Spiritual Renewal
Brief Overview of Spiritual Renewal at Lee
Spiritual focus and encounters with our Holy God are embedded into the spiritual DNA of Lee University. Reverend Nora Chambers was the first teacher when the school began in January 1918 and of that very first day of class she later remembered: “I felt such a load settle over me the first morning we opened the school. I didn’t think I could carry it, but as the students prepared their lessons, I prayed. Soon I felt the presence of an unseen Guest. He assured me that He would be with us and help us, and He did.”
Grant Williams enrolled as a student in November 1918 (the same year the school was started) and told how the teacher, Nora Chambers, often led students in prayer and worship between their studies. Williams particularly remembered an occasion when the power of God fell upon them in a unique way in the classroom and several students were filled with the Holy Spirit as the class sang the hymn, “O I Want to See Him.”
From Lee’s very beginning, we have relied on the presence and power of God to lead, guide, and empower us. That same presence of God that Nora Chambers felt on the first day is with us still.
Since the school beginning, students have engaged in a special emphasis week each semester. In early years this was referred to as Spring and Fall Revival. Today this is Convocation. Some years have been particularly impactful for students.
As an example, in 1935, the week of revival services had an influence on the whole campus. Prayer was key. Students began a prayer chain, by which they took turns praying each day between 5:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. That year, the school had about 170 students enrolled. Of those, 30 students did not profess to have a personal relationship with Christ. As a result of the revival spirit that permeated the campus during the regularly scheduled revival and the weeks following, by the end of the semester all but two of the students had received salvation, and many also professed to being sanctified and filled with the Holy Spirit. One of the students who had accepted Christ that semester testified, “My whole heart’s desire is to become a useful servant of the Master.”
In 1962, students began a 24-hour “prayer chain” that stirred revival fires. At the Fall Revival that year, an outpouring of God’s Spirit energized the campus and confirmed callings for many students. A report from the revival noted, “’If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face… then will I hear from Heaven….’ Once again this command and promise was proved to be unfailing as the Lee College faculty and student body banded together in unity, seeking God… [As] God’s glory filled the Temple in the days of David and Solomon, so did He fill the Lee College auditorium from the opening of the revival to the closing night…. Several students were saved, other sanctified, and many baptized with the Holy Ghost; this revival will live forever in the minds and the hearts of many as a time of having received Divine direction from a consistent Christian life.”
At the Spring Revival in 1987, a time of outpouring occurred and, according to the reports, “the likes of which had not been seen at Lee in many years.” Several individuals found clarity concerning God’s call on their life to a variety of vocations through which they could be a witness of Christ to the world.
Often, during these periods of heightened spiritual awareness and seasons of spiritual renewal, the effects are evident across campus life. There have been all night prayer meetings in dorms and impromptu worship services in campus community spaces, such as the Ped Mall in later years. Students have been drawn to have personal or small group Bible study or prayer gatherings. Authentic spiritual renewal has brought with it the fruit of taking seriously one’s responsibility to be a witness to the world and to the campus, to be engaged in ministry and in course study. At times, the impact has reached into the broader Cleveland community, especially the local churches.
There also have been at least three other spontaneous, student-led prayer gatherings at Lee, in 1950, in 1970, and again in 2023.
The following is the report from such a meeting in 1950:
Spiritual focus and encounters with our Holy God are embedded into the spiritual DNA of Lee University. Reverend Nora Chambers was the first teacher when the school began in January 1918 and of that very first day of class she later remembered: “I felt such a load settle over me the first morning we opened the school. I didn’t think I could carry it, but as the students prepared their lessons, I prayed. Soon I felt the presence of an unseen Guest. He assured me that He would be with us and help us, and He did.”
Grant Williams enrolled as a student in November 1918 (the same year the school was started) and told how the teacher, Nora Chambers, often led students in prayer and worship between their studies. Williams particularly remembered an occasion when the power of God fell upon them in a unique way in the classroom and several students were filled with the Holy Spirit as the class sang the hymn, “O I Want to See Him.”
From Lee’s very beginning, we have relied on the presence and power of God to lead, guide, and empower us. That same presence of God that Nora Chambers felt on the first day is with us still.
Since the school beginning, students have engaged in a special emphasis week each semester. In early years this was referred to as Spring and Fall Revival. Today this is Convocation. Some years have been particularly impactful for students.
As an example, in 1935, the week of revival services had an influence on the whole campus. Prayer was key. Students began a prayer chain, by which they took turns praying each day between 5:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. That year, the school had about 170 students enrolled. Of those, 30 students did not profess to have a personal relationship with Christ. As a result of the revival spirit that permeated the campus during the regularly scheduled revival and the weeks following, by the end of the semester all but two of the students had received salvation, and many also professed to being sanctified and filled with the Holy Spirit. One of the students who had accepted Christ that semester testified, “My whole heart’s desire is to become a useful servant of the Master.”
In 1962, students began a 24-hour “prayer chain” that stirred revival fires. At the Fall Revival that year, an outpouring of God’s Spirit energized the campus and confirmed callings for many students. A report from the revival noted, “’If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face… then will I hear from Heaven….’ Once again this command and promise was proved to be unfailing as the Lee College faculty and student body banded together in unity, seeking God… [As] God’s glory filled the Temple in the days of David and Solomon, so did He fill the Lee College auditorium from the opening of the revival to the closing night…. Several students were saved, other sanctified, and many baptized with the Holy Ghost; this revival will live forever in the minds and the hearts of many as a time of having received Divine direction from a consistent Christian life.”
At the Spring Revival in 1987, a time of outpouring occurred and, according to the reports, “the likes of which had not been seen at Lee in many years.” Several individuals found clarity concerning God’s call on their life to a variety of vocations through which they could be a witness of Christ to the world.
Often, during these periods of heightened spiritual awareness and seasons of spiritual renewal, the effects are evident across campus life. There have been all night prayer meetings in dorms and impromptu worship services in campus community spaces, such as the Ped Mall in later years. Students have been drawn to have personal or small group Bible study or prayer gatherings. Authentic spiritual renewal has brought with it the fruit of taking seriously one’s responsibility to be a witness to the world and to the campus, to be engaged in ministry and in course study. At times, the impact has reached into the broader Cleveland community, especially the local churches.
There also have been at least three other spontaneous, student-led prayer gatherings at Lee, in 1950, in 1970, and again in 2023.
The following is the report from such a meeting in 1950:
There have been spiritual showers, sprinkles and drizzle drazzles all along upon Lee College, but Sunday night, February 12, [1950] it reached a spiritual cloudburst, and the fire of the Lord continued to fall through Sunday night, the 19th. In fact, the blessings of the Lord were still upon the School in such a gracious manner that it was with quite a bit of difficulty that classroom work was resumed [after the weekend break] on Monday morning, the 20th, and yet I am sure there is a different atmosphere in every classroom.
Although the revival came as the result of prayers by the School and hundreds throughout the Church, yet its actual beginning was not planned. And yet, though the revival was programless (with very little preaching), one could not think of a revival that was more orderly and where things were done more in keeping with the evident will and good pleasure of the Holy Ghost. Every service was different, but I pretty much every service certain things happened that happened in the very first service—confessions, repenting, restitution, singing, testimonies, students saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Ghost, sick bodies healed, and God’s will revealed to students concerning what their work should be in the homeland and in foreign countries.” It was referred to as a revival that gave Lee College a rebirth.
Another such gathering occurred in 1970, also soon after a similar gathering at Asbury. The following is the testimony from Gail Solomon:
In 1970 I was a student at Lee College in Cleveland, Tennessee, and the same mighty spirit of revival broke out at Lee as did a few weeks earlier at Asbury College. At Lee, it all started with a few students who were praying earnestly and crying out for more of God. This small group of students committed to earnest praying began to grow. The prayer meetings had to be moved to the Lee auditorium because of the growth. The meeting was student led. All day and all night prayer meetings began. The auditorium was filled with hungry students crying out to God. It was intermingled with worship, prayer, testimonies, and repentance. Many were born again and filled with the Holy Spirit. God’s conviction took over. The tangible Presence of God took over the campus. No one wanted to miss the meetings in the auditorium because God’s presence was so strong. It will forever be in my memory. My cry is God do it again, on campuses, in churches, in cities, in states and in nations. Do it in individuals. Do it in me and let your holy fire fall upon us anew. Burn out everything that’s not like you, so that we will reflect Your glory. Amen… so be it Lord!
A more extensive overview of the 1970 revival has been compiled by Dr. Jerald Daffe, retired professor of Pastoral Ministry, and is linked here: Revival - 1970
In February 2023, another season of focused spiritual renewal occurred at Lee from Monday, February 13th through Monday, January 26th. What began as a time of student-led prayer during Dr. Kevin Nordby’s class expanded into 126 hours of focused prayer and worship as students, faculty, staff, and community members gathered together to seek God.
Students like Elijah Joyce, a senior from Maine, and faculty like Rickie Moore, a veteran theology professor, emerged as natural leaders. Lee officials, led by President Mark Walker and Vice President Brad Moffett, created room for students and faculty to pray, sing, read scripture, give personal testimonies, and seek the presence of God in many ways.
Of the event, Ashlynn Akiona, student news editor for The Clarion, wrote:
Students like Elijah Joyce, a senior from Maine, and faculty like Rickie Moore, a veteran theology professor, emerged as natural leaders. Lee officials, led by President Mark Walker and Vice President Brad Moffett, created room for students and faculty to pray, sing, read scripture, give personal testimonies, and seek the presence of God in many ways.
Of the event, Ashlynn Akiona, student news editor for The Clarion, wrote:
On Monday, Feb. 13, students from Dr. Kevin Nordby’s Postmodernism class entered the Stone Chapel during their class time to join together in prayer. For the next 126 hours, students, faculty, staff, and community members gathered together in prayer, worship, and testimonies of faith.
The idea to pray over Lee University at the Stone Chapel arose from a question that Nordby always asks his students when they return to class on Monday, “ Did anyone have any epic weekend stories?”
From there, Alyson Donnally spoke about her experience over the weekend at the revival taking place at Asbury University. For roughly two weeks, Asbury University saw constant prayer and praise on their campus. Donnally spent the weekend interceding through prayer for revival, not just at lee University, but to the world. During her experience, she said she felt radical peace, repentance, and unity.
This sparked conversation during Nordby’s class about what a ‘revival’ at Lee would look like [and the question was posed, “Why not here? Why not now?”] Nordby felt led to offer the class as a time to go to the Stone Chapel and pray.
After taking a vote, the class unanimously decided they were using the class period to pray.
The group began to commune together on the stage inside the empty chapel and shared things Nordby said they “needed to share with God and with others.” Nordby highlighted that the connection he gained with his students was remarkable, and he felt the experience created a ‘safe space’ amongst his class. “Before I knew it, I was there for seven hours,” Nordby said.
One of his students in the class, Jessica White, described her experience as well saying there was “a want to be where the spirit of God was.” Nordby and White found themselves having to leave during the day and were worried that they may miss out on the vigil. To their surprise, the vigil continued on into the night.
President Mark Walker first came to the vigil Monday evening and observed from the balcony of the chapel. Walker said from the beginning the heart of the prayer vigil was “prayer and student leadership.”
Walker described his experience as “watching a spontaneous and authentic move that was pure hunger for God” from the students. He emphasized that it did not feel like a duplication of Asbury’s revival, but its own unique experience started by students.
White, who “practically lived at the chapel,” went to experience the tranquility of the atmosphere in the morning and the energetic worship that occurred in the evening.”
With this in mind, Walker directly faculty and staff to continue forward with the vigil as “stewards and shepherds” of the event. Throughout the week, faculty and staff signed up for time slots to monitor the vigil to make sure it was “in decency and in order.
Student Kayla Smith later reflected in the Spring 2023 issue of the Vindagua:
Although Lee faculty and staff always remained on site for security reasons, the administration was very intentional to implement a hands-off approach to allow the Lord to move directly through students. [For 126 hours]... the chapel remained open [at times to overflowing crowds] allowing students the opportunity to seek God there, at any time of day in the stained glass sanctuary.
In an article in the Fall 2023 issue of the Vindagua, student Brennan Brownlee reflected:
...[T]he Student Prayer Vigil consisted of ceaseless prayer and spontaneous worship, led in no small part by students, for students. It was there that many were healed of traumas and ailments, called to specific vocations, and reconciled back to brothers and sisters of the faith.
To view a brief video of one of the moments of worship during the 2023 Prayer Vigil, click this link: vimeo.com/830820655/6f8e9be475
These are only a sample of the various ways the Holy Spirit has met with the Lee family collectively through the years. What each has in common is the students were impacted personally, but they also received guidance and direction from God concerning various callings for their life. Students realized their encounter with God wasn’t only for them personally, but also as vessels through which the Holy Spirit would minister to others. They surrendered their lives of God and He empowered them to be His witnesses throughout the world. And, in the process, the campus experienced spiritual renewal.
/ L.F. Morgan
/ L.F. Morgan