April 18, 2024
Across the country on Thursday, students gathered to pray and worship as part of the Collegiate Day of Prayer. Organizers encouraged students, and others, to pray on and for every college campus in America.
Georgia Baptist Collegiate Ministry was active in organizing events statewide.
At the University of Georgia, a steady stream of students in and out of the BCM building participated in 12 hours of prayer and worship starting at 8 a.m. Each hour kicked off with a devotion led by a local pastor, church college minister, or BCM staffer, followed by a time of prayer for the campus, worship and personal prayer.
Georgia Tech students gathered outside the student center with other believers to pray throughout the day. A worship and prayer event was also held in the ministry's BCM building.
Several hundred students from multiple campus ministries at Georgia Southern University joined in a nighttime event with cross-denominational leaders for purposeful prayer over the campus and the nation, and for repentance.
Georgia Southern BCM President John Foxworth led the group in praying Luke 10:2 “And he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’”
Valdosta State University students planned an all-day event. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., there was a Scripture reading and prayer every 30 minutes, with testimonies given throughout. Several local church leaders and pastors came out to support the students, with church members and passersby joining the students in prayer and worship.
Matthew Vandegriff, pastor of Poplar Springs Baptist Church, and Timothy Agee, pastor of young adults at Hopewell Baptist Chiurch, joined Georgia Baptist campus missionary Keith Wade and students on a prayer walk on the Gainesville campus of the University of North Georgia.
“May we continue," Wade said, "to see the Lord move among this campus and students be bold to share Jesus.”
Campus minister Adam Shutters said students at Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus wrote their prayer requests and then spent time praying over the requests. They also were able to pray with and encourage other students.
University of North Georgia students in Dahlonega got an early start, gathering at 6:45 a.m. for prayer and worship. BCM President Will Nixon said their purpose was to “pray that God would begin to do a work on our campus like never before.” Campus Minister Keith Wade said, “I was encouraged to see students take such initiative this morning coming out early and praying for their campus. It was a sweet time praying with and alongside college students with the burden and desire to reach UNG with the gospel.”
Mary Kathryn, a BCM worship leader at the Dahlonega campus said the students prayed that God will give them "a boldness, and a courage that will surpass any fear so that we can spread the gospel and help further His kingdom. It’s a beautiful thing to me to be able to hear the many prayers of my friends who have a heart for the people of this school and a heart for the Lord and His mission for us.”
