Usually between 7 p.m. and midnight, students gather near Camille Shade, S.V. Totty, and J.S. Jones Halls to socialize, listen to music and unwind from the stress of daily college life.
On Thursday, October 30, a different sound echoed through the residential area commonly known as “The Back.”
Using gospel music to lure students to listen to their message, a ministry team from Bethany World Prayer Center hosted a student revival in front of Totty Hall.
“The revival was great. The Holy Spirit is moving on this campus,” said Michael Johnson, a junior mechanical engineering major from Liberia.
While students sang and danced to the uplifting lyrics of Kirk Franklin, Trinitee-5-7 and many other gospel artists, members of the ministry team shared testimonies of their struggles both during and after college and how a strong relationship with God helped them to supercede.
SU’s own Dominque Edmond, a senior majoring in food science and management from Lafayette humored students when he compared God to a Nintendo Game Genie, a device that gives a player infinite life in a video game.
“When the enemy hits you, you can keep going,” said Edmond.
Students in need of prayer gathered in front of the stage where members of the team prayed with them.
With about 100 students in attendance, freshman mass communications major Klevelanbria Whitson from Shreveport and sophomore vocal music major Christopher Price from New Orleans graced listeners with songs of inspiration.
While some student choose to stand far from the stage, freshmen biology major Shelita Davis from New Orleans was not ashamed to kneel and pray at the revival.
“The program was good. I liked it,” Davis said.
Architecture major Akili Kelly said he is excited and likes the fact that there is a spiritual influence on campus.
“This program helps students not to just focus on the seen but also what is unseen,” said Kelly, a junior from Houston. SU Residential Housing allowed the revival to take place.
“Residential Housing supports and promotes positive activities such as these that build character, especially when students are involved,” said Paul Abram, the director of Bradford Hall.
Although a date has not been set, the ministry team will return in the future.
