World Renewal International

It had all started in the 10 A.M. Tuesday chapel February 3, 1970 in the little village of Wilmore, Kentucky just south of Lexington. I was standing in line to get into chapel that Tuesday and I overheard two guys in front of me talking. “Hey, did you hear about that prayer meeting last night? God told us that revival would break out in chapel today!” In my sarcasm I thought, “Yeah right, we have a prophet running around on campus!” The other guy said, “I heard Dean Reynolds has called for a “Testimony Chapel.” I thought this is going to be boring.

I was not at a good place emotionally, spiritually. I was a depressed freshman who did not have spiritual victory in my heart. I had not accomplished my dreams. I really desired to succeed in sports in high school and had not realized my dreams. I felt like a failure. I was severely depressed every day. I was in love with Carol. We had planned to go to Malone College together. At the last minute I had changed to Asbury because I knew that was where the Lord wanted me to go. Looking back, it is a miracle that I did not go to Malone just to be with Carol. I had visited her often during the first semester riding buses and hitch-hiking to see her. On one of those occasions I had proposed marriage to her and she had accepted. I missed her and that just added to the depression.
Asbury College was also very strict. It seemed full of rules and was much more confining than what I was used to. My parents had trusted me to behave and I don’t think I had disappointed them. I had decided to join Carol at Malone after my freshmen year.

I went up to my assigned seat in the chapel balcony. Sure enough it was a testimony chapel. Dean Reynolds who had been the scheduled speaker instead shared his experience with God. He then asked others to do the same. Students started getting up all over Hughs Auditorium and sharing their faith. It was interspersed with singing and prayer. It soon became apparent to me that the Lord was really there. I sensed His presence.

I also began to feel bad about myself. I knew I had wrong attitudes and actions. I was ready for this chapel to be over. I felt guilty and uncomfortable. It may have been the first time that year that I was eager to go to class. Dr. Hunter, the philosophy professor, made his way to the podium and said something like, “Now, before we go, I believe the Heavenly Father would want us to have an opportunity to pray. Let’s stand and sing and if you would like to come and pray at the altar you are welcome to do so.”

The altar in Hughs Auditorium is a long solid wood rail stretching the width of the room. It was a place for students and all to kneel and pray. Soon, the entire altar was completely lined with students. The bell had sounded for classes to begin, but no one seemed interested. There was a magnetism and pull to be in that auditorium and experience this unusual presence of the Lord.
Soon I found my way to that altar and told the Lord I was sorry for my failures and sin. I had prayed similar prayers so often it was embarrassing to me.

I then began to enjoy the awesome event that was taking place. Lines formed across the platform of students waiting to share their new-found joy in Christ. Students would ask all of us to pray for family members who needed Christ, then they would go call them on the phone and tell their family how Christ had met their need. Time and time again, the doors near the platform would open and a joyful student would rush to the microphone to report how those on the other end of the phone had received Christ. I had never seen or experienced anything like it. Long lines of confessors stood behind the podium and shared their stories. Theft, cheating, jealousy, and lying were just some of the sins being named. People were asking forgiveness of one another. This was often followed by hugs and joyful tears and laughter.

The auditorium was getting fuller as more people were filling the room. The noon hour came and went. Afternoon classes were dismissed. Across the nation college students were marching in protests. Here we were having church like none of us had ever had church before! This was a room full of joy and victory.

I couldn’t leave the Hughs. I was afraid I would miss something. I think that is the way most of the students felt. There was a presence of God in that room that was very Old Testament like. It was almost physical in impression. It lasted all night. I left in the evening just long enough to eat a quick bite of food and hurry back. It was too exciting to miss anything. The place was packed with people, it was midnight, but it was packed. I stayed the night not even wanting to leave for sleep. The hymn “To God be the glory” seemed to be the song of choice. I struggle to find the words and phrases to describe these seven days and nights.

The local television news reporter asked viewers to stop what they were doing and watch his report of the revival sweeping a college campus. Video showed the altar and students praying and testifying to Christ’s forgiveness in their lives. Viewers saw the students singing with raised hands of worship. Soon reports started coming in of other places experiencing revival. We knew we were being caught up in something of heaven and earth. Even then I thought, we will never be the same. It has been my experience that those of us who were on that campus at that time cannot separate ourselves from those moments and those changes in lives. We were witnesses to the presence of the Holy and the Almighty. I wish I had better words.