showed up. He’d break our plans. Since most of us, and I include myself, don’t want that…we don’t get that. If God moved at Northpoint, then so many of us would have to get out of the way. Can we do that? Will we do that? Years ago on a college campus in Conway, Arkansas God moved mightily. The students had a chapel service much like what you see at Asbury. The then president of the college was a businessman, and not much on the emotional side. When the revival broke into the regularly scheduled programming of the campus, it led the college president to take issue with the campus dean. “You really should have told me that you had one of these revivals scheduled” was the subject of the meeting. The point missed by this dear man was that God doesn’t tell you when there’s a spontaneous movement of the Holy Spirit. If revival comes, then expect your regularly scheduled programming to be interrupted.
Second, revival will be uncomfortable. From all that I have read and the little that I have seen I can say that revival can become a place of confession and repentance. Since we usually only talk about both, we often don’t see revival. To be honest, this is the part that scares me the most. Confession can turn into a lot of things. I once saw a student at SBEC stand up in a chapel service and confess a secret sin. He never lived it down. He was coached to do it by one of those powered blue suit guys that whisked in. The whole thing was tacky to say the least. Because I’ve seen confession done wrong I fear if it could be done correctly. Regardless, confession of sin and seeking restoration is a hallmark of true revival. If God did break out on our campus we would see people going to one another. We would see some things come to light. We might even see some book burnings (figuratively speaking - see Acts 19:18-20 for a better reference). Could we handle what would come? It’s worth asking!
Third, revival will bring detractors. Satan always has his copies. You read in Revelation 7 how God will mark (or seal) his saints in the Great Tribulation period. What then do you read a few chapters later? Satan does the same thing. He offers a mark to seal his servants. We all talk about the Mark of the Beast, but seldom do we know anything about the Mark of God prior. Satan always copies the movement of God. The same thing was done in Pharaoh's court. Moses offered some sign, and the magicians of Pharaoh copied it. That is how Satan has always worked. He never has the original idea. We will start to see this at Asbury very soon. Some idea, teaching, group, or denomination will come out of the movement if it persists. Satan will seek to copy it and distort it. During the Second Great Awakening in the United States many of our present day cults were started. If you trace them back you will find they came out of that Great Awakening that began from a New York businessman’s prayer lunches. God did amazing things beginning with the prayer lunches, but Satan was there as well. We have to be prepared for the spiritual battles that follow great movements of God.
Finally, real revival has lasting fruit. This is what is yet to be determined in Kentucky. I do believe that God is moving at Asbury, and I pray that He moves here. What we will want to look for is the fruit that comes. How will churches change? How will families be impacted? How will schools become more God-focused? If all that ever happens is emotional singing services, then it wasn’t real revival. It has to have an impact beyond the worship service. A friend of mine commented in tears that this revival has at least shown one thing: “America is hungry for God.” The evidence of that is how thousands are descending on Asbury just to be near the event. We are seeing others break out in various areas. I heard this Sunday that even a church in Arkansas stayed from 9:00 am until night experiencing a movement of God. If Arkansas Baptists stay past lunch, then God must be doing something. If nothing else, this shows our nation that there are still a few good men left in the proverbial Sodom (see Genesis 18:29). I pray that God does send a Holy Spirit movement that causes men to go back to their families, wives to repent of secret sins, Christians to forsake their idols of sports, money, and pride. I pray it causes our school (and church) to seriously focus on God. Scary but wonderful hopes to say the least.
What about you? What do you think is happening on campuses? Will it come here, or in the words of one of the Eliff pastors (Jim, Bill, or Tom…I can’t remember which) are we designed to rebuff revivals? I certainly pray not!
Discussion Questions:
Have you experienced a true revival? What was the outcome?
Why would we need (or want) revival on our campus?
Of the points expressed in this article, which is most relevant to our situation?
