Students proclaim their faith
Audience openly responds to Clayton King’s messages during Spiritual Emphasis Week
Students gathered in Thomas Road Baptist Church (TRBC) Aug. 18 through Aug. 22 for Spiritual Emphasis Week as Campus Pastor Clayton King taught a message from Luke 15 entitled “Prodigal.”
Worship — Students felt the Holy Spirit’s presence. Photo credit: Leah Seavers
King’s message consisted of four parts: Lost and Found, the Setback and the Comeback, the Father, and the Older Brother. Students throughout the auditorium were dealing with personal convictions, as was evident at the conclusion of each night when the altar calls were made, and students came forward willing to confess their sins to God and repent.
“Kind of the overall prayer I pray for campus church every single week is that, specifically for Spiritual Emphasis Week, the Holy Spirit would show up and that we would see just scores and scores of kids come to the altar, confessing sin, rededicating their lives and really getting serious about their walk with the Lord in the very first week of school,” Campus Church Administrator Ian MacIntyre said.
More than 130 students were baptized Thursday night, publically displaying their faith.
“I came out and the music was playing and everyone (was) cheering, so that really lifts the mood a lot,” Josh Gordon, an aviation major, said about his baptism experience. “And I walked into the water, and as soon as I got all the way in, … as I was going down, (I) just (had) this euphoric feeling, like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is really happening right now’.”
Junior Travis Meador, Campus Church team member and biblical studies major, was standing backstage helping prepare people for baptism.
“There was a different energy, and there was a different, almost, excitement to step out and have (them take) that outward symbol of their faith and the change in their lives,” Meador said. “They were eager. We had to hold them back from running up to the baptistery.”
It was a special night for King as well.
Liberty presented King with a cake for his ten years of service. David Nasser, senior vice president for spiritual development, prayed along with the rest of the congregation for the King family and for God to bless King’s future with Liberty.
“In my entire life, I don’t think I’ve ever felt so honored and just so humbled by a group of people and their love for me,” King said after the presentation of cake and prayer. “I give all the glory to Jesus.”
Students were encouraged to study scripture and continue to stay close to God and keep each other accountable.
“I would just like to see all of what happened this week take root and really be in the ground in everyday life from this day forward,” Sarah Beth Allen, resident assistant and marriage and family counseling graduate student, said.