AFN previously reported about more than 2,000 students accepting and committing their lives to Jesus during a massive campus revival event at Ohio State University.
The crowd had more than 6,500 students.
Despite the freezing temperatures, students were getting baptized in the backs of U-Haul trucks parked at The Schott sports arena with tubs in the back.
It was the second large-scale revival event organized by the Unite US movement this year, following a similar gathering at the University of Kentucky, Christian Post reported.
Sometimes these scenes are overlooked as other campuses struggle with news of social unrest and antisemitism.
Anti-Israel protests have blossomed again at Columbia University in New York.
Donald Trump addressed the protests on social media this week, threatening a loss of federal funding for universities who let them get out of control.
Linda Harvey, the President of Mission: America, told AFN she was delighted to hear this.
“I think that this is one of the most wonderful pieces of news you could get about college students today. You hear so many depressing stories about things that are going on on campus and how lost some of our kids are, but this really tells you where the heart is and the need is."
Harvey said her team has been keeping an eye on this event from Columbus, Ohio.
"My home is about five miles from the LSU campus, and so it feels very much like a hometown story. I’m hoping that this just continues to go on. It's been heavily influenced, as we understand, by the football players on the national championship Ohio State team."
In August 2024, a revival at Ohio State was notably attended by members of the university’s football team. The event saw about 60 attendees baptized, with testimonies from notable players like receiver Emeka Egbuka, running back TreVeyon Henderson, defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau and former wide receiver Kamryn Babb, The Christian Post reported.
America needs 'genuine' revival
Could this lead to revival nationwide? Perhaps, Harvey says.
"Obviously, it would be a wonderful thing if it were a revival-- and a genuine one. We don't want pretend revivals that fizzle out pretty quickly, that maybe it wasn't on the level with the Holy Spirit truly involved, but what we need is real revival where people's hearts are engaged, where people want to reconnect with the truth of the Lord.”
America will benefit if more of her citizens hold a biblical worldview, Harvey said.
"Look at what’s happening in the Trump administration right now, and it's so encouraging. It still requires a lot of prayer, and it requires an adherence to biblical principles. We see some of that happening for sure. We're hoping that a lot more of it happens.”
