The University of the Cumberlands campus minister Jacob Ratliff says “at this point,” he would hesitate to label what is happening at the Williamsburg, Kentucky, school as revival.
But Ratliff also says he is seeing “significant evidence of the Lord’s work at UC” as continuous prayer and worship gatherings that began this past Monday continued throughout the week.
Many Christian institutions have experienced spontaneous worship and prayer services in response to the revival event at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky.
The University of the Cumberlands is the third Christian university in Kentucky to see such kingdom activity after similar happenings at Asbury and Campbellsville University in Campbellsville.
“We have been encouraged by our students’ desires to see Christ exalted. They have organized two worship gatherings that have been impactful for our campus and local community,” Ratliff told The Christian Post.
Ratliff says many Cumberland students have made the 82-mile drive from Williamsburg to Wilmore this week to experience the Asbury Revival, which has been ongoing since Feb. 8. Ratliff says the students who made the trek to Asbury led a worship service at Cumberland last Monday evening that had “a clear sweetness of the Lord’s presence.”
The Christian Post reported that Cumberlands’ Monday evening service had around 400 students and community members, with multiple informal prayer meetings and worship gatherings being held since then.
“It can be traced back to movements at Asbury,” Ratliff says. “Students present at Asbury on Thursday night (Feb. 9) received intentional prayer from Asbury faculty and students which encouraged them to come back and organize the worship night on Monday.
He notes that between 10 and 15 students “have been rotating times of intentional prayer in the chapel over the last few days,” with another impromptu service on Tuesday attended by around 75 students.
“Students are continuing to meet regularly and encourage one another through a group chat called the ‘Acts 2:42-47‘ group aimed at encouraging prayer and Christian unity,” Ratliff says, per The Christian Post. “We are aware of two new believers as a result and pray for much fruit in days to come.”
Campus ministry staff at Cumberlands has been working with the university administration to help encourage students in their worship practices, Ratliff told CP.
“We have consistently been meeting with students to counsel, pray and glorify God through our responses to His movement on campus. We have provided open opportunities and been present in the chapel to help facilitate worship and spiritual counseling,” he said. {eoa}
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Shawn A. Akers is the online editor at Charisma Media.
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