BELTON, Texas— Hundreds of students gathered inside a large white tent in the middle of campus or listened online to the 24th annual spring revival at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor last week. This year’s theme was “Come Home,” and Dale Wallace of Waco, who serves as the college community director at Harris Creek Baptist Church, was the featured speaker. The Worship Initiative, featuring Davy Flowers, John Marc Kohl, and Aaron Williams, led worship for the three-day event held March 27 - 29.
“Revival 2023 presented our campus community with a focused opportunity to engage with the Gospel message in a fresh way,” said Jason Palmer, Dean of Spiritual Life and University Chaplain. “Many students demonstrated a hunger for truth and responded with confession and repentance. We are already seeing spiritual fruit from our time together.”
Luke 15:24, revival’s key verse, says, “For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” Wallace explained that this isn’t our home. “We’re made to stand out, not blend in. Even at UMHB, you will stand out as salt and light in this world.”
“I really believe that there are a few things keeping you and me – this generation – from revival,” Wallace said. He led the students through a time of understanding who they are, what their purpose is, and how they’re supposed to live. Wallace built his discussion on 1 Peter 2:9-11, which says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.”
“We belong exclusively to God, and we are the thing that is MOST valuable to Him,” Wallace explained. “This is the good news of the gospel! You’re so valuable to Him, that He sent His one and only son to die for you and me; that we might be restored to the Father. That we might belong to God exclusively. Your identity is that you belong exclusively to God. We belong to Him. We are His.”
“When we realize this world isn’t our home, it’s easier to have confidence and security. We’re just passing through. So be faithful, my friends.”
