By now, news of the almost two-week long Asbury Revival has carved a fiery trail across churches around the world. 

Asbury University president Dr Kevin Brown posted that “the continued flourishing of such a movement invites us to commission our Asbury community, visiting students, and other campus guests from across the world to neighbour-serving, God-honouring work”.

But it is not the first time that Asbury, a Christian school of less than 1,700 students, has hosted what has been called “revival”.

As many as eight have been recorded since 1905, the most famous, arguably, being in February 1970, when classes were cancelled for a week while service continued for 144 hours.

Then, as now, thousands from across the United States and, indeed, the world travelled to Asbury in Wilmore, Kentucky, to be a part of the experience. 

Pastor Leow Hong Too in prayer. Photo from Pastor Leow Hong Too’s Facebook page.

One in particular has been a sojourner there for the last seven years. A Malaysian theologian, Dr Leow Hong Too, has shared on Facebook that he received a “revival dream” on February 21, 2016, while he was in Wilmore at Asbury Theological Seminary. Sensing a call from God to pray revival in, his first reaction was: “What?”

He sought, with much scepticism, the counsel of two of his professors. They gave him their affirmation and blessings, and he began to pray as instructed by God. 

In December 2017, while on holiday at Asbury Seminary, “God spoke to me clearly, asking me to come to Wilmore, praying full-time for revival in person”, he said.  He quit his job at Malaysia Bible Seminary in November the next year, even though he had reservations – “I got paid for teaching but I get no pay for praying”.

The only assurance he had was this: “Jesus promised He would take care of me and my wife, just to trust Him alone.”

He described: “I spent a couple of hours daily praying for revival, walking around, joined many prayer groups, seeking signs that would spark the revival.

“To be honest, during these periods, sometimes I was disappointed, frustrated, going through ‘motions of praying’ and also a bit lost.”

Nonetheless, he stayed focussed, refusing advice that for him to land a job in a Chinese church would be prudent, especially since there was a dearth of suitable pastors. 

Fast-forward to June 2020: “God spoke to me me clearly that I should carry signs of repentance, calls to revival etc, while walking-running almost every day on North Lexington for about two years. 

Signs that Ps Leow Hong Too carried around the town as God had instructed him to. Photos from Pastor Leow Hong Too’s Facebook page.

“It was not easy as I had to go out carrying signs during winter time for an hour.”

He also fasted a meal a day during those years. Calling it “a struggle”, he attributed his ability to persevere to God’s grace alone. 

In May 2022 he and his wife left for New York City upon an “urgent call” to minister to the homeless there. He felt his work in Wilmore was not yet done, but “God told me that He will not send revival while I was still here.

“God has promised me that after we left Wilmore for New York City, He will then send revival so that I may not be prideful or take credit for this revival.

“God is good to me. He knew I would take credit for this revival.

“I did not know when God was going to do it. But after eight months, revival came to Asbury University Chapel.

“When I heard about it, God wanted me to come right away. Immediately I booked (a) ticket and flew from New York City.

“God is faithful and almighty. He promised He would do it and HE DID IT.”

Dr Leow signed off: “Glory to (the) Triune God, God the Father, God the Son Jesus and God the Holy Spirit alone. Amen, amen, and amen.”

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