More than 700 students made decisions to follow Jesus at Appalachian State University last week. After the gathering, about 100 were baptized.
The scene has been repeated at campuses across the country. At the University of Miami, students responded to the Gospel and were baptized after a UniteUS outreach. Pepperdine University has also seen a large student response. Since its first event at Auburn University in 2023, UniteUS says it has reached more than two dozen campuses and more than 100,000 students.
A packed arena and students stepping into the water make for powerful images. But the deeper story may be what they reveal: College students are still hungry for something the culture cannot give them.
A Generation Still Asking the Big Questions
Young adults are surrounded by constant noise, competing messages and promises of fulfillment that can leave them more anxious and alone. They are told to build an identity, find a purpose and define truth for themselves. Yet those answers often raise more questions than they settle.
A night of worship and a clear presentation of the Gospel offer something different: truth, purpose, forgiveness and the hope of belonging to Christ.
That hunger should not surprise Christians. Every generation needs the good news of Jesus. Still, it is easy to assume young adults have moved beyond faith, or that they are too distracted to listen. Students filling campus venues challenge that assumption. They are showing up, worshiping and listening. According to UniteUS, many are also making decisions to follow Christ.
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When Faith Goes Public
The baptisms are especially moving because they make a decision visible. Students step into the water before their peers to identify themselves with Jesus. One student wrote after the App State gathering that there was “nothing more beautiful than watching people publicly declare their faith through baptism.”
