Outpouring
God Continues to Move since the February Outpouring on Campus
Coordinator of Outreach Ministry Teams Bridgette Campbell and Archives Assistants Charlotte Staudt ’21 and Diane Troyer joined Asbury University after the Outpouring to assist with the “sending out” of Asbury students around the globe and archiving the world’s response to the event.
With 20 Outpouring teams sent out this summer (35 total since February), students shared both in the United States and abroad at churches, camps, festivals and even in a prison. From Idaho and Texas to Michigan and North Carolina, students also shared their testimonies in the Netherlands, England, Canada, China, Australia and Thailand.
“One student had multiple flight issues and wound up in the airport for most of the day,” Campbell said. “Instead of being discouraged, he stayed in the airport and talked with other passengers about Jesus.”
Students continue to share about God’s faithfulness throughout the fall semester. One group traveled over Labor Day to California with Professor of Worship Arts Dr. Dan Pinkston for the Light at the Lighthouse festival to play worship music and share personal testimonies. Coordinated by the Asbury University Board of Trustees Chair Mr. Larry D. Brown ’80, four students traveled to Pennsylvania to share at universities and churches over fall break in October.
On the lower level of Kinlaw Library, Staudt and Troyer collected born-digital material (materials that originate in digital form) to archive the Outpouring.
“From May to September, Diane and I gathered over 20 denominational responses, over 10 documentaries/ conference sessions, over 70 podcasts, over 10 sermons from churches across the globe, over 350 social media posts, over 900 articles, and hundreds of pictures and videos of the Outpouring,” Staudt said, smiling. “The data from all that material is currently being added to a spreadsheet and tagged.”
Both Staudt and Troyer archived digital and print media related to the Outpouring.
“Many of the formats we’ve gathered didn’t exist 50 years ago,” Staudt said. “The Outpouring Collection serves as the University’s first born-digital collection, which reflects the fact that this Outpouring was so driven by the digital world.”
“I loved reading about people’s experiences and seeing the impact across the U.S. and world,” Troyer said.
Staudt, Troyer and Campbell attended the Outpouring in February, all with unique perspectives.
“I heard about the Outpouring from my co-workers at the school where I was working,” Staudt said. “Then, I came on Monday, February 13, to see for myself what was happening.”
Troyer attended the Outpouring during its first week and then babysat children so that their parents could attend.
Campbell heard about the Outpouring from her daughter.
Sarah Grimes, Lena Overman, Eli Baker and Tyler Wilson shared with students at a chapel at Messiah University on October 24.
“Aubrey was one of the students who stayed after chapel on that first day in February,” Campbell said. “I brought some snacks and water bottles for the students and stayed for a couple hours that night. Then, I came back on Sunday, and I was totally changed and spiritually fed.”
Campbell volunteered in February, often working from 12 a.m. to 3 a.m., praying with people, managing lines, directing guests along Macklem Drive and hosting 50 people in her home and Airbnb.
“We really lost all sense of time, and the rest of the world just faded away,” Campbell said. “It is such a blessing to see students passionate about sharing the Outpouring and seeking God’s will for their lives and to be Spirit-led in their words and actions.”
Divine Surprises
In this President’s Report, we look back in thankfulness for what God has done this past year as well as look ahead in anticipation of what He will continue to do at Asbury.
“Divine Surprises” is a phrase we have used a lot lately and constitutes a majority of the wonderful things that have happened on campus. I could use my space in this article listing the upgrades, dedications and changes to campus (more than $40 million in construction in the last couple years), or I could list many new scholarships or estate plans that include Asbury, but that list would be too long.
In the wake of the Outpouring that happened in the spring, and in the wake of the hundreds of people that stepped up (when we had shut down our fundraising) to support the work of God in February, we simply are in awe of God’s goodness to us at Asbury.
Though winds of culture are definitely breezing and sometimes blowing against us in this interesting time, we focus on maintaining our unapologetically Christian and biblically-based approach to higher education. We are pleased that new friends are joining us, and old friends are getting re-engaged. Our team has been reflecting on God’s goodness, His protection, and His blessings as we strategize on how to steward what has been entrusted to us. We continue to pray for wisdom, discernment and more divine surprises.
We indeed are celebrating the highest number of families in our history who gave at a President’s Leadership Giving Society level ($1,000 or more in total gifts in a fiscal year) during a period when inflation is real and impacting families. We are celebrating many alumni, parents and friends who are planning to support Asbury with legacy gifts through their estate plan. We are smiling at God’s creativity in using Asbury’s recently “elevated platform” to bring along new friends who are considering walking beside us in our important mission.
Why Are We So Astounded With Divine Surprises?
So many of you reading this have been a part of the story of our mission advancing. YOU are part of our divine surprises. As Paul says in Philippians, we “thank our God upon every remembrance of you.”
As we take on the challenges ahead, we are conscious of the saints and clouds of witnesses that are joining us at more and more sacrificial and creative levels. Thank you so much for being a part of our great story and for celebrating and praying with us.
Dr. Mark Troyer
Vice President for Institutional Advancement & Strategic Partnerships
Ending the Year Well
Get a head start on your year-end tax planning.
As you seek to steward the resources that God has entrusted to you, here are some ways you can shift tax dollars to charitable dollars, invest in Kingdom work, and support the mission of Asbury University.
- IRA Charitable Rollover
- Charitable Gift Annuity
- Outright Gift of an Asset
- Zero-Tax Gift and Sale
May We Help?
For further information please contact:
Asbury University
Office of Planned Giving
Phone: (859) 858-5544
Email: plannedgiving@asbury.edu
Web: asbury.giftlegacy.com