Jim Garlow was one of the first people to post about the Asbury University revival on social media when it started 13 days ago. In a follow-up interview, he explains what sounded like waves of an ocean as he stood in the wooden pews worshipping God in Hughes Auditorium.
In my first conversation with Garlow, we talked about the tie between the Asbury revival and the Third Great Awakening. Now he is sharing his eyewitness view of what happened right before Asbury University announced the revival would stop on campus Wednesday, Feb. 22.
“Just continual worship and praise. Bunch of students standing on the stage, and the auditorium is packed,” he says.
Garlow heard from officials at the revival that 25,000 people came to Wilmore, Kentucky, on Saturday. Cars were backed up 1.3 miles with “revival at capacity” signs lit up on the highway.
The university opened up seven other locations on campus to fit all of those with hungry hearts driving and flying in to sit in the presence of God.
“This was such a spontaneous move of God the city wasn’t prepared for it,” he says.
Garlow recounts altars full to the brim with people weeping before the Lord, the aisles jammed to the back of the auditorium with more people waiting to get to the altar. It has been a revival of repentance.
While talking with numerous people around the room, Garlow met a pastor and his wife from Chile. They sold their car so they could fly in and experience the revival. That is just one of many similar stories.
In the 1970 revival, Asbury University students flew out to other campuses, and the revival spread quickly. This time, because of social media, people are coming to the campus in droves.
Tucker Carlson from FOX News was planning to head out to Wilmore, Kentucky, to cover the event with lights and cameras until university officials reached out, asking him not to come. The infrastructure of the town of just 6,000 wasn’t built for this kind of influx of people.
What started as a normal Wednesday chapel service at Asbury University has spread to numerous other campuses across the nation. Here is a list of documented reports of revival:
- Asbury University, Wilmore, Kentucky.
- Lee University, Cleveland, Tennessee.
- Baylor University, Waco, Texas.
- Ohio Christian University, Circleville, Ohio.
- Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Mount Vernon, Ohio.
- Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, Indiana.
- The Ramp School of Ministry, Hamilton, Alabama.
- Jackson High School, Jackson, Georgia.
- Cedarville University, Cedarville, Ohio.
- Bethel Austin, Austin, Texas.
- Park Hill High School, Kansas City, Missouri.
- Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana.
- University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky.
- Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, Kentucky.
- Kentucky Christian University, Grayson, Kentucky.
Garlow commends the president of Asbury University, Dr. Kevin Brown, on his tremendous efforts since the revival started on Feb. 8.
“They won’t even take up offerings,” Garlow says. “They shut down donations to it. They don’t want to touch what God has anointed. When was the last time you heard someone say they were going to take up offerings?”
Brown says the university looks at this as God’s gift to the world. They’ve kept classes going, and Garlow says their rationale is “We want this to go in the ebb and flow of our lives” to maintain normal living.
“I think they have an anointing upon them,” Garlow adds.
This is an incredible moment in history. People are flying in from numerous other countries. “It’s going to spread to that many nations,” Garlow says.
Garlow says this has changed his focus in ministry. He is now asking God how he can take what he has seen and experienced firsthand at Asbury University to the rest of the world.
Check out www.WellVersedWorld.org, where Garlow is gathering together all of the videos and pictures posted from the revival. {eoa}
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