Bryce Crawford, Jonathan Pokluda headline panel on the growing ‘harvest’ of Gen Z Christians

One day before Liberty University is set to host the Collegiate Day of Prayer — a more than 200-year tradition of prayer for college students around the world — pastor of Harris Creek Baptist Church Jonathan Pokluda and Gen Z street evangelist Bryce Crawford took part in a panel discussion in Wednesday morning’s Convocation to encourage students to deepen their personal relationship with Christ as they pray for revival.

The Convocation, themed the Next Gen Revival Prayer Panel, came as Liberty nears the end of a monthlong Digital Rest, a time where students have been encouraged to log off social media to pursue closer relationships with God and others. Each guest weighed in on the state of Gen Z’s spiritual growth over the last few years. The panel was moderated by Vice President of Spiritual Development Joshua Rutledge.

“Over the last five years, there has been an undeniable movement of God among college-aged students, both in this country and around the world,” Rutledge said, noting recent instances of mass revival on the campuses of Ohio State, Auburn, Asbury, and Southeastern. “There’s this undeniable sense that something is happening in Gen Z, your generation.”

Pokluda said spiritual revival happens every 45-55 years, with the last instance occurring during the crusades of Billy Graham. He said America is “ripe for revival” but that it cannot happen apart from developing personal relationships with Christ.

“We are suited up for this battle, and we are doing work, but it has to begin with our personal and our private life,” he said. “You don’t want God to use you publicly if you don’t have a relationship with him privately.” Pokluda is a regular speaker at Liberty; he most recently visited campus in August of 2024 for Convocation.

Crawford, a Bible student with Liberty University Online Programs, gleaned from Psalm 139 by encouraging students to perform a hard diagnosis of their hearts and ask God to reveal stumbling areas that hinder them from having a close relationship with Christ. He said this confrontation requires boldness.

“We’re living in a generation where godlessness is rising,” said Crawford, who shared at Convocation last semester about his radical testimony of nearly committing suicide before finding Christ. “If we are really tired of the junk, we need to stand in the face of adversity and not have fear. We need to stand in the face of the devil and say, ‘I’m not afraid of you.’”

Both guests agreed that revival requires deep prayer.

“Revival is when people pray,” Pokluda said. “That is revival. It starts with repentance. You examine your own life, and you say ‘OK, here is what’s in my life which is out of line with God’s will for me.’”

“God desires good for you,” Pokluda added. “He’s not trying to rip you off. He wants to give you a level a freedom that you don’t even think is possible right now. I’ve been at universities and campuses around the country for the past three years and what happens here (at Liberty) is not normal; it’s something very special.”

Crawford concluded Convocation by encouraging students to participate in Thursday’s Collegiate Day of Prayer. Students, pastors, church congregations, and ministries will pack the Vines Center for the global prayer event simulcast from Liberty’s campus for the first time this year. This is Liberty’s third time participating in the annual event and first as its host.

“We are in the midst of a revival right now, and I believe we are on the brink of another wave of a harvest being reaped,” Crawford said. “And we need to come together tomorrow night on behalf of our brothers and sisters who don’t know the Lord.”

Pokluda will be headlining Campus Community on Wednesday evening in the Vines Center.