Chapel at Asbury

Although I've only attended three chapel services here at Asbury (including the one I attended as a prospective) I can honestly say that they have each been some of the most precious times of corporate worship and fellowship that I have ever experienced. I really can't pinpoint it but each time I enter the chapel God has spoken to me in wonderful ways. Although the experience is more than emotional I am always brought to tears in one way or another. The Spirit of God is so powerful in that place when the Asbury community gathers to worship. There are no egos, there are no self-serving motives, there is only pure radiant passion for Holy Triune Godhead.

I can't even begin to explain how I feel every time I leave chapel here at Asbury. I don't leave chapel thinking "that was a good sermon" or "the worship was good," instead I leave chapel longing for all of my friends to be here with me to experience God the way that I have just experienced God. I leave thinking "God is awesome" or "I've just encountered a Holy God who loves me and I have been changed."

I know that three experiences shouldn't qualify as enough empirical evidence to make a statement like this, but I truly feel that the desire of the people here is for God and the Spirit of God is mighty in this place. I feel like every word is a word of truth spoken out of love. To abuse a phrase that I have quoted time and time again "My heart is strangely warmed" with the very words of the greeting or blessing.

I don't feel that I'm "learning something new" each chapel, but rather things that I have known are being made fresh and are piercing through to my heart. The new things I learn are indeed new and profound, but I don't feel overloaded with information, I feel broken and open before the Lord. I feel that he is present and the he is reaching down to embrace me.

Though chapel is the primary place that I feel this, I also feel this intimacy and the reign of the Spirit in various presidential weekly email addresses and other readings written by Asburians. I truly think that Asbury is succeeding in accomplishing its founding principle which is: "to prepare and send forth a well-trained sanctified, Spirit-filled, evangelistic ministry."

Now I'm not saying that some people don't fall through the cracks while at Asbury. I'm sure there are more than a few people here that are just going through the motions and that have wacked out theologies and ideas, but I still feel that the Spirit of God reigns in this place and in the lives of most of the seminarians here.

I am very confident that this is the place that I am suppose to be right now in my life. God is stretching me ministering to me in new ways. This place seems to be a good fit for me and I believe the reason for that to be because this is where I am called.

I don't say all this to brag on Asbury and to try and convince all my friends who are budding seminarians to come here. I just write all this because it is what God is doing around me, it is what he is speaking to me and it is how he is ministering to me.

There is truly no joy greater than to be in the will of God. For me, right now, it is to be at Asbury Theological Seminary. Maybe net year it will be something different, but for now I am here and am confident that this is the place that God has called me. Although I feared this was the wrong decision I am now assured that it is not.

May you all know God's calling on your life, may he speak his will to you and my you're joy be complete in being where he calls. Blessings to you my friends as you continue on your journeys.


Ben