Does Asbury mean anything for us?
Friend,
Four Asbury University students and David Thomas, a local Methodist pastor, shared with the Leadership Conference what they experienced and what God did in the two weeks at Hughes Auditorium.
They were then joined by a few pastors from London who travelled to Kentucky to see this phenomenon for themselves. It’s important to note that the Church in London caught some of the Toronto Blessing in the mid 1990’s by visiting and coming back believing God for more. Al Gordon was one of those pastors who remembers the Toronto Blessing and shared that he couldn’t get past his own rental car in Kentucky before the spirit of conviction came upon him and he had to purify his heart before he approached Hughes Auditorium where the awakening was happening on campus. It is said that the Toronto Blessing was a transferrable anointing as it spread to other countries. Maybe you think this is a bit mystical and a bunch of hype.
I’ve lived long enough to know I want more of Jesus and more of His Spirit and His love and this comes after we confess and repent of our sins. If I can learn how others are experiencing this and can ask God to come and move among us like He did at Asbury or Toronto, I’m in! We spent time at Al’s church in Hackney, outside of London and we joined his worship team and bowed our heads and called on the Name of the Lord and we could sense God’s presence among us and I want this in our church and city.
For God to bring revival to San Francisco? YES! Please Jesus and in my lifetime!
But back to the students and David Thomas - This all happened among Gen Z. The faculty created the space for the students to humbly want more. There was no green room, but a consecration room. Anyone who served or led or spoke spent time in the consecration room. Jesus had Hughes Auditorium. There was no flesh in the room. It was His throne room. “We found we couldn’t mess it up this way. A posture of willingness. A posture of lingering. A posture of simplicity.” Community came under God’s presence.
Why do we rush Sunday services? Why do we stick to the script? Has it become duty and tradition? I was convicted.
“Blink and you’ll miss it. Sit and you’ll hear it.”
David Thomas left his story at that. I could tell these students had experienced the Lord and their lives forever changed. I pray they lead us well into the future.
I was definitely blessed by their testimony and moved enough to say Jesus bring revival to San Francisco. I believe God has not given up on the Now Generation that fills our schools today. Will you say a prayer for the young people around you today?
Jesus, move in this generation. Use me to encourage them,
Shauna