The “Asbury Awakening” In America

Photo Credits: Holly Abernathy @6qCreative

By Holly Abernathy [Special to The Tennessee Conservative] –

No fists clenched in rage, only hands lifted in worship. No deadly division, only inexplicable unity. No hatred and blame, only introspection and repentance, and requests for forgiveness. No bodies on the ground, bruised and beaten into submission, only those willingly surrendered, sometimes face-down on the floor, before God. No children on metaphoric sacrificial altars, only those wrapped in loving arms of mothers and fathers, on their knees at literal wooden altars, in seeking and submission, prayed for by strangers. Nothing on fire, only human hearts burning with a desire for something else, something more. 

This is some of what has been going on at Asbury University in Kentucky for almost two weeks.

In a statement released from Asbury University’s President, Kevin J. Brown, it all started on February 8, 2023 at the completion of a regularly scheduled chapel service when “students lingered to pray, worship, and share. They have not stopped and, moreover, have been joined far and wide by hungry men and women across the world who desire to seek the Lord in this space.”

His statement continues, affirming that “since the first day, there have been countless expressions and demonstrations of radical humility, compassion, confession, consecration, and surrender unto the Lord. We are witnessing the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

Some are calling it a “nonstop revival” or “spiritual awakening,” a GenZ revival movement, and a “nonstop Kentucky prayer revival,” others are saying it is “Jesus on the move in America.”

Naturally, there are critics of the movement who serve as another reminder of the culture wars currently dividing the nation. A gentleman from Ethiopia asks if this will ”’help your country?”

‘People in my country – hungry for Holy Spirit, too. They watching all the reports, everything!” he exclaims in broken English as he livestreams the screen on the lawn and people in line.

Whatever is happening in this small Kentucky town in the southern region of America is definitely not political; it is spiritual. The eyes of the nation are on Asbury, and whatever you want to call it, it seems to be spreading.

Christ in the Midst of Chaos

It’s the weekend. Cars are haphazardly parked on grassy knolls as far as the eye can see. Lines of people are long and wrap around the Asbury campus for blocks. Hoods, hats, and blankets adorn bodies of all ages and ethnicities. Expectancy is in the winter air; there is a sense that people are looking for something and they are willing to wait until they find it – uncomfortably – no matter how long it takes.

“You can serve Jesus in the courtyard, too! Jesus is everywhere!” kindly yells an Asbury staff member as he walks the line. “You’ll be standing in this line for 5-7 hours if you stay here. Jesus is in the courtyard, too! You can go serve Him there!” A few go toward where he points, but most hold their place in the long line that will eventually end at Hughes Auditorium on Asbury’s campus.

Many hours later, an exhausted staff member directing “people traffic” into the entrance of an overflow chapel quietly and emotionally breaks down. “I can’t do it. I can’t do it by myself.” Another staff member supportively steps to her side and whispers, “The presence of Christ in the midst of chaos,” while comforting her. 

Once arriving at the doors and turning around, the line of people outside appears endless.

The “Lit Wick” of GenZ

Even before stepping inside the chapel, you get a sense that something extraordinary is happening. You’re not quite sure what it is, but you know it’s something. At the very least, no one is yelling, screaming, or harming anyone, contrary to many recent events in our history.

Is it a “revival?” Another “Great Awakening?” Asbury Theological Seminary President Timothy Tennent prefers calling the “current phase” of the event an awakening rather than a revival. “Only if we see lasting transformation which shakes the comfortable foundations of the church and truly brings us all to a new and deeper place can we look back, in hindsight and say ‘yes, this has been a revival.’ An awakening is where God begins to stir and awaken people up from their spiritual slumber.”

Whatever you choose to call it, changes are indeed taking place. An Asbury staff member describes it as what has “lit the wick of GenZ.” In between songs of worship and praise to God, they share some of their personal experiences:

Christopher states: “I experienced abuse and all sorts of sexual identity issues, and there was just so much pain and so many issues that were there. Finally, I turned to Jesus and He wiped away all my confusion and all my worry and all my pain…I feel a generation rising up and those are the chains they are breaking…”

Meredith asked some of her friends and family if they would come to Asbury with her after feeling prompted by God to go. They declined, but she drove 13 hours from Oklahoma. “I have experienced a lot of church hurt, especially from kids my age…I was really skeptical of the authenticity from kids my age, GenZ, just because I didn’t believe it. But last night I met an amazing group and they prayed over me. God has revealed that there are people my age that actually are truly in love with God and it encouraged me that I can go home and know that there are people my age that I can reach out to…”

A time of repentance, to God and to members of GenZ, led by an Asbury staff member and an attendee who is a pastor and missionary and “felt a burden” for youth wounded by “church hurt,” followed Meredith’s testimony, along with a prayer of repentance to God.

Jan states: “In 2021, I started dealing with a really serious, severe depression and I tried to take my own life. After that, things got even worse and my family cut me completely off and it felt like I didn’t have a reason to live because I didn’t have family, I had lost my job, and God made it to where He completely cut everything off and He made me solely rely on Him. In the hospital after I tried to take my life, I cried out to Him and I said, ‘God, like, give me a sign that you are with me’ and I closed my eyes and I started praying, and you know how when you pray and you close your eyes and you can still see, like, shadows? I saw a silhouette of His face with the crown of thorns and He just showed me that He is present and He is with me and through people He showed me that it’s not my life, it’s His, and even if I don’t have anything else to live for, I have to live for Him and the plan He has for my life.”

A Common Denominator

It’s the next day in Hughes Auditorium where it all began, and an assortment of people continue to pray, sing, and worship together. The unity the country so desperately craves appears to pour in – from balcony to below – from every angle, like the setting sun through the symbolic, stained-glass windows of the old chapel. The wooden chairs creak as people rise to worship, sit to listen, and rise again in accord. No technology. No celebrities. Just people…and among them, in the overflowing auditorium in Wilmore, Kentucky, there appears to be one common denominator: God.

Major Zach Bell, Kentucky and Tennessee division of the Salvation Army states they are grateful to be a part of what is going on in Kentucky. “This is just a mighty moving of God. We are here to serve God’s people and to serve those who are seeking, those who are just wondering what’s going on, but the reality is that what is taking place is an undeniable move of the Holy Spirit,” he states. “It’s amazing to see people come in from all over, really, the world, just to see this. The Bible tells us if you seek, you’ll find, and I think a lot of people are finding the amazing love of Christ as they come and see. People are starting to share what the Lord has done. There’s no denying someone’s testimony. We might debate it, but you’re not going to debate it with them, because that’s what’s happened to them.”

“It’s been absolutely amazing to come to Asbury and be welcomed from all different backgrounds, from all different walks of life. There are all different ages here, there’s all different cultures here, we’ve heard testimony of that and we can see it…you feel the love of Christ. People are here feeling peace, they’re feeling love and they are feeling accepted. I’ve been able to talk to a lot of people and people are seeking. They are seeking after something. I believe it’s that God-shaped hole that we all have. They might not know that, but I pray that they find that as they are here. Because once again, God’s promise is true: if you seek, you will find.”

A Viral Revival
The Asbury Awakening has sparked the curiosity of many and appears to be spreading to a few college campuses across the nation. The hashtags #Asbury, #asburyrevival, and #asburyrevival2023 have gone viral and have been trending on social media platforms. Many hope it continues to spread.

A Virginia man from Liberty University is hoping and praying that what is happening here in Asbury will extend to his campus as well. “You look around, you look at the state of our country…the decay…where’s the hope? Billy Graham spoke about this prior to 1993. He was talking about hope. Where is the hope? He said our hopes are not in what laws we pass or what great things we do as a nation, our hope is in the power of God working through the hearts of people…and that struck me. That is never more important than right now,” he states. “Our hope is not in people or leaders – our hope is in the power of God working through people. Yeah, the world is dark, but there is light. It gives me hope, hope for my campus and our kids.”

What Happens in Asbury Will Not Stay in Asbury

Asbury University’s President, Kevin J. Brown spoke Sunday. “We have the anti-Vegas law here: what happens in Asbury shouldn’t stay in Asbury, it is meant for the world.” When asked for a show of hands for how many were from outside the state of Kentucky, at least 90% of the hands across the chapel were raised.

Throughout the weekend, there were long lines, with plenty of time to learn, talk, and make friends. Multiple states – and nations – were represented. Oklahoma, Indiana, Texas, and New York. Singapore, Brazil, Ethiopia, and Ukraine.

“Hughes is not the hem of his garment. Take it back to your churches,” Asbury’s President said, and in his closing statement posted online, he prays what seems to be the prayer of many as the final public service concluded on Sunday. “Ultimately, we pray that our efforts in these days point to our Savior.”

Holly Abernathy is a communications and creative arts professional. She works in a variety of media and lives in Nashville, Tennessee. For more information, visit www.6qCreative.com.