Hundreds of students baptized at Pepperdine
A college gathering in California ended with students praying on campus and deciding to take a public step of faith.
Hundreds of young people accepted Jesus and were baptized at Pepperdine, in California, during UniteLA, a gathering with thousands of college students on Tuesday, September 22, according to NoticiaCristiana.com.
How the day unfolded at Pepperdine
UniteLA was organized by UniteUS, a ministry that brings together college students from different campuses across the United States to worship and share the Gospel. The organization also holds activities at other educational centers in the country.
When the program ended, many did not leave campus: they kept praying, singing and celebrating together. At that moment several students asked to be baptized in the pool, to publicly declare their faith in Jesus.
Student Izzy Latala described the day as an extraordinary time of worship: "Churches and students were holding hands worshiping Jesus," she said.
Baptism does not save by itself nor does it work as a good-luck charm. It is the visible step of someone who has already received forgiveness by grace and wants others to know it.
The messages that were heard
Tonya Prewett, founder of UniteUS, preached about God's purpose for the life of each young person. She said that living according to that purpose does not only touch the one who follows it, but also the people around them, and that no one is born by chance.
Madi Prewett Troutt, her daughter, focused her message on inner change. She pointed out that inside each young person there is something that needs to come back to life, and she encouraged them to put in God's hands what they had kept hidden.
Grant Troutt, her husband, urged them to cultivate a personal relationship with God and to get involved in a local church.
Scripture describes that change like this: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV).
More than 100,000 students since 2023
According to UniteUS, since the fall of 2023 more than 100,000 students have gone through its programs. The organizers said they hope that what happened at Pepperdine will open the way to new faith experiences among young people in California.
If faith seems distant to you, look closely at stories like this: God often works with ordinary young people, in ordinary places. A concrete step this week is to find a local church near your home or university, write to them and visit; there are people there who can walk with you. And if you already believe in Jesus, baptism is the public step that is yours to take. You don't need an event with thousands of people or a campus pool: the decision to tell what God did with you is enough. If you have doubts about baptism or about how to start following Jesus, talk with your pastor or a trusted believer.
