Asbury University has experienced revival before -- eight times previously in 1905, 1908, 1921, 1950, 1958, 1970, 1992 and 2006. But the 2023 revival is different because of the immediacy of social media.

Through social networks people around the world are getting real time glimpses of what is happening on the ground in the college town of Wilmore, Kentucky. A municipality so small there are only two traffic lights in town.

"It has absolutely been social media that is the mechanism that people found out about this," explained Mark Whitworth, the vice president of communications at Asbury University.

The news of the revival has electrified the evangelical world which has been praying for revival for years, if not decades. People are flocking in from all across the United States as well as other countries such as Canada, Brazil, Indonesia, El Salvador, Singapore, England, New Zealand and other points around the globe.

The crowds keep swelling, topping 3,000 as more and more people drive or fly into the Bluegrass Kentucky region. The University estimates that two-thirds of the growing ensemble come not only from out of town but also from out of state.

The epicenter of The Revival is Hughes Auditorium which can seat about 1,500. Once Asbury University's large auditorium was filled to capacity neighboring Asbury Seminary stepped in and opened up two of its chapels for overflow crowds. Quickly Estes Chapel, which seats 650; and McKenna Chapel, which seats 350, were also filled. So the university had to look off campus for other prayer spaces to accommodate the growing overflowing crowd. Wilmore United Methodist Church and the Great Commission Fellowship Church have also opened their church doors for Asbury to use. Another 250 students or so milled around outside of Hughes Auditorium watching a large screen which was set up to simulcast to them since there was no more room for them in Asbury's nearly century old auditorium.

Trying to find enough space to accommodate the people who are flocking to Wilmore to witness the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is just only one of the logistical problems Asbury University has been tasked to solve.

First of all, Asbury is a full-fledged university in the midst of its spring term. Its student body is 1,639 strong with more than 1,300 students living on campus. So, classes are continuing to be held as students, faculty and staff juggle the demands of college life with the new manifestation of the Holy Spirit coupled with the influx of thousands of people from all walks of life who unexpectedly showed up at their quiet Kentucky campus during the winter, when overnight temperatures still dip below freezing.

Since much of the traffic headed to Wilmore and Asbury University is fueled by social media the concern has been raised that the Internet could also generate some serious problems. While many evangelicals are thrilled by the Asbury Revival there are those Internet trolls who are voicing their disdain because the Holy Ghost event is not being conducted the way they think it should be. Some are nitpicking every little detail that does not meet their fancy.

Some students have voiced their concerns about their safety particularly in view of the recent Michigan State University shooting.

Most people streaming into Asbury College are seeking to encounter the Holy Spirit. But there could also be some who have nefarious intentions, and the university has to be on the lookout for that. There are even "Asbury Revival 2023" t-shirts showing up as someone is trying to profiteer and commercialize this spiritual event.

Since the millennium there have been many recorded cases of college and university shootings which are in the lifetime of the current student body. Some students may even have living memories of faraway incidents in another state. More than two dozen mass shootings have occurred on American college campuses since 2000. But the students will certainly remember the Michigan State University incident because it occurred during the early days of their revival.

"Our campus can be intriguing. The communications building has all kinds of cool artifacts. The pristine Walt and Rowena Shaw Collaborative Learning Center's bright lights act almost like a beckoning to come and explore. Other structures hold so much nostalgia and history," writes Alexandra Presta at The Asbury Collegian. "But if that's why you are coming to Asbury, you have come for the wrong reasons. Our students are not coming to Hughes to help influencers, news stations, and ordinary people with social media increase their subscriptions, likes and follows. Our dorms are not meant to be wandered. Our classrooms are not museum exhibits."

The university's students are starting to feel that they are being pushed out of their own prayer space and from their familiar campus spaces.

"It can be exciting to have so many honored guests here. We welcome and respect you, because we want you to experience Jesus in the way we have," Miss Presta continues. "However, we're asking you to respect us, too."

"By 7:00 p.m. Hughes was full and Asbury students were struggling to find places to sit or stand," explained Jordan Evans on Twitter. "So the administration team ask for people in the middle to clear space for the college students. The logic was that this revival was primarily impacting the college student so they are the priority."

However, the request was not well received by the throng of visitors.

"Now that GenZ is experiencing revival, the Boomers and Genxers want to make it about them," Jordan continued. "They're taking all the seats in the auditorium and getting offended when asked to move. They're taking up parking spaces so students can't get to class."

Once the growing problems were identified the college administration at Asbury University had to find solutions without stifling the Spirit.

A shuttle bus system has been set up by the campus safety department to shuttle faculty and staff between the Asbury University and Asbury Seminary parking lots. The shuttle will run from 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 in the morning.

One student lamented that when they went to the packed Hughes Auditorium, they did not recognize anyone.

So the Asbury University administration realized it was necessary to limit unfettered access to the campus chapel.

The university decided to shut down Hughes Auditorium from 1 am until noon daily to allow the Asbury students their own time for uninterrupted night prayer.

"Hughes removed anyone who is not a college student from the sanctuary so that students would have space because they have started to feel pushed out of the Awakening that they had started," explained Elijah on Twitter.

The quieter overnight hours also allowed the university cleaning team to clean the Hughes Auditorium.

"Here at #Asburyuniversity and there was an announcement made that starting tonight (Wednesday) they will close Hughes Auditorium at 1am and open back up at noon," wrote Jeremy Harrell, a visitor to Asbury, on Twitter. "This is new, they say for sustainability and safety."

The down time allows "for rest and to make plans for a sustainable continuation."

Danny Slavich applauds Asbury's decision to regulate chapel access.

"I find this to be a courageous decision that is not quenching the Spirit but trusting the Spirit and not being afraid of loss of momentum," he posts.

Kim Harmon adds: "If you are not a student or faculty member at Asbury, you have no business telling them how they should handle this situation. This is sacred space, and it's the home of thousands of young men and women. It's not a circus or performative event to come and gawk at or take from. Please give these kids the respect that they deserve."

With the recent mass shooting at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan the security at Asbury University has been tightened. There is now a greater police presence which is being underwritten by Samaritan's Purse, the philanthropic arm of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association now run by Franklin Graham. The Samaritan's Purse has also sent a field hospital to Turkey following the 7.8 earthquake which struck that nation two days before the Asbury Revival started.

In addition, the various entrances to Hughes Auditorium are being regulated guidelines have been issued. The college warns that there will be long lines waiting for doors to open and to file through the security checks.

Visitors' bags are also being limited to diaper bags, medical bags, and clutch purses, all of which will be searched before entering the chapels.

Asbury also requested that there be no live streaming or broadcasting from within the chapels. Although the university itself will continue to broadcast live its thrice weekly Chapel services. The February 8th Chapel service which kicked off the revival was broadcast live but the broadcasting ended at the scheduled time that the service was to be completed. The broadcast ended however the service did not end and it has continued for more than 200 hours.

"There are no Instagram lives or live streams of any kind allowed inside the chapels," Asbury University states. "Long recordings are also to be avoided. This is to eliminate distractions and to keep the space sacred for what the Holy Spirit wants to do."

This request seems to summarily be ignored, as live streaming is showing up on YouTube and other social media venues.

"Pray for the administrators," someone has suggested. "They have a huge task to shepherd this well. It's bigger than them and they know it. And honestly, right now they're crushing it. But it's going to get harder and more complicated the bigger it gets."

On Thursday (February 16) Asbury University announced a new protocol for dealing with the growing crowds.

"We continue to seek to discern the right balance between orderliness for our university students, faculty, and staff and our campus visitors--and creating space for individuals to have a life-transforming, Christ-centered encounter," posted Asbury President Kevin Brown.

Starting Monday (February 20) the evening services at Hughes Auditorium are to be reserved for high schoolers and young adults 25 and under, then next Friday (February 24) worship services are scheduled to move to off-campus locations. This is so that the Asbury students can reclaim their space as well as be "an attempt to recognize and steward this beautiful, historic moment of spiritual renewal while quickly moving toward a more sustainable campus experience for our students that fosters predictability, well-being, and continuity."

The University is also scrambling to work with various groups to bolster campus security, increase prayer and ministry support, help with event management and further develop overall logistical planning.

Next Thursday (February 23) Asbury is scheduled to host the National Collegiate Day of Prayer service. This was already on the books before the Holy Spirit made His appearance on February 8.

Plans are to only allow high schoolers and young adults 25 and under into Hughes Auditorium for the two-hour National Collegiate Day of Prayer Service to be nationally simulcast that evening from 8 to 10 p.m. EST. Others will be able to watch the simulcasted service in other designated locations. The simulcast can also be accessed at: collegiatedayofprayer.org/live

The university also had to bring in porta potties and secure food as the crowds grow.

The revival is getting worldwide attention. People are dropping everything and flying to Wilmore, Kentucky from all points of the globe including the Philippines, Singapore, Canada, New Zealand, Brazil, and Indonesia.

It has even caught the attention of ACNA Bishop Felix Orji (I All Nations).

"We thank God for the Revival going on in Asbury," he tweets. "May God grant a revival of holiness amongst conservative bishops, clergy, and laity in the Anglican Church around the world."

Fr. Paul Cadtelli, rector of St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in Wilson, North Carolina, has also taken note of the Asbury Revival.

"As this whole Asbury Revival thing has been playing out I've been facing the increasing temptation to load up people from Wilson into a bus and go," the Episcopal priest tweeted.

"Four Christian colleges/universities are now in revival: Wesleyans, Church of God (Cleveland, TN), and Baptists. Come on @SewanneeSeminary.

At this time the five known universities that have the Holy Spirit visiting them include: Anderson University (Anderson South Carolina); Lee University (Cleveland, Tennessee); Samford University (Homewood, Alabama); Cedarville University (Cedarville, Ohio) and Northern Kentucky University (Highlands Heights, Kentucky).

Mary Ann Mueller is a journalist living in Texas. She is a regular contributor to VirtueOnline