2,000 Accept Christ at University of South Florida Event
Michael Foust
Audio By Carbonatix
By Michael Foust, Crosswalk.com
A student-led revival movement that began at Auburn University two years ago continued Thursday at the University of South Florida, where 7,000 students gathered for worship and multitudes prayed to receive Christ.
The Unite US event saw some 2,000 salvations, 300 baptisms and thousands of changed lives, according to reports from the movement’s official social media pages. It was held in the Yuengling Center, the home to the Bulls basketball and volleyball teams.
“WHAT A NIGHT TAMPA! There is a move of God happening in Gen Z and we got to witness just a glimpse of it tonight,” the Unite US Instagram page said. “Thank you, Jesus.”
Unite US is a revival movement that organizes worship events on college campuses nationwide, aiming to awaken college campuses -- and in turn, America -- for Christ.
The USF gathering was one of seven Unite US events planned for the fall semester. Nearly 9,000 students packed the Lloyd Noble Center at the University of Oklahoma on Sept. 9, while upcoming stops include Tennessee (Sept. 30), Grand Canyon University (Oct. 21), Cincinnati (Nov. 5), North Carolina State (Nov. 11) and Clemson (Nov. 18).
“Gen Z rising. Bold. Unashamed! Hungry for revival!” Unite US said in a post.
Tonya Prewett, founder and visionary of Unite US, said the movement is evidence of God at work.
“God's doing it,” she said on Jonathan Pokluda’s podcast in September. “He's uniting churches. He's uniting cities, communities, students, universities, and in a sense, he's uniting the nation.”
The COVID-19 pandemic, she said, “took a toll on Gen Z” and made them desperate for the truth.
“They became so isolated and had nothing but their phones and their devices. And because of that, it created so many addictions, and it has just kind of carried them for a while,” Prewett said. “But I think what's happening now is they're coming back out of it, and they're realizing: Hey, I need truth and hope, and this phone, and the things that I'm looking at, or the comparison that's created through this phone, is not satisfying me. So I'm looking for something real.
“And they're hungry for it. And I think it's also very contagious. And so when we go to an event and we see God move when we get to the next one, that school is on fire, ready to see God move in the same way.”
Image credit: Pexels/Wolfgang
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
