Homecoming Like No Other: Tara Beth Leach Inspires Revival at Olivet Nazarene University
In 2005, Tara Beth Leach ’05 was sitting in the auditorium for Olivet’s annual Revival Week, finishing her last year of classes and looking forward to full time ministry. Nineteen years later, she returned to revival week—but this time filling the pulpit as an accomplished senior pastor, author, and chapel speaker who knows the ONU community as only an alumna can.
Leach, the Senior Pastor at Good Shepherd Church in Naperville, IL, and author of multiple books, including Emboldened: A Vision for Empowering Women in Ministry and Radiant Church: Restoring the Credibility of Our Witness, led a three-day revival at Olivet’s Centennial Chapel, which featured a notable surge in attendance, with overflow seating being brought in to accommodate the students, faculty and visitors who came for spiritual renewal.
The revival was structured around three key messages, each one building upon the other to guide the audience through a transformative spiritual experience.
Day One: Who Is God For?
In her first message, Tara Beth tackled one of the most pressing issues facing college students today — a culture that often fosters feelings of inadequacy. Leach challenged the audience to reflect on how modern culture inundates individuals with a message that they must continually strive for more: more beauty, more success, more influence.
“We are constantly striving to be worthy, to be loved, to be enough,” she shared, speaking a reality to which many in the room related. Leach reminded those in attendance that God’s love is not contingent on their achievements. “God is for you,” she emphasized, “in your weakness, in your brokenness, even in your addictions.” Citing Matthew 11, where Jesus says, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest,” she invited all to release their striving and rest in the love of God, just as they are.
Day Two: Healing the Ancient Wounds
For Tuesday’s Chapel, Leach’s message took a personal tone as she opened up about her own struggles with self-worth and mental health. In 2017, Tara Beth found herself in a crisis, believing she was a failure as both a mother and a pastor. Her journey through cognitive behavioral therapy revealed the deep-seated “ancient wounds” she had carried since childhood — relatable wounds to many in attendance.
Leach explained that these wounds, often inflicted in our formative years, distort how we see ourselves and make us believe we are unworthy of love and belonging. “Shame tells us that we are not good enough,” Leach said, recounting how shame had shaped her own self-perception for years. But the good news, she proclaimed, is that in Christ, these ancient wounds can be healed.
Quoting Romans 5:8 — “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” — Leach called on the audience to reject the lies that shame tells and embrace the truth of God’s unwavering love. Many students responded by coming forward, confessing their own struggles and seeking healing from their wounds.
Day Three: Finding Harmony in Body, Mind, and Soul
In her closing message, Tara Beth focused on the importance of holistic faith — integrating body, mind and soul in the pursuit of God. “God is not interested in just a quick fix for your problems,” she explained. “God wants to bring about a deep, transformative healing.”
Drawing from the Greatest Commandment in Mark 12, where Jesus calls us to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, Leach encouraged the audience to see their lives as interconnected wholes. “Spiritual health, mental health and physical well-being are all part of God’s desire for human flourishing,” she emphasized.
Leach explained how many people seek “quick fixes” to cope with pain—whether through workaholism, substance abuse, or numbing distractions. However, God offers something deeper: a lifeline of mercy and grace that leads to lasting transformation. “God is deeply invested in your mental health,” she reminded attendees, urging them to seek harmony in every area of life.
To watch the full messages from Revival Week, click here.
