Sandtown pastor attends Asbury revival meeting

A Neshoba County pastor and Asbury Seminary graduate said he was struck by the “simplicity” of the worship and hunger of the participants at an “outpouring of faith” on the campus in Wilmore, Kentucky.

The Rev. Hal Hall, pastor at Sandtown United Methodist Church, attended the revival meeting with his wife after making the eight-and-a-half-hour drive last Sunday evening.

The much-publicized event started on Wednesday, Feb 8, and ran for two weeks, eventually moving off campus to area churches.

“At the completion of a regularly scheduled chapel service on February 8, 2023, at Asbury University, students lingered to pray, worship, and share,” a statement from Asbury University President Dr. Kevin J. Brown said in part.

“They have not stopped and, moreover, have been joined far and wide by hungry men and women across the world who desire to seek the Lord in this space. Since the first day, there have been countless expressions and demonstrations of radical humility, compassion, confession, consecration, and surrender unto the Lord. We are witnessing the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

Hall said he was struck by the “hunger” shown by those in attendance.

“You could just sense and feel the presence of God,” he said.

He said another word that came to mind was “kabod”, a Greek word used to describe the tangible presence of God in a given place.

When he arrived on campus, Hall went to Hughes Auditorium on the Asbury University campus. He said it was around 1:30 a.m. and between 100 and 200 people were singing praise songs and traditional hymns. Hall said the auditorium could probably hold 1,500 and would be full when they visited the next day.

“It was beautiful in its simplicity,’ Hall said.

Hall said he and his wife, Renee, left Sunday evening after hearing about the event.

Hall attended Asbury Seminary from 1999 to 2001, when he graduated.

“I am a graduate of the seminary, so it is a special place for me. me,” Hall said. “I wanted to see it first-hand. We had to go.”

Hall said he spent the rest of his time in town visiting the many gatherings in public spaces on campus, including a gathering in the Estes Chapel on the seminary grounds where the music and prayer from Hughes was simulcast. Hall said Estes Chapel was a place he spent a lot of time during his time at the school.

For more information on the ongoing outpouring, including a lives stream, visit https://www.asbury.edu/outpouring/.