Religious Revival Breaking Out?
Occasionally, this writer glances at the Fox News @ Night program with Trace Gallagher. Most of it is political, and it often presents vital information that the Mainstream Media ignores. It was surprising, therefore, to see about five minutes dedicated to something that was introduced with these words: “Well, religious revival’s once again breaking out on college campuses across the country.” Also noted was that thousands of University of Arkansas students were being baptized.
Interviewed on September 27, 2024 were two people from the group UniteUS, which is a rather clever name, highlighting both the United States and unity. The movement started at Auburn, but it has spread to many other universities such as Arkansas and Ohio State. The founder, Tonya Prewett affirmed that what was happening was an act of God. She also claimed that thousands were being baptized and being saved. She cited some cases where young people had been thinking of suicide, but now they were interested in living life as a Christian. They were becoming connected with churches and telling their testimonies. She commented: “God is moving on college campuses. This is a revival unlike anything this nation has ever seen.”
Jonathan Pokluda, also with the movement, agreed that God was moving in a wonderful way. He indicated that Tonya Prewitt prayed this movement into existence and added later, “I really think Jesus is moving in our land, and He’s calling us to repentance to turn our hearts toward him.” Drew Cormier, a Pittsburg State University student (from Pittsburg, Kansas) attended the rally in Arkansas. He stated: “You could feel the Holy Spirit as soon as you walked in that building. It was powerful.” This is all very interesting, but it’s not Biblical. The singing appeared to be accompanied by instruments of music. The Bible does not teach that Christians give their “testimonials,” which are subjective. If God is behind this movement, why did it not occur ten years ago? Or twenty? If Jesus is moving in our land today, why not in the past fifty years? Those on the Day of Pentecost did not feel the Holy Spirit. True, three thousand obeyed the gospel, but thousands of others departed without doing so. Didn’t they “feel” the Holy Spirit?
The call to repentance is part of the gospel message (Acts 17:30-31). Nothing that young people need to do today is new; obeying the gospel is what it always had been. Perhaps the most significant words uttered were by Tonya Prewett, when she said the following concerning young people: “I think they’re really tired of living hopeless and living with anxiety and depression and suicide ideations. This generation is hungering for…God.” If so, Christians have a lot of work to do.