Pondering What was Happening at Asbury
I had been watching with interest as the news spread about the Asbury University chapel service in February 2023. While I’m not quick to label it a “revival,” and I don’t claim to endorse everything happening there — I simply don’t know the full scope or what was preached after that initial chapel message — I do believe the message that sparked it is worth watching.
It began with a simple, heartfelt sermon delivered by Rev. Zach Meerkreebs, Envision Leadership Coordinator with the Christian and Missionary Alliance, during chapel at Asbury University on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. The message focused on Romans 12:9–21, a powerful passage that calls us to love sincerely, live humbly, and respond to evil with good.
As I listened to the message and read through some of the YouTube comments, it didn’t feel like a slick speaker trying to manipulate emotions. It wasn’t flashy or overly polished. Instead, it came across as sincere and Spirit-led. The students — and eventually people from around the world — seemed ready to respond to what they sensed the Holy Spirit was doing. While some have criticized it for not being a full Gospel presentation, it’s important to remember the message was shared in a chapel full of Christian college students, many of whom were already believers.
Interestingly, in a later interview, Rev. Meerkreebs said he walked off the platform thinking he had preached a weak or ineffective message. I don’t fully endorse everything presented on The 700 Club, but their short segment where Zac shares his honest reflections is worth watching:
🎥 “I Thought I Preached a Dud” – Interview Clip
Zach Meerkreebs on The 700 Club (CBN)
This moment brought back memories for me of something similar that happened during my time at Crown College. On March 19, 1995, a move of God began at Wheaton College and quickly spread to other schools, including Crown College and the University of Northwestern in Minnesota. That movement involved confession, worship, and spiritual renewal. I personally witnessed it touch the hearts of many students.
If you’d like to read more about that event in 1995, here are a couple of resources:
- 📄 Wheaton Alumni News Recount of the 1995 Revival (PDF)
- 🌐 Breadsite Archive – Schools Impacted in 1995
The Scripture that grounded the message at Asbury was this passage from Romans:
“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
—Romans 12:9–21 (NASB)
Not everyone is excited about what took place at Asbury. There have been critics and skeptics, and that’s understandable. It’s wise to test everything and cling to what is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21). But the event also reminds me of the counsel from the Pharisee Gamaliel who advised the religious leaders in Acts 5:
“If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”
—Acts 5:38–39 (NLT)
Only God knows what was truly going on in each heart. But from what I’ve seen and heard, it seemed more about humility than hype. More about repentance than emotionalism. Perhaps God is stirring hearts — not just in a chapel gathering, but in individuals all over the world.
Maybe you’re sensing that same nudge in your own life.
Maybe it’s time to repent.
To recommit.
To renew your pursuit of Jesus.
To rekindle your passion for sharing His love with others.
You don’t need a stage or a crowd for that. It can begin quietly — right where you are.