Christian leaders from across the U.S. are coming together Feb. 26 for the Collegiate Day of Prayer, an effort to encourage churches, groups, and individuals to pray for Gen Z and young people.
Thai Lam, executive director of Revival is Family Foundation, told CBN News the event, which he’s involved in organizing, will be held at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, at 8 p.m. ET but will be streamed on CBN News, among other outlets.
“It’s a historic day of prayer that we revitalized about 15 years ago,” he said. “And what it looks like, it’s been a day of prayer on the last Thursday of February, where believers across America are engaging from their cities, from their homes, and every year we have … tens of thousands of different gatherings in homes, in churches, on campuses where mom groups, student groups, churches are coming together to pray for the college campus down the street from them.”
Lam believes these prayers have yielded powerful fruit over the years, with God showing up on campuses in potent ways.
The purpose of broadcasting the Collegiate Day of Prayer has been to “unify all the different prayer gatherings happening across the country.” During this year’s event, people like JP Pokluda and Tonya Pruitt of UniteUS will speak, along with other leaders who will help drive home the prayer message.
“It’s an opportunity for believers, whether they’re in small group, individuals, or large groups, to be able to pray together with believers across America,” he said. “And to believe God for the 30,000 students down the street from them, as well as students across the globe.”
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Lam said he has seen some big shifts among Gen Z since the pandemic. The generation, which has dealt with anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and other issues, including international uncertainty and a difficult economy, is on a unique track.
“What we’ve seen … was just such a significant turning point,” he said, referencing the 2023 Asbury revival that made international headlines. “Asbury was was probably the first time Gen Z has witnessed a move of God in their generation, where it’s not just something they’re seeing and hearing from from history books, but they can witness it and something they can remember in their lifetime — that God is a God that really does see and hear their prayers, and their needs, and their pain.”
Since the monumental moment at Asbury University, which led to a 16-day, nonstop prayer period, college students have flocked to accept Jesus. Lam said the entirety of the spiritual restoration unfolding has been incredible to see.
“It really has been astounding to watch as students are gathered and the Gospel is preached,” Lam said. “The hunger to find hope in Jesus and just the openness to really both hear the Gospel and to search for for truth, and we’ve been blown away.”
With Bible sales exploding, Lam said there’s much to be elated about.
“We’ve just been so astounded by just the hunger in this next generation to engage with the Word of God and to ask just really deep questions of, ‘What is real? Where am I going in life? What matters?'” he said.
Tune in to the Collegiate Day of Prayer Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET on CBN.
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