BELTON, Texas— The 27th annual spring revival, a three-day student-directed event, came to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB) this week, where hundreds of students gathered inside a large white tent at the heart of campus. This year's theme was "The Potter and The Clay," and Shane Pruitt, the National Next Gen Director for the North American Mission Board, was the featured speaker. Crescent City Worship, a collaborative team of students, staff, and alumni of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, led worship for the event.
"Revival 2026 invites our campus community into the clay and the potter journey, identifying the barriers that keep our hearts from being shaped by a loving Father through a life-changing relationship with Jesus," said UMHB's Dean of Students, Michael Burns.
Isaiah 64:8, this year's theme verse, says, "And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We are all formed by your hand."
Shane Pruitt opened the revival by defining our primary purpose: to know Jesus and to make Him known. He warned against the "playdough" tendency of modern faith, in which we try to mold Jesus into a shape that fits our personal preferences or social causes. Instead of a God who simply validates our existing lives, Pruitt challenged students to encounter the real, biblical Jesus. This authentic faith doesn't leave us as we are; it possesses the power to radically change our hearts from the inside out.
On the second night, the focus shifted to the identity of a Christ-follower and how Jesus' resurrection should shape our daily lives. Pruitt explained that because Jesus didn't stay in the grave, we don't have to live there either, urging students to leave their "grave clothes" behind. A sophomore UMHB student named Noah Britton moved the crowd by sharing how surrendering to God felt like being a piece of stone under a sculptor's hand. He described how God lovingly chipped away at his old self, revealing the person he was truly meant to be in Christ.
The final night centered on God's specific calling for each student to hope, to serve and share the Gospel, and to lead in ministry. Throughout the event, Pruitt consistently invited students to move beyond mere belief into a life of active surrender and ministry.
"The atmosphere was transformative as students began to minister to one another, choosing to follow and serve Jesus with newfound bold intentionality. Seeing a generation ready to live out their faith in Jesus by praying for each other and worshipping together was a beautiful conclusion to the revival," Burns said.
