Students, parents of students, alumni, and staff — along with friends of the Firestorm Family — joined together on January 23, in person and online for “AWAKEN, 24-hours of Worship Saturated Prayer.”

They gathered in ACU’s Performing Arts Auditorium and in the new on-campus House of Prayer to sing praises to God, read scripture, and pray intentionally over their campus, each other and the world around them. “God’s presence was overflowing in that room,” exclaimed one participant. 

The event was led by students, with support from Campus Pastor Jason Hubbard. During his opening comments, Pastor Hubbard prayed, “We want to honor God and glorify him tonight . . . and enter into the song that is happening right now (in heaven) and has been happening 24 hours a day, unceasingly around the throne.”

ACU students led worship throughout the 24 hours of prayer, and one song in particular seemed to capture the heart of the event:

“I will praise You on the mountain, and I will praise You when the mountain’s in my way. You’re the summit where my feet are, so I will praise You in the valleys all the same.”
– Hillsong UNITED, Highlands (Song of Ascent)

Those students and staff who led prayer at the event centered their petitions around the three main points of Jesus’ prayer; a) that God would protect; b) that God would sanctify; and c) that God would unify in Jesus name. 

Additional prayers called for a movement of the Holy Spirit to unify His people to transform culture with truth. 

“Being a part of community through worship like this is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. It gives you an opportunity to genuinely feel community. There’s nothing like that feeling when we get to worship our God while seeing other people surrounding you with hands up worshiping Christ!” exclaimed student leader Isaac Souza.