Have you heard of Zach Meerkreebs? I hadn't either, until a few weeks ago. Zack is on staff at Envision and a volunteer soccer coach who on February 8, addressed the student body at Asbury University. He had only spoken to the student body twice.
Here’s a portion of the improvised sermon on love: “Some of you guys have experienced radically poor love. Some of you guys have experienced that love in the church. Maybe it’s not violent, maybe it’s not molestation, its not taken advantage of- but if feels like someone has pulled a fast one on you” Then he uttered the invitation that ignited a movement: “If you need to hear the voice of God- the Father in Heaven who will never love you that way, that is perfect in love, gentle and kind- you come up here and experience his love. Don’t waste this opportunity.” In a final, kind of corny throwaway line, he said “I pray that this sits on you guys like an itchy sweater, and you gotta itch, you gotta take care of it.” (The FreePress, February 19, 2023, by Olivia Reingold)
Meekreebs said later he was certain that he had “totally whiffed” the sermon, and immediately got off stage and texted his wife, “Latest stinker. I’ll be home soon.”
God was doing something that Meekreebs didn’t even realize. This revival isn’t at all about Meekreebs. God uses ordinary people, whiffs and all, to bring about his purposes.
Some of us have experienced radically poor love too. Too many of us have experienced that kind of love in the church. Bullying. Abuse. Betrayal. Mean people. People that didn’t look at all like the character of Jesus Christ. Maybe it wasn't violent, maybe it was. But it gave you a poor taste of the church.
I pray for anyone reading this blog, that You would also hear the voice of God, the Father in heaven. He's so different than us humans who will eventually "whiff" a lot of things in life. God's love is perfect and is always trustworthy. You see, I think many people want nothing to do with the church because they’ve been disappointed and disillusioned by both the people and leaders IN the church. I will forever be challenged by Mahatma Gandhi’s quote “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
Perhaps the Asbury Revival is so beautiful because there’s just a bunch of normal, no-name people gathering to seek more authenticity, prayer, pursuing God, humility, and repentance. Maybe God is calling us to radically seek Christ and begin to take on his character too! Maybe this revival is calling each one of us to consider our relationship with God. What’s holding you back from God?
Let’s come back to the heart of worshiping the only One who deserves our worship. May each one of us be challenged by what’s going on with the #AsburyRevival as well as the revivals that are spilling out at other universities over the country. God's up to something.
Meekreebs said later he was certain that he had “totally whiffed” the sermon, and immediately got off stage and texted his wife, “Latest stinker. I’ll be home soon.”
God was doing something that Meekreebs didn’t even realize. This revival isn’t at all about Meekreebs. God uses ordinary people, whiffs and all, to bring about his purposes.
Some of us have experienced radically poor love too. Too many of us have experienced that kind of love in the church. Bullying. Abuse. Betrayal. Mean people. People that didn’t look at all like the character of Jesus Christ. Maybe it wasn't violent, maybe it was. But it gave you a poor taste of the church.
I pray for anyone reading this blog, that You would also hear the voice of God, the Father in heaven. He's so different than us humans who will eventually "whiff" a lot of things in life. God's love is perfect and is always trustworthy. You see, I think many people want nothing to do with the church because they’ve been disappointed and disillusioned by both the people and leaders IN the church. I will forever be challenged by Mahatma Gandhi’s quote “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
Perhaps the Asbury Revival is so beautiful because there’s just a bunch of normal, no-name people gathering to seek more authenticity, prayer, pursuing God, humility, and repentance. Maybe God is calling us to radically seek Christ and begin to take on his character too! Maybe this revival is calling each one of us to consider our relationship with God. What’s holding you back from God?
Let’s come back to the heart of worshiping the only One who deserves our worship. May each one of us be challenged by what’s going on with the #AsburyRevival as well as the revivals that are spilling out at other universities over the country. God's up to something.
Take a listen: The Heart of worship (Live) Matt Redman: https://www.youtube.
Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.
Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.
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