Dr. Sarah Thomas Baldwin Shares Stories of God Moving at Asbury
Kyle Patterson: I’m here with Dr. Sarah Thomas Baldwin to talk about her new book Generation Awakened, really excited to have you as a guest today, Dr. Baldwin, and I’m excited to hear a little bit about this book. Tell me tell me your role at Asbury seminary and where were you when the revival broke out last year?
Dr. Baldwin: I serve as the Vice President of Student Life at Asbury, which means I hold all the things that take care of and support our students. And part of that is our spiritual formation and Chapel experience. In February 2023, I was front and center as far as getting to get a front row seat of what Jesus was doing with our students in Hughes Auditorium, which is where our chapel is held. What happened over the next 16 days shocked and amazed us. So I got to just see it all unfold and be part of the ministry team that supported what God was doing on our campus.
Kyle Patterson: Amazing. And take us back to that day, when the revival broke out what was happening and tell us your experience that day?
Dr. Baldwin: February 8, 2023 was a typical chapel service for our students. A few students lingered afterwards in which they do sometimes. There was the gospel choir leading worship. And maybe a handful of students stayed and sort of prayed together. I didn’t really think anything about it. That’s not totally unusual in our campus community that students would stay. I went on to lunch and went on with my day. And at the end of lunch, one of our our chapel coordinators, she texted me and she said, “Sarah, chapel is not over, I think you want to come.” And so I came in, and I saw about 30 or 40 students that were gathered, and the worship band was sitting on the edge of the stage, and they were singing together. And the students were responding. And there was a Spirit of love upon them, and joy, and this kind of like effervescent joy that was kind of bubbling out of them. And over the course of that afternoon, more and more of our students came, much to my surprise and surprise to my colleagues. And we still didn’t know anything was really happening, right? We just thought this is really sweet. Our students are experiencing the love of God. And then they began to spontaneously confess sin, ask for repentance, they were kneeling at the altar, and more and more students came and then started to come from other universities. So that’s how it all began, we were totally surprised.
Kyle Patterson: Right. And so then from other universities, and really all around the country, people, students, adults…
Dr. Baldwin: Yeah, it started with this young generation Z. These young adults and emerging adults and teenagers who first of all like flocks to come and experience the power and presence of Jesus. And then it was all sorts of people from the nation from the state from the nation. And then around the world. We were surprised to find 1000s of people came from other countries. And all came and stood in very, very long lines at times to get a chance to be in the space. And we would say, you know, God is not limited to what’s happening at Hughes (chapel). People experienced God outside on the, on our semi-circle green and other chapels, where it was being simulcast. But for whatever reason, well, I know it was the Holy Spirit, it was just it contagious, it was irresistible. People wanted to come and be together with Jesus.
Kyle Patterson: In the book, you document a lot of the stories of students being touched and some heart-wrenching stories, can you offer a look a little bit of insight into maybe a story or two, you know, outside of your giving way too much of the book?
Dr. Baldwin: I mean, there are more stories than I could ever begin to tell. But one story that, you know, we saw these young adults really experiencing some freedom. And they were talking about being freed from trauma, freed from addiction, experiencing healing, and of course, sometimes like they said, I’m free from my depression or my suicidal ideation, of course, we didn’t tell them to go off their medication, we said you need to work closely with your doctor for that. But they were really experiencing like profound movements of the freedom in the Spirit. And so almost every day, we had some opportunity for Generation Z students to give their testimony.
Stories of faith
Dr. Baldwin: I remember once I was standing beside the student, and she had bright red hair and bright blue eyes, and she began to share her story about suicidal ideation and anxiety. And her voice was kind of shaking. She was really nervous. She was in front of this crowd of people. And so she shared and as she was telling her story of the freedom she was experiencing, it was like the crowd palpably began to kind of sense that the Holy Spirit was moving in her. And people were starting to respond to her words, even in a trembling voice. And so then I said, “Hey, do you want to pray for people who might be experiencing suicidal ideation?” And so she began to pray, and the power of God descended upon her in such a radical way that people began experiencing right then and there the healing and power in the Spirit. And I felt as though like the demons of hell were being sent back to their holes. It was just filled with God. And we saw so much of that – of young people being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Seeking repentance, reconciliation, restitution
Dr. Baldwin: And then, on their own accord, wanting to testify, wanting to share their story, seeking reconciliation, restitution, and wanting to be honest in their repentance. It was a desire for the holiness of God. So that’s one story with Generation Z, there were so many stories from people around the world who are desperate to experience Jesus together. And I mean, our space is not comfortable. I mean, these are like wooden folding chairs. And it’s the middle of February, and it’s chilly outside. And people came from all over to stand in a line that was several days, nine hours long in the winter, and then they would come in. When they stepped into the space, I mean, smiles would just cover their face. And they didn’t even go to their seats, like I would watch them just go immediately to the altar, facedown, desiring for the Holy Spirit to meet them. It was absolutely powerful.
Kyle Patterson: Now you wrote in the book, “We found a generation hungry and thirsty for the real Christian life of confession, repentance and surrender, the response to Jesus may be a correct may be a corrective to the church that has tended to swing from either a casual recreational faith and one side to a weaponized political faith on the other.” Can you talk about this next generation that you guys are touching and training at Asbury? Why is it so important to have that real encounter with God, as opposed to, you know, a casual faith or political faith?
Dr. Baldwin: I think that each generation is kind of working out some of the generational sins of the people who have gone before. Working out, what does it mean for them to be believers? This particular generation, I think, has many, many challenges, and things that obstacles to their faith. I mean, and some of that is just their, their isolation and the over abundance of being essentially discipled by things on a screen or by squares on a screen instead of by real people. And I think that they’re experiencing a lot of, really the church that my generation has given over, which has dropped the ball in lots of ways.
Thousands of visitors
Dr. Baldwin: We’ve become much more concerned about particular political camps and are much more concerned about you got to check this box or that box to, to be a Christian, like, we’ve changed that conversation instead of it really being about seeking the Holy Spirit and seeking surrender. It’s about relationship with Jesus, intimacy with Jesus. And so I think what I got to see with Generation Z, not just from our students, but from the many, many college students that over 300 colleges and universities were represented. I mean, the just hundreds and hundreds, 1000s of students that came, it seemed as though they were desiring incarnational faith. It was kind of the anti-COVID. You know, they all had to be apart for their high school, and here they are coming all back together in one space. So they wanted some sort of embodied experience that was not produced. I mean, there was nothing produced about what was happening. It was simple worship, it was not the best communicators, it was not these, you know, there was no like, drum show or there was no light shows, no smoke.
Hunger for raw experience with God and others
Dr. Baldwin: We’re talking about really pared down simple worship, and they wanted just to experience like this raw, unproduced, unpolished, just real experience with other people. So this embodied space and people came from all political sides from every socio-economic status. It seemed like every tribe and tongue I’m sure it wasn’t, but people just came because Jesus was drawing them together. Jesus was the gravity of what was happening. Jesus was the center of what was happening there. There wasn’t a political cause or a particular communicator or a theological camp, it was just simply Jesus. And I think they responded to that. The power of the presence of God and the incarnational, embodied expression of the people of God together.
Kyle Patterson: In Generation Awakened, what are you really hoping that people get out of it and take away from it? What’s the core message that you want people?
Dr. Baldwin: I want people to know that they didn’t miss anything. Like there’s no missing the outpouring of the love of God. I hope that it encourages people to be expectant that the Holy Spirit is alive. And is showing up in our lives and is covering us and immersing us with the love and holiness of God. So my hope is, is that people would taste and see a little bit of the goodness of God and that people who have kind of given up on religion, who were kind of worn out on the religious ways of the day would have a sense of refreshment. The Holy Spirit is moving and drawing them and asking, really offering God for all of them for all of God. I mean, it’s just an incredible, incredible opportunity to experience the power and love, and holiness of God.
Kyle Patterson: Dr. Baldwin, thank you so much for taking a few minutes to talk about your your new book generation awakened and appreciate your time and, and hope to connect again soon.
Dr. Balwin: Well, thank you. Thank you so much for the great opportunity.
