Is Asbury Revival the start of next 'Jesus Revolution' in America?

Earlier this month in a small Kentucky town, a small group of college students met informally at a school chapel. It wasn't flashy. The music was simple. There wasn't high production level of video and lights. But something unusual happened -- or should I say didn't happen. The service, which began on Feb. 8, didn't stop for two weeks.

Attendees shared clips on social media, and many of these went viral garnering millions of views. People from around the world began traveling to Wilmore, Kentucky, a town of 6,025 people about 30 minutes outside of Lexington to experience the faith-filled movement led by students on the college campus.

One weekend it was estimated there were 10,000 to 20,000 people in the town, leading university officials to limit when services would be held and who would be able to attend in person following two weeks of around-the-clock services. Many of the college students from other universities who attended the Asbury services have started similar movements on their campuses.

Attendees worship at the Asbury Revival on Feb. 14. Submitted by Josh Reimann

Attendees worship at the Asbury Revival on Feb. 14. Submitted by Josh Reimann

Josh Reimann, a Cape Central High School graduate who now serves as a worship pastor at Pleasant Valley Community Church in Owensboro, Kentucky, visited Asbury on Feb. 14 with the rest of his church's staff.

"Walking in, you could feel the heaviness -- and not in a bad way. Heaviness, like, there's something special happening here," he said.

Reimann said the 1500-seat auditorium was full of people standing and singing, some sitting down with others in prayer at the front of the chapel. He said the environment was similar to a charismatic worship service.

Attendees worship at the Asbury Revival on Feb. 14. Submitted by Josh Reimann

Attendees worship at the Asbury Revival on Feb. 14. Submitted by Josh Reimann

"There's not a sense of apathy anywhere in the room, like the whole room is engaged in what's happening," he said.

Reimann said at first he struggled to move from spectator to participant. Unlike many Sunday morning worship experiences, which have an order and rhythm, this event had so much going on all at the same time. But he quickly adjusted, noting his group was at the service for more than two hours but it only felt like 15 minutes.

"Time went fast while we were there. I don't think there's anything supernatural about that. I'm not saying that, but I do think there's something about you are just kind of caught up in the moment. You're caught up in what's happening. You're trying to be involved in it, and time just gets away. And that's a good thing."

Following Asbury, many Christians and church leaders have asked what's next? Reimnann pointed to Numbers 23:19, "God is not human that he should lie, not a human being that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?"

"There's a sense of God's unchanging nature and how our sin puts us in such a place where we're always trying to chase after the next thing, like our flesh is always going after what's next. What's the next thing? And I think something like the Asbury Revival that's been so compelling to me is there's been an interruption in people's lives that's unapologetic, where people are stopping everything that they're doing to do this one thing," Reimann said.

The worship pastor said he's asked the question: What's preventing revival from happening in his local church? The answer, he concluded, is less about why it's not happening in a specific church but what's preventing the experience in his own heart.

"It's less about why God is not doing revival my church as much as what's preventing me from allowing God to do revival in my heart? Like I need a revival in my heart before I can ask God to do a revival somewhere else. I think for God's people, that's the question we should all be asking ourselves. Is there sin in my life? Is there something that's preventing me from seeing God's goodness and trusting Him to do the work in me and through me? And where does revival need to start in me before it starts somewhere else?"

Becky Sides Harding, a Cape Girardeau real estate agent who attends LaCroix Church, also recently attended the Asbury Revival and had a similar experience.

She and her friend Raunda Graham arrived at 11 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17 where about 300 people were in line to get inside the chapel.

Harding said there were individuals representing many generations from all over the world. The two friends stayed until about 2 a.m.

"When you walk in the chapel, it was different," she said, adding it was a combination was peace, excitement and holiness.

Harding said she and Graham plan to unpack some of the lessons with their pastors at LaCroix.

"I think the biggest takeaway that I got from it and what God was speaking to both of us was repent [and] move towards holiness. Worship, pray and then go out."

She was particularly struck by its impact on young people, both in that it was led by young people and equipping them.

Harding thought that was one of the reasons Asbury stood out so much and had the effect on so many around the world. Partly because it was led by young people, partly because many in that generation who are "struggling with the darkness."

"I think that it's just kind of the Christians in that generation are praying for revival for the future and asking the world to come along."

The timing of the Asbury Revival connects with a film hitting theaters this weekend that has a similar theme.

"Jesus Revolution" is a true story about the Jesus Movement in California that began in the 1970s. It tells the story of a young Greg Laurie and hippie-street-preacher Lonnie Frisbee, played by Jonathan Roumie. Kelsey Grammer plays the role of Chuck Smith who is a local pastor whose church is struggling but on the cusp of revival.

There's a lot to like about what happened over the last couple weeks at Asbury. It was certainly inspiring. Was it a revival? A spiritual awakening? The technical terms are probably less important. But there was something different about it. No question.

Was Asbury the start the next "Jesus Revolution"? We'll see.

Lucas Presson is assistant publisher of the Southeast Missourian.