Everybody wants an encounter with the divine. But it can be tempting to try to manufacture religious experiences, make God into what we want God to be, or manipulate the movement of God in our lives.
So, what happens when God shows up organically and unexpectedly, on an average day on a college campus…and changes everything?
On February 8, 2023, a Gen Z-led chapel at Asbury University sparked an unplanned, unproduced outpouring of God’s love that would ultimately draw thousands of people from around the world to the tiny town of Wilmore, Kentucky, all in search of something – to satisfy their curiosity, to find hope, to meet God.
Meanwhile, those who watched from a distance wondered: “What’s happening here?” and, “Is this real?”
In Generation Awakened, Sarah Baldwin, Vice President of Student Life at Asbury, gives a firsthand, day-by-day account of the Asbury revival: the tangible presence of God’s love; the intersection of the human and the divine; the complex decisions that stewarded the movement; and the stories of freedom, healing, and reconciliation that poured out of Hughes Auditorium during those two remarkable weeks in February.
As you read, you will be transported into the room with Sarah, giving you a chance to witness what happened for yourself and decide what you think it means. This book isn’t an explanation; it’s an invitation – to go on the journey as it unfolded and to, perhaps, have your own encounter with the divine in its pages.
For anyone who wants something to believe in, who is longing for something bigger, who desperately hopes that God is not only real but is loving and good…prepare to be surprised, amazed, and have your faith restored by the authentic presence of God.