70 Baptized at WAU

The audience included faculty, staff, students and visitors from nearby churches.

Initially only 14 had planned for baptism, but then the Holy Spirit fell on the campus and touched another 39 hearts.

Story by WAU Staff

The second Annual Campus Revival at Washington Adventist University (WAU) in Takoma Park, Md., featured a week of worship and culminated with the baptism of 53 young adults. The event started on Sunday, March 30, and culminated with the call to baptism on Friday, April 4.

Each evening at 7 p.m., hundreds of students, faculty and staff, and visitors from nearby churches filled the outdoor tent on campus to worship and to hear guest speaker Myron Edmonds, senior pastor from the Allegheny West Conference’s Glenville church in Cleveland. He spoke to the revival theme, “I’m Weak,” based on 2 Corinthians 12:9, which says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

After making a decision for baptism, a student embraces Cheryl Kinsuzu, WAU provost.

The revival concluded April 5 with a Sabbath worship service that featured speaker Ronnie Vanderhorst, a member of Allegheny East Conference’s Emmanuel-Brinklow church in Ashton, Md.

“We had about 14 people who planned to participate in the baptism, and then the Holy Spirit fell upon the campus and touched hearts in ways only God can do,” said Regina Johnson, WAU chaplain. “Saying God is good would be an understatement! He never fails to exceed my expectations. Another baptism will be happening April 26, and I’m beyond excited that the students are making their decisions together as a campus family!”

Students raise their hands to God in praise.

Shaniel Francis, a graduating senior who was among those baptized, said, “To me, the revival confirmed everything about my spiritual life that I was afraid to acknowledge. I realized the importance of starting over spiritually.”

Tyrus Fleetwood, a freshman who was baptized, said, “The revival gave me a chance to sit back and take the word of God, and look at what I was doing wrong in my life. It led me to surrender my life to him. It also showed me how God can really work, and how strong the Holy Spirit moves throughout people.”

Participants seemed to agree that the revival came at the perfect time. Vincent Wilson, a junior religion student, said, “I saw the baptism of the Holy Spirit, literally!”

A couple weeks later, another 17 students were baptized bringing the total to 70 for the year.

See the video from that day here: