An historic event is happening tomorrow which could change the direction of our nation. The Collegiate Day of Prayer has been organized by leaders from 24 collegiate ministries including The Navigators, Cru (formerly Campus Crusade For Christ), and InterVarsity. On February 27, 1212 churches and communities will pray for 1912 campuses from 673 cities, 50 states, and seven countries. Why?
In 1823, every major university in America agreed to set aside the last Thursday in February as a day of united prayer for colleges. They gathered to pray on February 27 for God to change the future of their generation. They saw college students as the future of society, and believed that their values would become the values of America.
So they prayed for two goals. First: “a spontaneous move of the Holy Spirit throughout the student body of America.” Second: “the triumph of the gospel throughout the unreached world.” What happened? In 1824 and 1825, revivals were experienced on five college campuses. The next year, revival came to six colleges; by 1831, 19 different colleges had experienced a great movement of God’s Spirit. This movement continued to transform the culture and moral climate of some of our largest universities. One historian notes that pastors encouraged parents to send their children to college so they could be “soundly converted.”
Would pastors offer the same advice today?
The American College Health Association (ACHA) reports that suicide is now the most common cause of death among college students. One in four college students binge drink (consuming four or more alcoholic beverages in the span of a few hours). According to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, one in four young adults are not affiliated with any religion. Studies indicate that 60 to 90 percent of evangelical teenagers drop out of church after high school.
Does our nation need a great spiritual awakening? Could it begin on college campuses?
Tomorrow, believers across America are uniting to ask God to move. They are praying for God’s power to bring the light of Christ to every person on every campus. They are asking us to seek God for this generation of college students. Our ministry is joining them; I invite you to do the same. Please go to their website to adopt a campus.
God promised us: “if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). Do you believe him?
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