Dr. David Hager ’68 credits the 1970 Asbury Revival with transforming not only his faith but also his decades of leadership in medicine, public service, and Christian witness.
For Dr. David Hager ’68, Asbury University provided far more than the academic foundation for a successful medical career. It became the place where God profoundly transformed his life.
Hager graduated from Asbury in 1968 with a pre-medical degree and served as president of his graduating class. He went on to earn his medical degree from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in 1972 before completing residency training at the University of Virginia and the University of Kentucky in obstetrics and gynecology.
During a distinguished career in Lexington, Kentucky, Hager practiced obstetrics and gynecology while serving as a part-time faculty member at the University of Kentucky. His expertise earned him recognition as one of the Best Doctors in America in 1994 and 1996.
He also served on Asbury College’s Board of Trustees and was appointed by President George W. Bush to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Advisory Committee for Reproductive Health Drugs in 2002. He also served on advisory committees for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). During his service on the FDA Advisory Committee, Hager became widely known for opposing the approval of the chemical abortion drug Mifeprex.
Despite those accomplishments, Hager says the defining moment of his life occurred during the 1970 Asbury Revival.
At the time, he was a medical student at the University of Kentucky when he sensed God calling him to return to Wilmore.
"I was sitting in the UK medical school library studying for an exam. The Lord spoke and told me I was to go to Asbury to 'experience something.'"
He drove to campus without knowing a revival had already begun. After entering Hughes Auditorium, he remembers sitting in the back row before experiencing what he describes as a supernatural encounter with the Holy Spirit.
Hager's testimony reflects Asbury University's enduring mission to cultivate graduates whose lives are transformed by Christ and whose influence extends far beyond campus.
“It was a life-changing experience for this medical student, one that influenced all of my decisions, appointments, and involvement in the Kingdom for the rest of my life,” Hager said.
More than five decades later, Hager’s story continues to demonstrate the lasting impact of an Asbury education rooted in both academic excellence and spiritual formation. His journey serves as a reminder that while graduates may leave Wilmore to pursue careers around the world, the work God begins at Asbury often continues for a lifetime.
In addition to his medical career and public service, Hager continues to write on faith, healing, and Christian living. His most recent books include On the Way: Ministering in the Moment; Simmering Anger, Smoldering Rage: The Emotions That Are Tearing Our World Apart; and Restoring Your Temple: Seven Steps to Inner Healing and Peace.
The Asbury University Shaw School of Sciences includes five departments: Biology & Chemistry, Equine Studies, Exercise Science, Mathematics & Computer Science, and Nursing.
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