By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer
BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – On the heels of the sweeping revival at Asbury University, Baptist Collegiate Ministries and other Christian university organizations are gearing up for a possible outpouring of the Holy Spirit on their respective campuses during the 200th annual Collegiate Day of Prayer, Feb. 23.
Held the last Thursday in February, the event is a “united, multi-generational day of prayer for revival and awakening on college campuses in America.” According to the Collegiate Day of Prayer website, individuals, churches and other organizations have signed up to pray on 4,323 campuses.
Additionally, a ‘Day of Prayer’ simulcast will take place at Asbury University where more than 50,000 people have been a part of revival from the past three weeks (Feb 8 to Feb 20). On Feb. 21, those services were moved off campus as the school continued to host evening services for college and high school aged students (25 and under) through Feb. 23.
“This week is particularly a good time to pray as revival breaks out on campuses across the country,” Louisiana Baptist BCM Team Director Mark Robinson told the Baptist Message. “However, there is always a need to pray for our college students. They face constant systemic assault on their faith from personal incursions to academic and political attacks. Spiritual revival bolsters the students resolve to stand firm in their faith in Christ and trust him with all of their life.”
At LSU, the BCM and several other student Christian organizations are joining together to have special prayer and worship services at the Chapel on the Campus, 7-11 p.m.
“A Night of Prayer and Worship” will be open to all LSU students and will feature worship, scripture reading, prayer, an open altar and some open mic time and Gospel presentations. The event is sponsored by LSU’s BCM, Chi Alpha (Assemblies of God’s student organization), Campus Crusade for Christ (also known as Cru) and the Refuge (the college student ministry of the non-denominational Chapel on the Campus).
Additionally, the BCM will host a similar event for adults from 7-9 p.m., according to LSU BCM Director Steve Masters.
“We are not trying to duplicate what has happened (at Asbury),” Masters said of the two events on the LSU campus. “We are trying to use the heightened talk and discussion about God due to the Asbury Awakening to gather lost college students and students that have drifted away from Him in a worship setting. So they can find Christ or come back into church involvement. Please pray for our Night of Prayer and Worship.”
Other events scheduled include:
- A student-led prayer service inside Guinn Auditorium at Louisiana Christian University, Pineville, 11 a.m.;
- Prayer on the Quad at McNeese State University, Lake Charles, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.;
- An evening of prayer and fasting for Tulane and Loyola universities at the BCM House, 7111 Freret St., New Orleans, 6:30 p.m.;
- A prayer gathering at the Louisiana Tech University BCM Center, 810 W. Alabama Ave., Ruston, noon; and
- Prayer gatherings at three locations in central Louisiana: LSU-Alexandria BCM, 7 p.m., Calvary Baptist Church, Alexandria, 7 p.m., and Trinity Baptist Church, Pineville, 6:30 p.m.
