Prayer has always been a priority within community life at Liberty University. This focus has seen the emergence of many groups, such as the student led movement, LU Dwelling Place. Since 2022, this group has placed emphasis on the spiritual practice of prayer for revival on campus. During the 2025 fall semester, Dwelling Place ministry joined the campus’s official prayer rhythm,Pray 5:8.
The ministry of Pray 5:8 works towards 24/7 prayer on Liberty’s campus. They host student-led prayer and worship every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 6 p.m. to midnight. Similar toLiberty’s 24 Hours of Prayer, these prayer times combine intercession, worship, prayer and reflection to create a space set apart to meet with God. They pray Scripture back to the Lord as an offering of praise and honor.
Dwelling Place meets at 6 a.m. every weekday. At these prayer meetings, there are anywhere from four to 20 students who consistently come together to be in the Lord’s presence in prayer and worship. These gatherings began four years ago in the Worley Prayer Chapel and moved to a room in DeMoss Hall two years ago.
Senior student leader Ethan Houk talked with Executive Director of the Office of Spiritual Development (OSD) Wes Franklin about Pray 5:8. After, they met with the OSD leadership and discussed bringing Pray 5:8 in alignment with Dwelling Place to contribute to Liberty’s prayer ministry. Ultimately, this led to the ministries merging, bringing the group back to its original meeting place in the prayer chapel.
Looking ahead to the future of the ministry, Houk anticipates the completion of the Champion Center, which will feature a dedicated prayer room that can host campus prayer rhythms.
“Now we’re under Liberty’s leadership, and we’re now continuing the same prayer Monday through Friday … in the chapel and then, Lord willing in the fall, the prayer room,” Houk said.
Since its inception, this student-led ministry had been praying for a widespread, consistent, dedicated time for prayer — and that prayer has been answered. They had specifically prayed for 24/7 prayer on campus. Then, OSD started 24 Hours of Prayer twice a month, and Pray 5:8’s ministry furthers that goal.
“We’ve seen the Lord be so faithful to answer these prayer requests,” Houk said. “It’s so cool to have been a part of it.”
At the morning meetings, students can choose to serve in prayer or worship. Senior Megan Westbrook started out playing keyboard during worship and facilitating prayer, and she is now an official student leader of the group.
“We take on more of a shepherding role in terms of the community development, putting on events, fellowship together,” Westbrook said. “And then we also put together the teams of who’sgoing to be serving each day.”
Now that the ministries are combined, there has been leadership and logistic changes. Although the official name has changed to Pray 5:8, the group still informally calls themselves Dwelling Place. Leadership now sits in on OSD trainings which include topics such as facilitating prayer in the chapel.
“To be connected with what’s going on with prayer on the greater part of campus, rather than just being a separate group has been really cool, to know that we’re being unified with the things that the Lord is doing,” Westbrook said.
The themes of each morning shift from ideas brought up by members in the group to specific topics that are aligned with the group’s focus. They now have a pattern of focusing on the Psalms of Ascent, revival and the nations on different days.
“The church isn’t meant to be internally focused on just how we can grow closer to the Lord,” Westbrook said. “But there’s always that external focus, that mission of what does the Lord place on our hearts to pursue?”
Serving in this ministry has given Houk and Westbrook a desire to continue their focus on prayer in their lives past graduation this May.
“As I graduate, the Lord has burdened my heart for prayer and has ignited a passion within … me to see more people be a part of prayer,” Westbrook said.
“I’ll always be grateful for my time at Liberty and what I’ve been able to learn about seeking the Father in the secret place,” Houk said. “And so, when I look to what’s next, I’m very expectant and filled with so much gratitude for what I’ve learned.”
Atkinson is a feature reporter for the Liberty Champion.