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Samford students unite in ‘unscripted’ revival service

  • February 17, 2023
  • Dianna L. Cagle
  • Alabama News, College students, Latest News, Samford University
Samford University students worship at Reid Chapel on Feb. 16.
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Samford students unite in ‘unscripted’ revival service

Samford University students are joining the ranks of those sensing a movement of God on the nation’s campuses.

Students at the Birmingham university began to gather in Reid Chapel Wednesday (Feb. 15), a few at first and numbers growing. They met for hours, sharing songs and testimonies.

“It’s unscripted and not programmed. The Spirit is leading,” said Samford president Beck Taylor.

The service began the evening of Feb. 15 when a student walked into Reid Chapel and began softly playing worship songs on the piano, according to Kevin Blackwell, executive director of Samford’s Ministry Training Institute. Soon a few students heard the music, walked into the chapel and began to worship along with the student. Several students heard about what was happening in the chapel and joined in.

“For over seven hours students gathered in Reid [Wednesday] and well into the morning worshipping, praying, sharing testimonies and reading Scripture,” Blackwell said. “It was totally organic and student led. At 2 a.m. there were 150–200 students in the chapel seeking God’s face and praying for revival on our campus. God is up so something!”

Samford University canceled classes because of the potential for storms Thursday (Feb. 17). Some students used the opportunity to gather again in the chapel to join in the worship.

‘Sharing from their hearts’

“Students are sharing from their hearts,” Taylor said in a Tweet. “The gospel is being proclaimed.”

Prayer turning to spontaneous worship is “one reason I love Samford,” said Keely Owens on her Facebook page.

“We prayed with each other, and some cried including myself,” she said. “It started with students, and soon we had some of the spiritual life team at Samford join us at almost midnight. Reid chapel continued to fill as people trickled in. Revival is here.”

Zac Reno, pastor of Enon Baptist Church in Morris, said the revival at Samford “is special and real.”

The 2019 Beeson Divinity School graduate said the revival is not flashy or professionally done, but it is sincere.

“It is primarily students and some adults gathering to worship, pray and read Scripture,” he said. “My biggest take away was that joy of the Lord is tangible! Praise God for what He is doing there.”

Many Christian leaders are watching the stirrings of revival at Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky, that began Feb. 8 and has spread to other campuses.

Daniel Ritchie, an evangelist from North Carolina, credits the movement to “heart of Gen Z.”

“They just want Jesus,” Ritchie said in a tweet. “They want Him above platform and acclaim. They are seeing a move of God because He’s all they want.”

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