“We are

witnessing a
surprising
work of God.”
– Thomas McCall
Asbury Professor

Revival breaks out at Asbury University in Wilmore,

Ky.
By: Gracelyn Gibson

It was Wednesday morning, February 8, and Asbury University students began filing into the
Hughes Auditorium for their routine chapel service. There was nothing remarkably special about
this day as students woke up and got themselves ready to make their way to the chapel on campus.
The service began like any other around 10:00 am. Towards the end of the service, the worship
team began to sing their final song – or what they thought would be their final song. Instead of the
service ending and the students leaving to continue their days and make it to their classes, after the
final song, no one left. The worship continued. The praying continued. And it has not stopped.

Approximately 145 hours (6 days) later, the service is still ongoing. Some have described it as a
“quiet but powerful sense of transcendence” and an “inexpressible sweetness.” What started as a
normal routine service has turned into hundreds of people arriving at the chapel in busloads each
day, to come and see what the attention is all about. Once they arrive, they too do not want to
leave. Not only are Asbury students a part of this
revival, but individuals from the community are
also joining, and some are even driving hundreds
of miles just to be a part of this incredible
experience.

This is not the first time the university has seen

something like this. In fact, in 1970 Asbury
witnessed a very similar situation. On February 3,
1970, another revival broke out. The dean of the university at the time, Custer B. Reynolds was
scheduled to speak at the chapel. Instead of presenting his prepared message, he felt led to invite
the students to share their personal testimonies and stories of how God has impacted and changed
their lives. This was possibly the best decision Reynolds could have made. Quickly, a lengthy line
formed full of expectant college students ready and excited to share their stories. Asbury alumni,
Paul Veldhuizen said:

Within minutes the Spirit came, and everyone felt His unexplainable presence. The greatest
thing I constantly witnessed and experienced was our equality before Him. We all were
overwhelmed- the Eternal Power did not berate us, and conviction came because of His
Holiness enveloping us in love. That is with me to this day.

This 1970 revival lasted for approximately 144 hours. Classes were canceled and life was put on
pause. No one wanted to miss the extraordinary movement that was taking place.

When most hear the term “revival” an occasional eye roll or negative connotation is usually
followed. In the world we live in today, Christianity and religion, in general, have become
controversial. According to the Pew Research Center, approximately three-in-ten United States
adults consider themselves unaffiliated with religion.

Although the reasons for the controversy are numerous, some include the fear of God moving
supernaturally in ways that cannot be described. People are also turned off by the idea of “sin” and
the preaching against it.

Though some of these feelings, thoughts, and emotions are understandable, the current professor of
theology at Asbury University, Thomas McCall , explains that what is happening now is in fact
real. He shares that despite the common associations that revivals are linked with “political
activism and Christian nationalism,” that is not the agenda of those at Asbury. Many describe the
chapel as filled with the Holy Spirit’s presence in such an immense way that only those physically
there can understand.

2
No matter your view on religion or your feelings on revivals, it is hard to watch videos like the one
below and not wonder if what you see truly is God’s work.