Graves into Gardens at the Asbury Outpouring

Earlier I posted about my favorite time at the Asbury Outpouring (3:00 a.m.). Here's a worship song from that hour that we used for a recent service at Westchester Chapel Church of the Nazarene: 

Pray revival keeps breaking out around the world, and report it if you're a part of it!

This was a part of a service at Westchester Chapel Church of the Nazarene.

CCLI# 352386
Used by permission.

 

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I released “Pentecost: Beyond the Imagination,” a scene from my one-man play, The Acts, at www.RichDrama.com/Pentecost.

Love: The Engine that Powered the Asbury Outpouring

Here's an article Joyce wrote for Intercessors for America about the chapel message that launched the Asbury Outpouring: 

Lord, pour Your Love through Asbury to Your people, and to the nations, and back again to You in worship and adoration.

At times, hushed whispers of adoration. At other times, exuberant praise and joyous refrains. Hughes Auditorium at Asbury University, in Wilmore, Kentucky, was host to an extraordinary visitation of the Holy Spirit for upwards of 370 hours — more than 15 days. This was a time of lingering and renewal that most had never experienced.

[Click to read the whole article...]

Pray for love to power the many revivals springing up all over America!

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I released “Pentecost: Beyond the Imagination,” a scene from my one-man play, The Acts, at www.RichDrama.com/Pentecost.

Revival Is Going Global!

We're so blessed every time we hear how revival continues to spark around the world! Our prayers are being answered! Let's continue to press in! 

Here are a few examples:

Revival Goes Nationwide, Hits Theaters After 'Jesus Revolution' Film as Well as ORU, Portland, Ohio State

The move of God that began as the Asbury Awakening is becoming increasingly decentralized as it spreads across the country. It's popping up in all types of spots, from secular colleges to theaters to youth events to special church services, with passionate responses to God's outpouring of His Holy Spirit. Reports are surfacing of people choosing to give their lives to Christ after seeing the Jesus Revolution movie. Here's an amazing clip of prayer and revival breaking out in one theater in Miami, Florida....

[See the clip and read the whole article by clicking here...]

Jeannine Brabon sent this video of her interpreting a pastor's wife telling how challenging but rewarding it was for her and her husband to get from Chile to the Asbury Outpouring. We now know people traveled from Canada, South Africa, the UK, Nigeria, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, South Korea, Russia, Norway, Haiti, Myanmar, Israel, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore, and New Zealand, now Joyce's country of birth, Chile, and all 50 states! 

John Fornof (founder of Circle Creative Media), who's won awards for his writing, described his experience at Asbury University: 

Last day at Asbury Revival. Long lines of people. Overflow rooms.

They were only allowing 16-25 year olds into the Hughes Auditorium, where this all started. By a miracle, I got in. And I literally got a front row seat (front and center!) on the revival. My daughter Melissa was with me, which made it extra special.

We stood in a hundred-year-old building filled to the balconies with young people enthusiastically praising Jesus and hungering for the very heart of God. You could feel the hunger, the expectancy, like dry kindling ready to catch fire.

We sang the worship chorus “You are Good.” And then they hit the phrase “You’re never gonna let, never gonna let me down.” The reality of that phrase sunk in. The young people all around me were singing from their hearts...loudly testifying, enthusiastically proclaiming the truth of that phrase.

Modern worship choruses flowed into great old hymns, like “How Great Thou Art.” And the fervor continued.

Here’s what it wasn’t: It wasn’t spectacular. No celebrity, no names, no words on the screen. * No fancy lights or fog machines. A girl on a guitar, a guy on the piano, and another guy on the cajon drum. No agenda. No set schedule.

Here’s what it was: It was all focused on Jesus. It was repentance at the altar. Salvations, healings, restoration. It was worship. It was the word. It was worship songs. Some brief housekeeping notes. Young people lined up with their favorite “life verse” from the Bible. More worship songs. Brief testimony or two. More worship. A brief sermon talk. And more worship. Lots of worship. Amazing, beautiful worship.

*Despite denominational differences, by the third verse of the hymns, we were all singing in tongues.

It wasn’t spectacular. It was profound. I looked around, watching hundreds and hundreds of young people praising Jesus. And I savored the fire. Time now to bring it home.

P.S. Will this revival fire last? Yes! Here's how I know. Earlier that day, I ran into Allen Mather, a tall, lanky guy in his mid to late seventies, with a twinkle in his eyes. I heard him tell a group of Africans, "I was here!"

He was here in 1970 when the earlier Asbury Revival hit. He had been pursuing God and his degree from an intellectual point of view. Then the revival came. "I caught the fire," he said. "And I'm still on fire!" And he explained what it is: "It's the fire of God's love.

Here are John's photos: 

Click here or on the image to see them all.

Pray revival continues to break out around the world! 
 

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I released “Pentecost: Beyond the Imagination,” a scene from my one-man play, The Acts, at www.RichDrama.com/Pentecost.

Asbury Revival! Daily Updates

We're still trying to figure out when the last of the worshipers from the Asbury Outpouring left Hughes Auditorium (post a comment if you know), but we connected with two people who left at midnight after the Collegiate Day of Prayer service ended, so that seems to have been the official close. That means -- if you count the Collegiate Day of Prayer, which flowed out of the Asbury Outpouring -- February 8th's chapel at Asbury University went at least 374 hours. 

Friday the last of our contributions ran on Intercessors for America's Asbury Revival! Daily Updates. You can visit that page to see them all, but here are highlights from ours:

Friday, February 24

Rich: While driving home to New York City from Asbury University we passed through the Washington D.C. area for a family event. We prayed into the commissioning we sensed we have all been given from Asbury. On the drive down we prayed for IFA state prayer leaders as we drove through their states [see below], so we also picked up Virginia and Delaware on the drive home:

[Read full update]

Thursday, February 23

Rich: On Thursday, Feb. 16, a speaker at Asbury University (they are intentionally not introduced to keep the focus on the Lord) read from John 15, focusing on verse 4 (ESV): Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

[Read full update]

I have to point out that those empty seats were about to be filled! There were hundreds in the line waiting to get in. 

Also, I found out later, the anonymous speaker was Zach Meerkreebs, who preached in the service on February 8. After he was done with that one he texted his wife: "“Latest stinker. I’ll be home soon.” Three hundred and seventy four hours later the University felt they had to close that service to get back to being a university.

Tuesday, Feburary 21

Joyce: My first day, Tuesday, February 14, at the Asbury Outpouring, I spent less than a minute in Hughes Auditorium, the main venue for the worship services. Even so, the presence of the Lord was so tangible, I burst into tears.

[Read full update]

Saturday, February 18

Rich: My favorite moment at Asbury University — and actually a favorite moment of my life — was early Tuesday morning, Valentine’s Day. I woke up and saw that it was 2:44 a.m. I remembered that Jeannine Brabon said she first experienced the Shekinah Glory fall at 3 a.m. on October 3, 1969, four months before the 185-hour revival. I wanted to be fresh for Tuesday’s Headline Prayer Live, so I asked the Lord if I should go. I just burst into tears remembering how I sensed Him say: ‘You need my permission?’

[Read full update]

Friday, February 17

Joyce: Yesterday Rich Swingle, IFA contributing writer and prayer leader, spoke with a man who had been a classmate of Jeannine Brabon, who was instrumental in the 1970 Asbury revival. The man made an interesting comment about the differences between the two outpourings: The 1970 revival was marked by testimony, usually focused on repentance, and then with worship: this current outpouring seems to be marked by worship, followed by testimony of repentance, healing, and deliverance.

[Read full update]

Thursday, February 16

Joyce: “Viral is not revival.” Joyce Swingle reports from on-site at Asbury University: We spoke to two professors. One mentioned that he realized he had assigned a group project for a Friday deadline and he thought it would be difficult for the students to get together to do the work. He queried his class and realized they were keeping up with the schoolwork. He also mentioned he and several of the professors were finding that the outpouring was not keeping students from their classes. Fewer were cutting than the professors expected. Seems this outpouring is not making the students indolent but industrious!

[Read full update]

Tuesday, February 14

Rich (My original article): Chapel on February 8 at Asbury University went long…and as I write it’s still going! In 1970, a chapel service in the same Hughes Auditorium went 185 hours. Ever since I heard about it circa 1987, I’ve been praying — as many of you have — for another revival to break out! I believe revival is breaking out.

[Read full update]

Praying Our Way to Asbury

Rich (this was a separate article): On our way to Asbury University for Tuesday’s Headline Prayer Live, we decided to pray over each state we drove through on the 11-hour drive from New York City. We also prayed for each of the state prayer leaders. It ends with us walking into Hughes Auditorium, where the revival went for 185 hours in 1970. This outpouring has been going over 150 hours as I write, and there’s a line stretching down the road to get in!

[Read full update]

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I released “Pentecost: Beyond the Imagination,” a scene from my one-man play, The Acts, at www.RichDrama.com/Pentecost.

Declare God's Salvation

Joyce opens with Communion, referring to Jesus Revolution. I give testimony centering on the Asbury Outpouring of Feb. 2023

Rachel Taylor presents a message from 2 Peter: 3: 15, with a focus on the first part of verse 15, as she continues the series "What Happens When a Created People Walk Away From Their Creator?" She also refers to Jesus Revolution.

This service is available for download free on iTunes, where you can also subscribe to our podcast. Search for "Westchester Chapel" on the iTunes Store.

If you want to know more about starting a relationship with Jesus Christ visit www.WestchesterChapel.org/Salvation.

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I released “Pentecost: Beyond the Imagination,” a scene from my one-man play, The Acts, at www.RichDrama.com/Pentecost.

Collegiate Day of Prayer Is a Taste of Revival

On Friday I posted about the Collegiate Day of Prayer, but we were watching Jesus Revolution while it was being streamed Thursday night. Friday night we watched the CDOP service. WOW! It's a real taste of the Asbury Outpouring! We had revival break out in our living room! 

They included many of the same elements that we saw while we were there during the Outpouring: Students reading Scripture, testimonies, invitations to Salvation, and a commissioning to share what the Lord is doing! SO POWERFUL! Between Facebook and YouTube about 414,000 people joined the 1,500 in Hughes Auditorium and those in at least two campus chapels who were watching the live-stream. 

Pray millions eventually see this and that many souls are saved and many are commissioned for lives of ministry, no matter their career! 

In case you haven't experienced it yet: 

Don't forget to sponsor a college: www.CollegiateDayOfPrayer.org. There's no cost, just the commitment to pray for that school. 

If you don't have 3.5 hours to experience it now (we're already planning to watch it again with as many friends as we can pack into our apartment), here's a brief documentary (8m, 20s) that will give you a sampling:

It includes interviews with Asbury students Zeke Atha and Charity Johnson, who we had on Headline Prayer Live on February 14. That kicked off daily Live from Asbury updates for Intercessors for America. Joyce and I got to do two of those (February 15 and February 16) before IFA board member Jeremy Story took over. He was one of the founders of the modern Collegiate Day of Prayer (February 23 was the 200th anniversary of the original founding). You can see all of the daily Asbury Outpouring updates at www.IFApray.org/watch.

The update for February 16 was IFA's most watched Facebook livestream. I point that out not because Joyce and I happened to be on but because it shows that our intercessors were tapping into this answer to our decades of prayers, and they wanted to see what was happening on Asbury's campus. I wanted to repost it, because we filmed some of it near a statue of Francis Asbury riding his horse away from campus, commissioned to bring the Good News out across the land: 

If you've read this far, consider yourself commissioned! It may be challenging to lead into the Gospel by talking to someone about how they've sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but we've found it very easy to strike up conversations by telling people there was a chapel service that lasted for 374 hours because no one wanted to leave the presence of the Living God. Let's pray many desire to know more: www.RichDrama.com/MyPassion.

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I released “Pentecost: Beyond the Imagination,” a scene from my one-man play, The Acts, at www.RichDrama.com/Pentecost.

Jesus Revolution Opens with Collegiate Day of Prayer

The team at Jesus Revolution chose to open on the same weekend as the Collegiate Day of Prayer (on a date set 200 years ago), but neither group knew they'd be drafting on the Asbury Outpouring!

Intercessors for America posted four articles I wrote about the film: 

"Jesus Revolution Carries the Torch from the Asbury Outpouring"

It was also picked up by Breaking Christian News. The brief article included Cameron Arnett (actor in Overcomer, Running the Bases, I Still Believe) and I praying over the film and upcoming Christ Over Career events in Indiana and L.A.:

"Prayer is Fueling Jesus Revolution"

That article included my interviews with folks who saw it and/or were a part of it, including one of the producers, Kevin Downes:

"The Jesus Revolution Is Coming"

This article embedded the original trailer, but here is a new worship video by Michael W. Smith using footage from the film: 

and

"New Christian Film Needs Your Prayers"

It included my footage of Jon Erwin, co-director and one of the producers, being prayed over at the Christian Worldview Film Festival, one of its first public screenings:

Collegiate Day of Prayer

You can watch the recording of their service, which was filled to the overflow rooms, just like the Outpouring had been. I suspect many who came for the Outpouring stayed for the Collegiate Day of Prayer:

Don't forget to sponsor a college: www.CollegiateDayOfPrayer.org. There's no cost, just the commitment to pray for that school. 

 

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I released “Pentecost: Beyond the Imagination,” a scene from my one-man play, The Acts, at www.RichDrama.com/Pentecost.

Join Us for Jesus Revolution

Joyce and I have just returned from the Asbury Outpouring. If you're not on our prayer team, you may not have heard, but Asbury University's February 8 service still hasn't ended! As I write it's been going for 277 continuous hours! Joyce and I were reporting on it, and you can see our articles and interviews at www.RichDrama.com/AsburyRevival. 

In 1970 Asbury had a revival that went for 185 hours. Four months later Time magazine validated the Jesus Movement with a cover that said, "The Jesus Revolution." Now, with tens of thousands flooding Asbury's campus from at least 24 colleges and universities, individuals from all 50 states, London, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Brazil, at least, a Time magazine of the film world is releasing Jesus Revolution coast-to-coast. 

We're going to see it this Thursday, February 23, at 6 p.m. at AMC Empire Theatre on Times Square.

We'll also see it Saturday, February 25, at 2:55, at City Center 15: Cinema de Lux, White Plains, NY.

We'd love for you to join us, so we can tell stories about the Asbury Outpouring after a film about another revival 50 years ago. God is on the move again, and we can't stop telling people about it! 

Our church is attending the screening in White Plains, and we're going out for a meal afterward. If you're interested in joining us let us know through the contact form at the very bottom of this page, so we'll reserve a large enough table for you to join us.

I've now written three articles about the film and interviewed producer Kevin Downes: www.RichDrama.com/JesusRevolution. I posted the newest trailer below...

Hope to see you soon!

Oh, and next Tuesday at 7 p.m. the Hears the Story series continues. I'll play one of the narrators and a messenger of The Eternal One. 

On February 28 I was just offered a role in their series I'm really excited about, but they haven't announced the cast list yet. Stay tuned. 

It will be live only at The Salvation Army's Theatre 315, 315 West 47th Street, New York, NY. 

Click here for the Eventbrite page if you'd like to reserve your free seat, and click here for the schedule. It shows Grace Hwoang on February 28. She's writing songs she'll perform based on the passages of Scripture we'll read on those dates. 

Appreciate prayers as we prepare!

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I released “Pentecost: Beyond the Imagination,” a scene from my one-man play, The Acts, at www.RichDrama.com/Pentecost.

Pray and Obey

Joyce shares her message on 2 Peter 3:14 from Asbury University as the Outpouring continues. She uses clips from interviews with Jeannine Brabon, who prayed for revival at Asbury University as a freshman in 1967. In 1970 a revival went for 185 hours in the same chapel where the current Outpouring has been going for 275 continuous hours.

 

“Graves into Gardens”
By Christopher Joel Brown, Tiffany Hammer, Brandon Lake, Steven Furtick
Performed during the Asbury Outpouring
Used by permission.
CCLI# 352386

 

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I released “Pentecost: Beyond the Imagination,” a scene from my one-man play, The Acts, at www.RichDrama.com/Pentecost.

My Favorite Moment at the Asbury Outpouring

This morning Intercessors for America posted what I wrote about my favorite moment at the Asbury Revival, at the top of their Asbury Revival! Daily Updates:

Lord, continue to meet those at Asbury in powerful ways! 

From Rich Swingle, IFA Contributing Writer and Prayer Leader: My favorite moment at Asbury University — and actually a favorite moment of my life — was early Tuesday morning, Valentine’s Day. I woke up and saw that it was 2:44 a.m. I remembered that Jeannine Brabon said she first experienced the Shekinah Glory fall at 3 a.m. on October 3, 1969, four months before the 185 hour revival. I wanted to be fresh for Tuesday’s Headline Prayer Live, so I asked the Lord if I should go. I just burst into tears remembering how I sensed Him say, “You need my permission?” 

Click HERE to see the footage of me entering Hughes Auditorium and some glimpses of why it was so special.

For more of our coverage of the Asbury Outpouring, visit www.RichDrama.com/AsburyRevival.

><><><

I released “Pentecost: Beyond the Imagination,” a scene from my one-man play, The Acts, at www.RichDrama.com/Pentecost.

The Flame Kept Burning

Yesterday on Intercessors for America's Pray with America's Leaders Joyce and I reported again from the campus of Asbury University, where the outpouring continues, in its 214th hour as I write. They closed down Hughes Auditorium for for eleven hours for a deep clean and inspection of the 96-year-old building, but they allowed musicians to rotate all night to keep the flame alive and opened up a room in another building for people 25 and younger. This morning this was in my reading: 

Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering. The burnt offering shall be on the hearth on the altar all night until the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it.

‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭6‬:‭9‬ ‭ESV

‬‬On yesterday's webcast Joyce reported from the steps of Hughes as people were filling it up after the 11 hours it was closed to the public, while I introduced folks who have been experiencing the revival. Once the auditorium was full there was still a long line of people waiting in the rain to experience the fire of the outpouring! 🔥 

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I released “Pentecost: Beyond the Imagination,” a scene from my one-man play, The Acts, at www.RichDrama.com/Pentecost.

Live from Asbury Revival

Joyce and I reported live again today from Asbury University at the 170th hour of last week's chapel service: 

We interviewed Emma Elliot, who drove with her husband Robert (who gave me permission to say he was too emotional to be on camera) five hours twice from Ohio to be here. They're both in the cast and crew of What's a Girl to Do?

We'll be on Pray with America's Leaders Thursday at 12:15 p.m. Eastern with Jeannine Brabon, who started praying for revival at Asbury in 1967. She was there for the 1970 Asbury Revival which went for 185 hours. Join us by phone or webcast: www.IFApray.org/watch.

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I released “Pentecost: Beyond the Imagination,” a scene from my one-man play, The Acts, at www.RichDrama.com/Pentecost.

Asbury Revival 2023

As I post, last Wednesday’s chapel at Asbury University has been going over 150 hours! 

Here’s my article about it: “Revival Stirs Asbury Again!”

 

We interviewed three students, faculty member Jim Shores, and Jeannine Brabon who was praying three years for the 1970 Asbury revival (which went 185 hours): 

 

Here's my interview with Kevin Combs, an alumni who's been driving an hour each way to experience the outpouring:

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I released “Pentecost: Beyond the Imagination,” a scene from my one-man play, The Acts, at www.RichDrama.com/Pentecost.