AS THE STUDENTS GO, SO GOES THE NATION
It is incredibly frightening to watch the news reports of students gathered at Columbia University and on other campuses around the country in protest. If this is a picture of the future of our nation and our culture, it is easy to become discouraged and even hopeless.
However, there are other stories that are not being told — stories of students gathering to pray and worship; stories of students sharing their faith with their peers; stories of students as passionate about their relationship with Jesus as the protesters are about causes most of them don’t understand.
Thousands gathered this year on campuses across the nation for the Collegiate Day of Prayer to intercede on behalf of our university students. Others committed to pray in their homes for our universities. In the early 1800s, believers across New England gathered monthly to pray for the universities in their area, and they saw God move in amazing ways. Many believe the Second Great Awakening was God’s answer to those monthly prayer gatherings.
Some believe another Great Awakening is on the horizon, evidenced by the number of universities witnessing increased numbers of students assembling for seasons of worship and prayer.
What if, like the churches of New England who prayed for the universities, churches, small groups, and individuals today committed to praying faithfully for the next generation and praying specifically for our universities, their students, and faculty? Could we be a part of preparing the way for another Great Awakening in this country?
The organizers of the Collegiate Day of Prayer are urging churches and small groups to gather on the last Thursday of every month to pray for universities. Perhaps your church would pray for universities in your community. We would hope that praying for Bethel University would also be a priority.
Why not mark your calendar today with a prayer prompt to commit some time on the last Thursday of the month to pray specifically for the universities? Invite a friend to join you. Become a part of changing what happens on university campuses. Become a part of changing universities from places of protest to places of awakening and revival.