As college campuses nation-wide are seeing a surge in Christian faith, a local campus ministry is seeing lives transformed in surprising numbers. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) presence on the campus of Western Kentucky University (WKU) in Bowling Green, KY, has experienced unprecedented numbers of baptisms at two worship events. Titled “Worship on the Hill” the first event happened in October 2024 at Van Meter Hall, a campus performance center. At the close of the evening, a record 55 students were baptized over a period of 3 hours.
Plans were made to host another gathering for May 5, 2025, on the large grassy field at WKU’s South Lawn. Despite being in the middle of finals week, over 300 students gathered to worship and hear student testimonies. In advance several students had requested to be baptized at that gathering, so large water troughs, black t-shirts that read “Absolutely Convinced”, and towels were set up and waiting.
A local church worship band played in the round with students encircling. Three student-athletes shared their journey towards a full surrender to Christ and their baptism experience at the first event in October. A local pastor then explained the purpose and meaning of baptism and invited students to come receive counsel and be baptized. By the end of the evening 33 students went into the water.
But the move of God didn’t stop there. In attendance that evening were athletes from an out-of-state softball team in town for a tournament. Those young women had to leave the event before baptisms began. They reached out to WKU’s FCA leadership to ask if they could be baptized at their nearby hotel, Embassy Suites. Arrangements were made for the next day in the hotel swimming pool. WKU FCA leaders and the same pastor were on hand as another 26 athletes were baptized. According to reports, students from WKU, Sam Houston State University (Huntsville, TX), Jacksonville State University (Jacksonville, AL), and Liberty University (Lynchburg, VA) were baptized.
Each student that was baptized over both days, as part of their ceremony, was asked “are you absolutely convinced that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? And are you absolutely convinced that He has accepted you?” Then, in the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit they were baptized, buried with Christ, and raised to walk in new life. Attached is a video of one of the baptisms.
