The water was in the parking lot. On Tuesday, Oct. 13, after a worship night at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, about 100 students were baptized in the back of pickup trucks lined with plastic and filled with water. Six days earlier, in Lubbock, Texas, more than 1,200 students walked down from the stands of a college football stadium to talk with prayer counselors.
Two states. Two campuses. The same response: students who heard the Gospel and did not wait.
Article Summary
- Boone, NC: UniteUS reports more than 700 App State students made decisions to follow Jesus on Oct. 13. About 100 were baptized in plastic-lined truck beds right after. Those numbers come from the ministry. Founder Tonya Prewett says the student team prayed and fasted for 40 days beforehand.
- Lubbock, TX: Will Graham preached to more than 12,000 students at Texas Tech's Galaxy Stadium on Oct. 7 for FCA's Fields of Faith. More than 1,200 came forward, per the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
- The follow-up: UniteUS says it works with local churches to disciple new believers. In Lubbock, every student who came forward got follow-up materials, then prayed in groups.
Lead story: UniteUS at Appalachian State
App State's own events calendar listed it: "Unite App State," Tuesday, Oct. 13, at the Holmes Convocation Center, doors at 6:30. UniteUS founder Tonya Prewett and Jennie Allen spoke.
The night did not start on Oct. 13. Prewett said App State students had been praying for it for weeks. In an interview with K-LOVE/Air1's Monika Kelly, she said:
The local student team there did a 40-day prayer and fasting leading up to the event. They were doing Jericho marches during those 40 days. I mean, I don't know how many times they walked around that arena.
Tonya Prewett, UniteUS (Air1)
Air1 reported that on the day of the event, the students marched around the arena seven times and shouted, following the Jericho account in Joshua 6.
And I will have to say, they took the city. We had far more students in attendance than we had anticipated. We saw students just get free from so many different things. It was really incredible.
Tonya Prewett (Air1)
The ministry told CBN News that more than 700 students made the decision to follow Jesus, and that about 100 were baptized immediately after. Decision Magazine reported the baptisms happened "in the back of pickup trucks that were lined with plastic and filled with water."
Students posted about it. Decision Magazine and CBN quoted them:
Nothing more beautiful than watching people publicly declare their faith through baptism.
An App State student, on social media (Decision Magazine)
God was so present last night. Best night ever!
An App State student, on social media (Decision Magazine, CBN News)
This is so awesome. Can we just do it every night?
A student, overheard (Decision Magazine)
One baptism stayed with Prewett. She told Air1 that a young woman sat down in the water, and before she was baptized, someone asked what she wanted to say.
She said, 'You know, all my life I've been an atheist. I've never believed in Jesus my whole life.' She said, 'I walked into the arena tonight, heard the gospel presentation, and I just had to give my life to Jesus.'
Tonya Prewett, recalling the baptism (Air1)
But we're seeing this all over the nation on these campuses.
Tonya Prewett (Air1)
Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, responded on social media:
It's great to see God working in the lives of young people on college campuses across our country.
Franklin Graham (quoted in Decision Magazine)
I thank God for each one! Pray for them to grow in their faith and be strengthened in the Lord.
Franklin Graham (quoted in Decision Magazine)
Franklin Graham on the App State rally
That is the right prayer. Decision Magazine reported that the UniteUS team "says it works closely with local churches to help disciple new Christians from their events to become faithful followers of Christ."
On X, @CBNNews posted:
Spiritual revival has reached yet another college campus as the UniteUS ministry visited Appalachian State University this week, reporting that more than 700 students there made the decision to follow Jesus.
@CBNNews (Oct. 15, 2026)
One student said, "God was so present last night. Best night ever!"
Spiritual revival has reached yet another college campus as the UniteUS ministry visited Appalachian State University this week, reporting that more than 700 students there made the decision to follow Jesus. One student said, "God was so present last night. Best night ever!"
@CBNNews (Oct. 15, 2026) https://x.com/CBNNews/status/2110762590930362686
PRO TIP If someone you love was baptized in Boone, text them this week. Ask which church they are visiting Sunday, and offer to go with them.
Supporting story: Fields of Faith, Lubbock
On Wednesday, Oct. 7, more than 12,000 students, from middle school to college age, filled Galaxy Stadium at Texas Tech for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes' Fields of Faith. Many had traveled hours by bus. Local worship teams led, and young athletes shared testimonies.
Suzy Emre attended with friends from her life group. She posted about the night on X:
Suzy Emre at Fields of Faith in Lubbock
David Sparkman, FCA's metro director for the Texas South Plains region, told BGEA why they do it:
They open up to something they would never, ever have opened up to before. That's why we do it.
David Sparkman, FCA Texas South Plains (BGEA)
Will Graham preached on Jesus before Pilate, and on Barabbas:
You can marvel at Jesus and still not belong to Jesus.
Will Graham (BGEA)
Jesus took Barabbas' place, and He took your place and my place. He paid the debt we could never pay.
Will Graham (BGEA)
The next day, Will Graham shared photos from the night:
Will Graham at Fields of Faith in Lubbock
More than 1,200 students came down onto the field. BGEA reported that each talked with prayer counselors and "received follow-up materials to help them grow in their faith." Then students gathered in groups to pray for one another.
By FCA's own count, the numbers were a little higher. Corbin Young, FCA's West Texas director and chaplain for the Texas Tech football team, posted the next night: "Over 12,500 people heard the gospel and 1,251 students responded."
God showed up and showed off at the biggest Fields of Faith in the Galaxy. Over 12,500 people heard the gospel and 1,251 students responded to the invitation to follow Jesus. We are celebrating in West Texas as it is in Heaven (Luke 15:7). JESUS IS MIGHTY TO SAVE! #FOF26
@CorbinYoungFCA (Oct. 8, 2026) https://x.com/CorbinYoungFCA/status/2108378232781422811
One young man, Kelvin, told BGEA:
I feel, honestly, the most human I've ever felt. ... I don't just feel angry and empty anymore.
Kelvin, Fields of Faith attendee (BGEA)
PRO TIP If you came forward in Lubbock, open the follow-up materials you were given this week, and read one chapter of John a day with a friend from your group.
What happened next matters most
A truck bed and a stadium floor are good places to start. They are poor places to stay. Jesus said baptize, then teach (Matthew 28:19-20). The students in Boone and Lubbock need a church, a Bible, and a friend.
If that is you, find a local church this week. Between Sundays, the WWJD.COM SuperApp has Scripture, prayer, and daily devotionals to help you keep growing as a disciple.
UniteUS was in Miami three weeks ago. Read our Miami story.
Pray for the 700 in Boone and the 1,200 in Lubbock, for UniteUS, for South Plains FCA, and for the churches that will welcome them.
FAQ
How many students responded at App State?
UniteUS reports more than 700 decisions to follow Jesus and about 100 baptisms on Oct. 13. These are the ministry's numbers, reported by CBN News and Decision Magazine.
Where were they baptized?
In plastic-lined, water-filled pickup truck beds right after the event at the Holmes Convocation Center.
What happened in Lubbock?
More than 12,000 students attended FCA's Fields of Faith at Galaxy Stadium on Oct. 7. More than 1,200 came forward after Will Graham preached, per BGEA. FCA's own count is 1,251 students who responded.
Where is UniteUS going next?
The University of South Alabama on Oct. 27 and Belmont University in Nashville on Nov. 10, per Decision Magazine and CBN News.
Sources
- Decision Magazine: Spirit Movement at Appalachian State University: Worship Rally Includes 100 Baptisms in Plastic-Lined Truck Beds
- Air1 (K-LOVE/Air1 News), interview with Tonya Prewett by Monika Kelly, Oct. 19, 2026
- CBN News, Benjamin Gill, Oct. 15, 2026
- BGEA, Erik Ogren, Oct. 8, 2026: Stepping onto the field in faith
- Appalachian State University events calendar: Unite App State
- @CBNNews on X, Oct. 15, 2026
- @Franklin_Graham on X, Oct. 16, 2026
- @WillGraham_4 on X, Oct. 8, 2026
- Fellowship of Christian Athletes: Corbin Young, FCA West Texas director (@CorbinYoungFCA on X), Oct. 8, 2026
- @suzyemre on X, Fields of Faith attendee, Oct. 7, 2026
- WWJD News: Hundreds of Miami students go all in with Jesus
- WWJD.COM: Faith Is Rising
- WWJD.COM: Statement of Faith
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