We had one more thing to talk about when she left. “No problem,” I thought. “I’ll call her on her way to work.”
On any other day, that’d be an easy fix. But that morning, it was impossible. ATT’s sudden and unexplained network outage shut down all incoming and outgoing calls. No matter how many times I tried, I could not connect with my wife.
Connection Down
A lot of people feel like heaven has a network outage. Perhaps at one time they could reliably communicate with God, but now the connection isn’t working.
They keep trying to get through, but worship services feel dry, and prayers seem to bounce off the ceiling. In frustration, they wonder, “Does God ever pick up anymore or is this a permanent outage?”
God loves us too much for that. In fact, from time to time, God makes his desire to connect strikingly obvious.
Outpouring
After years of praying for a direct connection, on February 8th a year ago, an outpouring of the Holy Spirit took place at Asbury University. Their regular Wednesday morning chapel service refused to end.
A few students lingered after the service, maybe 20. A while later, others started coming. They sensed something was stirring.
By that evening there were hundreds in Hughes Auditorium. That worship service continued night and day, 24/7, for 16 days!
Those who experienced it said what drew them was an overwhelming sense of God’s presence. People would enter the room and begin to weep, some with sadness and some with joy.
All The Stuff
There were confessions of sin, physical and relational healings, release of spiritual oppression, racial reconciliation taking place, young people surrendering their lives to serve Christ – all the New Testament stuff was happening.
The whole experience was student-led. As it went on and on, they didn’t know from one hour to the next who would be leading worship or if anyone would be speaking. It didn’t matter. Jesus could hold the room.
No Plan
As word got out, people came by the thousands from all around the world. There was no program, no plan – nothing more than a few microphones turned on.
It was low production and high Presence. The raw authenticity spoke straight to the hearts of Gen Z students who have grown up in an overproduced culture.
An Offering
David Thomas, one of the faculty at Asbury, spoke of being at the altar one night when a young woman, maybe 20, came forward for prayer.
He asked, “What have you come here for?”
She said, glowingly, “I’ve met him.”
He knew exactly what she meant. She went on to say, “I’m from India. My parents and I are Hindu. I’ve never met Jesus until now. He is so beautiful, so full of love.”
Thomas asked, “What do you want to offer him?”
She stretched out her arms and said, “All of me!”
Keep in mind, there was no preaching taking place at this time. No human being was trying to convince her of anything. She experienced the work of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, that comes when people pray persistently over time.
More Willing
There is no network outage in heaven. God is far more willing to pick up than we are to call.
In fact, God is earnestly trying to reach each of us right now.
Trust that you are loved and listen carefully to what is happening around you.
Your call has already come in. God is just waiting for you to pick up.
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Roger Ross
A native of Cambridge, Illinois, Roger has served as a pastor in Texas, the British Channel Island of Guernsey, and Illinois. While in Illinois, he led teams that planted two new churches and served for 10 years as the lead pastor of one of the largest United Methodist Churches in the Midwest. It was his privilege to serve as the Director of Congregational Excellence in the Missouri Conference before coming into his current role with Spiritual Leadership, Inc (SLI).
Roger now comes alongside pastors, non-profit leaders and their leadership teams as an executive coach, specializing in leadership that inspires change. As a side gig, he loves teaching evangelism and church planting as an adjunct professor at SMU’s Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, Texas.
Other passions of his include SCUBA diving in warm blue water, Krispy Kremes, board games with family and friends, and traveling in different cultures. He also has a weakness for golf.
Roger is the author of three books, Meet The Goodpeople: Wesley’s 7 Ways to Share Faith, Come Back: Returning to the Life You Were Made For, and Come Back Participant Guide, all through Abingdon Press.
Now for the best part. Roger is married to Leanne Klein Ross. Leanne grew up around Bloomington, Illinois where the two of them now reside. God has blessed them with two adult children, a son-in-law, several tropical fish, and one adorable granddog.
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