Last Wednesday, students at a Christian college in Kentucky gathered for a regularly scheduled chapel. What happened next was anything but regular. The prayer, praise, and worship haven’t stopped. Many call what’s happening at Asbury University a revival. As of this writing, the service continues . . .
Asbury University is located in Wilmore, Kentucky. The school was founded in 1890 by John Wesley Hughes, a Methodist evangelist. It is named for Francis Asbury, a Methodist bishop who was also an evangelist. According to the school website, “the institution maintains its commitment to an evangelical Wesleyan-Arminian perspective and requires all who affiliate with the university community to live within the guidelines of this commitment.”
In a normal week at Asbury, chapel happens three times in Hughes Auditorium. But last Wednesday, February 8, many students remained in their seats after the service. Soon, others joined them. Students and faculty continued praying and singing.
Eventually, the hours became days. No one wanted to leave. Some students slept in the chapel. Reports of revival started spreading. People traveled from across the country by car and plane to witness the event. Many joined in the worship.
By week’s end, social media was full of video and images of the worship taking place in Hughes Auditorium. Over the weekend, Asbury officials opened up overflow spaces for worshippers. Livestream of what was happening in the main auditorium was shown on monitors. Many people stood in the cold outside Hughes, listening.
Asbury classes began again Monday. But campus officials say teachers are showing flexibility for those who want to be at the chapel.
A WKYT news report on the spontaneous movement quotes Asbury student Alison Perfater: “The past couple of days have kind of blurred together. The passing of time is no longer a thing.” When asked if she thinks the incident has been manufactured, Perfater says, “I don’t think you can manufacture joy.”
Jonathan Edwards, one of America’s most important preachers and theologians, was no stranger to revival. He spoke of positive biblical signs that could help decide the truth of a revival, such as repentance and the exaltation of Jesus. He also advocated discernment about whether a spiritual experience was a true work of God’s Holy Spirit. He cautioned that just because an experience is “extraordinary” doesn’t mean it is genuine. Christians must “test the spirits.” (1 John 4:1) They must also avoid “quenching the Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19)
Time will tell of the impact of what is occurring at Asbury University. But whatever is happening, Christians can and should earnestly pray for the Holy Spirit to bring true revival to our churches, our land, and our own hearts.
Few folks can disagree with the words of British evangelical David Martin Lloyd-Jones that we stand in “need, the urgent need, of a revival in the Church of God at the present time.”
(Students worship at Asbury University. The Asbury Collegian/photo by Samuel Reed)
