Thousands of Students Gather at the University of Tennessee to Worship Jesus
More than 8,000 college students packed the Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Tuesday night for a simple reason — to worship Jesus.
The event was part of UniteUS, a growing campus ministry movement focused on reaching Gen Z with the message of the Gospel. What started as an ordinary worship night quickly turned into something much bigger.
According to the ministry, about 500 students gave their lives to Christ, and many were baptized right outside the arena in front of their friends and classmates.
“We’re completely blown away by what God did here tonight,” UniteUS shared in a video. “More than 8,000 students lifted up the name of Jesus, and over 500 made decisions for Him.”
Students on campus said they could feel something powerful happening.
“Hundreds got baptized tonight,” one student said in a video that spread quickly on social media. “We saw thousands changed in Jesus’ name. God is doing something new in our generation, and UniteUS is part of it.”
From Auburn To a Movement
UniteUS first launched in September 2023 at Auburn University, where more than 5,000 students showed up and 200 were baptized in a nearby lake.
Founder and evangelist Tonya Prewett said she never expected it to grow this fast.
“When God gave me the vision for Unite Auburn, I couldn’t have imagined what was coming,” she told CBN News. “That night, watching thousands worship and get baptized, I thought, ‘How can this stop?’ And it hasn’t. God keeps doing it again and again.”
A Modern-Day Miracle
Author and speaker Jennie Allen, who often preaches at UniteUS events, said what’s happening on college campuses feels like witnessing a miracle in real time.
“This is all a miracle,” Allen said. “We see students confessing sin, choosing to follow Jesus, and getting baptized well into the night. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen—or even dared to pray for before.”
She described the atmosphere as raw and real.
“All over the stadium, you’d see students huddled together—crying, praying, holding each other. It’s so pure, so brave,” she said.
The Message That’s Sparking Revival
The heart of UniteUS is simple: preaching the Gospel without compromise.
“Repent for your sins,” Prewett told the crowd in Knoxville. “Repent for the sins of this campus, this city, this nation. Let’s get free and give it all to Jesus.”
Students shared personal testimonies before being baptized, many expressing freedom and surrender.
“I’ve always felt like I wasn’t good enough,” one student said before being lowered into the water. “I’ll never be perfect, but I’ll be imperfect while chasing Jesus every single day.”
“Jesus Is Moving in Gen Z”
Videos and photos from the night flooded social media.
“What an amazing night. God is so good,” one student wrote.
“All glory to the only One worthy… all hail King Jesus,” another posted.
UniteUS summed it up best:
“Jesus is moving in Gen Z. And this is just the beginning.”
The ministry plans to continue its fall tour with upcoming gatherings at campuses in Arizona, Ohio, and North Carolina — carrying the same message of hope, repentance, and revival across the country.