WILMORE, KY — Kentucky’s Asbury University recently marked one year since the biggest revival in more than 50 years broke out on their campus. Although it lasted for just over two weeks Asbury Revival’s impact was felt far and wide. Now many are asking – will it happen again?

Wendy Griffith of CBN News returned there to find out more.

 

The small town of Wilmore, Kentucky had not seen an outpouring of this magnitude in more than 50 years.

For 16 days and nights – students and others worshipped and experienced the presence of god. what began as student-led prayer at a scheduled chapel service february 8 th led to something extraordinary.

Asbury president dr. kevin brown says there’s still a feeling of expectancy in the air, even a year later….

Dr. Kevin Brown – Pres. Asbury University:

”Our students continue to be hungry. They continue to lead. They’ve gone and they’ve shared, we’ve had over 50 groups go to different ministries and churches, both in the United States and overseas.”

This is Hughes Auditorium here at Asbury where for more than 2 weeks, The Holy Spirit showed up in such a way that it drew not only students… but people from around the world hungry for a taste of His glory.

Riley McChord:

”God turned my world technicolor and I don’t know how else to describe it, but prayer came alive. I mean, I saw physical healing, cancer be removed. I saw physically cancer off somebody’s neck be removed. I saw emotional healing, relational healing. And there were two other girls and now my boyfriend and we did that time together and we spent literally every waking moment. We did not sleep and we stayed there for two weeks.”

Caleb Rushing – Asbury Student:

“It was an overwhelming glimpse of just God. His goodness. Yeah, his goodness, his mercy, his grace, his firmness, it was a glimpse of what heaven’s going to be like when we get to just reign and dwell with God forever.”

Lauren Bixler – Asbury student:

“Oh my word. Yeah. I don’t think I’d ever experienced that type of love from God before. I thought a hundred percent this is, I’ve done too many things. I’ve messed up too many times. I’m too far gone. I thought all of those things, and yet God met me with such grace and compassion.”

Zach Meerkreebs – Pastor in Residence:

“I knew we were encountering something, but it was halfway through the weekend when I was like, this is really special.”

As the one preaching that first day, pastor in residence Zach Meerkreebs admits it took some to realize the extent of what was happening and that it’s still in the air a year later…

Zach:

“The temperature on campus is unbelievable, but what’s exciting is they’re longing for authentic long-term steps. Not just 16 days of power and encounter. They’re wanting to pursue holiness. They want to be done with porn. They want to be done with addiction to their phones. They want to be done with those kinds of things. They want to really have authentic walk with the Lord. And what’s amazing is that’s happening here.”

Another result happened when the original Asbury house built in 1850 became a prayer room for students.

Emma Reid – Asbury Student Body President:

”I think one thing that the outpouring did, it took down a lot of walls that maybe we have about who God is before the outpouring. (

“I was not student body president at that time, but our student government and even our administration did a wonderful job of making sure that us as students felt like this was our home and felt that we were safe.”

What’s more: enrollment is up about 25 percent after 2023 saw the largest incoming freshman class in 25 years.

Dr. Brown:

”It was a significant spike in our students and our enrollment looks strong for the upcoming year as well. So we’re really excited about that.”

Wendy:

And the revival did the marketing for you?

Dr. Brown:

It really did.

Wendy:

The revival that started here last February didn’t stay here at Asbury. What do you think the span is? Can you even measure the span of this revival?

Dr. Brown:

Well, on one hand, yes, we know that we’ve had teams go out to churches throughout the United States. We’ve heard of revival, like events occurring when a testimony is shared. But when I think of the word impact, yeah, we can talk about students went here, here are the numbers, here’s the social media feed. I’m more interested in the long-term influence of what we’re seeing with this generation.”

Wendy:

Do you think it’s going to come back here?

Dr. Brown:

”I don’t know, but I will say if it does, it won’t be because we plan it. It will be because that’s what the Lord chooses to do.”

Brown says you can’t put revival in a bottle.

Dr. Brown:

“I think that we would try to recreate it. That’s what we do.”

Brown adds that from his perspective – a key generation found itself at the center of revival.

Dr. Brown:

”During those 16 days, there was always Gen Z represented at the altar. And the very last day that we had a formal service together, I’ll never forget, someone stood in front of all these students, 1500 Gen Z students in the room and said, you will not be the generation defined by depression, anxiety, addiction, and suicidal ideation. And to hear a cry come up from that group, someone said, if we had the spiritual eyes to see it, we would’ve seen an altar filled with loosened chains. That’s my heart. That is the heart of the people around me, that this is a burdened generation, but God wants to use them and we need to invest in them.”

Riley:

“And what happened on February 8th was only the catalyst for what’s truly happening and what’s going to happen. And that was only the beginning.”

---

Read more news on Non Profit / Faith Based Organizations, and Christian Ministry.

---