Azusa Now What? Prophetic Perspectives on the Imminent Move of God
4. Collegiate Revival
One of the fruit of the Azusa revival in 1906 was revivals on campuses. In 1905-1908, collegiate revivals exploded all over the nation and God began to move on young adults. The power of God was poured out as waves of God’s presence, prayer, repentance and evangelism swept across institutions like Cornell University, Rutgers University, Princeton University, Trinity College, Baylor University, University of California in Berkeley, Stanford University, Northwestern University, Iowa State College, McGill University, Seattle Pacific College and Asbury College. At Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, President Charles Winchester preached on “The Baptism of the Holy Spirit” on Jan. 6, 1905. The power of God came on the campus and academics was suspended for a week.
I see the Holy Spirit getting ready to blow on college campuses once again. Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Asbury University, Wheaton College, Oral Roberts University, UCLA and many others are primed for a great move of God. This move will also impact campuses all over the world. Remarkably, this will be the catalyst to another great student awakening and missionary movement.
5. Stadium Revivals and a Great Harvest of Souls
Lou Engle and many others have spoken about the coming of stadium revivals. Stadiums will be filled all over the world and the gospel will be preached to masses with an accompanying outbreak of signs, wonders and miracles. Lou mentioned at Azusa Now that the Circuit Riders from YWAM are believing God for 80 million souls in America and 200,000 missionaries. Stadium crusades will continue to take place in Europe, Africa and other parts of the world. There will be a concerted evangelistic thrust in the coming days. Get ready for the incoming harvest of souls!
6. Community House Movement
With the anticipated harvest of souls, discipleship, community and authenticity will become words the church is going to have to embrace and flourish in. In the book of Acts, when Pentecost came, Peter preached in the power of the Holy Spirit and 3,000 souls were saved.
“Then those who gladly received his word were baptized, and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in the prayers. Fear came to every soul. And many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common. They sold their property and goods and distributed them to all, according to their need. And continuing daily with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:41-47).
The early church exploded but what sustained them in ‘revival’ was a focus on intimate, intentional community, discipleship and authenticity. We cannot afford to birth a revival and then “orphan” it by our negligence and lack of intentionality. The early church flourished in a “house” environment, “breaking bread from house to house.”
This generation is crying out for authenticity. They are seeing past the smoke screens, bright lights, attractive activities, an attractional model of church that is devoid of a tangible transformation and encounter with the presence of God. They are longing to know authentic faith, thrive in authentic relationships and community and be released to be authentic witnesses in the power of the Holy Spirit. We will be seeing an emergence of a community house movement that will be centered on the values of the presence of God, family, transformation and multiplication.
7. Empowering the Intellectual Charismatics
In the past, with the impact of experiential Pentecostalism, intellectualism became the nemesis of vibrant spirituality. Seminaries were dubbed as “cemeteries.” Whatever spiritual fire and passion one had entering seminary would be quenched by the rigors of academia and systematic learning. As a result, there was a focused yet reckless pursuit of power spirituality and experience that was not anchored in the proper understanding and handling of the Word of God, the basic tenets of our faith, doctrine and praxis. This was where heresies and unorthodox beliefs and practices began to infiltrate the church. Paul wrote to the Colossians to warn them about a “philosophy” that was creeping into the Colossae church that elevated special knowledge and experiential spirituality that did not have Christ as the Source and Head.
As we embrace the move of the Holy Spirit and the restoration of spiritual gifts, the Church must all the more lean in to the orthodoxy and foundation of the Word of God and solid doctrine, not a departure from it. I see a greater emergence of intellectual charismatics who are well-versed and trained both in the Word of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Let Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. Do it again, Holy Spirit.
Cornelius Quek is the founding director of The 7K.
