Bloomington faithful travel to Kentucky for a Christian revival at Asbury University
Several people from Bloomington attended the recent revival at Asbury University in the tiny town of Wilmore, Kentucky, that has been growing since it began on Feb. 8. Susie Schlemmer, the recently ordained daughter of David Schunk, pastor of the Vineyard Community Fellowship, at 2375 S. Walnut St., was there twice. She said she found openness to female leadership (which others have criticized) and amazing diversity and racial harmony at the largely student-led revival.
Services continued day and night for weeks, and now are being curtailed to enable the campus to get back to normal. The event has already reached other college campuses, and extensions of the “revival” are springing up in places too numerous to name. The final outcome, Schunk said, will be determined in the coming weeks and months, as young people in particular reach out to others with its message.
A local pastor waited in line for five hours to get into the crowded auditorium, parking his car a long distance away. Hymns and choruses were sung, often a capella, sometimes with simple accompaniment. Bible scriptures were read, and some gave testimonies, but the focus was on worship. Sermons, when delivered, were not long, and not by famous revivalist preachers, but ordinary people. There were no celebrity bands or words on a screen, a characteristic of modern praise and worship services.
A group of Christian nationalists was told they were welcome to worship but could not spread any of their propaganda. If so, they would be removed. The audience of thousands required other auditoriums and churches to open to help out with the number of people who participated.
Gay and lesbian students were welcomed, though the United Methodist church is struggling with internal debates about acceptance. A sample of how this might shape future United Methodist concerns is found in its local congregation which now shares its space with the local Vineyard group Could unity come to a badly divided church? Only the future will tell if Asbury/Wilmore 2023 will bring that long sought unity for which Christ prayed: “That the world may believe.”
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington people travel to Asbury University for revival
