There and Back Again: the Journey to Asbury
This is a journal reflecting on the trip taken on February 20th-22nd to Wilmore, Kentucky for the purpose of witnessing, receiving, participating in, and bringing back the fruit of the Asbury Outpouring in 2022.
Amanda Petrila, Daniel Avila, Lexie Johnson, and I (Michael Petrila) are those who were sent by Garden Church to experience the Asbury Outpouring.
Background & Introduction
February 8th at Asbury University, was a normal day with normal people at a normal chapel with abnormal sermon. A message that was described as a “stinker” finished at 10:45am, and the chapel was dismissed. Over the next 20 minutes students were drawn back to the chapel in silence. Something drew them back. What was later identified as the draw of the Holy Spirit, God used the following time to prepare something extraordinary. Like a camper gathering dry fodder, 19 students stood in holy silence waiting for an answer to this “drawing.”
God dropped the match, and the campfire began to rise slowly with the sound of worship, the cry of repentance, and the simplicity of prayer.
What no one could have planned was that this moment was the start of a radical outpouring of God’s presence. Since February 8th, there was non-stop gathering of people to worship, pray, repent, and experience God’s abundant love.
Hughes Auditorium, what was once a host of normal chapels, was ground zero of what outsiders couldn’t help but describe as an “outpouring,” or “revival.”
•••
Back in Long Beach, I was scrolling on twitter when I recognized a trend, a majority of people were celebrating revival! I began to do research and from what I understood, God was doing something unique and tangible in a small town in Kentucky.
I reached out to Austin Wofford, a pastor friend, to hear his experience as someone who lives in the vicinity. I received a voice memo summarizing what was recounted prior, and it stirred my heart and it could be summarized in one word, Revival. Revival was breaking out again in human history and I was alive at the same time.
For the upcoming week and a half, I lived vicariously through twitter posts, text threads between my Kentucky friends, and news articles trying to make sense of what was happening. During that time, deep down, I desired nothing more that to experience this for myself.
I have read about revival. I have understood the implications this could have. I desired this for my life and for my community, Garden Church. And I wanted to be part of it. Then, through a few offhand comments, I found myself with booked tickets to Kentucky with a few of our staff members. February 20th couldn’t come quick enough. Especially, because I feared that I would miss what God was doing.
Monday, February 20th
Our ragtag team of 4 woke up at 5am ready to travel the country. It was the day that we would be experiencing a revival. There wasn’t much sleeping the night prior, the excitement we had was too busy filling our minds rather than dreams. We caught up on sleep in the flight.
We were off to Kentucky. 3 hours later, we arrived in Louisville. An hour away from the venue, but buying a last minute ticket leaves you with few options.
I’ve been to Kentucky before a few times, but nothing prepared me for what Wilmore would feel like. There is a lot of farmland in KY, which leads to a large amount of small towns. Yet this small town had some unique characteristics.
Compared to the massive college city of Lexington. Wilmore, has a population of 5,000 people, 1 gas station, 1 subway, and 2 colleges (Asbury Seminary and Asbury University, no association to each other). However, over the last few weeks this small town drew 50,000+ people constantly coming through. So the city has to welcome their guests us with a bright yellow sign that said “Revival Over Capacity.”
What was meant to deter outsiders from visiting, drew us closer like moths to a flame. We were almost there, you could feel it in the air. Was it nerves or God’s presence, I couldn’t distinguish the difference.
For the last few weeks, videos were being posted of Asbury and the lines that went on for miles down this small town’s major street. We weren’t sure if we would get it, and we were completely reliant on our hosts and friends on getting us in.
We dropped of our bags at the house we were staying at. We walked over to the university. Then after 12 hours of traveling. There we were. Standing alongside the line of others making their pilgrimage. Luckily, we were brought around back and before we knew it, we were on the prayer team. This was one of the few ways anyone could get into Hughes Auditorium without waiting in line.
Our team didn’t mind, we just wanted to experience God.
And it was here, we took a deep breath and gathered ourselves. We were moments away from tasting what the nation was talking about. Our questions were about to be answered. Our expectations were either going to be met or disappointed.
We found ourselves in the balcony for 10 minutes, a session was just ending. We came in ready to worship, but we were also here to analyze. During these 10 minutes, our questions didn’t get answered, but multiplied. Our expectations were neither met or let down, but rather subverted. God met us.
we just wanted to experience God
The worship was subpar. College students from the university have been taking turns leading worship hour by hours. Our team was ushered into their space. We sang a few songs, some I knew and a few I have never heard before. As I was trying to make out the lyrics, I found myself filled with a few thoughts and impressions.
This space was across the nation, it was the height of the pilgrimage of a lifetime, and I couldn’t help but describe this sacred space, without trying to be irreverent of our journey, as simple & familiar.
•••
Simple
Over our two days at Asbury. The worship was average. The transitions were clunky. The singers sang off key and off tempo. Yet, I didn’t feel like God minded. The same could be said about the messages spoken. The worship was broken up by testimonies and teachings. Similar to worship. The testimonies were awkward, filled with “ummm”‘s and “like”‘s. Those who shared sermons were also… corny. The sermon illustrations were simply corny. Yet, again. God didn’t seem to mind.
The night was filled with Tears. Repentance. Salvations. Prayer. Crying out to God. Healings. Prophetic words. Worship. Hunger.
Familiar
I came to this space expecting an anointing and a blessing. I was expectant that God would level up my faith. I believed that I have reached my limit of faith without revival, and it was here were I would meet God in a new way. I was expecting to be slain in the Spirit. To have to be picked up drink in the Spirit. From that experience I would be a new man. I wanted that John of Patmos apocalypse where I would be encounter with a new insight of God, the cosmos, His kingdom, and myself. Surprisingly, that didn’t happen.
Our team regrouped and shared the same sentiment. “This place feels like home.” “This feels like the Garden.”
What we cannot say is that the Garden is experiencing an outpouring like Asbury, or revival. What we can say is that, if a revival is an awakening of sleepy Christian’s to experience renewal by God’s living Spirit, then we have at least one piece of the puzzle.
God, by His grace, has blessed the Garden with His presence. He has met us time and time again. In worship. Through our different pastors. In House Churches. In Kids and Youth. What we haven’t seen yet, is the awakening of those sleepy Christians. It moved us to thanksgiving and towards of posture of intercession. God would you open up those sleepy Christians in California.
“This place feels like home.”
“This feels like the Garden.”
Simple & Familiar
This realization 10 minutes in at Asbury, set the tone for us to approach the rest of our time here with open arms.
Daniel and I spent the majority of our night on the prayer team. Amanda and Lexie spent their time in worship. I didn’t feel like I was working, or that I was missing what God was doing by not standing in the pews. In fact, my prayer this first night mirrored Mary’s response to God’s announcement of her pregnancy.
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.”
- Luke 1:38 NIV
I am the Lord’s servant
I have been, and it is my desire that I may continue to be His servant when I go back to Long Beach.
May your word to me be fulfilled
In response to the revelation in our first 10 minutes. I felt the Lord confirm a few things.
I have postured my life as a servant.
I love God deeply.
I have experienced His presence and I carry it wherever I go.
I am holy.
I am humble.
I am a carrier of revival.
I have carried insecurity about all of these things. The accuser has planted ideas such as…
“do you really hear from God?”
“are you doing enough?”
“are you talented enough?”
Yet, through this space, God confirmed the truth that knocks these accusations on their sides.
So I didn’t need anything from this space. I met Jesus face to face. My identity was realigned. I knew my purpose. I know I can pray for others without missing out on anything, because I have always had Him! He is the only one that matters. His presence is the only thing that matters. That was the baseline and I was so thankful for that. Yet, as is in His character, God is the God of Abundance, and He continued to meet me over our time here.
During prayer, men and women came up one after another. While the service was set aside solely for Gen-Z, there were older people present as well. There was rarely a time where I wasn’t praying for someone. I was overwhelmed by the pain, insecurity, and despair that they carried. However, I was so grateful to see how God continued to meet people time and time again. Identities were confirmed. Callings were spoken. Even generational curses broken.
God was kind enough to send one young man to pray for me after i had just prayed for him. It was in this simple prayer where God spoke to me again. “You hear from God, and I want you to know that.” This is what he prayed over me in a prayer that was both thanking me, but primarily thanking God.
I didn’t need that confirmation, I was happy to serve and pray. I felt God’s delight over me that night. Yet it sure was a humbling experience to have God remind me of His love and the calling He has on me.
Shortly after that, our team regrouped and ended our first night in worship. It was midnight, and we needed food and to go to sleep.
Tuesday, February 21st
The following day was spent exploring the neighboring city of Lexington with Daniel and Lexie. With Wilmore, being a town averaging 5,000 people. The last few weeks began to take a toll on their streets, resources, and patience. So to accommodate, Asbury began limiting their gatherings to evening services the day we arrived. So we had to find time to kill until 7:30.
We did nothing spiritual in particular. Our itinerary included making a mini-pilgrimage to a gas station called Buc-ee’s, visiting a park, a greenhouse coffee shop hybrid, and ended up at the historic district of downtown Lexington.
Without much intent, we found ourselves in a secret garden in the heart of the city.
This became another simple yet familiar space. Without anyone taking the lead, we waited in silence. God arrived and again met us with another 10 minutes. Yet this one wasn’t accompanied by worship, but with the wind between the trees and the birds of the air.
God spoke to us four. This became a strategy meeting of how we go back to Long Beach. And it was done without saying a word to one another.
I felt the invitation to break the silence and we asked one another not knowing if everyone else had the same experience, “did God say anything to you?”
He did. To each one of us.
We felt God speak to two things:
01 Slow Down
02 Stewardship
•••
01 Slow Down
Our staff has been running at a pace that has been the call for the moment. We moved into a new building, and we moved to two gatherings.
But there was this sense that slowing down is the way we will pay attention to what God is saying to our community back in Long Beach. This will be a season of rest, but a season of noticing God’s nearness and will.
02 Stewardship
Revival will come to Garden. What is going to happen will be powerful and it won’t be contained. It will come from a slow pace of simplicity. And in order for it to be handled well, it will require patient stewardship.
These two revelations prompted us to prayer in the middle of this space. A random garden, became the a holy encounter with the living God. And our only response was to pray.
Revival will come to Garden
This sacred space isn’t the source of God’s next outpouring. It will be wherever Daniel, Lexie, Amanda, and I make time to slow down and steward God’s presence. Our prayer is that this is brought wherever we go in our everyday ordinary lives.
Our prayer time became the springboard to the next evening session.
•••
The same elements were present tonight. Worship, prayer, and scripture. Simple and familiar. Tonight however, we all stayed and worshipped. I didn’t feel called to pray for others, I just wanted to worship.
Revival is interesting. There is a physical liturgy happening as a congregation. Yet, I noticed Amanda, Daniel, Lexie, and I were invited into our own individual liturgies with the Lord.
Worship. To reading scripture. To prayer and confession. God was doing something unique in every one of us.
•••
I can’t speak to the other three, I can only share my own story at this point. You will have to ask them for more information on what He did that night.
•••
Worship
I couldn’t help but be moved to tears during worship. God brought to my attention the simple gospel and how He redeemed my past. I can’t help, but be grateful for how I ended up. God is my redeemer and my defender.
Prayer
I was prompted to pray. I interceded on behalf of those who lead Garden Church. Those who have confided in me their addictions and struggles. Those who I desire salvation for.
During prayer, I had this sense “someone I know is here.” I looked up and I saw Robbie Dawkins. I couldn’t help but laugh. Robbie Dawkins was the speaker at the first Empowered Conference I attended. It felt significant being in the room with him 7 years since my first Empowered.
When I saw Robbie, I thought to myself. Let me go and get prayer from him. There must be something he can impart to me in this moment! It was meant to be. However, I felt God convict me. His presence was so tangible in this Outpouring and I elevated a man in God’s presence. I felt convicted and I ended up not receiving prayer from him.
In that restraint I felt the Lord confirm something along the lines of “you are equal to anyone in the Kingdom. You have received my presence and my anointing. Stop seeking the anointing and affirmation from man.”
That broke me, and I repented.
Scripture
God brought me to verses that confirmed my identity, authority, and role as a reconciler. I was brought to 1 & 2 Corinthians and Ephesians. I felt the Lord’s guidance as I sat and studied the word.
“For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.” - 1 Corinthians 15:9-11
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” - 2 Corinthians 5:17
“ This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
Ephesians 5:14
These scriptures took me on a journey of zeal, of realization of who revival is for, and a confirmation of my current identity. God kept on stirring my love this night. It is His word that I want to be dependent on, the simple word.
My second night was filled with a liturgy of worship, prayer, & scripture.
•••
Summary
Our team finished our time in Kentucky on February 22nd, and we turned and returned home. While it was purely coincidence, that day was Ash Wednesday. There were other commuters on our flights and in the airport that had grey crosses laid on their heads.
While this is not a day I have observed growing up in a protestant context, I couldn’t help but reflect on the symbolism of the day.
From what I gathered, Ash Wednesday is the start of the lenten season. Preparing our hearts for the celebration that is Easter, the church is invited to remind ourselves of our mortality. On twitter I kept seeing the phrase “from dust you came, and to dust you shall return.” I was struck by its significance.
This move of God was started by 19 youth gathering together, hungry for Him. Lord willing they are set on fire for the rest of their lives. The truth is, one day they will pass away. I will pass away. We all one day will pass away. Our lives here on earth are futile, they are limited.
In the face of this reality we can echo the Teacher of Ecclesiastes and proclaim, “Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” While it can be better translated to vapor or dust. It simply conveys how our actions can often be futile. Now, this is true, if it wasn’t for the evidence that I see when a life is lived in pursuit of God’s presence.
I know one day I will pass away to dust. Yet, after what I experienced in Wilmore, I know I won’t waste the breath in my lungs.
However, the question is what do we do when we are back again after we have gone through revival? God’s presence is everything to me. It needs to become everything to me. So I am left back in my everyday ordinary life. I will go back to average days, filled with average emails, average conversations, and average appointments. Yet, I want to make space for God to breakthrough in all of those ordinary spaces. Because, if I am in pursuit of Him, I know that God will meet me in the ordinary and possibly transform it into encounter.