By Marissa Mayer – Higher Ground Contributor - Monday, April 8, 2024

Amid alarming statistics that reveal 80% of Americans believe religion is “losing influence in public life,” public universities across the country continue to experience massive revival. The latest example comes from the University of Georgia, where thousands recently gathered for a Unite event featuring well-known ministry leaders and best-selling authors Jennie Allen of IF:Gathering and Jonathan Pokluda, pastor of Harris Creek Baptist church in Waco, Texas.

“Insane night at University of Georgia!” Ms. Allen wrote in an Instagram caption following the event. “Once again! He is moving!!!!”

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“We preached Jesus, worship’s incredible,” she added in the video, noting there were as many as 7,000 or 8,000 students assembled at the stadium. “And, so, we are preaching Jesus, confessing sin — all these students, and it’s just so beautiful.”

After the event was over, a large crowd of attendees walked around looking for a place to hold baptisms. While recent college revivals featured baptisms in lakes and fountains, the UGA solution was especially unique.  

“We found a public parking lot, and we got four pickup trucks,” Ms. Allen said. “And we were baptizing kids in four pickup trucks … all these fraternity guys are watching from their decks. … It’s just insane.”

According to its website, Unite “exists to see college students gathered to lift the name of Jesus.” The movement is reminiscent of the 16-day revival that occurred at Asbury University in February 2023. The continuous worship service drew as many as 50,000 people to campus from miles away and other countries, and sparked numerous spiritual awakenings across the country. 

Unite’s first event, Unite Auburn, which occurred in September of last year, made headlines after it resulted in more than 200 students being baptized as the worship program erupted into what observers called a spontaneous revival.

News of young people surrendering their lives to Christ on such a massive scale is encouraging for those who are concerned about the declining biblical worldview among kids in America. According to recent research, only 60% of preteens have read any part of the Bible and most are struggling to find their purpose and make sense of the world they live in, a situation that is no doubt magnified as these kids get older and transition to college campuses. 

Thankfully, one of the objectives of the Unite events is to help students find community and discipleship through local ministries and the local church. This is increasingly important at a time when 90% of religiously unaffiliated Americans said they seldom or never attend worship services.

“Joining a church begins to plug you into a body,” Ms. Allen said in a video last year that was geared toward college students. “What that means is it provides you opportunities to give, to serve, to be known, to be in a small group, to disciple people. All of that comes in and out of a commitment to a local church.” 

The next Unite event is May 1 at the University of Tennessee.

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Marissa Mayer is a writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional experience. Her work has been featured in Christian Post, The Daily Signal, and Intellectual Takeout. Mayer has a B.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing from Arizona State University.

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