What's With All the American University Revivals?

Christian revivals are taking place on public university campuses across the country. Are these spiritual experiences real? Is this genuine interest in the Christian faith? Is God reaching out to Gen Z? Based on many comments of observers, participants, and leaders, it appears students are indeed seeking God in a new way. Pray God will send his Spirit among young Americans. For more Christian commentary, see my website at www.rexmrogers.com or check my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers. #revival #spiritual renewal #awakening

Transcript

On social media, have you been hearing on about the revivals taking place at public universities, many via football teams?

Hi, I’m Rex Rogers and this is episode #226 of Discerning What Is Best, a podcast applying unchanging biblical principles in a rapidly changing world, and a Christian worldview to current issues and everyday life.

Revivals, or spiritual awakenings if you wish, are taking place across the country, primarily on public university campuses. I talked about this before, first the Christian College Revivals–Asbury University and More phenomenon, then Spiritual Awakening in the American University. 

In those earlier podcasts, I noted that to discern wisely, we needed to ask questions:

·      Is this revival consistent with the Word of God?

·      Is Jesus Christ exalted?

·      Does this revival involve confession and repentance, obedience, salvation by faith in Christ, open confession of love for Christ?

·      Will God move this revival to public universities?

Asking these questions is not a masquerade for doubting God or being skeptical for the sake of skepticism but a careful stewardship of what we are hearing, determining what is true and trustworthy. In those earlier reviews of college revivals, I concluded God indeed seemed to be working and that I hoped the movement would continue. 

I also noted that students coming of age in America have been sold a bill of goods. Our culture has taught youth to reject God, absolute truth, morality, even biological science. Instead, they’ve been taught cynicism, that nothing deserves their faith, that nothing and no one is worthy of their trust.

Youth are taught in school, in their music, in their celebrity worship, in their sexual confusion that nothing matters, that there is no purpose, just uncertainty, angst, disquietude. 

And nothing has been put in place of this deconstruction of timeless verities. All young people have is nihilism – the idea life is absurd and meaningless. Is it any wonder that there is an epidemic of mental health issues among America’s young people?

Think about this. If you truly believed life was hollow, inconsequential, that your own life was pointless, that it had no purpose, you have no value or worth, why wouldn’t you seek escape in hedonism, lust or substance abuse? Who cares?

And if your life has no value or worth, certainly other human beings have no value or worth. If we believe this hopelessness, what’s left?

It is in this academic context that I prayed the Lord would send his Spirit upon the land beginning perhaps with the most spiritually bereft of places in America, the college and university campus. Now it appears God is doing exactly that.

While there’s no official count, a number of organizations, student ministries, media, and Christian commentators have documented dozens of events, across both public and private schools, where students gather for extended worship, prayer, confession, baptisms, and renewed commitment to faith. 

Over 1,000 college students reputedly accepted Jesus this week at West Virginia University. Carson-Newman University experienced public professions of faith and baptisms of football players.

Ohio State University football players led “An Invitation to Jesus” night of praise inviting students to Christ with many coming forward to profess faith. Over 2,000 people gathered. About 50 students were baptized.

“Against the backdrop of anti-Israel protests, violence, and death chants at college and university campuses recently, some GenZers are choosing instead to uplift Jesus Christ. (Some) 8,000 students gathered on the campus of the University of Tennessee to praise His Name alone.”

Auburn University: A revival event there drew 5,000 students, resulting in over 200 baptisms. Florida State University: Another Christian service saw 4,500 students attend, with around 350 baptisms. Nebraska University and University of Cincinnati football players united in prayer after the game. The University of Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson recently shared his faith in Christ with media. Pennsylvania State University players prayed in endzone before the game. A UniteUS event at the University of Oklahoma drew nearly 9,000 students in early September 2025 to worship, pray, and hear evangelistic preaching.  

Many universities experiencing revivals. Arizona State Georgia Bulldogs, Auburn Tigers, Miami Hurricanes, Boise State, and others have been doing this for years but not to this extent. 

Earlier in 2025, at University of Kentucky, UniteUS held a large revival: ~8,000 students in attendance, ~2,000 responded to the gospel message. At Ohio State in spring, ~6,500 students gathered, nearly 2,000 made first‑time commitments, many baptisms were conducted even in severe cold. Purdue University had a revival‐style event; about 4,500 attended and hundreds responded. Baylor University also hosted a “72‑hour prayer tent” event, continuous prayer and worship, part of the UniteUS / campus ministries outreach.

The UniteUS movement is a major organizer behind many of these events. These revivals often combine: worship music, evangelistic preaching, altar calls/decision points for Christ, baptisms (sometimes spontaneous, even outdoors or in unconventional setups like tubs or trucks). Student‐athletes are increasingly visible participants. There seems to be momentum early in the fall semester with “kickoff” events, likely because new students and returning students are gathering, and events are timed to the start of term. OSU’s “Fall Kickoff” is a case in point. 

Before college football kickoff, Tim Tebow led a stadium of 100,000 in prayer, sharing the Gospel plainly and pointedly, praying people would respond. His prayer elicited an ovation and cheers.

UniteUS began, September 12, 2023, when “thousands of college students gathered at Auburn University’s Neville Arena with one singular focus–to lift the name of Jesus. What began in Auburn, Alabama has continued to grow into a movement reaching college campuses across the nation. Unite exists to see college students gathered to lift the name of Jesus. Every Unite gathering has three main objectives:

SALVATION
For non-believers to hear a clear presentation of the Gospel in a welcoming environment. Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9
FREEDOM
For believers to know and experience true freedom from sin and burdens on their hearts. Galatians 5:1
COMMUNITY
For students to find community and discipleship through connection to local ministries and the local church. Ephesians 4:1-6.”

UniteUs is itself a phenomenon, founded by Tonya Prewett, in a little more than two years it has become a national force in the Christian evangelism of Gen Z. To assure fidelity to the Word and avoidance of faddish religion or easy-believism, the questions we asked of earlier of Christian college revivals should continue to be asked of UniteUs revivals: Are these revivals consistent with the Word of God?

Is Jesus Christ exalted? Do these revivals involve confession and repentance, obedience, salvation by faith in Christ alone, and open confession of love for Christ? At this point, early and continuing testimonials are consistently affirmative.

“Despite the fact the events are held on secular college campuses, every place UniteUS goes they're finding thousands of students desperate to know Jesus and eagerly jumping into fountains, lakes, and the backs of pickup trucks in order to be baptized. One of the keys to the UniteUS events is their partnership with local churches that help disciple the students who come to the events and dedicate their lives to Jesus.” One pastoral supporter of UniteUS said, “Universities are pregnant with revival.”

Several public universities experienced revival sessions during 2024, and when I say “several” I mean a lot, and it appears this is continuing in 2025. Some are saying, “Aside from what we have been seeing take place on social media, there is undeniable evidence that the Holy Spirit is moving in this place. Gen Z is hungry for truth, seeking an anchor to put their hope in, and ready to give their lives to the one person who can set them free.”

Clearly, Christian revivals on American university campuses are being reported with increasing frequency, and many if not most of these events are cited on social media. They are driven by a mix of spiritual craving, societal stresses, desire for meaning, and, I believe, the Lord’s Spirit choosing to work in the lives of young people.

If you want something positive to pray about, pray for more genuine Christian spiritual revivals or awakenings specifically on American university campuses.

Well, we’ll see you again soon. This podcast is about Discerning What Is Best. If you find this thought-provoking and helpful, follow us on your favorite podcast platform. For more Christian commentary, see my website, r-e-x-m as in Martin, that’s rexmrogers.com, or check my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers.

And remember, it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm.

© Rex M. Rogers – All Rights Reserved, 2025   

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