There's something big happening in Kentucky; something many Christians hope and pray to experience at least once in their lives. Right at the heart of Asbury University Kentucky, in the school auditorium, a revival has started.
News about the Asbury revival started spreading on social media through Tiktok and Instagram early this month. While there are critiques, as with anything supernatural, we cannot deny that there is in fact, an awakening happening. Up until last weekend, in the small Wilmore, Kentucky town (population of 6,000), cars were lined up to 2.5 miles into the city. With 5 overflow buildings, as well as a grass lawn filled; an estimate of 20,000 people attended the revival.
With this revival happening, the question on all our minds is, "what lit the match that started this fire?" and the answer to that is, this:
Asbury University is a Wesleyan- Holiness private university. On certain weekdays, the students attend a mandatory Chapel service. In that service
On the 8th day of February 2023, a handful of students spontaneously stayed back in the Hughes Auditorium after their regularly scheduled chapel service. See the sermon below
And isn't that how it always starts? With two or three people desperate for a change?
In attendance was Alison Perfater, the student body president who told Tucker Carlson after a fellow student decided to openly confess some of his sins to the small group, 'the atmosphere changed'.
According to her,
"For seemingly no reason at first on Wednesday, February 8 it didn’t end. That’s kind of the logistical side of what’s been going on. On the deeper side of things, what’s been happening here since Wednesday is there’s a young army of believers who are rising to claim Christianity, the faith, as their own, as a young generation and as a free generation, and that’s why people cannot get enough."
Students remained in the auditorium throughout the night and the revival continued into its second day. It has been on since then. The nation is captivated by the revival breaking out as students, faculty, and people from outside the Christian campus flock to the chapel to take part in a multi-day revival. From singing to sermons and overt praise for Jesus, the praise and worship service, which started on February 8, hasn't stopped. Day and night, students and professors are worshipping Jesus.
Presta, the editor of the student-run website The Asbury Collegian, has been writing about what she experienced after attending what she thought was a typical chapel service last Wednesday. But that service was like none other. She and others stayed all day and through the night - and have continued returning. Presta wrote about the experience,
“Peers, professors, local church leaders, and seminary students surround me — all of them praying, worshipping, and praising God together,”
She added,
“Voices are ringing out. People are bowing at the altar, arms stretched wide. A pair of friends cling to each other in a hug, one with tears in her eyes. A diverse group of individuals crowd the piano and flawlessly switch from song to song. No one wants to leave.”
Although Asbury has had a history of revivals, 1905, 1908, 1921, 1950, 1958, 1970, 1992, and 2006; being that most of the students are members of the Generation Z community, news of the phenomena quickly spread on social media and in Christian online publications. On February 15, the hashtag '#asburyrevival' had over 24 million views on TikTok and by February 18, views reached 63 million. Visitors told The Washington Post stories of "miracles and healing" they witnessed at the event, along with unparalleled hospitality by locals and students.
Watch a rerun of an 11-hour service here.