American culture has become more secular than ever before.
That is particularly true on college campuses.
But a Christian revival at one university gobsmacked atheists on TikTok with just how many students flocked to the spontaneous 24/7 meeting.
In early February, a chapel speaker at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky ignited a spontaneous revival with just 11 words.
Zak Meerkreebs told students to “become the love of God by experiencing the love of God,” and tens of thousands of people from around the country eventually showed up over the course of two weeks in what became a 24-hour-a-day worship service.
Speaker thought he “totally whiffed” Sermon
Meerkreebs’ improvised Sermon hinged on his declaration that “Some of you guys have experienced radically poor love,” adding “it feels like someone has pulled a fast one on you.”
Then he gave an invitation saying, “If you need to hear the voice of God—the Father in Heaven who will never love you that way, that is perfect in love, gentle and kind—you come up here and experience his love.”
Meerkreebs’ told the Free Press he felt he “totally whiffed” and texted his wife “Latest stinker. I’ll be home soon.” after leaving the stage.
But believers were still responding weeks later as that call went viral on TikTok.
A boom of people traveling to town, Asbury soon overwhelmed the city of only 6,000 people and the town found itself having to deal with a major logistics challenge.
Hayley Anderson, president of the Asbury chapter of conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, said in an interview, “We’re desperate for truth…[Gen Zers are] desperate to find meaning and find purpose.”
Regarding the large influx of people, Asbury University President Kevin Brown said, “We had authorities that had to redirect traffic away from Wilmore. Our town’s institutions and our town’s infrastructure is just not in a place to absorb the influx of the blessed guests that we have had.”
In a world that has become so secular, it’s shocking to see thousands of people travel to one place to worship.
Anderson added, “Wilmore is a small city for sure…So it’s been, I think, a little bit of a challenge trying to figure out how to manage the immense amount of crowds here. But it’s honestly a beautiful picture of I think, what God has been doing just bringing thousands and thousands of people from all across the nation and all over the world here. So it’s been very cool to see.”
The Turning Point USA advocate added that people of different backgrounds have shown up to the revival.
Anderson continued, “You look around and you just see all of these different students together from different backgrounds, different political backgrounds, and from different countries and they’re all together worshiping God. And I think what’s so special about this is it’s the story about how God has met students where they’re at and, you know, thousands of people are coming from everywhere, and I think it’s because we are so desperate for God’s presence.”
However, some have preached caution in celebrating the Asbury revival.
Kentucky-based minister Spencer Smith wrote on Twitter, “Now would be a great time for every Christian to memorize this verse: ‘Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.’ – 1 John 4:1.”
Nevertheless, a renewed belief in God is seen by many as an important first step in an American society that has become destructively secular.
Stay tuned to Unmuzzled News for any updates to this ongoing story.
