“Goblin mode” was Oxford Dictionaries’ 2022 Word of the Year. Oxford offered this choice to English speakers for the first time in its history, saying that the “Word of the Year is a word or expression reflecting the ethos, mood, or preoccupations of the past twelve months, one that has potential as a term of lasting cultural significance.” More than 340,000 people cast their vote.

Goblin mode as a slang term is often used in the expressions “in goblin mode’ or ‘to go goblin mode.”  It refers to “a type of behavior which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.” First seen on Twitter in 2009, it went viral on social media in February of 2022, seeming to capture the prevailing mood of individuals who rejected the idea of returning to normal life.

Ben Zimmer, American linguist and lexicographer, said: “Goblin mode really does speak to the times and the zeitgeist, and it is certainly a 2022 expression.  People are looking at social norms in new ways.  It gives people the license to ditch social norms and embrace new ones.” 

Casper Grathwohl (President, Oxford Languages) said, “Given the year we’ve just experienced, ‘goblin mode’ resonates with all of us who are feeling a little overwhelmed at this point… People are embracing their inner goblin, and voters choosing ‘goblin mode’ as the Word of the Year tells us the concept is likely here to stay.”

I hope each man reading this blog rejects “goblin mode” as part of his lifestyle. Jesus tells us the exact opposite as we come to the end of the age.  In Mark 13, for example, Jesus tells us, “Watch out that no one deceives you” (v. 5).  In verse 9 we are told, “You must be on your guard.”  Later he warns us, “Be on guard! Be alert!” (v. 33).  Then he says, “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back” (v. 35).

As followers of Jesus we certainly need to reject many of our contemporary social norms and expectations. We need to be on guard and alert to not become “self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy.”   Peter gives us good advice when he tells us, “Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted.  Stay wide-awake in prayer.  Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it.  Love makes up for practically anything” (I Peter 4:7-8 – Message).

In Chapter 5, Peter warns about Satan:  “Be careful!  Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy.  He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour” (v. 8).  Could it be that God is raising up an army of men, who reject “goblin mode” as they hear the trumpet of God? They are warning people of the difficult days ahead. These men are gathering into small groups all over our nation, knowing in their hearts that the time is short.

Men, do you hear the call?  It is a call to action, to warn others being carried away and diluted by the influence of the dominant narrative. Revelation 13 describes in symbolic fashion how Satan gives power and authority to the beast: “This first beast represents governmental tyranny throughout history working against Christ and his church,” notes Nancy Guthrie. “It is political and governmental powers demanding the loyalty that belongs to Christ alone.” 

Men: expose and stand against the forces of darkness that have captured much of the popular narrative in our culture.    

By now you may have heard about the movement of God’s Spirit which began on Wednesday, Feb. 8th during a chapel service at Asbury University and ended on Feb. 25th, attracting close to 15,000 people from across the country each day.  As a firm believer in revival, I want to share my testimony as it relates to awakenings and revival movements.  

• I am a product of a revival movement in the Lutheran Church.  By God’s abundant grace and mercy, I found Jesus as my Lord and Savior at the California Lutheran Bible School. There I met students and instructors who had a personal relationship with Jesus. From that day in March of 1960, I have been a follower of Jesus, still highly motivated to see God move among Lutherans.   
• I attended Fuller Seminary (1962-66), where I was deeply impacted by Dr. J. Edwin Orr, who had studied revival movements most of his career.  “An Evangelical Awakening,” notes Dr. Orr, “is a movement of the Holy Spirit bringing about a revival of New Testament Christianity in the church of Christ and in its related community.  Such an awakening may change in a significant way an individual, or it may affect a larger group of believers.” I came away from Dr. Orr’s lectures convinced of revival being a sovereign movement of God’s Spirit.   
• I experienced a local revival as a youth pastor during the early 1970’s.  Our youth group embraced the “Jesus movement” as an indirect result of the Asbury Revival of 1970.  I simply made myself available as a clay vessel for the Lord’s use.  It is truly amazing the work God did in the hearts of teenagers in those days.  Programs and attractions did not convert hearts. It was the love of Jesus breaking into the lives of affluent young people.
• I was part of a spiritual awakening during the late 1970’s and 80’s, when the Holy Spirit was being poured out on many church denominations.  Just last week, Judy and I spent an evening with six couples we had not been with for over 30 years. We all marveled and praised God for all we learned during those days at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Des Moines, IA.  I am eternally grateful for those folks and all that we learned together as we allowed the Holy Spirit to teach and lead us in new ways within the Lutheran tradition.  

So, I am sold on revival. A key verse for me is Habakkuk 3:2: “Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.” Oh, God repeat your mighty works in our day.  When I watch what happened at Asbury, I think of Acts 3:19, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”  The word refreshing “implies relief from difficult, distressful or burdensome circumstances” (NET).  God in his mercy is rescuing a whole generation of young people from a decadent and destructive culture. 

I am now at least 30 years removed from the last awakening I experienced.  I hope I am more mature and a little wiser.  When I see young college students bowing in repentance before the Lord, crying out to him for mercy, and wanting to be free from sinful habits, I say, “Amen.”  My task, at my age, is to pray and cry out to the Lord from afar, that these young people might be guided and molded to change our nation.