There were three gatherings of note this past weekend, two in Texas and one in Kentucky. Two, unfortunately, were somewhat destructive, and one was full of joy, hope, and faith. Unless you are a loyal watcher Of FoxNews, you may not have heard of them.
The mainstream media does not like to cover situations involving young people and civil disobedience or destruction. They certainly do not cover events where young people gather to celebrate Jesus and faith. I want to touch on all three today.
One situation in Texas involves a relatively new phenomenon driven by social media. It is called a mansion rager and is the gathering, a break-in is more like it, of many people unlawfully entering somebody’s home to destroy and party. In this case, the crowd reached a wall and proceeded to party while the residents were away, this would typically be called breaking and entering, but now it is simply called a rager or get-together. The story’s fortunate part is that the homeowners and their young child were away and unhurt. The property, however, sustained thousands of dollars worth of damage.
The other situation in Texas, this one in Austin, involves car gangs taking over intersections in the downtown area and performing stunts with their vehicles. Large crowds gather while cars and drivers perform stunts. All are in danger of being badly injured by one of the speeding vehicles. When gang members were asked if they were ever concerned about being arrested, they responded that the police would never be able to catch them. They think they are immune to repercussions for the acts.
The third event occurred at a little-known college in Kentucky. Thousands gathered at one of the halls at Asbury University and spent thirteen days, 24/7, praying, singing, and surrendering to Jesus Christ. This particular revival got significant attention online, unlike the many similar events held at numerous different colleges and universities around the country. All the events deserve attention.
Over 50,000 worshippers gathered peacefully in Asbury, and the revival was moved off campus to relieve the pressure on the university infrastructure. Onlookers were amazed at the genuine passion, enthusiasm, and emotion in and around the hall. The university did not organize this event and was entirely driven by the students.
There is a hope that these gatherings of young Christians may be a positive sign that religion and spirituality may be returning to a society that has become very secular over the last 20 years. Recently, pro-Jesus commercials began on network TV, including two appearing during the Super Bowl. These ads drew criticism from some, including New York Congresswoman Alexandria Cortez. She claimed it was blasphemous and a true God would disapprove of money spent in this fashion. She could not see the value in a positive message broadcast. After the horrendous halftime show, we all needed a little religion and a positive message.
Religion had taken a hit in recent years, especially during the Pandemic when churches were closed in the name of health safety. They are now open and enjoying a resurgence. Maybe these campus revivals indicate that some young people are breaking through the anti-religious rhetoric in schools and media and looking for more meaning in life. We can only pray and support their efforts.
