20,000 Join Asbury Revival in Weekend Explosion, but Outpouring Will Now Be Moved Off Campus
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After a weekend of massive crowds at the Asbury University revival, a big change is coming that will permanently take the revival off campus. Estimates put the number of people attending revival services at Asbury in the small town of Wilmore, Kentucky between 15,000 and over 20,000 the weekend. On Sunday, Greg Gordon, founder of SermonIndex.net, tweeted a photo of people standing in line to worship on Saturday night at the university campus. “UPDATE: Over 20,000 people came to Asbury last night, with 5 overflow buildings and a grass lawn filled. there is a 2.5 mile backup of cars going into Wilmore. Cry out to God for your FIRST LOVE to be renewed,” Gordon wrote. UPDATE: Over 20,000 people came to asbury last night, with 5 overflow buildings and a grass lawn filled. there is a 2.5 mile backup of cars going into Wilmore. Cry out to God for your FIRST LOVE to be renewed. #asburyrevival #asburyawakening pic.twitter.com/ka9ZTrS9yf — Greg Gordon (@gregjgordon) February 19, 2023 Later Sunda y afternoon, Gordon tweeted a video of the people standing outside of the chapel worshiping the Lord. “Lord, let the fire of your Spirit fall like later rain.” Don’t be a spectator, God change me! God is doing “A deep work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and lives to prepare us for what is ahead.” #asburyrevival #asburyawakening” he wrote. “Lord, let the fire of your Spirit fall like later rain.” Don’t be a spectator, God change me! God is doing “A deep work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and lives to prepare us for what is ahead.” #asburyrevival #asburyawakening pic.twitter.com/A1wE3G5Ol6 — Greg Gordon (@gregjgordon) February 19, 2023 The number of people wanting to participate in the revival even caused the university to expand its worship services to five overflow buildings. Wilmore City officials decided to reroute traffic due to the flood of people descending on the small town to experience the revival. Asbury Makes a Major Announcement But the staying power of the Asbury outpouring is about to be tested in a big way. The university announced Friday that public worship services in the school’s Hughes Auditorium would end on Monday. Beginning Tuesday, Feb. 21, services available to the public will be held at another location in the central Kentucky area. Asbury will still host evening services for college-age and high school students (25 and under) through Thursday, Feb. 23, the university said. And Asbury will live stream limited portions of services through Thursday which is the National College Day of Prayer. “As part of Asbury’s intention of encouraging and commissioning others to ‘go out’ and share what they have experienced, all services will be hosted at other locations and no longer held at Asbury University. We encourage guests to utilize these other Designated facilities for worship and gathering. More information will be shared,” the school posted on its website. Asbury President Kevin J. Brown, Ph.D. also posted a four-minute vid eo update posted to Twitter Sunday night, calling these last few weeks at the Christian school, “unlike anything I’ve ever seen in my life.” “Whether you call this a revival, a renewal, an awakening or an outpouring, what we have experienced on our campus these last few weeks is unlike anything I’ve ever seen in my life,” Brown said. Brown said he believes Asbury is not the keeper or source of this movement, pointing out that is has already gone across the US and around the world. “People are hungry,” he said. “And they are hungry for something more,” quoting Jesus in the New Testament’s Matthew 5:6. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled ” “We look to other schools, other churches or ministry communities as co-commissioners in this movement that’s taking shape for us,” Brown said. “Whatever happens from here, our deep desire is to see a life-transforming renewal of our younger generation to faithfully serve their communities, their schools s, their churches, and their professions. To see them go into the difficult and dark places in the world and to be light.” “Finally, I’ve seen several headlines with titles suggesting that we are ending revival services or that we are scheduled to end revival,” the university president said. “And while it is true that Thursday evening will conclude our last service in Hughes Auditorium here on the campus of Asbury University, we know this is not a conclusion to hungry hearts being stirred, and responding by seeking Jesus Christ.” In closing, Brown thanked people for praying and asked them to continue to pray that what is happening at Asbury would continue to move across states, countries, and continents. “When the world sees our efforts and our spirit , may they see Christ,” he said. #asburyrevival PRESIDENT’S UPDATE “Please pray that what has happened here moves across states, countries…for the edification of our neighbor and for the glory of God” ️ Revival NOT ending. It’s spreading ️ Livestream will occur next week What are you believing God for? pic.twitter.com/2kCtAkVD1z — DrMalachi.eth – (Dr. Run) – Marathon Every Day (@malachiobrien) February 20, 2023 Revival at Asbury: How It Started The Asbury Collegian reported that it began during a call to confession on Wednesday, Feb. 8, when at least 100 people fell to their knees and bowed at the altar. Since then it has turned into a Holy Spirit outpouring that has only grown larger and larger each day with visitors pouring in from around the US and around the world. As CBN News reported, it is being compared to the culture-changing revival at the same college in 1970, but there’s something different this time. The new non-stop prayer and worship awakening has had social media as a powerful ally that wasn’t available in previous historic campus revivals. The impact has been so powerful that this ongoing Spirit-led event has even drawn the attention of major media outlets. But it’s also drawing a wi worldwide audience ce, particularly of young people, to witness what is happening through firsthand accounts, photographs, and videos with many of these posts going viral. ***Please sign up for CBN News Mid-Day Update and Breaking News Alerts to get daily updates from a distinctly Christian perspective. *** Already Spreading to Other Campuses Numerous reports reveal the Holy Spirit has ignited several other flames that are now burning brightly at other universities and colleges around the country, bypassing denominational boundaries. It first University, spread a Lee school with Pentecostal roots in Tennessee. But students at Baptist schools like Cedarville and Samford Universities have also been experiencing the power of God. Over the weekend, there were reports the Holy Spirit-led revival was still going strong at Samford, a tian school Chris private located on the outskirts of Birmingham, Alabama. “Students are in Reid Chapel (Samford University) in complete awe of God. Praying, worshiping, reading Scripture.” – Kevin Blackwell. Revival is spreading,” Greg Gordon tweeted along with a video of students worshiping in the university chapel. “Students are in Reid Chapel (Samford University) in complete awe of God. Praying, worshiping, reading Scripture. ” – Kevin Blackwell Revival is spreading. #SamfordRevival #asburyrevival pic.twitter.com/ITnzEbF0xO — Greg Gordon (@gregjgordon) February 18, 2023
