Dr. Timothy Tennent: Spiritual Awakening at Asbury
Most, if not all who are reading this article will know of an amazing spiritual awakening which broke forth on the campus of Asbury University at Hughes Auditorium on February 8th. Hughes Auditorium is truly one of the great holiness landmarks in the world as it has been the site of a number of revivals over the years. Many of you have personally experienced or read about the revival which broke out in 1970 (also in February) which eventually led to Asbury College and Asbury Seminary students going all over the country and the world sharing what God had done. It was part of a great spiritual awakening which occurred during that time (Jesus Revolution and the Charismatic renewal). It was the awakening in the 1970s which totally changed the direction of my life, as well as tens of thousands across the country.
February 8, 2023 was, by all accounts, a normal chapel service at Asbury University. The preacher for the day was Zak Meerkreebs who preached on the love of God and prayed that “God would revive us with his love.” After the service a few students remained behind and continued to pray and worship. Gradually, more and more students returned to the chapel and it was clear that God was moving in an unusual way. Within hours, Hughes Auditorium was packed with students worshipping the Lord and people were confessing their sins and coming to the altar. It didn’t stop for 16 days and none of us who were part of it will ever be the same. We witnessed hundreds and hundreds of people being touched by God in profound ways.
The core of the awakening was clearly centered on Gen Z and the University quickly recognized the need to focus on that generation, particularly as more and more out-of-town seekers began to pour into Wilmore (a town of 6,000 people). Each day the number of visitors grew and eventually between 50,000 to 70,000 people came for worship, prayer and repentance. Hughes Auditorium can only seat 1,500 people, so it became clear fairly early on that the Seminary must partner with the University to help minister to what was so dramatically unfolding. Asbury has a renewal ministry known as Seedbed/New Room. One of the key leaders of that ministry is Dr. David Thomas who was mightily used by God, along with key leaders at Asbury University, to help shepherd the meetings and to keep the focus on what God was doing. A decision was made to not use overhead projection or bring in any nationally known Christians, but to allow God to do his work in the same quiet way he had started it. Testimonies, prayer, worship, reading of Scripture and exhortations were the daily rhythm which went on for days. Committed intercessors prayed all during the night. Asbury Seminary began to open more and more facilities to accommodate the growing crowds. We opened our Estes Chapel, then McKenna Chapel, then our Cowan building (former Free Methodist Church and Cokesbury book store), then our gymnasium and even our cafeteria. Several local churches also opened their doors to accommodate those who were coming for prayer. All of these facilities were filled. From the beginning we made it clear that these sites were not there so anyone could simply “watch” what was happening in Hughes Auditorium, but each site had altars and prayer teams. There were times when we had worship leaders and exhorters on the Seminary side, but more often we had “hosts” who helped to guide the ministry and the prayer teams in each of the locations, but the worship and prayer at Hughes was simulcast to each of the locations. Southland Christian church kindly loaned us two additional large screens to use in our gymnasium since all of our equipment was being used at our other sites. Hughes Auditorium began by restricting the first twenty rows for Gen Z, but soon moved to reserving the entire auditorium for Gen Z. Most of those over 25 were hosted by Asbury Seminary. It became clear by the beginning of the second week that this awakening had two foci. The first, and I think historically it will be recognized as the core of the renewal, was a focus on God awakening Gen Z to the gospel in a fresh way. The second focal point was thousands of out-of-town guests from all generations who came with spiritual hunger and a desperation for God. Massive lines formed outside of Hughes Auditorium and outside Estes Chapel thronging to get into these places of worship. Wilmore doesn’t have a lot of places to park or eat or use the restroom, so massive logistical work was done to help those who came, including porta potties, water, food trucks, security, and so forth. Cars were parked all over the streets, and on our lawns, and anywhere you can imagine. People stayed in hotels, Bed and Breakfast places, in campers, and in homes. We had several staying in our home as well. Many in Wilmore opened their homes to these out of town guests. I told our team at Asbury Seminary that our role was to serve in whatever way we could. We used the phrase, “radical hospitality.” We were committed to doing whatever we could to serve this move of God, even though much of our normal activities and certainly the typical serene atmosphere which marks Wilmore had evaporated.
Very early on a phrase emerged which became a hallmark of the awakening, and that was the phrase “radical humility.” This phrase came forth independently from numerous people who were there and who witnessed the outpouring. It was normally taken to mean the “radical humility” of those who came, who were spiritually hungry. But, at a deeper level, I believe it was really about God revealing his own humility in coming in a manifest way into our midst to a people who did not deserve such a powerful move of God. We were all the recipients of his undeserved grace.
As the awakening grew we prayerfully considered allowing a wonderful gesture from Awaken the Dawn to bring in a tent which could seat 3,000 people and arrange a staging for cars at a local large church and bus people into a new venue. However, after several days of devoted prayer and reflection, the Lord made it clear that we were not to extend this, but to pray for this movement to be ignited to college campuses all across the United States and the world. Indeed, by the second week there were visitors from many countries. Asbury University set up a large public screen on their front lawn to accommodate hundreds who were not able to fit into any of the facilities and many worshipped well into the night on the front lawn. The awakening has spread to dozens of colleges and universities around the country. It has also spread to churches as people began to travel and share what they had witnessed. This continues to the present.
There were two major events which had been planned long ago for Hughes Auditorium which fell during the two weeks of the awakening. The first was a concert by Andrew Peterson. Asbury Seminary had booked his coming to Wilmore as a part of our Centennial celebrations. Hughes Auditorium, the largest space in the city, had been booked for the concert. However, it became clear that we needed to cancel the concert and to allow God to continue his work in the lives of those who were pouring into town. The second planned event was the 200th anniversary of the National Collegiate Day of Prayer. Over 4,000 colleges and universities, as well as hundreds of ministries dedicated to college ministry were linked together in a massive live-streamed event which helped to transition this awakening from the “come and see” phase to the “go and tell” phase. This awakening was too important to be “owned” by any one university or seminary. It had to continue spreading to the ends of the earth.
I had the privilege of being present in all of the venues night after night, except for a few trips I made outside the city to share about the awakening. The real testimony about what happened during those days is not the uploaded videos or TikToks or Instagram pictures of the throngs in line, or the amazing worship services. The real testimony is what happened at the altar. God was touching lives. Gen Z has been a generation filled with hopelessness, and they received a major awakening of hope. Hope in the gospel. Hope in the power of Jesus Christ. Hope in what their generation can do to call the entire church away from casual prayers, domesticated faith, and culturally compromised churches. Only time will tell, but I, for one, am filled with fresh hope about what is possible when God does what only He can do.
So very encouraging
Thanks for a wonderful synopsis of this incredible move of God and I thank God for wise leadership that kept the focus where I believe God intended, continuing to pray and believe for a worldwide revival for Gen Z and the rest of us!
February 1970 revival lit a fire in me which has not gone out. I am thrilled to see God doing it again! Thanks so much for sharing this account.
I’m writing this as a pastor from the Isle of Lewis, Scotland, that knew a mighty visitation of God during 1949-52 – known as The Hebrides Revival. The majority of those saved during these days of heaven on earth were teenagers. God is doing something new in our day, and it has again begun among our youth. Asbury has added fuel to the fire of our hearts and our prayers. Please pray with us for God to rend the heavens and come down.
I have loved telling everyone about what God was doing in Wilmore! I learned about it mere HOURS after it began, and I REJOICE in what God is now doing ACROSS THE ENTIRE WORLD!!
We are fed up with casual prayers, compromising believers, powerless preachings and teachings, domesticated faith, passive disciples.
We desire to witness and be a part of the demonstration the Power of the Holy Spirit. We want to be led only by the Spirit of the Living God so as to work the works of God here on earth in Jesus’ name.
Wonderful article as always. I drove up from SC with my two sons on Valentine’s Day. I’ve prayed to be able to experience a revival movement of the Holy Spirit since I was a student at Asbury Seminary (2010) and I wasn’t going to risk missing this movement. While we drove there in anticipation, I was also cautious not to come with predetermined expectations.
Within two minutes of sitting down in Hughes, the Holy Spirit came over each of us. The only way I have been able to explain it is that God opened a connection between heaven and earth and brought His throne room before us. All three of us were overcome with His abiding love – it wasn’t that He loved us because of us, or what we’ve done/not done, or anything to really do with any of us – it was simply His love for us as His children. All other thoughts left us; anxiety, worry, stress, needs and desires each fled from His presence.
Maranatha.