Ozark County group takes part in Asbury Revival in Kentucky


A group from Mammoth Assembly of God drove 10 hours to experience a spontaneous revival that broke out at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky. The revival, which drew tens of thousands of Christians to the small college town, lasted two weeks and has spread to cities and colleges around the world. Shown are the Mammoth group, front row from left April Britt and Joy Evans. Back row, Jen Kahl, Tracy Felker, Jadalyn Collins, Holly Strain and Kalen Hoffman.

A group from Mammoth Assembly of God drove 10 hours and spent the night in a cold van to get to experience a spontaneous revival that broke out at Asbury University in the sleepy town of Wilmore, Kentucky, recently.

The revival, which made the news worldwide, began on Feb. 8 when Asbury students and staff gathered in the college’s main sanctuary during one of their normal weekly services. 

“On February 8, 2023, Asbury University’s regularly scheduled chapel service never ended,” said Asbury President Dr. Kevin Brown. “What we have experienced since that Wednesday morning has been a current of immeasurable goodness flooding our community and quickly moving into other regions of the world.”

The 16-day revival ended inside the chapels of Asbury on Feb. 23, but the outpouring has continued outside the college’s walls and across the nation and world.

“It was amazing,” said Holly Strain, one of seven members of Mammoth Assembly of God, who traveled to experience the revival.

“You always hear about the old-time revivals, and when I saw what was happening on Facebook and on TikTok at Asbury, I just wanted to be a part of it,” Strain said.

Strain said her pastor’s wife Tracy Felker, texted her and others with “who wants to go to Kentucky?”

“We knew what she meant,” Strain said. “I knew I was going!”

“We left at about 4 p.m. on Friday (Feb. 17) and drove straight through and got there about 3 in the morning,” Strain said. She said the revival had been going for 10 days, 24 hours a day, but when they arrived, the revival had closed for a few hours to clean up and rest and would re-open at 1 the following afternoon.

“We checked around, and there were no hotels with rooms for more than a hundred miles, so we slept in the van,” Strain said. “It was cold, but it was good that we stayed on site because there was a massive crowd the next day wanting in to experience the revival.”

“It’s hard to find the words to explain what it was like,” Strain said “It was just a God thing. You could feel it … it was like electricity in the air!”

Strain said it was day 10 of the revival when the Mammoth church group visited. “There were thousands, I’m going to say 20,000-30,000 people, Strain said. And all the time the services were going on in the college’s three sanctuaries there was a line of people a mile and a half long waiting to get in, she added.

When asked what the services were like, Strain said it was Holy Spirit led. 

“I guess I sort of expected to hear preaching, but this was more of a praise and worship revival. There were people giving their testimonies and others reading scripture, but mostly it was praise. When one small group started singing a worship song, it would spread through the crowd and pretty soon everybody would join in … it was beautiful,” Strain said. “I wish everybody could have had the opportunity to go.”

Strain said that the Mammoth group drove back home and made it back in time for Sunday service at her home church.

“We had us a great service when we got home.”

She said the ordinary Sunday service at Mammoth Assembly of God that Sunday was “anything but ordinary.”

“I think that’s what God is doing right now,” Strain continued. “We’ve been praying for revival, and I think it’s here now. God is drawing his people close to him. There’s a drawing like never before.”

Strain said she and others at Mammoth AG are continuing to pray for revival in the area and around the nation and world.

“I have been asked if Asbury is “stopping” this outpouring of God’s Spirit and the stirring of human hearts,” said Brown. 

“I have responded by pointing out that we cannot stop something we did not start. This was never planned. Over the last few weeks, we have been honored to steward and host services and the guests who have traveled far and wide to attend them. The trajectory of renewal meetings is always outward ­— and that is beginning to occur. We continue to hear inspiring stories of hungry hearts setting aside daily routines and seeking Christ at schools, churches and communities in the US and abroad,” Brown said.

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