Failed Successfully: How God Uses Humility for His Good

Dale Sutherland. DIFFICULT SEASONS

Zach grew up in a Jewish home but never heard the gospel until he was a teenager. When his parents divorced, he felt like his family had fallen apart. He also struggled with sexual brokenness that occurred at an early age and left him with shame and guilt. Zach believed things would get better for him after his Bar Mitzvah (age 13). Instead, they got worse. He became angry with God and turned to drugs, alcohol and girls to help him cope with his brokenness. At sixteen, Zach was longing to find purpose in his life. The game of soccer helped him find a place of belonging. His team was led by men who were all Christians. One night, he was invited to a teammate’s house (thinking it was for a party) and found himself at a high school Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting. After hearing the message, Zach was overwhelmed. He wept and gave is life to Jesus (November 29, 2006).

Zach almost immediately felt the call to be an evangelist. After high school, he went to a Christian college and earned a Bible degree. After graduation, he married Kristen and moved to Lexington, Kentucky where he became a college pastor. During this time, he still wrestled with years of insecurity and pride. As a pastor, he feared not measuring up, so he exaggerated to impress people As a result, he was let go from his first church and found himself in a formal restoration program to process his sin patterns. Shortly after he lost his job, he ended up working in a donut shop right beside the church. It was a humiliating time for him as he would be covered in flour when parishioners from the church, he previously worked at, would come in. One day, his manager asked him to clean the windows when the pastors from the church were in the store. Zach was mortified. During this time, Jesus told Zach that he didn’t desire this experience to be humiliating, but he wanted him humbled. He reminded Zach that He was with him just as much when cleaning windows in the donut shop as when he was a pastor. Instantly, Zach felt freedom with this revelation. That humiliating moment became a humbling moment for Zach. He says, “What makes Jesus stick out in the world is humility. Humility is the greatest virtue of a Christ follower.” Zach quit the donut shop two weeks later. 

From there he ended up planting a church, pastoring again, and working for the Christian and Missionary Alliance (spiritual formation and leadership development). Through these opportunities, Zach developed connections with Asbury Seminary and became a volunteer soccer coach at the University. Due to his ministry experience, he was asked to lead some retreats and be a guest speaker at the Asbury chapel service on February 8, 2023.

A STINKER SERMON

Zach’s message at chapel service came from Romans 12. As he concluded, he offered these words of encouragement to the students in attendance: “Do not leave here until you experience the love of God so that you can pour it out. The world needs these kinds of Christians. People that have experienced the love of God. I pray that this (message) sits on you like an itchy sweater…that you have to itch. That you would need to do something about it. Jesus, do a new thing in our midst. Revive us by your love.”

Afterwards, Zach sat down and began to pray as insecurity began to set in as it often did directly after preaching. He texted his wife, “Hey, I laid a stinker. I’ll be home soon for a nap.” However, he noticed a few students continued to stay and worship so did he. Throughout the day, more students came into the auditorium. As word began to spread, pastors and friends in the community stopped by the chapel to see what God was doing. Asbury staff leadership decided to keep the chapel open through the night. The powerful move of God lasted 16 days with over 65,000 people in attendance (ultimately reaching over 100,000). Zach had no idea his sermon would be the catalyst for the Asbury Outpouring. “There was no thought that these sixteen days would spur on moments and movements around college campuses, churches around the United States and abroad, igniting hearts to truly follow Jesus, experiencing His love and pouring it out on others. My life and family would never be the same,” shares Zach.  

Zach quit his full-time job with Missionary Alliance to accept invitations to travel and speak. He says, “There were just hundreds of people that needed to be pastored and followed up with, people who came to Christ or people who felt called to ministry or missions, or just college students who saw someone get healed or was at the Outpouring and needed to process that. And there was no plan and person to do that.” He feels his assignment is to present God wherever He takes him. In addition to his speaking opportunities, he is currently the Pastor in Residence at Asbury University. 

THE CRUSHING

Two and half years prior to the Asbury Outpouring Kristen became pregnant. They already had a three-year-old at home. During the sonogram appointment they received the terrible news that their daughter (Esther) had a severe brain abnormality which would not allow her to live more than a few hours after birth. When she was born on December 11, 2020, they had twelve hours with her before she went to be with the Lord. Zach says this was one of the most difficult seasons that he and Kristen walked through. He says, “The crushing is a powerful tool to humble a man or woman.”

RADICAL HUMILITY

During the Asbury Outpouring, God’s presence was in the auditorium in a powerful and simple way. One night, during the first few days of the revival, he decided to check social media posts to see if anyone was talking about the powerful move of God taking place on campus. Realizing his focus was leaning towards affirmation from man, he deleted multiple social media apps that night and asked his wife to handle much of what was going on with his phone (interview requests from the media). Early on, the Asbury seminary decided that this movement would be nameless and faceless. However, Zach’s name was already out there, and many people recognized his face. Media outlets were trying to contact him for interviews, and he was given many opportunities to meet spiritual heroes who had come to see what God was doing. 

Zach believes the Outpouring represents a way of pursuing and preparing for a fresh outpouring of God’s spirit through an essential posture of humility. To become more Christlike and achieve this posture Zach encourages the following:

• Confrontation - set aside a space where you can have a conversation with Jesus. Let Him address you and submit yourself to His formation in your life. For example, Zach reveals, “When He reveals and confronts something in my heart, an anxiety or thought that is destructive or at least distracting, and shines light on a habit that is not Christ like or that is harmful.”

• Consecration – setting apart for Christ’s transforming work in our lives. Once Christ reveals what is harmful, you must confess and submit to His way.

To find out more information on Zach Meerkreebs and purchase his book Lower: Igniting Spiritual Awakening Through Radical Humility click the LINK! 

CREDITS

Author, Lower: Igniting Spiritual Awakening Through Radical Humility, (Faith Words, 2025); Speaker; Preacher - guest speaker at Asbury University chapel on the day the Asbury Outpouring broke out; M.A. in Intercultural Studies, Asbury University; Doctor of Ministry, Asbury University; Married to Kristen; Three children: Eden, Esther (died Dec. 11, 2020), and Mercy