Asbury Revival: Where's the Bible?
It's concerning to me that many Christians are praising the Asbury Revival as a great move of God!
My question is: Where was the Bible?
I ask this because Bible preaching didn't seem to be the main focus. Instead, it seemed like the Ashbury Revival was more in line with a non-stop concert.
I think it's fair to say that in the 1960's the hippies had Woodstock, and in February 2023, charismatic Christians had Asbury!
The hippies had sex, drugs and rock 'n roll; and Asbury had emotions, tongues and CCM.
The Bible says in Psalm 138:2 ...
I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
God said HIS WORD is something that's higher than his name. So, calling something a "great move of God", where the preaching of the word of God is not magnified, is very dangerous.
Satan's main tool has always been deception. According to Ezekiel 28, Satan is more than capable of creating mass deception through music.
the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
My question for you today is this: Would people still congregate for days, and call it a revival IF...
- they took away the music altogether and replaced it with 100% Bible preaching?
- they had 20% music and 80% Bible preaching?
- they had 35% music and 65% Bible preaching?
I would guess, you would answer NO, to each of those questions!
My point is this: I can't imagine calling something a revival, if the preaching of God's word is NOT magnified as the main focus.
However, I will say that many bible believers were OUTSIDE the chapel and were sharing the Gospel and preaching the Bible. This is a GREAT thing!
A personal friend of mine was there. We graduated from the same Bible school, we preached on the streets together, and we did nursing-home ministry together. I can testify to the fact that he was preaching the Gospel of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ as the only means of salvation outside the chapel area. The report I got was that there were many Christians who had homemade tracts with the gospel who were handing them out and witnessing to people. This is something to rejoice about and to PRAISE GOD for. We NEED more of this in America!
However, the great concern I have with calling what was happening inside the chapel a revival, is that it seems as if a CCM concert replaced the sound doctrinal teachings of the Bible!
Sadly, a LOT of charismatic confusion took center stage over the BIBLE!
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.