What is going on at Asbury University? Kentucky college’s nonstop ‘revival’ leaves internet in a frenzy

On the morning of February 8, students at Asbury University gathered for their biweekly chapel routine, which later turned into a non-stop prayer and worship assembly. Many are calling it a "revival," which has since inspired pupils from other universities to travel to Wilmore and partake in the gathering.

At Kentucky’s Asbury University in Wilmore, Wednesday mornings are for a routine chapel service. A few minutes before 10 am, the students start gathering at the Hughes Auditorium where they are required to attend a set number of chapels each semester.

However, last Wednesday, February 8 was different for everyone at Asbury University. The gospel choir sang the final chorus after the benediction. However, some students did not leave even after due time as they seemed struck by a powerful sense of transcendence. They lingered and continued to pray and worship.

Slowly, other students started joining in quietly. They were seen praising God and praying earnestly to him for themselves as well as their neighbors and the whole world. Some were also expressing repentance for the sins they have committed and praying for healing, peace, wholeness, and justice.

A few others were reading out verses from Scripture. Many had their arms outstretched above, and a few were kneeling near the altar rail in front of the stage.

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"How refreshing": Internet reacts to the ongoing revival at Asbury University

A Theology teacher at the university said that the students were still worshiping on Thursday morning and by the afternoon, hundreds of more pupils had started filling the auditorium again.

By Thursday evening, more students had started arriving at Asbury University from other universities. These included the University of Cumberlands, the University of Kentucky, Indiana Wesleyan University, Purdue University, Ohio Christian University, Midway University, Transylvania University, Mt. Vernon Nazarene University, Georgetown College, Lee University, and many others.

Netizens had a wholesome reaction to the revival happening at Asbury University as everybody erupted in praise of God and said that God is there every step of the way.

Attendees of the assembly also shared clips and snippets of their experience of being at the revival and witnessing the powerful singing and prayers. Many said that they felt joy and peace from the revival.

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Kevin Brown, the president of Asbury University, said:

"We would say there is just a spirit of the Lord in this place, really [burrowed] its way into the hearts and minds of our students, staff, faculty, and our community. It just gives me so much hope that this next generation, this Gen Z generation, does not have to be defined by anxiety, but they can be defined by hope."

One of the attendees, Nick Hall, purchased a one-way flight ticket from Minneapolis after he came across the viral Asbury revival video on social media. He noted that the gathering was low-key to be called a revival. Nick said:

“This is acoustic guitars, pianos, and very noncharismatic speakers. This is as un-sensationalized as it could be.”

He further shared that the Gen Z generation was leading the whole gathering in both the sanctuary and on social media.

T.J. Reeves, a senior student from Illinois’ Wheaton College said that he first heard about the assembly from an Instagram video after which he made the six-and-a-half-hour drive to Wilmore. Reeves also shared that a chapel at Wheaton was encouraging their students to pay attention to the revival in Asbury.

Many students from other universities who joined the spiritual revival at Asbury University in the past week have now returned to their respective schools and started separate prayer and worship gatherings there.

Brian Conn, the director of communications at Tennessee’s Lee University said that their students have started a continuous prayer vigil on Monday, which is still ongoing.

Other schools, including Ohio Christian University near Columbus and Anderson University in Indiana, along with a few others, have also made a similar approach.