Ongoing Prayer Vigil at the Stone Chapel

Hallelujah! Thine the glory, hallelujah! Amen!
Hallelujah! Thine the glory, revive us again.

- “Hallelujah Thine the Glory” by: William Paton Mackay

Mark Walker quoting Isaiah 11:6 , “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” Referring to the leadership that each Lee student has taken in the movement.

“Hunger, Humility, and Holiness” was the phrase that Dr. Ricky Moore came up with to lead the movement. For the past four days, students and members of the community have gathered in the Stone Chapel on Lee University’s campus to pray and sing without ceasing.

“Hunger, Humility, & Holiness.”

It all started with a group of students in Dr. Kevin Nordby’s class who had been “drinking from a well two hours away” as retired faculty member Dr. Ricky Moore explained. The group had recently attended the ongoing revival that had began last week at Asbury University. The students returned to classes Monday morning and expressed their great need to pray for revival at Lee. Nordby, along with a hand full of students, decided to dedicate some time at the Stone Chapel to pray. From that decision forward, numbers of people, students and members of the community, have lined the seats and aisle ways of the Stone Chapel yearning to get a taste of the movement during all hours of the day and night.

Joy Douglass, a Healthcare Administration major, called the movement a “divine appointment” from the Lord. She emphasized that members of the community and past alumni from Lee University have been praying for a revival for a long time.

Douglass has attended the vigil every night since the beginning and was asked to lead worship on Tuesday night.

“You’re up there and you’re worshipping and it doesn’t feel like seven hours,” Douglass said regarding the amount of time she had spent in the chapel.

“The atmosphere is thick with the presence of the Lord ... it’s like the flood gates of heaven have opened.” Douglass said.

On Wednesday at 6:00 PM, a group of students walked the campus of Lee and prayed over the buildings that house Lee’s students. Lee University’s President Mark Walker called the movement an “organic student led prayer vigil.” He led the charge for Lee students to take ownership and a leadership position in this movement.

From there, Lee students were prompted to answer the question: “What’s happening at Lee?” The responses were as follows:

“God is wanting to move … it (the vigil) is a preparation for His movement”

“God is making a new song out of this (the vigil)”

“God is preparing our home in heaven.”

Students and members of the community praying in the afternoon.

Photo: Senior Photographer, Riley Evans

Many more of those answers include:

“I don’t know what to call this, but I do know so many of us have prayed that God would move and pour out the Holy Spirit at Lee again and I believe God is answering those prayers. It seems as though students are expressing their deep desire and longing for God and God is responding,” said Coleman Smart, Lee alum and Associate Pastor of Music and Worship and Director of Event at North Cleveland Church of God.

“While I have attended, I recognize that as an alumni, this isn’t about me. I stay out of the spotlight and let the students lead. I’m just grateful to be planted in ministry in Cleveland because I have gotten to witness what God is doing at this place I and so many other alumni love. However, the encounter with God I have had just by walking into the room and experiencing this outpouring with brothers and sisters has blown me away. I’ve grown up in a Pentecostal church culture but I’ve never seen anything like this. It has strengthened my faith and given me hope for the future knowing that there is a new generation of daughters and sons experiencing an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and having a genuine encounter with God that will mark them for the rest of their lives. I’m encouraged. This is what so many people have spent many years praying for,” said Smart.

“The simple answer is God is moving,” said Christian Edwards, senior theology major.

“God is doing a new thing here at Lee and he is pouring out his spirit in such a tangible way. I think it is important for the students on our campus to be a part of what’s happening.”

Edwards finished with a challenge for students or anyone interested, even skeptical, to “Join us expectantly and things will happen! We have watched God’s faithfulness be on display for the past three days and that outpouring is open to everyone. This week has been a faith strengthening experience for so many and it can be for you too.”

To join the students and members of community at the vigil, come anytime. The vigil has been continuing through all hours of the day. The Stone Chapel is located here.

For more information about the growing movement at Lee University click here.

For more information about the movement at Asbury University click here.