Wheaton College is located in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois
Introduction
Wheaton College has been the recipient of numerous outpourings of the Holy Spirit over the years. Between the years of 1878 and 1895 there were no less than 10 revivals.
More recent revivals occurred in 1936, 1943, 1950, and 1970.
Wheaton College Revival: February 20, 1950
We encourage the reading of two other revival accounts that led up to the 1995 revival at Wheaton:
► Brownwood Revival
► Howard Payne University Revival
What Happened at Wheaton College
During the previous semester, as well as a few weeks prior to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the campus of Wheaton College, there had already been a significant stirring in the lives of individuals.
In the fall of the previous year, there was organized prayer for revival lasting for several weeks. On November 9, 1994, there was an all-campus day of prayer. Two hundred students came to the first prayer time, which began at 5:30 a.m. that day.
Timothy Beougher, a professor who taught the course “History and Theology of Revival,” attended the North American Convocation on Revival in North Little Rock, Arkansas, from February 14-17. During that time, he heard from Henry Blackaby and John Avant about the revival occurring at Howard Payne University and Coggin Avenue Baptist Church, both located in Brownwood, Texas. Then on March 2, he shared with his class what was taking place, and he specifically mentioned the principle of the “spark,” in that when revival starts, it is usually brought in by somebody from the outside.
Beougher then asked the chairman of the World Christian Fellowship, a student-led gathering that is focused on world missions, about inviting Howard Payne students to the Wheaton campus to share. The WCF picked up the idea and arranged for some representatives to come on March 19.
Day One: On Sunday night, March 19, 1995, less than two months after the revival began at Coggin Avenue Baptist church, the report of what happened there, as well as the spreading revival that hit Howard Payne University, arrived at Wheaton College.
With about 800-900 students present in Pierce Chapel, at the weekly meeting of the World Christian Fellowship, which began at 7:30 p.m., James Hahn and Brandi Maguire, students from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, shared about what occurred on their campus the previous month, as well as what had happened at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church on Sunday morning, January 22.
Following the sharing of those two students, the microphones were open for any student who wanted to share their burdens or confess their sins. The World Christian Fellowship, which usually only continues for a couple of hours, was still “in session” till 6:00 a.m. the following morning, as student after student came to the microphone, publicly confessing sin, and sharing the burdens of their hearts.
Sins of bitterness, unforgiveness, lust, anger, hate, pornography, pride, cheating, racial prejudice, addictions of all kinds, disobedience, homosexuality, theft, cynicism, materialism, competitiveness, broken relationships, and stealing were all confessed.
Following the confessions, groups of 5-25 would gather around the person who had confessed and would pray with them, giving them acceptance and encouragement.
According to Stephen Kellough, the Chaplain at Wheaton College:
Confessions were heard throughout the night. There were tears and there were smiles. There was crying and there was singing. People confessed their sins to God and to each other, and there was healing. It was biblical. It was Christian. It was orderly. It was sincere. It honored our Lord. Finally, at 6:00 A.M., we adjourned the meeting, with students still in line who had waited hours to speak.
Pierce Memorial Chapel
Day Two: Wanting to give God an opportunity to work deeper in the lives of the students, another meeting was planned for Monday, March 20, in the Pierce Chapel beginning at 9:30 p.m. With over 1,000 students present, they stayed till 2:00 a.m., with many still in line, wanting to confess their sins.
On this evening, one student placed a bag of CDs on the platform, signifying his submission to the Holy Spirit to rid himself of the music that was detrimental to his spiritual growth. After he publicly confessed his sin, dozens of young men and women rose from their seats and left the auditorium, returning over the next few hours, bringing with them, and placing on the platform, objects that had been a barrier in their relationship with God.
On this night, 5 garbage bags were filled with books, magazines, videos, pornography, drugs, tobacco, alcohol, CDs with secular music, and even credit cards.
Day Three: On Tuesday, March 21, 1995, the meeting was relocated to the Wheaton College Church, which was a large facility and was able to accommodate the 1,350 people that assembled. This service commenced at 9:30 p.m. and continued till 2:00 a.m.
Following confessions, students would gather around the person to pray for and encourage them.
Day Four: On Wednesday, March 22, the Wheaton College Church was filled to its 1,500 capacity by the start time of 9:30 p.m., with the closing being after the last confession, which was given at 2:45 a.m.
On this evening, leaders had recognized the need for instruction from Scripture to keep the response on track. Three school officials were invited to speak, and they were Wheaton College President Duane Litfin, and Professors Lyle Dorsett and Timothy Beougher. They spoke on topics centering around the biblical method of dealing with sin and temptation, as well as discipleship.
President Litfin’s words on this evening included the following:
God has prompted a wonderful surge of conviction and confession of sin, genuine repentance and forgiveness, and the restoration of broken hearts and relationships. Our challenge now is to see the results of this renewal tilled into the soil of our lives. Our desire is to move from this mountain top to a new plateau of obedience and fellowship with the Lord, and renewed relationships with one another.
Wheaton College Church during the revival
Day Five: On the final night, Thursday, March 23, 1995—again at the non-affiliated College Church across the street from Pierce Chapel—in attendance were students, faculty, staff, and members of the community. A type of celebration was conducted, which included praise and testimonies of victories won.
With 1,800 being gathered, many were seated on folding chairs in the hallways and lobby.
Confessions on this evening were conducted in the hallway among small groups, and a number of students took advantage of that opportunity for healing and release. The public testimonies in the main sanctuary centered on giving praise to God for how he had worked in lives during the week and for the restoration of relationships, addictions overcome, and more.
Songs were sung on this evening with a fervor rarely experienced. People who were there said they completely lost track of time and enjoyed an ecstasy unlike anything they had ever enjoyed before.
On this final evening, a challenge to higher levels of commitment was given, inviting those who sensed a call to Christian ministry to come forward for a prayer of dedication. Between 200-300 gathered at the front to make a commitment to full-time ministry, and the final service was concluded at 12:45 a.m.
Comments by Three Students
I went back to my room and asked my roommate if we could talk and if he would hold me accountable. I felt a change in my life. In the following days, I continued to realize a complete and overwhelming sense of freedom and victory… I knew what it meant to say that Jesus had set me free and broken the power of sin.
What would happen was that after a period of singing, people would line up to confess publicly, and as soon as they were done, they would be mobbed by fifteen to twenty people who would gather around them and pray for them. There was a lot of crying as people unloaded sins that they had carried with them for a long time.
People were shouting and jumping around because they couldn’t contain themselves. Afterward people were running around hugging and laughing with each other. I was completely floored! The Holy Spirit was flexing his muscles and Satan fled in a big way!
This image shows over 50 out of the 100+ schools impacted by this revival (right click image to see larger view).
Requests for Itinerant Ministers
As the news of what transpired at Wheaton spread, requests began pouring in, asking for interviews on national TV programs, as well as to invite students to visit other schools and churches to testify as to what happened that week on the campus of Wheaton College.
All Emotions?
The question was legitimately asked:
Was the revival that occurred at Wheaton College and at the other 100+ schools a mere emotional release, or was it a sincere move of the Holy Spirit?
Stephen Kellough, the Chaplain of Wheaton College, made it clear that
The personal sharing within the body of Christ here at Wheaton College has been spiritually sensitive and biblically grounded. The depth and breadth of the confession, repentance, and reconciliation point to a divine initiative. Every factor seems to confirm that we are experiencing an authentic work of the Sovereign Lord.
Results of the Revival
► There was genuine repentance.
► There was reconciliation with God and other people.
► There was a renewed hunger for the Word of God.
► The joy during singing of worship songs was evident.
► Private devotional times with God became enjoyable, and not a duty.
► Small and large prayer meetings became normal.
► There was an overwhelming compulsiveness to confess sins publicly. Lives were miserable until they would yield and do this.
► The holiness of God was sensed so powerfully that students could not stand without instantly confessing enormous sins.
► Emotions were real, with some saying that “the presence of God was so thick in the place that I could not speak without crying.” Others testified of trembling due to the presence and power of God.
► Salvation was experienced by students, as well as those in the community who attended the services.
► Racial and gender reconciliation occurred.
► Marriages were reunited.
► Youth groups in surrounding churches also experienced revival.
► The revival spread to hundreds of churches and over 100 colleges.
Primary Sources
► Accounts of a Campus Revival: Wheaton College 1995 by Timothy Beougher
► Revival by John Avant
► Revival Revived by John Avant
Secondary Sources
► A History of the Worldwide Awakening of 1992-1995 by Richard Riss
► Campus Revival by David Briggs in the Spokesman-Review
► Wheaton College Students End Their 38-Hour Revival Session by The Free Lance-Star
Return to List of Revival Stories
Chet & Phyllis Swearingen
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