An extraordinary move of the Holy Spirit that broke out at Florida’s Assemblies of God-affiliated Southeastern University (SEU) more than a week ago, is still going strong.

The ongoing student-led worship and repentance has prompted comparisons to the 16-day spiritual outpouring at Kentucky’s Asbury University exactly three years ago.

“We have no idea what is happening,” admitted SEU’s campus pastor Jonathan Rivera. “We just know that something is happening.”

The service started as part of a student conference being held last week at nearby Victory Church in the city of Lakeland between Tampa and Orlando.

HOW THE OUTPOURING BEGAN

It began on the Monday, but Christian speaker and author Jennie Allen of student ministry Unite US lit the fuse of revival on the Wednesday morning.

She preached on the need for discipleship and repentance to live out one’s calling, and concluded her message by inviting the approximately 2,300 students to publicly confess their sins.

“She asked students to confess sin publicly and as loud as possible,” said Pastor Rivera.

“Students literally leaned in completely and started shouting as loud as they could, confessing all kinds of stuff.”

THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS SHOUT OUT THEIR SINS

For at least 15 minutes, they shouted out issues like pornography, pride, fear, insecurity, anger, adultery and abortion.

Ms. Allen explained in a post: “They named their sin and bondage so bravely, and they genuinely believe Jesus has set them free.” 

“It was probably one of the wildest things I’ve ever experienced in my entire life,” said Pastor Rivera.

“What it created wasn’t shame. It created this sense of freedom. Something broke in the room immediately.”

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT

What followed was extended worship and altar ministry that university officials initially tried to accommodate by pushing back breakout sessions.

Within hours, they canceled conference sessions entirely, then all classes.

The gathering continued at Victory Church until 10:30 pm when the university had to return the rented space.

Leaders decided to continue the worship in SEU’s on campus Bush Chapel.

When students returned to the chapel at midnight, 600 people were already waiting outside the building.

WORSHIP CONTINUES UNINTERRUPTED FOR ANOTHER  DAY

The worship service continued without interruption for another 24-hours with confession, Bible reading, prayer and testimonies.

“The students are leading all of this. Their energy, their hunger, they’re the ones leading the room,” explained Pastor Rivera.

They brought blankets, sleeping bags and pillows to remain in the chapel despite their dorm rooms being less than 100 metres away.

One woman drove six hours from Atlanta after watching the livestream of the outpouring, because she felt she “needed to be present.”

STUDENTS SEEK ADVICE FROM ASBURY UNIVERSITY

The SEU leadership reportedly consulted with organisers of the 2023 Asbury University revival, seeking guidance on how to steward an extended gathering.

Initially, the university limited attendance to its campus community, with Pastor Rivera citing a desire to “protect the purity of that room” and avoid making the growing national attention the focus.

However, the service opened to the public last Thursday evening with screens and speakers set up outside the chapel for overflow crowds.

Classes resumed on the Friday, but the worship continued in the chapel with two sessions a day from 9 to noon in the morning and from 7 to midnight in the evenings when meetings have gone into the early morning.

WORSHIP WILL CONTINUE FOR AS LONG AS THE HUNGER REMAINS

Student leaders told CBN News the daily services will continue as long as they sense this hunger in their students and the services remain focused on Jesus.

“As we steward this miraculous move of God, our primary goal is to care for our students well while making space for the broader body of Christ to seek the Lord with us,” they said

Faculty, staff and administrators have joined students in the chapel which holds 750-800 people.

There have also been reports of physical healings, even among the thousands watching the livestream from their homes.

HALF THE PARTICIPANTS COMING FROM OFF CAMPUS

About half of each night’s crowd of approximately 900 people have come from off-campus. Visitors have come from at least 10 states.

“What drew me here was the sincerity of people crying out to God with no agenda,” said Timothy Johnson, an SEU alumnus from Tampa, attending with his wife.

“I think America needs a move of God and this is good place to start.” 

“THIS IS THE RESULT OF SURRENDERING TO THE WILL OF GOD”

In an update this week, student organisers posted: “What began as a spark during Southeastern University’s annual SEU Conference has extended into a powerful, sustained ‘Move of God’ in Bush Chapel.”

“This was not born of our own efforts. Rather, it is the result of months of prayer and surrendering to the will of God.”

“This is not about noise or an emotional high. Instead, it is about a deep hunger and desire to be formed in the image of Christ.

“There was a fire that was lit during the five sessions of SEU Conference, but it did not leave when the speakers stepped off the stage.”

“WE ARE WITNESSING THE COMMISSIONING OF A PEOPLE”

“We witnessed students with hearts of desperation and hunger returning to their first love,” the organisers continued.

“The theme of the conference was Do it Again, just asking that the Lord would come and show us His love and power again.”

“We are not just witnessing an event on campus. We are witnessing the commissioning of a people.”

“Our goal is to sit at the feet of Jesus so that when we eventually leave this room, we leave transformed.”

“Every sphere of influence we enter, whether the classroom or the marketplace, will witness the foundation built in these sacred moments.”