God is safe.
As the revival continues at Asbury University, 133 hours and counting, it is important to name. God is safe, and desires to keep us out of harm’s way.
There was an active shooter at Michigan State University (MSU) tonight. Three have been confirmed dead, and at least five are injured. The suspect is said to have died of “self-inflicted gunshot wounds,” according to live updates from CNN and MSU.
I can’t even fathom how the students, faculty and staff— and their families— feel right now. Their campus, their second home, has been infiltrated and become a place of fear, intimidation and potential trauma.
I encourage everyone reading this— everyone who is here for updates about the revival to take a minute and pray for MSU. We can still praise God for all the good He is doing while asking Him to intercede on that campus. He is a safe place, and He is a protector and, right now, His children in Michigan need His protection.
The issue of safety has been on my mind even before I heard of this horrible tragedy. As people continue to pour into the small town of Wilmore, Hughes Audtiorium reached its max capacity of 1500 people. Fire marshalls have said people cannot crowd the balcony or the main level. If you’re in Hughes, you have to have a seat. The same rule applies to Estes Chapel and McKenna Chapel across the street at Asbury Theological Seminary.
It has not been announced to discourage anyone from experiencing the revival and the Holy Spirit’s outpouring. However, God cares about the safety of His people.
Dr. Joy Vaughan, an Asbury assistant professor of New Testament, preached in chapel this morning out of Romans 13. God is the ultimate authority, but He has also appointed other governing authorities during specific times for a specific purpose. We are called to submit to those authorities.
While we are here to experience Jesus, we need to submit to the leadership team God has put into place at Asbury. They have been praying and using discernment to not only continue helping the Holy Spirit move, but to keep everyone in attendance— and the students living here— safe.
It can be exciting to have so many honored guests here. We welcome and respect you, because we want you to experience Jesus in the way we have. However, we’re asking you to respect us, too.
Our campus can be intriguing. The communications building has all kinds of cool artifacts. The pristine Walt and Rowena Shaw Collaborative Learning Center’s bright lights act almost like a beckoning to come and explore. Other structures hold so much nostalgia and history.
But if that’s why you are coming to Asbury, you have come for the wrong reasons. Our students are not coming to Hughes, to worship, to help influencers, news stations, and ordinary people with social media increase their subscriptions, likes and follows. Our dorms are not meant to be wandered. Our classrooms are not museum exhibits.
Classes are still occurring, because the administration recognizes our education and faith as one. When we get to learn, we grow in our spiritual formation, gifts, callings and our relationships with God in general. However, our focus has been deterred; our safety is becoming at risk.
So, as a student leader on campus, I am asking you to remember one of the overall themes of this revival: love in action.
We Asbury students love you. We love that you are here. We love God and what He is doing. But love is respectful. It is patient and kind, as 1 Corinthians 13 says.
In my last commentary, I expressed that God brought us together despite differences. But He also wants all of us to feel safe in this space; He wants us to care for each other.
I also feel that it is important to note that the Holy Spirit in Hughes and the seminary is the same Holy Spirit wherever you are. God meets you where you are, because He desires a relationship with you— no matter if that’s in your church, your living room or the local coffee shop in your town.
If we forget this, and we do not remember to act with gentleness and care, we start losing the sense of love in action. Hearts get heavy. The enemy starts to creep in.
But we don’t want him here. He is not welcome here. He’s the only presence that is not invited.
God cares about the safety of His people
God is safe.
As the revival continues at Asbury University, 133 hours and counting, it is important to name. God is safe, and desires to keep us out of harm’s way.
There was an active shooter at Michigan State University (MSU) tonight. Three have been confirmed dead, and at least five are injured. The suspect is said to have died of “self-inflicted gunshot wounds,” according to live updates from CNN and MSU.
I can’t even fathom how the students, faculty and staff— and their families— feel right now. Their campus, their second home, has been infiltrated and become a place of fear, intimidation and potential trauma.
I encourage everyone reading this— everyone who is here for updates about the revival to take a minute and pray for MSU. We can still praise God for all the good He is doing while asking Him to intercede on that campus. He is a safe place, and He is a protector and, right now, His children in Michigan need His protection.
The issue of safety has been on my mind even before I heard of this horrible tragedy. As people continue to pour into the small town of Wilmore, Hughes Audtiorium reached its max capacity of 1500 people. Fire marshalls have said people cannot crowd the balcony or the main level. If you’re in Hughes, you have to have a seat. The same rule applies to Estes Chapel and McKenna Chapel across the street at Asbury Theological Seminary.
It has not been announced to discourage anyone from experiencing the revival and the Holy Spirit’s outpouring. However, God cares about the safety of His people.
Dr. Joy Vaughan, an Asbury assistant professor of New Testament, preached in chapel this morning out of Romans 13. God is the ultimate authority, but He has also appointed other governing authorities during specific times for a specific purpose. We are called to submit to those authorities.
While we are here to experience Jesus, we need to submit to the leadership team God has put into place at Asbury. They have been praying and using discernment to not only continue helping the Holy Spirit move, but to keep everyone in attendance— and the students living here— safe.
It can be exciting to have so many honored guests here. We welcome and respect you, because we want you to experience Jesus in the way we have. However, we’re asking you to respect us, too.
Our campus can be intriguing. The communications building has all kinds of cool artifacts. The pristine Walt and Rowena Shaw Collaborative Learning Center’s bright lights act almost like a beckoning to come and explore. Other structures hold so much nostalgia and history.
But if that’s why you are coming to Asbury, you have come for the wrong reasons. Our students are not coming to Hughes, to worship, to help influencers, news stations, and ordinary people with social media increase their subscriptions, likes and follows. Our dorms are not meant to be wandered. Our classrooms are not museum exhibits.
Classes are still occurring, because the administration recognizes our education and faith as one. When we get to learn, we grow in our spiritual formation, gifts, callings and our relationships with God in general. However, our focus has been deterred; our safety is becoming at risk.
So, as a student leader on campus, I am asking you to remember one of the overall themes of this revival: love in action.
We Asbury students love you. We love that you are here. We love God and what He is doing. But love is respectful. It is patient and kind, as 1 Corinthians 13 says.
In my last commentary, I expressed that God brought us together despite differences. But He also wants all of us to feel safe in this space; He wants us to care for each other.
I also feel that it is important to note that the Holy Spirit in Hughes and the seminary is the same Holy Spirit wherever you are. God meets you where you are, because He desires a relationship with you— no matter if that’s in your church, your living room or the local coffee shop in your town.
If we forget this, and we do not remember to act with gentleness and care, we start losing the sense of love in action. Hearts get heavy. The enemy starts to creep in.
But we don’t want him here. He is not welcome here. He’s the only presence that is not invited.