Roughly 200 college students baptized in one night following Auburn campus worship program
More than 200 students at Auburn University were baptized in a single evening this week following a campus worship program that was reportedly attended by hundreds. (Kenzie Gay/Michael Floyd)
More than 200 students at an Alabama college were baptized in one night this week after a campus worship program that was reportedly attended by hundreds.
The baptisms took place Tuesday night in a lake at Auburn's Red Barn venue, which is located about half a mile from Auburn University's Neville Arena, the site of a "Unite Auburn" worship event that drew a massive crowd.
The "Unite Auburn" event featured performances by Christian worship band Passion and saw speakers such as Jennie Allen, a Christian author, and Rev. Jonathan Pokluda, lead pastor of Harris Creek Baptist Church in Waco, Texas.
Following the event, one individual reportedly wanted to be baptized, but a tub was not available for use. Seeking a solution, students began gathering at the lake.
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The baptisms took place Tuesday night in a lake at Auburn's Red Barn venue, which is located about half a mile from Auburn University's Neville Arena, the site of a "Unite Auburn" worship event that drew a massive crowd. (Mateo Arenas)
Auburn Tigers head football coach Hugh Freeze also attended the event and "got in the water to help," according to Montgomery-based WSFA.
In one clip taken by Auburn senior Michael Floyd, Freeze was shown assisting in the baptism of one of the school's football players.
"This was a great moment of Auburn being Auburn! Thousands gathered to unapologetically seek Jesus, and hundreds took their next step," Floyd told Fox News Digital of the event.
Students lined the banks, waiting to get baptized one by one. (Michael Floyd)
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Other photographs and footage from the event showed hundreds of college students lining the banks of the lake as students waded into the water to be baptized one by one over a two-hour time frame.
"It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever gotten to witness, because there was such a genuine joy and sense of peace in the air. I would look back toward campus and constantly see mobs of flashlights from more students that were running to come to join the crowd," Kenzie Gay, a senior at Auburn University who witnessed the spiritual event firsthand, told Fox.
People are shown gathering on Sept. 12, 2023, at Auburn University's Neville Arena, the site of a "Unite Auburn" worship event that drew a massive crowd. (Michael Floyd)
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"Everyone was just in awe of what God was doing that night," added Gay, who previously represented the school as Miss Auburn University.
"What was so great about these baptisms is that it wasn’t a planned religious event, it was just a whole bunch of college students moved by their desire to follow Jesus," Auburn student Mateo Arenas told Fox.
"What was so great about these baptisms is that it wasn’t a planned religious event, it was just a whole bunch of college students moved by their desire to follow Jesus," Auburn University student Mateo Arenas told Fox News Digital. (Mateo Arenas)
"It took me about 45 minutes to get to where the baptisms were held due to the amount of traffic of people who wanted to go witness the event themselves. Once there, it was quite a site to see, people dedicating their lives to Jesus without fear, just a whole lot of love," Arenas added.
The baptisms at the southern college campus came after a similar spiritual awakening took place at Asbury University in February. The private school located in Wilmore, Kentucky, canceled some classes and allowed for a 24/7 prayer as people from all corners flocked to the campus to worship for two weeks.
Students participate in a chapel service at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky, in February 2023. (Asbury University)
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The movement at the time began after students refused to leave following a chapel service, and the services grew to pack the school's chapel with worshipers from all over the country, according to Christianity Today.
Fox News' Timothy H.J. Nerozzi contributed to this report.
